Harvard Student(s) Answering Your Questions

[codyoneill]

Gonna echo the sentiment that having a car in Cambridge is awesome! Never have trouble finding a spot near the law school. I forgot about street sweeping once and the car got towed (from IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE), but that's my own fault for not reading the sign. I live about 15 mins from the school (by foot) and it's nice when I don't feel like walking or taking the T (which I haaaaaate).

Watch out for codyoneill though; he's one of those nut buckets who support space savers in the winter.

Just going to note, though, that both wealtheow and codyoneill have long-term SOs. It's been pointed out in this thread before that people with SOs generally get more use out of a car. Of the four 1Ls I know with cars, three have long-term SOs. It may be coincidence, but it's nevertheless somewhat consistently true that people who have SOs find having a car useful more often than those who don't.

True.

[blueberrycrumble]

0L question: Will there be anything 1Ls should expect to have to do during Columbus Day weekend? October 10-13 since there's no class on the 12th and 13th, yes? It would be fine to leave for like one day during that weekend for family matters? Thanks in advance

[TripTrip]

0L question: Will there be anything 1Ls should expect to have to do during Columbus Day weekend? October 10-13 since there's no class on the 12th and 13th, yes? It would be fine to leave for like one day during that weekend for family matters? Thanks in advance

Yes, you should plan not to remember Columbus, since he was a murderous slave-owning jackass.

The only thing I have on my 1L calendar from that weekend is that the day before the weekend was the closed memo conference and the following Sunday is when the closed memo was due. But you're definitely not going to spend four solid days polishing a closed memo, so go home.

[despina]

0L question: Will there be anything 1Ls should expect to have to do during Columbus Day weekend? October 10-13 since there's no class on the 12th and 13th, yes? It would be fine to leave for like one day during that weekend for family matters? Thanks in advance

Yes, you should plan not to remember Columbus, since he was a murderous slave-owning jackass.

The only thing I have on my 1L calendar from that weekend is that the day before the weekend was the closed memo conference and the following Sunday is when the closed memo was due. But you're definitely not going to spend four solid days polishing a closed memo, so go home.

Agreed. You will have plenty of work to do, but you shouldn't have any events scheduled for those four days. Enjoy!

[wonka]

Post removed.

[wonka]

Post removed.

[codyoneill]

Also 1L grades are out.

[yomisterd]

Also 1L grades are out.

[lawbeahs]

So how do I stand for EIP (exclusively bidding on Boston) with 2DS, 2H, 6P? Am I about median or slightly above? Should I throw in some NY or a secondary market to be safe? Thanks for the advice!

[Pneumonia]

someone might as well start the 2015 EIP thread

ETA re: grades and bidding for OCI-

https://hls.harvard.edu/dept/ocs/jd-stu ... g/?redir=1

[ph14]

I'm available for clerkship advising if anyone would find it helpful. Just pm me.

[Doorkeeper]

So how do I stand for EIP (exclusively bidding on Boston) with 2DS, 2H, 6P? Am I about median or slightly above? Should I throw in some NY or a secondary market to be safe? Thanks for the advice!

You're at a 3.6, so you're above median (somewhere around a 3.3-3.4, or 3-4 Hs).

[Pneumonia]

2015 EIP thread:

viewtopic.php?f=23&t=249039

[nothingtosee]

When do LR results come out?

[dm21998]

LR results come out mid-July. But if you have feeder level grades, you shouldn't wait for LR results. Apply for the feeders (especially D.C. Circuit) as soon as you can get your materials in order.

[blueberrycrumble]

0L question: Will there be anything 1Ls should expect to have to do during Columbus Day weekend? October 10-13 since there's no class on the 12th and 13th, yes? It would be fine to leave for like one day during that weekend for family matters? Thanks in advance

Yes, you should plan not to remember Columbus, since he was a murderous slave-owning jackass.

The only thing I have on my 1L calendar from that weekend is that the day before the weekend was the closed memo conference and the following Sunday is when the closed memo was due. But you're definitely not going to spend four solid days polishing a closed memo, so go home.

Agreed. You will have plenty of work to do, but you shouldn't have any events scheduled for those four days. Enjoy!

Thank you both!

[BlakcMajikc]

So, I know this is probably played out and TCR is don't take a car to HLS. . .but the closer I get to selling my car, the more I feel like I want to keep it. Having the option to get out of the Boston area when I want to seems pretty great, and I feel like at any rate I'll likely want it when I'm finished. I'm contracted in a dorm for next year, and I've read here that street parking around the law school can be a nightmare, but does anyone have any leads on parking spaces in the burbs? I was thinking there may be apartment complexes at the end of the red line that have extra parking spaces I could rent. Has anyone done this?

Ive responded to this several times in this thread, but here's my summary:
1. i loved having my car. i switched over my plates and insurance (and fyi you dont have to switch over your license). actually street parking is not a nightmare. free street parking near the law school is plentiful and actually was a non-issue.
2. i lived in off campus housing but near the law school but i walked to school every day.
3. i snowboarded, went to several beaches, drove to canada, drove to ikea, and did other random shit when i felt like it. definitely worth having a car esp. after your 1L year when you have more time.
4. random but important -- grocery shopping in the winter is much more pleasant with a car.

[lavarman84]

So, I know this is probably played out and TCR is don't take a car to HLS. . .but the closer I get to selling my car, the more I feel like I want to keep it. Having the option to get out of the Boston area when I want to seems pretty great, and I feel like at any rate I'll likely want it when I'm finished. I'm contracted in a dorm for next year, and I've read here that street parking around the law school can be a nightmare, but does anyone have any leads on parking spaces in the burbs? I was thinking there may be apartment complexes at the end of the red line that have extra parking spaces I could rent. Has anyone done this?

Ive responded to this several times in this thread, but here's my summary:
1. i loved having my car. i switched over my plates and insurance (and fyi you dont have to switch over your license). actually street parking is not a nightmare. free street parking near the law school is plentiful and actually was a non-issue.
2. i lived in off campus housing but near the law school but i walked to school every day.
3. i snowboarded, went to several beaches, drove to canada, drove to ikea, and did other random shit when i felt like it. definitely worth having a car esp. after your 1L year when you have more time.
4. random but important -- grocery shopping in the winter is much more pleasant with a car.

Question for anyone who often used the street parking, did you have any issues with damage to your car? I've heard some bad things about street parking in that regard.

[lawschool22]

So, I know this is probably played out and TCR is don't take a car to HLS. . .but the closer I get to selling my car, the more I feel like I want to keep it. Having the option to get out of the Boston area when I want to seems pretty great, and I feel like at any rate I'll likely want it when I'm finished. I'm contracted in a dorm for next year, and I've read here that street parking around the law school can be a nightmare, but does anyone have any leads on parking spaces in the burbs? I was thinking there may be apartment complexes at the end of the red line that have extra parking spaces I could rent. Has anyone done this?

Ive responded to this several times in this thread, but here's my summary:
1. i loved having my car. i switched over my plates and insurance (and fyi you dont have to switch over your license). actually street parking is not a nightmare. free street parking near the law school is plentiful and actually was a non-issue.
2. i lived in off campus housing but near the law school but i walked to school every day.
3. i snowboarded, went to several beaches, drove to canada, drove to ikea, and did other random shit when i felt like it. definitely worth having a car esp. after your 1L year when you have more time.
4. random but important -- grocery shopping in the winter is much more pleasant with a car.

Question for anyone who often used the street parking, did you have any issues with damage to your car? I've heard some bad things about street parking in that regard.

Anecdotally, I have not heard of that happening to any of my friends with cars. But I'll let the people with cars give you a definitive answer. I guess it probably depends where you live, but the area is generally quite safe.

[codyoneill]

So, I know this is probably played out and TCR is don't take a car to HLS. . .but the closer I get to selling my car, the more I feel like I want to keep it. Having the option to get out of the Boston area when I want to seems pretty great, and I feel like at any rate I'll likely want it when I'm finished. I'm contracted in a dorm for next year, and I've read here that street parking around the law school can be a nightmare, but does anyone have any leads on parking spaces in the burbs? I was thinking there may be apartment complexes at the end of the red line that have extra parking spaces I could rent. Has anyone done this?

Ive responded to this several times in this thread, but here's my summary:
1. i loved having my car. i switched over my plates and insurance (and fyi you dont have to switch over your license). actually street parking is not a nightmare. free street parking near the law school is plentiful and actually was a non-issue.
2. i lived in off campus housing but near the law school but i walked to school every day.
3. i snowboarded, went to several beaches, drove to canada, drove to ikea, and did other random shit when i felt like it. definitely worth having a car esp. after your 1L year when you have more time.
4. random but important -- grocery shopping in the winter is much more pleasant with a car.

Question for anyone who often used the street parking, did you have any issues with damage to your car? I've heard some bad things about street parking in that regard.

At the beginning of the school year I was parked on a busy street and a car took out my side mirror and drove away. So that was unfortunate.

But I don't think it is a common occurrence. And I'm not particularly nervous about it happening again.
The odds are low enough that I don't think it should factor into your decision.

[BlakcMajikc]

So, I know this is probably played out and TCR is don't take a car to HLS. . .but the closer I get to selling my car, the more I feel like I want to keep it. Having the option to get out of the Boston area when I want to seems pretty great, and I feel like at any rate I'll likely want it when I'm finished. I'm contracted in a dorm for next year, and I've read here that street parking around the law school can be a nightmare, but does anyone have any leads on parking spaces in the burbs? I was thinking there may be apartment complexes at the end of the red line that have extra parking spaces I could rent. Has anyone done this?

Ive responded to this several times in this thread, but here's my summary:
1. i loved having my car. i switched over my plates and insurance (and fyi you dont have to switch over your license). actually street parking is not a nightmare. free street parking near the law school is plentiful and actually was a non-issue.
2. i lived in off campus housing but near the law school but i walked to school every day.
3. i snowboarded, went to several beaches, drove to canada, drove to ikea, and did other random shit when i felt like it. definitely worth having a car esp. after your 1L year when you have more time.
4. random but important -- grocery shopping in the winter is much more pleasant with a car.

Question for anyone who often used the street parking, did you have any issues with damage to your car? I've heard some bad things about street parking in that regard.

At the beginning of the school year I was parked on a busy street and a car took out my side mirror and drove away. So that was unfortunate.

But I don't think it is a common occurrence. And I'm not particularly nervous about it happening again.
The odds are low enough that I don't think it should factor into your decision.

Got sideswiped when I was parked, but the person was nice enough to leave their insurance, so got it fixed in like 48 hrs. nbd.

[randomperson46]

I signed up for housing through HUHousing. My lease starts September 1st, but the first day of orientation is August 27th. Has anyone been in a similar situation before? Has anyone had success negotiating a slightly earlier move-in date?

[wealtheow]

So, I know this is probably played out and TCR is don't take a car to HLS. . .but the closer I get to selling my car, the more I feel like I want to keep it. Having the option to get out of the Boston area when I want to seems pretty great, and I feel like at any rate I'll likely want it when I'm finished. I'm contracted in a dorm for next year, and I've read here that street parking around the law school can be a nightmare, but does anyone have any leads on parking spaces in the burbs? I was thinking there may be apartment complexes at the end of the red line that have extra parking spaces I could rent. Has anyone done this?

Ive responded to this several times in this thread, but here's my summary:
1. i loved having my car. i switched over my plates and insurance (and fyi you dont have to switch over your license). actually street parking is not a nightmare. free street parking near the law school is plentiful and actually was a non-issue.
2. i lived in off campus housing but near the law school but i walked to school every day.
3. i snowboarded, went to several beaches, drove to canada, drove to ikea, and did other random shit when i felt like it. definitely worth having a car esp. after your 1L year when you have more time.
4. random but important -- grocery shopping in the winter is much more pleasant with a car.

Question for anyone who often used the street parking, did you have any issues with damage to your car? I've heard some bad things about street parking in that regard.

hmm. honestly my car has a several more scratches on it now than it did before i brought it to cambridge but my car is also like ten years old so that hardly matters. it's definitely not a place i'd want to park a brand new audi or something. no hit and runs so far. i DID blow out my own tire parallel parking so just try not to be a moron like me/watch out for those pesky sidewalks .

also +1 to the grocery store advantage, winter or otherwise. the car has been wonderful for errands. i like walking around cambridge but am so glad i don't have to hoof around with my groceries, especially in the winter.

[lavarman84]

Thanks to all of you for the answers!

[moejoe193]

Does anyone have any recommendations for someone not living in Cambridge but hoping to drive their car to class? It appears that the Cambridge parking permits are only available to Cambridge residents, and does not have a lot of information for non-residents.