Harvard Class of 2017 Forum

(housing, friendships, future exams, all things 2017)
Post Reply

State your section!

Section 1
7
9%
Section 2
12
16%
Section 3
8
11%
Section 4
7
9%
Section 5
20
27%
Section 6
8
11%
Section 7
13
17%
 
Total votes: 75

Fred012

Bronze
Posts: 134
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2014 4:06 pm

Re: Harvard Class of 2017

Post by Fred012 » Wed Oct 22, 2014 8:54 am

i also heard librarians look at research assignments, not BSA. in other words, they do not matter at all. do it friday AM

User avatar
yomisterd

Gold
Posts: 1571
Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2013 12:52 pm

Re: Harvard Class of 2017

Post by yomisterd » Wed Oct 22, 2014 4:40 pm

Fred012 wrote:i also heard librarians look at research assignments, not BSA. in other words, they do not matter at all. do it friday AM
FWIW the research exercise has been helpful for organizing the open memo so there's something to work with.

Fred012

Bronze
Posts: 134
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2014 4:06 pm

Re: Harvard Class of 2017

Post by Fred012 » Wed Oct 22, 2014 10:15 pm

thx

User avatar
polareagle

Bronze
Posts: 336
Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2010 2:04 pm

Re: Harvard Class of 2017

Post by polareagle » Wed Oct 22, 2014 10:42 pm

Fred012 wrote:same. only going to try if i get an H on closed. otherwise, waste of time.
I've seen this posted a couple of times. It is actively untrue.
Last year, at least in my section, the open memo grades determined the final grades, hard stop. Neither the closed memo nor any other assignments had any effect thereon. I've also heard that some Climenkos give almost no Hs on the closed memo so they can "save" them for the open memo.

Either way, if you're not putting in work on one of the three assignments during the whole year that doesn't happen during exam time, you're making a poor choice. (Section 3 excepted--that totally sucks, and I'm very sorry for you).

User avatar
Nonconsecutive

Gold
Posts: 2398
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2012 4:58 pm

Re: Harvard Class of 2017

Post by Nonconsecutive » Wed Oct 22, 2014 11:51 pm

polareagle wrote:
Fred012 wrote:same. only going to try if i get an H on closed. otherwise, waste of time.
I've seen this posted a couple of times. It is actively untrue.
Last year, at least in my section, the open memo grades determined the final grades, hard stop. Neither the closed memo nor any other assignments had any effect thereon.
If this is the case then our syllabus is blatantly lying (and Our Climenko has also lied about it in person as well). So I don't think this applies universally. I know you specifically mention that it was for your section, but for me if I get a P on the closed memo I would have to do insanely well on the open memo to have any chance of an H based on how the syllabus lays out percentages. This is again, assuming that what the Climenko/syllabus are saying isn't some ruse, and I'm not discounting that given how syllabi seem to be treated these days.

Want to continue reading?

Register now to search topics and post comments!

Absolutely FREE!


Fred012

Bronze
Posts: 134
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2014 4:06 pm

Re: Harvard Class of 2017

Post by Fred012 » Thu Oct 23, 2014 12:52 am

agreed. your allegation is actually accusing HLS faculty of fraud. I would be shocked if this were the case.

User avatar
polareagle

Bronze
Posts: 336
Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2010 2:04 pm

Re: Harvard Class of 2017

Post by polareagle » Thu Oct 23, 2014 9:34 am

You can call it an allegation/fraud if you wish. You can also settle for your P.

Every Climenko uses the same syllabus. That does not mean they all treat it the same way. They're all lawyers, so they're quite good at getting around rules and regs.

For example, the Syllabus assigns some percentage to the research exercises, participation, Bluebook quizzes, etc.

I know of not a single person in my year who believes their work on one of those assignments had any effect whatsoever on their overall grade.

You will also probably be surprised when you or some of your classmates get back P+ grades on this assignment. Are those standard-issue Harvard grades? No. Will some/all Climenkos use them to prevent themselves from having to give out a lot of H's? Yes. Does your syllabus say anything about how they have to give out grades on assignments within the course of the class? No.

So, look back at your percentages. Discount the BB Quizzes, participation, and research exercises.

Then you're left with two parts to your grade, the open memo and the closed memo. If almost nobody gets an H on the closed memo (I've know of several Climenkos last year who gave out at most 1 or 2 Hs on the first assignment), then you can stay within the percentages and still have the Open Memo be all that matters.

Feel free to ignore this if you wish. But, if you get a P/P+ on your closed memo (which nearly all of you will) and decide not to put in work on the open one, you're shooting yourself in the foot.

User avatar
Pneumonia

Gold
Posts: 2096
Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2012 3:05 pm

Re: Harvard Class of 2017

Post by Pneumonia » Thu Oct 23, 2014 11:00 am

polareagle wrote:You can call it an allegation/fraud if you wish. You can also settle for your P.

Every Climenko uses the same syllabus. That does not mean they all treat it the same way. They're all lawyers, so they're quite good at getting around rules and regs.

For example, the Syllabus assigns some percentage to the research exercises, participation, Bluebook quizzes, etc.

I know of not a single person in my year who believes their work on one of those assignments had any effect whatsoever on their overall grade.

You will also probably be surprised when you or some of your classmates get back P+ grades on this assignment. Are those standard-issue Harvard grades? No. Will some/all Climenkos use them to prevent themselves from having to give out a lot of H's? Yes. Does your syllabus say anything about how they have to give out grades on assignments within the course of the class? No.

So, look back at your percentages. Discount the BB Quizzes, participation, and research exercises.

Then you're left with two parts to your grade, the open memo and the closed memo. If almost nobody gets an H on the closed memo (I've know of several Climenkos last year who gave out at most 1 or 2 Hs on the first assignment), then you can stay within the percentages and still have the Open Memo be all that matters.

Feel free to ignore this if you wish. But, if you get a P/P+ on your closed memo (which nearly all of you will) and decide not to put in work on the open one, you're shooting yourself in the foot.
Lol fraud.
Thanks for taking the time to post this, especially given the post that prompted it.

User avatar
Nonconsecutive

Gold
Posts: 2398
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2012 4:58 pm

Re: Harvard Class of 2017

Post by Nonconsecutive » Thu Oct 23, 2014 4:42 pm

No grades today, but our outline due date did get pushed back. Noice.

Want to continue reading?

Register for access!

Did I mention it was FREE ?


User avatar
lawschool22

Gold
Posts: 3875
Joined: Thu Jul 25, 2013 5:47 pm

Re: Harvard Class of 2017

Post by lawschool22 » Thu Oct 23, 2014 11:54 pm

wtrc wrote:Section 3 was assigned a writing assignment for crim law. Syllabus said it'd be 5 pages, and it's 15% of the grade. Our prof is visiting from a California school.

Anyway, we got the assignment, it's due in 2 weeks or so, and it's actually 2500 words, plus a 2 page single spaced "affidavit of probable cause." And she wants BlueBook citations and the class to use the materials from the entire year. Due around same time of open memo.

Welpppppp
That's ridiculous. I do know there is a "1L Fall Writing" requirement that is separate from LRW (per one of our profs), but I didn't know there is an option to make that graded. Our section is doing a (required) practice exam to satisfy that requirement. It's not graded and TAs are providing individualized feedback on it. Seems like the requirement should be standardized across sections.

User avatar
wealtheow

Silver
Posts: 1034
Joined: Wed Dec 21, 2011 1:45 pm

Re: Harvard Class of 2017

Post by wealtheow » Thu Oct 23, 2014 11:59 pm

i think most of our section would not mind getting mauled by a bear right now

User avatar
wtrc

Gold
Posts: 2053
Joined: Mon May 30, 2011 9:37 pm

Re: Harvard Class of 2017

Post by wtrc » Fri Oct 24, 2014 12:10 am

Re the closed memo grading vs. open memo: Our Climenko told us today that closed memo grading is on a tougher curve (as in more people will get P's or P+'s) than the open memo (which is about the same as the regular curve. But she said the fact that the curve is tougher is factored in when doing the final grades.

Which, essentially, means the closed memo means very little.

User avatar
yomisterd

Gold
Posts: 1571
Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2013 12:52 pm

Re: Harvard Class of 2017

Post by yomisterd » Fri Oct 24, 2014 12:11 am

lawschool22 wrote:
wtrc wrote:Section 3 was assigned a writing assignment for crim law. Syllabus said it'd be 5 pages, and it's 15% of the grade. Our prof is visiting from a California school.

Anyway, we got the assignment, it's due in 2 weeks or so, and it's actually 2500 words, plus a 2 page single spaced "affidavit of probable cause." And she wants BlueBook citations and the class to use the materials from the entire year. Due around same time of open memo.

Welpppppp
That's ridiculous. I do know there is a "1L Fall Writing" requirement that is separate from LRW (per one of our profs), but I didn't know there is an option to make that graded. Our section is doing a (required) practice exam to satisfy that requirement. It's not graded and TAs are providing individualized feedback on it. Seems like the requirement should be standardized across sections.
Our civpro prof is making the requirement the practice problems she gives out every week, and we have to sign a paper at the end of the semester saying how many we did. Definitely think there was not a debriefing about what this writing req meant.

Register now!

Resources to assist law school applicants, students & graduates.

It's still FREE!


User avatar
jingosaur

Gold
Posts: 3188
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2013 10:33 am

Re: Harvard Class of 2017

Post by jingosaur » Fri Oct 24, 2014 12:58 am

yomisterd wrote:
lawschool22 wrote:
wtrc wrote:Section 3 was assigned a writing assignment for crim law. Syllabus said it'd be 5 pages, and it's 15% of the grade. Our prof is visiting from a California school.

Anyway, we got the assignment, it's due in 2 weeks or so, and it's actually 2500 words, plus a 2 page single spaced "affidavit of probable cause." And she wants BlueBook citations and the class to use the materials from the entire year. Due around same time of open memo.

Welpppppp
That's ridiculous. I do know there is a "1L Fall Writing" requirement that is separate from LRW (per one of our profs), but I didn't know there is an option to make that graded. Our section is doing a (required) practice exam to satisfy that requirement. It's not graded and TAs are providing individualized feedback on it. Seems like the requirement should be standardized across sections.
Our civpro prof is making the requirement the practice problems she gives out every week, and we have to sign a paper at the end of the semester saying how many we did. Definitely think there was not a debriefing about what this writing req meant.
Someone in our section said that the review sessions are what count as the writing requirement.

Fred012

Bronze
Posts: 134
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2014 4:06 pm

Re: Harvard Class of 2017

Post by Fred012 » Fri Oct 24, 2014 1:04 am

yomisterd wrote:
lawschool22 wrote:
wtrc wrote:Section 3 was assigned a writing assignment for crim law. Syllabus said it'd be 5 pages, and it's 15% of the grade. Our prof is visiting from a California school.

Anyway, we got the assignment, it's due in 2 weeks or so, and it's actually 2500 words, plus a 2 page single spaced "affidavit of probable cause." And she wants BlueBook citations and the class to use the materials from the entire year. Due around same time of open memo.

Welpppppp
That's ridiculous. I do know there is a "1L Fall Writing" requirement that is separate from LRW (per one of our profs), but I didn't know there is an option to make that graded. Our section is doing a (required) practice exam to satisfy that requirement. It's not graded and TAs are providing individualized feedback on it. Seems like the requirement should be standardized across sections.
Our civpro prof is making the requirement the practice problems she gives out every week, and we have to sign a paper at the end of the semester saying how many we did. Definitely think there was not a debriefing about what this writing req meant.
lol at this writing req

User avatar
yomisterd

Gold
Posts: 1571
Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2013 12:52 pm

Re: Harvard Class of 2017

Post by yomisterd » Fri Oct 24, 2014 1:05 am

jingosaur wrote:
yomisterd wrote:
lawschool22 wrote:
wtrc wrote:Section 3 was assigned a writing assignment for crim law. Syllabus said it'd be 5 pages, and it's 15% of the grade. Our prof is visiting from a California school.

Anyway, we got the assignment, it's due in 2 weeks or so, and it's actually 2500 words, plus a 2 page single spaced "affidavit of probable cause." And she wants BlueBook citations and the class to use the materials from the entire year. Due around same time of open memo.

Welpppppp
That's ridiculous. I do know there is a "1L Fall Writing" requirement that is separate from LRW (per one of our profs), but I didn't know there is an option to make that graded. Our section is doing a (required) practice exam to satisfy that requirement. It's not graded and TAs are providing individualized feedback on it. Seems like the requirement should be standardized across sections.
Our civpro prof is making the requirement the practice problems she gives out every week, and we have to sign a paper at the end of the semester saying how many we did. Definitely think there was not a debriefing about what this writing req meant.
Someone in our section said that the review sessions are what count as the writing requirement.
damn guess i should go to one

User avatar
heythatslife

Silver
Posts: 1201
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2012 7:18 pm

Re: Harvard Class of 2017

Post by heythatslife » Fri Oct 24, 2014 2:32 am

Last review session we had a exam-style problem but it was just the TAs showing us how to do it. We didn't really write anything.

Get unlimited access to all forums and topics

Register now!

I'm pretty sure I told you it's FREE...


User avatar
wtrc

Gold
Posts: 2053
Joined: Mon May 30, 2011 9:37 pm

Re: Harvard Class of 2017

Post by wtrc » Fri Oct 24, 2014 9:26 am

We also have a(n ungraded) midterm today, haha. Interesting to see the huge range of studying going on (from people who have been outlining for weeks for this to people who haven't really touched it).

Fred012

Bronze
Posts: 134
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2014 4:06 pm

Re: Harvard Class of 2017

Post by Fred012 » Fri Oct 24, 2014 11:59 am

wtrc wrote:We also have a(n ungraded) midterm today, haha. Interesting to see the huge range of studying going on (from people who have been outlining for weeks for this to people who haven't really touched it).
is professor grading anonymously? if not, thats probably why theres such a wide range

User avatar
mino

New
Posts: 48
Joined: Sun Aug 10, 2014 8:44 am

Re: Harvard Class of 2017

Post by mino » Fri Oct 24, 2014 12:12 pm

SO MANY PEOPLE TODAY. I thought it was super busy when the 2L's and 3L's came back. :|

Fred012

Bronze
Posts: 134
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2014 4:06 pm

Re: Harvard Class of 2017

Post by Fred012 » Fri Oct 24, 2014 8:16 pm

this outline, UGH

Communicate now with those who not only know what a legal education is, but can offer you worthy advice and commentary as you complete the three most educational, yet challenging years of your law related post graduate life.

Register now, it's still FREE!


User avatar
Nonconsecutive

Gold
Posts: 2398
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2012 4:58 pm

Re: Harvard Class of 2017

Post by Nonconsecutive » Fri Oct 24, 2014 8:18 pm

mino wrote:SO MANY PEOPLE TODAY. I thought it was super busy when the 2L's and 3L's came back. :|
Some of the alumni answered questions in our class today, it was actually pretty cool since they knew more than the casebook told us.

User avatar
wtrc

Gold
Posts: 2053
Joined: Mon May 30, 2011 9:37 pm

Re: Harvard Class of 2017

Post by wtrc » Sat Oct 25, 2014 12:18 am

Yeah, the alumni in our class were so cute today. Two looked like they fell asleep, and two had ridiculously big smiles on. I'm guessing we had some class of 1954's in there.

Fred012

Bronze
Posts: 134
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2014 4:06 pm

Re: Harvard Class of 2017

Post by Fred012 » Tue Oct 28, 2014 7:16 pm

anybody get their memo grade yet?

User avatar
Pneumonia

Gold
Posts: 2096
Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2012 3:05 pm

Re: Harvard Class of 2017

Post by Pneumonia » Tue Oct 28, 2014 11:22 pm

Fred012 wrote:anybody get their memo grade yet?
Yep. Not really a grade though, and no comments either.

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

Now there's a charge.
Just kidding ... it's still FREE!


Post Reply

Return to “TLS Class of 2017 Forum”