. Forum

[JedBartlett]

Congrats and welcome to the thread guys!!!!

So anyone know the answer to that college certification question I had?

[hopeful16]

yay congrats new admits!!

[JedBartlett]

yay congrats new admits!!

Hopefully this thread gets livelier as more people are accepted

[Kionaltski]

Checking in, JS2 today! Congrats all!

[yarsten]

Hopefully this thread gets livelier as more people are accepted

Seriously, this thing is dead...

[hopeful16]

Hopefully this thread gets livelier as more people are accepted

Seriously, this thing is dead...

now it's ALIVE! anyway, what did you guys do to celebrate when you heard the good news? I ate a big juicy steak the day of and watched legally blonde with friends a week later.

[spicyyoda17]

Hopefully this thread gets livelier as more people are accepted

Seriously, this thing is dead...

now it's ALIVE! anyway, what did you guys do to celebrate when you heard the good news? I ate a big juicy steak the day of and watched legally blonde with friends a week later.

Went to Applebee's and bought a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts!

[kingsfield69]

Hopefully this thread gets livelier as more people are accepted

Seriously, this thing is dead...

now it's ALIVE! anyway, what did you guys do to celebrate when you heard the good news? I ate a big juicy steak the day of and watched legally blonde with friends a week later.

Two words: Glenlivet. Neat.

[yarsten]

now it's ALIVE! anyway, what did you guys do to celebrate when you heard the good news? I ate a big juicy steak the day of and watched legally blonde with friends a week later.

I ate the largest hamburger of my entire life, then threw a party at work.

Honestly, it changed everything, at this point I don't even get excited about any other acceptances like I used to, knowing I got Harvard in the bag. Best feeling ever. Though the wait for financial aid, ASW, etc. is going to be eternal.

[JedBartlett]

When I got in I was on the phone with JS and I was like "OMG BEST THANKSGIVING EVER OMG OMG OMG OMG," and then I told one friend who proceeded to tell all my other friends and we went out and ate and it was absolute awesomeness to the nth degree.

[spicyyoda17]

I've taken a look at past threads and all the information on Harvard's website as it relates to financial aid. I get how it works in practice.

My question, however, is this: what is the best resource available online for accurately projecting the expected contribution from family using the Institutional Methodology. Most sites I have seen get complicated when I list myself as an independent and married, but as we know, this does not affect Harvard's estimation of the family contribution.

This is the information I've found thus far, but I know it's a wee bit outdated:

For first ~$44,000 of parent's disposable income, 22% is considered usable as a contribution. Any disposable income above that amount is used as a contribution at a rate of 47%.

As it relates to assets, the first $25,000 is "taxed" for contribution at 3%. The next $25k at 4%, next at 5%, and remaining assets at 6%.

The two key issues I am trying to lock down are:
1) How does the Institutional Methodology arrive at the disposable income amount (i.e. what is subtracted from gross income)
2) Concerning assets, what kind of deductions are made for taking into account future living expenses, medical expenses, etc.?

Any insights you guys have gained would be awesome - I know ultimately I'll have to wait until the Spring to officially find out, but it would be good to have a rough estimate ahead of time. Right now I have a range of what I can expect, but I'd love to make the range more accurate.

Thanks!

[LaMuSayonga]

I was on an airplane runway waiting to take off. Unfortunately, my celebration choices were limited to ginger ale and peanuts, but they were the greatest ginger ale and peanuts ever. When I landed and got out of the airport, I ate the biggest steak I could find. My flight was to Texas, so that steak was pretty glorious.

[yarsten]

I've taken a look at past threads and all the information on Harvard's website as it relates to financial aid. I get how it works in practice.

My question, however, is this: what is the best resource available online for accurately projecting the expected contribution from family using the Institutional Methodology. Most sites I have seen get complicated when I list myself as an independent and married, but as we know, this does not affect Harvard's estimation of the family contribution.

This is the information I've found thus far, but I know it's a wee bit outdated:

For first ~$44,000 of parent's disposable income, 22% is considered usable as a contribution. Any disposable income above that amount is used as a contribution at a rate of 47%.

As it relates to assets, the first $25,000 is "taxed" for contribution at 3%. The next $25k at 4%, next at 5%, and remaining assets at 6%.

The two key issues I am trying to lock down are:
1) How does the Institutional Methodology arrive at the disposable income amount (i.e. what is subtracted from gross income)
2) Concerning assets, what kind of deductions are made for taking into account future living expenses, medical expenses, etc.?

Any insights you guys have gained would be awesome - I know ultimately I'll have to wait until the Spring to officially find out, but it would be good to have a rough estimate ahead of time. Right now I have a range of what I can expect, but I'd love to make the range more accurate.

Thanks!

Also would love to know any info about the financial aid for semi-complicated situations such as myself. I am married w/ kid but my parents make a pretty decent amount of money so I'm wondering if that'll eliminate aid for me (I love that after 4 years of being married my financial situation is still judged by my parents' income)...

[hdivine]

I was on an airplane runway waiting to take off. Unfortunately, my celebration choices were limited to ginger ale and peanuts, but they were the greatest ginger ale and peanuts ever. When I landed and got out of the airport, I ate the biggest steak I could find. My flight was to Texas, so that steak was pretty glorious.

I had two flights that day. I turned on my phone following the first and was greeted with a call. It was from UVA, which was nice, but a little dashing. I got the call from Harvard about an hour after my second flight. I was worried they might call during the flight.

I've taken a look at past threads and all the information on Harvard's website as it relates to financial aid. I get how it works in practice.

My question, however, is this: what is the best resource available online for accurately projecting the expected contribution from family using the Institutional Methodology. Most sites I have seen get complicated when I list myself as an independent and married, but as we know, this does not affect Harvard's estimation of the family contribution.

This is the information I've found thus far, but I know it's a wee bit outdated:

For first ~$44,000 of parent's disposable income, 22% is considered usable as a contribution. Any disposable income above that amount is used as a contribution at a rate of 47%.

As it relates to assets, the first $25,000 is "taxed" for contribution at 3%. The next $25k at 4%, next at 5%, and remaining assets at 6%.

The two key issues I am trying to lock down are:
1) How does the Institutional Methodology arrive at the disposable income amount (i.e. what is subtracted from gross income)
2) Concerning assets, what kind of deductions are made for taking into account future living expenses, medical expenses, etc.?

Any insights you guys have gained would be awesome - I know ultimately I'll have to wait until the Spring to officially find out, but it would be good to have a rough estimate ahead of time. Right now I have a range of what I can expect, but I'd love to make the range more accurate.

Thanks!

Also would love to know any info about the financial aid for semi-complicated situations such as myself. I am married w/ kid but my parents make a pretty decent amount of money so I'm wondering if that'll eliminate aid for me (I love that after 4 years of being married my financial situation is still judged by my parents' income)...

I'm in a similar situation. Married. One kid. Figuring out my EFC is no problem (just use a normal undergrad calculator), but like the poster said above, it's more difficult to figure out the parental contribution.

[spicyyoda17]

So that makes 3 of us with a spouse + a kid

[yarsten]

I have a friend of a friend who is a 1L at Harvard, married + 1 kid, I'll see if I can get any info and post it here. At least a ballpark figure would be nice.

[spicyyoda17]

I have a friend of a friend who is a 1L at Harvard, married + 1 kid, I'll see if I can get any info and post it here. At least a ballpark figure would be nice.

Yes! And I bet that friend of a friend has other friends in similar shoes that might also be good reference points.

Thanks Yarsten!

[JedBartlett]

This thread is alive. YES.

[spicyyoda17]

This thread is alive. YES.

JB - I saw you sent in your deposit. What kind of law/career you interested in pursuing? What is it about Harvard that's led you to making your decision already?

Congrats, btw, and being done with your cycle - that's huge!

[JedBartlett]

This thread is alive. YES.

JB - I saw you sent in your deposit. What kind of law/career you interested in pursuing? What is it about Harvard that's led you to making your decision already?

Congrats, btw, and being done with your cycle - that's huge!

I'm intensely interested in international law (and also constitutional law). I will probably be going down the path of legal academia or some sort of foreign or domestic government work. Harvard is amazing for all of those things. It arguably has some of best scholars of international law/relations in the world at their law school (Dirshowitz, anyone?).

The deciding factor that makes me choose Harvard over somewhere like Yale or Stanford is my experience there. I did a month-long program at Harvard a few years ago (took an undergraduate course on law) and absolutely loved the environment. It was literally one of the best months of my life. I hung out mostly at the undergraduate campus but also in the law school. I really liked the general environment/the attitude of Harvard students. Everyone is amazing. It is intellectually stimulating without being stuffy, and Harvard definitely has whatever resources you need to pursue your dreams. I also love Cambridge/Boston, and I like being in close proximity to stores/shops/restaurants. I am definitely an urbanite.

Finally, I like that Harvard has a large class. I know USNWR might count that as a negative, but I am a really social guy and I want to be able to meet a lot of people. I think the large class size is a plus both socially and academically, both for social life and for future connections.

If I hadn't done a program at Harvard, I probably wouldn't be as sure as I am about my deposit; but having done that program, having spent a month there and engaged myself with the student body at both the law school and undergrad campus, I don't think there is any place I'd rather spend three years of my life at than Harvard Law.

This all sounds really corny/disorganized (sorry, studying for finals), but HLS really is a special place. I'm pumped to attend next year .

[kingsfield69]

So that makes 3 of us with a spouse + a kid

Make it 4 of us. I'm bringing a wife and 2 kids!

[spicyyoda17]

So that makes 3 of us with a spouse + a kid

Make it 4 of us. I'm bringing a wife and 2 kids!

Who should we nominate to go to the Harvard applicant thread and tell them that being married with a kid is a soft they may want to pursue?

[hopeful16]

So that makes 3 of us with a spouse + a kid

Make it 4 of us. I'm bringing a wife and 2 kids!

So am I the only unmarried person with no kids in this thread?

[hdivine]

So that makes 3 of us with a spouse + a kid

Make it 4 of us. I'm bringing a wife and 2 kids!

Who should we nominate to go to the Harvard applicant thread and tell them that being married with a kid is a soft they may want to pursue?

+1 It would be a little late for this cycle, but if they worked quickly, they could use that soft next year.

I thought married students with children at Harvard would be a rarity. It probably still is, but I'm not sure I even expected four married students with kids, especially with it being early in the cycle. (I expected a lot to be married; I just didn't think many other people would have children.).

[JedBartlett]

So that makes 3 of us with a spouse + a kid

Make it 4 of us. I'm bringing a wife and 2 kids!

Who should we nominate to go to the Harvard applicant thread and tell them that being married with a kid is a soft they may want to pursue?

+1 It would be a little late for this cycle, but if they worked quickly, they could use that soft next year.

I thought married students with children at Harvard would be a rarity. It probably still is, but I'm not sure I even expected four married students with kids, especially with it being early in the cycle. (I expected a lot to be married; I just didn't think many other people would have children.).

I'm unmarried/no children, but you guys are right. Seems like most people are married. Strange, haha.

You guys all in the facebook group?