Harvard Student(s) Answering Your Questions Forum

[wwwcol]

I am sure this has been asked before but I can't find a recent answer. How bad are straight P's first semester, actually? Did I really fuck up?

Really not too bad, with the caveat that if you're looking to go into a super-competitive market, like DC, you might be pretty limited. At least in terms of NY, though, you'll probably find something not bad

To expand just a little, "not bad" = you'll still make $160k (or 190, once NYC to 190! happens). Ps get degrees and generic NYC biglaw

[jingosaur]

Straight Ps gets 160Gs.

Also, it is fairly common for someone with straight Ps one 1L semester to have 1-3 Hs in the other. One semester of straight Ps will not doom you to 3 years of law school mediocrity.

[CicerBRo]

Anyone have a link to how to calculate where we likely stand for Latin Honors?

Edit: Also, is "cum laude" top 30 percent or top 40 percent? Can't figure that out for the life of me.

[TripTrip]

Anyone have a link to how to calculate where we likely stand for Latin Honors?

Edit: Also, is "cum laude" top 30 percent or top 40 percent? Can't figure that out for the life of me.

Usually the cutoffs are ~3.6 and ~3.95.

Cum laude is top 40%; it's the 30% after the 10% who get Magna.

[mino]

Straight Ps gets 160Gs.

Also, it is fairly common for someone with straight Ps one 1L semester to have 1-3 Hs in the other. One semester of straight Ps will not doom you to 3 years of law school mediocrity.

Anecdotally, I know of more than one person who got straight Ps first semester and straight Hs the second. It's not uncommon at all.

[tomwatts]

And, in addition to all of the above, if you're sufficiently concerned about your performance from first semester that you want to talk to someone, talk to OCS. They can provide some information about how firms will look at you and what you should expect/do, based on their experience.

(Or talk to OPIA, if you're heading that route — where grades may be vitally important or almost totally irrelevant, depending on what you're planning to do.)

[despina]

Lots of info about GPA calculation and latin honors in the OP.

[CicerBRo]

Anyone have a link to how to calculate where we likely stand for Latin Honors?

Edit: Also, is "cum laude" top 30 percent or top 40 percent? Can't figure that out for the life of me.

Usually the cutoffs are ~3.6 and ~3.95.

Cum laude is top 40%; it's the 30% after the 10% who get Magna.

Thanks a lot!

[CicerBRo]

Anyone have a link to how to calculate where we likely stand for Latin Honors?

Edit: Also, is "cum laude" top 30 percent or top 40 percent? Can't figure that out for the life of me.

Usually the cutoffs are ~3.6 and ~3.95.

Cum laude is top 40%; it's the 30% after the 10% who get Magna.

How much higher than a 3.6 do you think you would need to be guaranteed cum laude based off prior years?

[despina]

Anyone have a link to how to calculate where we likely stand for Latin Honors?

Edit: Also, is "cum laude" top 30 percent or top 40 percent? Can't figure that out for the life of me.

Usually the cutoffs are ~3.6 and ~3.95.

Cum laude is top 40%; it's the 30% after the 10% who get Magna.

How much higher than a 3.6 do you think you would need to be guaranteed cum laude based off prior years?

If you go through the thread, the most recent discussion of this was this past May including lots of speculation / anecdotes from prior years.

Edited to add: start here: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... start=6075

[Nathanael]

What's the etiquette surrounding reaching out for exam feedback? Is it okay to hold off a couple weeks before asking? Is it frowned upon to ask for feedback on an exam you got an H on?

[TripTrip]

Is it frowned upon to ask for feedback on an exam you got an H on?

If you're asking "How could I have gotten a DS?" that's probably a no-go. If you're asking what sections were strong and how you might improve your writing generally, that's probably fine.

Timing depends on the professor.

[Mr. Elshal]

Is it frowned upon to ask for feedback on an exam you got an H on?

If you're asking "How could I have gotten a DS?" that's probably a no-go. If you're asking what sections were strong and how you might improve your writing generally, that's probably fine.

Timing depends on the professor.

I think you're basically fine reaching out for a meeting when the professor has some availability. And I echo the comment re feedback on H's.

[DreamShake94]

Is Securities Regulation supposed to be difficult?

The class roster (that someone sent me) looks like an NY version of a Fed Cts class roster. I was in a similarly rostered class (in fact, with much of the same people) last semester and didn't crap the bed, but I don't know if I'm up for another go-around this semester.

Also, could you get away with using the Westlaw practitioner's guide in lieu of former student outlines?

[meisme23]

Do Fall 2015 exams get posted on the examination database at some point before next year? Would be nice to be able to look at the questions when evaluating my exams.

[Indifference]

.

[Pneumonia]

Got a summer offer "pending a background check". If there are no skeletons in my closet should I take this as an offer offer, or keep holding my breath? (State level govt gig).

In the private sector, this means you got an offer offer. I assume it's the same in government. Congrats!

[Indifference]

.

[tomwatts]

Got a summer offer "pending a background check". If there are no skeletons in my closet should I take this as an offer offer, or keep holding my breath? (State level govt gig).

In the private sector, this means you got an offer offer. I assume it's the same in government. Congrats!

In my experience, it is the same in government.

Also, it's really nice to have summer stuff squared away by February. In my 1L year, I didn't get a summer job until May.* Count yourself lucky!

* Obligatory caveat: This was really unusual. Most people get stuff before this.

[Mr. Elshal]

Got a summer offer "pending a background check". If there are no skeletons in my closet should I take this as an offer offer, or keep holding my breath? (State level govt gig).

In the private sector, this means you got an offer offer. I assume it's the same in government. Congrats!

In my experience, it is the same in government.

Also, it's really nice to have summer stuff squared away by February. In my 1L year, I didn't get a summer job until May.* Count yourself lucky!

* Obligatory caveat: This was really unusual. Most people get stuff before this.

I didn't get anything until May, then the government agency I was supposed to work for completely bungled my paperwork so I had to start my search over. I didn't actually have an offer for a summer position until sometime in June. February is definitely a good time to have it squared away

[Indifference]

.

[Nonconsecutive]

Searched ITT, couldn't find anything.

Around what time do the multi-section and/or elective courses start to trickle into the catalog for next year? I know the catalogs get updated as the year progresses, but I've never paid attention to when the first version of the catalog actually tends to come out.

[MDguy]

I'm in an unusual situation in that I'm deciding between MPP programs (HKS as an option) and the accessibility of cross-registering into JD classes is very important for me. It looks like most upper-level classes are open but anybody know if 1L courses can be cross-registered into? I'm primarily interested in taking leg-reg, maybe LRW. Where should I direct questions like this, the registrar's office?

[tomwatts]

I'm in an unusual situation in that I'm deciding between MPP programs (HKS as an option) and the accessibility of cross-registering into JD classes is very important for me. It looks like most upper-level classes are open but anybody know if 1L courses can be cross-registered into? I'm primarily interested in taking leg-reg, maybe LRW. Where should I direct questions like this, the registrar's office?

Unless you are a law student and need to fulfill the requirement, there is zero reason whatsoever to take LRW. Leg Reg might actually be interesting to an HKS person, but "There is NO cross-registration into the first-year basic courses: Civil Procedure, Contracts, Criminal Law, Legislation and Regulation, 1L International or Comparative, Problem Solving Workshop, Property, Torts, and Legal Research and Writing."

However, there are other statutory interpretation and regulatory classes that you could cross-register into, if you had good reason to think that you would be able to follow the legal terminology and study methods (this is not a straightforward thing).

Searched ITT, couldn't find anything.

Around what time do the multi-section and/or elective courses start to trickle into the catalog for next year? I know the catalogs get updated as the year progresses, but I've never paid attention to when the first version of the catalog actually tends to come out.

I want to say not that long before registration begins, like in April or something, but I haven't tracked this carefully.

[MDguy]

I'm in an unusual situation in that I'm deciding between MPP programs (HKS as an option) and the accessibility of cross-registering into JD classes is very important for me. It looks like most upper-level classes are open but anybody know if 1L courses can be cross-registered into? I'm primarily interested in taking leg-reg, maybe LRW. Where should I direct questions like this, the registrar's office?

Unless you are a law student and need to fulfill the requirement, there is zero reason whatsoever to take LRW. Leg Reg might actually be interesting to an HKS person, but "There is NO cross-registration into the first-year basic courses: Civil Procedure, Contracts, Criminal Law, Legislation and Regulation, 1L International or Comparative, Problem Solving Workshop, Property, Torts, and Legal Research and Writing."

However, there are other statutory interpretation and regulatory classes that you could cross-register into, if you had good reason to think that you would be able to follow the legal terminology and study methods (this is not a straightforward thing).

I've taken law classes during college and med school, so no stranger to case method, cold calling, issue spotting, all that shizz, but thanks for the reminder!

Ok so no official enrollment for me, that's fine; I don't particularly care about getting it on a transcript because I just want to learn. In fact that may make things easier so I don't have to petition HKS to get the credit and jump those hoops. What about just regularly attending a Leg Reg class with approval of prof? I figure with the large 80-student sections that this wouldn't be awkward or a problem? And if I just buy the casebook that should be all I need for course materials? Or would profs even say no to this because it's disruptive?