Harvard Student(s) Answering Your Questions Forum

[nothingtosee]

Question about credit-load as a 2L/3L.

I know 12/semester is average. Are there any advantages to taking more credits? I have a combination of classes that I am enrolled in that equals 15 credits, and don't particularly want to drop one. But, if there isn't really any benefit, it may be hard to justify the extra workload.

So far my pros/cons list to dropping is:

Pro: Less work

Cons: Don't get to take one extra class that interests me.

Anything else to tack on to either side for consideration?

There's no advantage to taking more credits than you need in order to graduate. But if you take more now, you can take fewer later, and you might feel like taking fewer later.

My feeling is that you should take classes you're interested in when you can take them. 15 is kind of a lot, but if you actually like all the classes, you should be fine. And if it's too much, you'll figure it out pretty quickly and can drop a class early on. And taking the pressure off later semesters could be nice if there are fewer things you want to take in later semesters.

I agree with the above advice.

Just to clarify, though -- there's a limit to how much "more now, less later" you can do.

I believe each semester you need to take a minimum of 10 credits, and each year you need a minimum of 26. So you can't, say, take a lot of credits 2L in order to slack off 3L, or take a lot of credits in the fall in order to take a part-time spring load. You also can't take J term off, no matter how many credits you have.

Not necessarily relevant to you, but in case anyone else is figuring this out -- I'd also keep in mind the limits on clinical and cross-registration hours. You can't do more than 12 each. So for example, if you want to do CJI in your 3L year (minimum 4 clinical credits for fall-winter, and 5 for winter-spring), then be careful how many clinical credits you take 2L in order not to foreclose that possibility (4-credit clinic 2L fall + 4-credit clinic 2L spring + 2L J term clinic = no CJI for you).

Wait wut?

[despina]

each year you need a minimum of 26.

Wait wut?

My mistake, I think it's actually minimum 24 -- see page 20 of the handbook here: http://hls.harvard.edu/content/uploads/ ... 26.142.pdf

You do need 52 upper-level credits total between 2L and 3L. So you could do 28 as a 2L in order to do only 24 as a 3L. But if you do 30 as a 2L, you still need at least 24 as a 3L.

[nothingtosee]

So for internet, I'm looking here:
http://www.xfinity.com/internet-service.html


Looks to me like the best deal for just internet is $29.99 per month (for the first 12 months).

Kinda concerned by this:



"Comcast's service charge for both products is $66.95/mo."

What does that mean?

So when you click to sign up and put in your address it's 39.99 in cambridge. Is that legal? I sucked in k's. The not available in all areas probably screws me. I hate the lawyer who put that in

[ChemEng1642]

So for internet, I'm looking here:
http://www.xfinity.com/internet-service.html


Looks to me like the best deal for just internet is $29.99 per month (for the first 12 months).

Kinda concerned by this:



"Comcast's service charge for both products is $66.95/mo."

What does that mean?

So when you click to sign up and put in your address it's 39.99 in cambridge. Is that legal? I sucked in k's. The not available in all areas probably screws me. I hate the lawyer who put that in

I called about this deal (the $29.99 one) back when I was trying to get internet and they said that that deal was not available in my area and the best I could get was $39.99 - so yeah that's what's up. Alternatively, though I am part of HUH, Verizon was also available as an option though I didn't go with it because it was more expensive.

More piggybacking - Bought a modem for $75 at the Staples (I think - it was a store like that at any rate) right off Central which is definitely cheaper than the $10/month. It was a Motorola Surfboard which is compatible with Comcast. I had to pay the stupid $10 for them to send me the self-install kit that I don't need though. You will need the self-install kit to get internet if you don't have your own coax cable. Alternatively if no one's ever had comcast at your place you may be required to pay $80 or however much it costs to have them come out even though it's completely not needed regardless of which option you pick on line (I've had that happen before to me too).

[Annihilist]

Are clinic credits more-or-less adhered to?

I'm thinking of reducing my credits in a clinic from 3 down to 2, and wonder whether the project-oriented nature of the course makes weekly time limits even possible.

Another clinic question: Do the accompanying seminars tend to be better taken concurrently with the clinics, the semester before, or no difference either way? Because another option I have is dropping my Fall clinic altogether and picking it back up in the Spring @ 4 Credits.

[Legal Eagle87]

???

[codyoneill]

If 1L Sears winners typically have 7-8 DS's and grades go up after 1L year, does that mean 2L Sears winners need straight DS's, no margin of error?

(Asking for a friend). (Any Sears winners here?)

Logical fallacy here.

On average grades go up after 1L year. That does not tell you anything about the improvement (or lack thereof) in grades for a narrow subset of the population.

I think the general understanding for 2L classes is that H's are given out more liberally, but DS's remain uncommon.

[malleus discentium]

If 1L Sears winners typically have 7-8 DS's and grades go up after 1L year, does that mean 2L Sears winners need straight DS's, no margin of error?

(Asking for a friend). (Any Sears winners here?)

FWIW one of the 1L Sears winners this year had 6 DS, and I believe the other one had slightly lower grades (although I don't know for sure). I don't know how typical this year's are, but I don't think 7-8 DS is that common.

[Mr. Elshal]

Are clinic credits more-or-less adhered to?

I'm thinking of reducing my credits in a clinic from 3 down to 2, and wonder whether the project-oriented nature of the course makes weekly time limits even possible.

Another clinic question: Do the accompanying seminars tend to be better taken concurrently with the clinics, the semester before, or no difference either way? Because another option I have is dropping my Fall clinic altogether and picking it back up in the Spring @ 4 Credits.

Depends on the clinic but, at least for a few, the number of credits will have no impact on the number of hours you work. Which clinic is it?

[Legal Eagle87]

???

[Pneumonia]

Are Sears Prize Winners publicly acknowledged prior to graduation, and, if so, when does that happen? I just want to know who from my class to congratulate.

[tomwatts]

Are Sears Prize Winners publicly acknowledged prior to graduation

As far as I know, no.

[robotrick]

I'm hoping someone with knowledge of the parking situation in Cambridge can give me some advice here

I'm moving in this weekend and bringing my car. It's registered out of state at the moment, though, so it looks like I would need a temp permit to park while I register it in MA instead. The problem is that the parking office in Cambridge is only open M-F. Does that mean I have to keep my car in a garage for 3 days? Or is there another option I'm not aware of?

[codyoneill]

I'm hoping someone with knowledge of the parking situation in Cambridge can give me some advice here

I'm moving in this weekend and bringing my car. It's registered out of state at the moment, though, so it looks like I would need a temp permit to park while I register it in MA instead. The problem is that the parking office in Cambridge is only open M-F. Does that mean I have to keep my car in a garage for 3 days? Or is there another option I'm not aware of?

Sunday you can park on resident permit streets without getting a ticket. Don't need to take my word for it, it says so on the sign.

You can get a one-day parking pass from Harvard for many of the Harvard parking lots. You just go to their website and print out a form. As memory serves me, it is not too pricey.

Alternately, if you have friends with a Cambridge parking permit, they will also have a visitor's parking permit that they can lend you.

[charlie.black]

I'm hoping someone with knowledge of the parking situation in Cambridge can give me some advice here

I'm moving in this weekend and bringing my car. It's registered out of state at the moment, though, so it looks like I would need a temp permit to park while I register it in MA instead. The problem is that the parking office in Cambridge is only open M-F. Does that mean I have to keep my car in a garage for 3 days? Or is there another option I'm not aware of?

Sunday you can park on resident permit streets without getting a ticket. Don't need to take my word for it, it says so on the sign.

You can get a one-day parking pass from Harvard for many of the Harvard parking lots. You just go to their website and print out a form. As memory serves me, it is not too pricey.

Alternately, if you have friends with a Cambridge parking permit, they will also have a visitor's parking permit that they can lend you.

yea...haha i took advantage of the sunday thing and then just hid my car on random obscure streets around cambridge on the other days (when i first got here last year). didn't get a ticket, but wouldn't really recommend my approach.

[Lovely Ludwig Van]

If anyone's looking to buy a bike, I've got a used one that works fine. $60. PM me if interested!

[robotrick]

Thanks for the tips, guys. I'm seeing the Harvard parking passes are 7A-1130P. Can I leave it there overnight as well? Or park on the streets overnight?

It's such a pain that the parking office has NO weekend hours.

[codyoneill]

Thanks for the tips, guys. I'm seeing the Harvard parking passes are 7A-1130P. Can I leave it there overnight as well? Or park on the streets overnight?

It's such a pain that the parking office has NO weekend hours.

PM me and I'll let you borrow my visitor parking permit until you get your real permit. Then you don't have to worry about any of this garbage.

[Mack.Hambleton]

Does LRW grading use normal grade curve?

[despina]

Does LRW grading use normal grade curve?

Yes.

[doctorjuris]

edited

[heythatslife]

If any c/o 2017 students had ben-asher for torts and wouldn't mind sending me a PM, I would be your biggest fan

Not familiar with this name. Googling suggests she is a visiting prof? In that case, you'd be better off asking the school where she originally teaches.

[Pneumonia]

Are reading groups graded, or just credit/no credit? How are they assessed?

[Mack.Hambleton]

Are reading groups graded, or just credit/no credit? How are they assessed?

They're not even required

[blueberrycrumble]

Are reading groups graded, or just credit/no credit? How are they assessed?

They're not even required

I assume he is referring to upper year reading groups, in which case: "All reading groups and independent clinicals, and certain courses with prior approval from the Vice Dean for Academic Programming, will be graded on a Credit/Fail basis. Faculty may not award Credit/Fail grades without prior consultation with the Vice Dean for Academic Programming."