Harvard Student(s) Answering Your Questions Forum

[wert3813]

I also want to start a bad ideas club where we brainstorm and then execute a whole bunch of bad ideas.

sounds like you've already started

So as non dueshe-ily as possible--do you go here Patogordo?

oh yes. i'm the non-trad leeching gunner lurking around every corner.

I dunno those 2000 posts in a month are AGGRESSIVE.

[patogordo]

yea i tls in class and then i have to leech off my classmates to hero up

[094320]

..

[patogordo]

yea i tls in class and then i have to leech off my classmates to hero up

I had a class with patogordo once. Can confirm this.

i think i attended that class maybe three times. 8 am wtf was i thinking?

[094320]

..

[ph14]

yea i tls in class and then i have to leech off my classmates to hero up

I had a class with patogordo once. Can confirm this.

i think i attended that class maybe three times. 8 am wtf was i thinking?

I got notes from a friend to substitute for class attendance because 8amlol. I think that makes me a leecher gunner.

Who takes a class at 8am?!

[094320]

..

[hwannabe1234]

Hi,

I just got admitted this cycle.

I am a K-JD (directly from undergraduate) and am considering whether I should take some time off or go directly into law school.

My concern is

1) I don't think I am prepared academically to handle rigor of studies at law school. (I aim to be above top 40 % at least but am concerned my level of academic capacity is good enough to stack up against other equally intelligent people at harvard

2) I am concerned that lack of full time post-undergraduate work experience may be a negative factor in getting a 1L internship or job later on( I am aiming for big law in NYC or west coast). So I am considering working one or two years as a paralegal at big law firm if it could help me later on for having a better shot at job recruiting.

Given these concerns, would you recommend taking time off?

what are some pros/cons of going now versus taking some time off?

I am an international student from Asia and might consider staying in my home country.

What is your recommendation?

A) taking time off
a) taking time off and stay in home country and just study in advance
b) taking time off and work as a paralegal in big law ( and possibly study)
c) taking time off and travel
B) DO NOT take time off

I appreciate your advice and insight.

THANKS A LOT!

[patogordo]

do not take time off to study law school shit. take time off to work or travel.

[despina]

1. If you got into HLS, you can handle the work. I don't know why you want to be top 40%, but I'm not sure you really have any information right now that would help you know whether that's realistic. Don't underestimate yourself or give in to "impostor syndrome."

2. Consensus seems to be that having several years of work experience is helpful, but not at all necessary for getting jobs and internships, especially if all you want is biglaw (public interest jobs want more of a record of "commitment to the cause" and practical skills because they don't want to spend as much time training you).

HOWEVER, I always recommend taking time off between undergrad and any graduate study, to everyone, always. It's good for your sanity, it's good so you know when you come back to school whether / why you actually want to do it, it's good for having some real world perspective about what working 9-5 to pay the bills is like (or traveling, or whatever you end up doing that isn't being a student).

As for what to do during your year (or two or three), really truly, do what you want. If you can somehow afford to just travel the globe and want to do that, absolutely do it now, because you're not likely to have that freedom ever again. If you want to stay in your home country and spend time with your family and find a job you enjoy, do that. If you want to paralegal in biglaw, do that... it wouldn't be my choice, but do it if you actually want to do it (not just to build your resume). Don't "study in advance," whatever that means -- you can stress about 1L when you're a 1L, so take time off to enjoy your life and see a sliver of the "real world."

[wert3813]

1. If you got into HLS, you can handle the work. I don't know why you want to be top 40%, but I'm not sure you really have any information right now that would help you know whether that's realistic. Don't underestimate yourself or give in to "impostor syndrome."

2. Consensus seems to be that having several years of work experience is helpful, but not at all necessary for getting jobs and internships, especially if all you want is biglaw (public interest jobs want more of a record of "commitment to the cause" and practical skills because they don't want to spend as much time training you).

HOWEVER, I always recommend taking time off between undergrad and any graduate study, to everyone, always. It's good for your sanity, it's good so you know when you come back to school whether / why you actually want to do it, it's good for having some real world perspective about what working 9-5 to pay the bills is like (or traveling, or whatever you end up doing that isn't being a student).

As for what to do during your year (or two or three), really truly, do what you want. If you can somehow afford to just travel the globe and want to do that, absolutely do it now, because you're not likely to have that freedom ever again. If you want to stay in your home country and spend time with your family and find a job you enjoy, do that. If you want to paralegal in biglaw, do that... it wouldn't be my choice, but do it if you actually want to do it (not just to build your resume). Don't "study in advance," whatever that means -- you can stress about 1L when you're a 1L, so take time off to enjoy your life and see a sliver of the "real world."

I was gonna response but then I read this and don't have anything to add.

[JD87]

Has anyone heard anything about a lot of LPs in the 1L class last semester? Some people have mentioned OCS told them, but I didn't know if they say that every year to keep people from freaking out.

[094320]

..

[AllTheLawz]

Has anyone heard anything about a lot of LPs in the 1L class last semester? Some people have mentioned OCS told them, but I didn't know if they say that every year to keep people from freaking out.

Haven't heard anything about last semester in particular but LPs do exist. I wouldn't worry too much about them though. I know two people with at least one LP and they are both going to elite law firms.

[cway]

Thanks for the info in this thread. Very helpful!

0L here. Why is BSA so highly competitive and desirable? (Sincerely not trying to be a smartass.) It just seems pretty bland - and yet several people ITT have put it in the same bucket as HLR. Is it particularly prestigious, or does it just require a large time commitment like HLR? I feel like I'm missing something.

[owlofminerva]

Thanks for the info in this thread. Very helpful!

0L here. Why is BSA so highly competitive and desirable? (Sincerely not trying to be a smartass.) It just seems pretty bland - and yet several people ITT have put it in the same bucket as HLR. Is it particularly prestigious, or does it just require a large time commitment like HLR? I feel like I'm missing something.

I think it works a little both ways. To some degree, you are right in that it doesn't seem like a big deal; at the same time, however, there are a number of positive things to be said for it. It does require a big time commitment, just like the other two major players that people try to join at the end of 1L: HLAB and HLR.

On the positive side of things, BSAs get to work a lot on legal writing skills with the work that goes into coaching the 1L sections and even helping run the Ames competitions. Not only that, but their experience is more on the practical side of legal writing instead of the theory-based articles seen on law review. Additionally, BSA has been around for quite some time and so there is a network of alumni there to tap into and establish a connection with more so than just going to HLS. As a result, BSA can be a desirable thing.

I think the only true negative for BSA is the fact that not a lot of people (re: employers) outside of the HLS community know what a BSA does. Everybody knows what law review is, or even a clinic like HLAB. BSA is a bit harder to really explain, at least in just a resume alone.

In any case, everybody I know that did BSA all seemed to have a good experience out of it and while it might not be as "desirable" as HLR, it can be very competitive to join.

[wert3813]

Thanks for the info in this thread. Very helpful!

0L here. Why is BSA so highly competitive and desirable? (Sincerely not trying to be a smartass.) It just seems pretty bland - and yet several people ITT have put it in the same bucket as HLR. Is it particularly prestigious, or does it just require a large time commitment like HLR? I feel like I'm missing something.

First, it's not as prestigious as HLR, but not much in this world is. That said, it is pretty prestigious, but I actually think a lot of people do it because they either will like the experience or it helps their future goals:

You get to work with 1Ls in a fairly substantive and (usually) helpful role which I'm sure a lot of people enjoy.
If you are into appellate brief writing I can imagine it is particularly useful.
If you want to be a professor one day it makes a lot of sense.
You have the opportunity to get a great relationship with a professor.
It pays (though not a lot).

[cway]

Appreciate the quick responses!

[paglababa]

Anyone turn down full ride at a t6 to come to H? Especially offers that gave more than just money, ie. AnBryce @ NYU. Would love to hear how you feel now. Feel free to PM me.

[Vursz]

Anyone turn down full ride at a t6 to come to H? Especially offers that gave more than just money, ie. AnBryce @ NYU. Would love to hear how you feel now. Feel free to PM me.

Seconding this.

[mnindc]

Anyone turn down full ride at a t6 to come to H? Especially offers that gave more than just money, ie. AnBryce @ NYU. Would love to hear how you feel now. Feel free to PM me.

+1

[tomwatts]

I turned down a full-tuition scholarship at NYU to go to HLS. My reasons were a bit unusual. I'm doing a JD/MPP, and there's basically no other JD/MPP in the country like Harvard's. I had a decent amount of money saved up before law school (and ended up working during the second, third, and fourth years) so that I won't go into huge amounts of debt. Things like that.

If it were straight-up sticker at HLS vs. full-ride at NYU and I wanted nothing but biglaw in NY or something, then it probably would've made more sense to go to NYU.

[MoMettaMonk]

.

[patogordo]

i bet if you asked "who went to H at sticker and wishes they'd had the option of a full ride at CCN?" you'd get a lot more responses

[wert3813]

Just in case you guys don't all get PMs from people...If you are A) good with living in NYC while in school, B) want general big law, and C) won't spend the rest of your life wishing you had gone to Harvard then taking the money at CCN is probably wise. If some of these aren't true the decision becomes much tougher and much more dependent on you and your circumstances.