. Forum

[Mr. Elshal]

Deferred here. Excited to meet the class of 2016! In NYC if anyone is around

Hey, if you go to the facebook group (http://www.facebook.com/groups/343072659125128/) there's already a thread for folks in the NYC area. In fact, a few of us met up last night

And it was lots of fun! We are going to have a couple more meet-ups in the next few weeks - hope to see you there!

I missed this
I don't always go on FB very often. Would somebody mind posting on TLS, or PM-ing me about any NYC events?

[dcg2120]

For someone who doesn't have work experience, how many/which of the joint degrees would be options?

Found this on one of the "Ask an HLS Student!" threads (http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... &start=750 at the bottom):

Question: On one of the other forums I heard that Harvard still has a policy that for JD/MBA dual-degree students, that once you got into HLS, that it made getting into HBS slightly easier. Does anyone know anything about this?

It's true. Analogously, I applied to HLS and HKS at the same time a year ago, got into HLS but not HKS, and reapplied to HKS this year. I met with someone in admissions at HKS, and she said that I had three things going in my favor that I didn't last year: I was accepted to HLS, which means that I passed through another rigorous screening process and now HKS thinks that it doesn't have to scrutinize me as closely; I'm attending HLS, which means I could be successfully without the second degree and the fact that I'm applying even so means that I really want it; and I'm a re-applicant, which they view favorably because it again means that I've seriously thought about it and really want the second degree. Nothing had changed between last year and this year except my being at HLS, but I got into HKS this time.

I gather that the same sort of thing applies at every other Harvard grad program.

Edit: some caveats also mentioned:

i am skeptical. i know at least a few people that applied as 1L's and were rejected. although you did qualify your statement as "slightly" so who knows? i have a feeling that they would probably still require 1-2 years of high quality work experience (so no K-JDs or starbucks baristas).

Yeah, there is an important point to be made here. A boost is not an automatic admission. Being an HLS student counts significantly in your favor but doesn't guarantee that you'll get in.

[JedBartlett]

Anyone know when/how we register for ASW?

[rocktower3]

Hey guys,

Would someone that has a good handle on the financial aid process mind PMing me? I have a probably dumb question that I want to avoid asking the financial aid office!

[rocktower3]

Anyone know when/how we register for ASW?

On the admitted student website, it says registration will open in January - it looks like they haven't opened yet.

[Doorkeeper]

At the end of the day, if you want something especially prestigious, you're going to be fighting for grades and resources a bit more at Harvard than you will be Stanford. To stay above the fray, you should be very mature and have a strong sense of self-identity when you enter Harvard. If you're someone who easily gives into peer pressure and can get caught up in the prevailing norms and whims of those around you, Harvard can be stressful. That being said, if you know what you want out of law school and you know what you need to do it, then you'll have an awesome time.

Can you expand on what you mean by this?

There are a lot of shiny things at law school: professor RAs, law review, summer internships, V10 firms, DOJ work, etc. People who don't know why they're in law school can be easily taken by what everyone else around them are talking about and striving for: "Maybe I should be trying to get a DOJ internship next summer. Everyone seems to want it," or "Maybe I should be studying right now. I see a ton of people in library." It can be stressful for these people during the first year because they see people around them going for certain things and they don't know whether they should be going for those same things too. It takes a sense of self-identity and knowing what you want to get out of law school to be able to not give into such thoughts and just focus on what you want to do.

[JedBartlett]

Anyone know when/how we register for ASW?

On the admitted student website, it says registration will open in January - it looks like they haven't opened yet.

Great, thanks!

[Hattori Hanzo]

For someone who doesn't have work experience, how many/which of the joint degrees would be options?

Found this on one of the "Ask an HLS Student!" threads (http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... &start=750 at the bottom):

Question: On one of the other forums I heard that Harvard still has a policy that for JD/MBA dual-degree students, that once you got into HLS, that it made getting into HBS slightly easier. Does anyone know anything about this?

It's true. Analogously, I applied to HLS and HKS at the same time a year ago, got into HLS but not HKS, and reapplied to HKS this year. I met with someone in admissions at HKS, and she said that I had three things going in my favor that I didn't last year: I was accepted to HLS, which means that I passed through another rigorous screening process and now HKS thinks that it doesn't have to scrutinize me as closely; I'm attending HLS, which means I could be successfully without the second degree and the fact that I'm applying even so means that I really want it; and I'm a re-applicant, which they view favorably because it again means that I've seriously thought about it and really want the second degree. Nothing had changed between last year and this year except my being at HLS, but I got into HKS this time.

I gather that the same sort of thing applies at every other Harvard grad program.

It's somewhat true. Having been admitted to HLS does give a boost but how much depends on the relative prestige of the other school. That's why the boost towards HKS which has less prestige that HLS is more than HBS which is slightly more prestigious.

I know several JD/MBAs. Two are female URMs and one a guy in my section. Neither had prior work experience. The two females are currently attending. The guy was deferred for two years to go work and come back (similar to the 2+2 program). That said, I know several others who applied and failed, some with good but not spectacular work experience. It's commonly said (obvs. could be wrong) that the HLS boost for HBS apps is weaker than the Harvard College boost for JD applicants.

[honeybadger12]

For someone who doesn't have work experience, how many/which of the joint degrees would be options?

Found this on one of the "Ask an HLS Student!" threads (http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... &start=750 at the bottom):

Question: On one of the other forums I heard that Harvard still has a policy that for JD/MBA dual-degree students, that once you got into HLS, that it made getting into HBS slightly easier. Does anyone know anything about this?

It's true. Analogously, I applied to HLS and HKS at the same time a year ago, got into HLS but not HKS, and reapplied to HKS this year. I met with someone in admissions at HKS, and she said that I had three things going in my favor that I didn't last year: I was accepted to HLS, which means that I passed through another rigorous screening process and now HKS thinks that it doesn't have to scrutinize me as closely; I'm attending HLS, which means I could be successfully without the second degree and the fact that I'm applying even so means that I really want it; and I'm a re-applicant, which they view favorably because it again means that I've seriously thought about it and really want the second degree. Nothing had changed between last year and this year except my being at HLS, but I got into HKS this time.

I gather that the same sort of thing applies at every other Harvard grad program.

It's somewhat true. Having been admitted to HLS does give a boost but how much depends on the relative prestige of the other school. That's why the boost towards HKS which has less prestige that HLS is more than HBS which is slightly more prestigious.

I know several JD/MBAs. Two are female URMs and one a guy in my section. Neither had prior work experience. The two females are currently attending. The guy was deferred for two years to go work and come back (similar to the 2+2 program). That said, I know several others who applied and failed, some with good but not spectacular work experience. It's commonly said (obvs. could be wrong) that the HLS boost for HBS apps is weaker than the Harvard College boost for JD applicants.

So the two females are going to HBS without having any WE? That's not normally possible, right? And what about HKS, do you need WE prior to enrolling there?

[Hattori Hanzo]

So the two females are going to HBS without having any WE? That's not normally possible, right? And what about HKS, do you need WE prior to enrolling there?

Admission without work experience is very rare (in single digits). 2+2 is more common (around 100-120 students in each class year). The two females are also URM and have other very strong softs (to use TLS terminology) so they check many boxes.

HKS is certainly more open to straight from college applicants but they also like to see at least 2 years of work experience. IIRC they have different "classes" of MPP, e.g. MPP1, MPP2, etc. for applicants with different backgrounds.

An alternative for those who want the experience but can't get into the program is to cross register. You can get up to 20 (18?) credits from cross registered courses at other Harvard schools or at MIT. I took two classes at HBS which I enjoyed very much.

HTH

[JedBartlett]

Bumping this for the new JS2s!

[Blessedassurance]

.

[tirakon]

Can't believe I'm in!!!

Can someone PM me about adding me to the facebook group?

[aredhello]

Checking in -- JS2 today!

JedBarlett, I've been eager to join you here, in large part because of our shared affection for the West Wing.

EDIT: Totally skipped over the bit in the Congratulations e-mail about the Facebook group...

[kittonmittons]

Has anyone who was admitted on 12/21 and filled out the interest survey received any emails? I read from the people accepted before me about getting emails from students/faculty and was pretty psyched about it...so far, nothing.

[edamame]

Has anyone who was admitted on 12/21 and filled out the interest survey received any emails? I read from the people accepted before me about getting emails from students/faculty and was pretty psyched about it...so far, nothing.

Received nothing so far.

[hopeful16]

Has anyone who was admitted on 12/21 and filled out the interest survey received any emails? I read from the people accepted before me about getting emails from students/faculty and was pretty psyched about it...so far, nothing.

I was admitted on 11/20 and received my emails on 12/18, so it took about a month. Yours are likely coming soon!

[sabanist]

12/14 admit, filled the survey out sometime in the last 2 weeks, and no emails here either. Glad I'm not the only one! They're probably getting a flood of requests, so I can't blame them.

[anela00]

Can't believe I'm posting in this thread...!!

[Mr. Elshal]

Has anyone who was admitted on 12/21 and filled out the interest survey received any emails? I read from the people accepted before me about getting emails from students/faculty and was pretty psyched about it...so far, nothing.

Received nothing so far.

I was a 12/21 admit and have received nothing so far, but I assumed that it's because everyone is on break. I can't even get people from my current school to send me emails until break is over, let alone my future school. They'll probably start sending them out in a couple of weeks.

[JedBartlett]

Don't worry, you'll get 'em soon. I got mine about a month after I was accepted, and actually got (the same ones) this morning, haha.

[sabanist]

Spoke too soon, got my first email this morning! It's really starting to sink in

[JedBartlett]

Spoke too soon, got my first email this morning! It's really starting to sink in

I remember it took forever for it to sink in for me. After two months now, though, I think it's sunk in.

[az21833]

Congrats everybody here!

[edgeofthenight]

Has anyone who was admitted on 12/21 and filled out the interest survey received any emails? I read from the people accepted before me about getting emails from students/faculty and was pretty psyched about it...so far, nothing.

...How do you fill out the survey? I didn't see any actual survey and just assumed it wasn't ready yet. This is what shows up on the page:



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