Harvard Class of 2017 Forum

[HorseThief]

Does anyone have a summary breakdown of the various pricing options for Harvard housing, whether it is dorms, apts ect?

It looks like it is very possible to live in an apt with roommates for $1000-$1100 within walking distance to the school. I might go this route if it seems to be the middle option between $800 shitty Gropius dorms, and more expensive suite / studio options...

Here's HLS's take on the dorms.

The first post in this thread also has some summary info about housing. If I have time tonight, I'll write out a more extensive summary.

[HorseThief]

There are 3 types of options around HLS: dorms, Harvard apartments (HUH), and off-campus apartments. All prices below have been modified to a per-room price (aka a 3BR at $3,000/month would be listed as $1,000).

Dorms
Note: All dorms come fully furnished. They are available for 9-month leases, no extra fees, all utilities included. More info here (LinkRemoved).

Gropius (~$770-$1,260) all singles, shared bathroom and kitchens.
Hastings (~$1,185-$15,30) studios, 1BR and 2BR suites, shared bathroom and kitchens.
North (~$1,230-$1,600) singles and 2BR suites, private baths, shared kitchens.
HLS Apartments (~$1,375-$2,000) studios and singles in houses, private and shared baths, shared kitchens.
Cronkhite Center ($1,140-1,450) Technically this is HUH, but the rooms are essentially dorm rooms like Gropius. These rooms are open to the entire university.

Harvard University Housing
Note: These rooms do not come furnished. They are available for 1-year leases, then 9-months when you’re a 3L. Subletting tends to be easy over the summer. No extra fees, all utilities included. More info here.

Terry Terrace (~$1,200-$2,100) Right across from the WCC, studios, 1BR and 2BR, private bathroom and kitchen.
29 Garden Street (~$1,000-$2,200) A few blocks west of the law campus, studios, 1BR, 2BR, and 3BR, private bathroom and kitchen.

There are many other options around the campus, but the above two are the closest and most popular among law students. More HUH apartments can be found here.

Off-Campus
The first post of this thread has lots of info, but I’ll give a brief summary here. The most popular neighborhoods for law students are Cambridge, Porter Square, Davis Square and Sommerville (in order of decreasing price/increasing distance from campus). Around Cambridge, studios run upwards of $1,600. By the time you get out to Sommerville, prices will have dropped to less than $1,000 for a studio.

Note that in Boston, you will often have to pay the first and last month’s rent as a deposit, plus a broker fee equal to month’s rent. Leases are 1yr, tend to start 9/1, and not all landlords will allow you to sublet over the summer.

From what I’ve gathered, there are three ways to look for apartments:

1. Walk around, try to get lucky. Is difficult, but often nets the best results.
2. HLS List: Current students are posting their flats here. It’s flooded with summer sublets right now, but a few people are looking for roommates for next year.
3. Craigslist: Lots of postings, just watch out for scams.

HOW TO FIND A ROOMMATE
Harvard has a multitude of ways to find roommates, so I’ll list a few here.

• Post on TLS. Duh.
• HRES Roommate Click: Extremely cumbersome, but has the widest reach of any roommate service. Run by Harvard, this is available to all university students. Law students have used it in the past to find roommates, and this option is especially good if you would prefer to live with a non-HLS students.
• Roomie2Roomie I don’t have much info on this. It appears to be a new system set up by HBS students. Kind of like OkCupid for roommates. I’ll update this when they’ve sent me my matches.

[HorseThief]

Also, if anyone wants to split a 2BR in Terry Terrace, pm me.

[Pneumonia]

Also, if anyone wants to split a 2BR in Terry Terrace, pm me.

like you already have this option? i thought this was on a lottery and wouldn't be available until like May or something?

[paglababa]

There are 3 types of options around HLS: dorms, Harvard apartments (HUH), and off-campus apartments. All prices below have been modified to a per-room price (aka a 3BR at $3,000/month would be listed as $1,000).

Dorms
Note: All dorms come fully furnished. They are available for 9-month leases, no extra fees, all utilities included. More info here (LinkRemoved).

Gropius (~$770-$1,260) all singles, shared bathroom and kitchens.
Hastings (~$1,185-$15,30) studios, 1BR and 2BR suites, shared bathroom and kitchens.
North (~$1,230-$1,600) singles and 2BR suites, private baths, shared kitchens.
HLS Apartments (~$1,375-$2,000) studios and singles in houses, private and shared baths, shared kitchens.
Cronkhite Center ($1,140-1,450) Technically this is HUH, but the rooms are essentially dorm rooms like Gropius. These rooms are open to the entire university.

Harvard University Housing
Note: These rooms do not come furnished. They are available for 1-year leases, then 9-months when you’re a 3L. Subletting tends to be easy over the summer. No extra fees, all utilities included. More info here.

Terry Terrace (~$1,200-$2,100) Right across from the WCC, studios, 1BR and 2BR, private bathroom and kitchen.
29 Garden Street (~$1,000-$2,200) A few blocks west of the law campus, studios, 1BR, 2BR, and 3BR, private bathroom and kitchen.

There are many other options around the campus, but the above two are the closest and most popular among law students. More HUH apartments can be found here.

Off-Campus
The first post of this thread has lots of info, but I’ll give a brief summary here. The most popular neighborhoods for law students are Cambridge, Porter Square, Davis Square and Sommerville (in order of decreasing price/increasing distance from campus). Around Cambridge, studios run upwards of $1,600. By the time you get out to Sommerville, prices will have dropped to less than $1,000 for a studio.

Note that in Boston, you will often have to pay the first and last month’s rent as a deposit, plus a broker fee equal to month’s rent. Leases are 1yr, tend to start 9/1, and not all landlords will allow you to sublet over the summer.

From what I’ve gathered, there are three ways to look for apartments:

1. Walk around, try to get lucky. Is difficult, but often nets the best results.
2. HLS List: Current students are posting their flats here. It’s flooded with summer sublets right now, but a few people are looking for roommates for next year.
3. Craigslist: Lots of postings, just watch out for scams.

HOW TO FIND A ROOMMATE
Harvard has a multitude of ways to find roommates, so I’ll list a few here.

• Post on TLS. Duh.
• HRES Roommate Click: Extremely cumbersome, but has the widest reach of any roommate service. Run by Harvard, this is available to all university students. Law students have used it in the past to find roommates, and this option is especially good if you would prefer to live with a non-HLS students.
• Roomie2Roomie I don’t have much info on this. It appears to be a new system set up by HBS students. Kind of like OkCupid for roommates. I’ll update this when they’ve sent me my matches.

Well done. I think I'm either going to get Gropius or look for off campus housing by trying to find a roommate for some HUH.

[HorseThief]

Also, if anyone wants to split a 2BR in Terry Terrace, pm me.

like you already have this option? i thought this was on a lottery and wouldn't be available until like May or something?

I don't have one yet, but I'm just planning ahead.

[whippersnappery]

Does anyone have a sense of what the odds are to get Terry Terrace or one of the other close HUH buildings?

[LSAT9986]

Checking in. Still deciding.

[Nonconsecutive]

Does anyone have a sense of what the odds are to get Terry Terrace or one of the other close HUH buildings?

I got very different vibes here. When speaking to current students, they made it seem very reasonable (if not likely) to expect to get into those places. One housing person I spoke to made it seem like there was a fair chance if you were open to roommates and/or different locations, but literally 5 minutes later another one told me that it wasn't likely since applicants have vastly exceeded availability the past few years. (This is for HUH, HLS Housing seemed much more accessible).

[codyoneill]

Does anyone have a sense of what the odds are to get Terry Terrace or one of the other close HUH buildings?

I got very different vibes here. When speaking to current students, they made it seem very reasonable (if not likely) to expect to get into those places. One housing person I spoke to made it seem like there was a fair chance if you were open to roommates and/or different locations, but literally 5 minutes later another one told me that it wasn't likely since applicants have vastly exceeded availability the past few years. (This is for HUH, HLS Housing seemed much more accessible).

I found the housing table to be the least useful and least friendly part of ASW.
There was little information on HUH, and the woman I spoke with basically told me not to get my hopes up because each housing applicant has a one in four chance of getting an HUH apartment.

In writing this now though, I wonder if those are the odds per applicant in the whole process or the odds per apartment. Because a 1 in 4 chance for a specific apartment is not bad at all (just apply for ten apartments and you're all but guaranteed one), but a 1 in 4 chance for each applicant would likely send me off campus. Maybe she was just grumpy.

[JodieLovesChachi]

There are 3 types of options around HLS: dorms, Harvard apartments (HUH), and off-campus apartments. All prices below have been modified to a per-room price (aka a 3BR at $3,000/month would be listed as $1,000).

Dorms
Note: All dorms come fully furnished. They are available for 9-month leases, no extra fees, all utilities included. More info here (LinkRemoved).

Gropius (~$770-$1,260) all singles, shared bathroom and kitchens.
Hastings (~$1,185-$15,30) studios, 1BR and 2BR suites, shared bathroom and kitchens.
North (~$1,230-$1,600) singles and 2BR suites, private baths, shared kitchens.
HLS Apartments (~$1,375-$2,000) studios and singles in houses, private and shared baths, shared kitchens.
Cronkhite Center ($1,140-1,450) Technically this is HUH, but the rooms are essentially dorm rooms like Gropius. These rooms are open to the entire university.

Harvard University Housing
Note: These rooms do not come furnished. They are available for 1-year leases, then 9-months when you’re a 3L. Subletting tends to be easy over the summer. No extra fees, all utilities included. More info here.

Terry Terrace (~$1,200-$2,100) Right across from the WCC, studios, 1BR and 2BR, private bathroom and kitchen.
29 Garden Street (~$1,000-$2,200) A few blocks west of the law campus, studios, 1BR, 2BR, and 3BR, private bathroom and kitchen.

There are many other options around the campus, but the above two are the closest and most popular among law students. More HUH apartments can be found here.

Off-Campus
The first post of this thread has lots of info, but I’ll give a brief summary here. The most popular neighborhoods for law students are Cambridge, Porter Square, Davis Square and Sommerville (in order of decreasing price/increasing distance from campus). Around Cambridge, studios run upwards of $1,600. By the time you get out to Sommerville, prices will have dropped to less than $1,000 for a studio.

Note that in Boston, you will often have to pay the first and last month’s rent as a deposit, plus a broker fee equal to month’s rent. Leases are 1yr, tend to start 9/1, and not all landlords will allow you to sublet over the summer.

From what I’ve gathered, there are three ways to look for apartments:

1. Walk around, try to get lucky. Is difficult, but often nets the best results.
2. HLS List: Current students are posting their flats here. It’s flooded with summer sublets right now, but a few people are looking for roommates for next year.
3. Craigslist: Lots of postings, just watch out for scams.

HOW TO FIND A ROOMMATE
Harvard has a multitude of ways to find roommates, so I’ll list a few here.

• Post on TLS. Duh.
• HRES Roommate Click: Extremely cumbersome, but has the widest reach of any roommate service. Run by Harvard, this is available to all university students. Law students have used it in the past to find roommates, and this option is especially good if you would prefer to live with a non-HLS students.
• Roomie2Roomie I don’t have much info on this. It appears to be a new system set up by HBS students. Kind of like OkCupid for roommates. I’ll update this when they’ve sent me my matches.

Clutch, once again. Thanks for this HorseThief

[Nonconsecutive]

Does anyone have a sense of what the odds are to get Terry Terrace or one of the other close HUH buildings?

I got very different vibes here. When speaking to current students, they made it seem very reasonable (if not likely) to expect to get into those places. One housing person I spoke to made it seem like there was a fair chance if you were open to roommates and/or different locations, but literally 5 minutes later another one told me that it wasn't likely since applicants have vastly exceeded availability the past few years. (This is for HUH, HLS Housing seemed much more accessible).

I found the housing table to be the least useful and least friendly part of ASW.
There was little information on HUH, and the woman I spoke with basically told me not to get my hopes up because each housing applicant has a one in four chance of getting an HUH apartment.

In writing this now though, I wonder if those are the odds per applicant in the whole process or the odds per apartment. Because a 1 in 4 chance for a specific apartment is not bad at all (just apply for ten apartments and you're all but guaranteed one), but a 1 in 4 chance for each applicant would likely send me off campus. Maybe she was just grumpy.

If we spoke to the same person, and my guess is that we did, then I think its quite possible she was grumpy. I was told the same 1 in 4 number, but she made it seem like it was a 25% chance period, rather than for a specific unit. She recommended I cross apply for HLS Housing, which unfortunately isn't an option for me due to the restrictions.

[wtrc]

Looked at the calendar, realized in 4 months we will be nearly starting classes.

WHO'S GETTING EXCITED?!

[koalacity]

Looked at the calendar, realized in 4 months we will be nearly starting classes.

WHO'S GETTING EXCITED?!

On a related note, when do we actually need to be on campus? I know 1L classes start 9/2, but does orientation begin before that?

[wtrc]

Looked at the calendar, realized in 4 months we will be nearly starting classes.

WHO'S GETTING EXCITED?!

On a related note, when do we actually need to be on campus? I know 1L classes start 9/2, but does orientation begin before that?

TLSers don't need to go to orientation we know all

[HorseThief]

Looked at the calendar, realized in 4 months we will be nearly starting classes.

WHO'S GETTING EXCITED?!

On a related note, when do we actually need to be on campus? I know 1L classes start 9/2, but does orientation begin before that?

A friend at HLS said our orientation is from Tuesday, 8/26 to Friday 8/29.

[Nonconsecutive]

Looked at the calendar, realized in 4 months we will be nearly starting classes.

WHO'S GETTING EXCITED?!

On a related note, when do we actually need to be on campus? I know 1L classes start 9/2, but does orientation begin before that?

August 26th is when orientation begins, with move in day on the 25th.

http://www.law.harvard.edu/current/stud ... ientation/

TLSers don't need to go to orientation we know all

Also this

[t-14orbust]

Anyone know when aid/loans are disbursed? I'm probably moving in in August and I will likely have no disposable income at the time lol.

[Nonconsecutive]

Anyone know when aid/loans are disbursed? I'm probably moving in in August and I will likely have no disposable income at the time lol.

Not sure exactly, but the SFS people made it seem you can get a one-time early loan through HLS for August Rent, I think I am going to try to get that since I am in the same boat.

[sjgonzalez3]

Looked at the calendar, realized in 4 months we will be nearly starting classes.

WHO'S GETTING EXCITED?!

Getting VERY excited!!

Does anybody know if we get to choose anything for our classes? Or is it just that we eventually get informed of our section, and that all first semester classes are predetermined?

As for that question, when do we hear about our section number so we can start forming cliques

[malleus discentium]

Looked at the calendar, realized in 4 months we will be nearly starting classes.

WHO'S GETTING EXCITED?!

Getting VERY excited!!

Does anybody know if we get to choose anything for our classes? Or is it just that we eventually get informed of our section, and that all first semester classes are predetermined?

As for that question, when do we hear about our section number so we can start forming cliques

I think we hear about our sections in early August, and the classes for the first semester are all assigned at that point.

[Fianna13]

Are financial aid offices closed today? Not getting any responses on my emails and no update on my financial aid forms D:

[TripTrip]

Does anybody know if we get to choose anything for our classes?

First semester all of your substantive courses are picked. You can choose a reading group if you want to (for no credit).

Second semester you'll get to choose one elective and one out of seven international classes. Second and third year you choose everything.

[ejan1621]

Pulled the trigger and withdrew from HLS. Good luck everyone, sad to not get that free coffee every morning, but I'll be carrying the HLS tote bag everyday in spirit.

[yomisterd]

I said yes to the dress... I mean to the school today! HARVARD HERE I COME!