In at Harvard: Class of 2016 Forum

[bosmer88]

I'm moving soon and wondered about the gym. How do we get an ID for it? In the "ask" thread someone said we already have our memberships. I don't wanna be gymless, wah.

Yeah, it seems we are technically members, but you need the physical ID card to access the gym.

As far as getting the ID, I got en email in May stating that you can upload a picture with the ID card application so that ID card process is expedited. HLS would then inform us when and where we can pick up the card.

If you don't do the above, then you would need to take your picture at a later date and then wait for the card to be delivered.

[bosmer88]

I'm moving soon and wondered about the gym. How do we get an ID for it? In the "ask" thread someone said we already have our memberships. I don't wanna be gymless, wah.

Yeah, it seems we are technically members, but you need the physical ID card to access the gym.

As far as getting the ID, I got en email in May stating that you can upload a picture with the ID card application so that ID card process is expedited. HLS would then inform us when and where we can pick up the card.

If you don't do the above, then you would need to take your picture at a later date and then wait for the card to be delivered.

Go to the MAC with a photo ID they will give you a card that gives access to the gyms.

Hit me up, I'm moving up next Friday.

Really! Thanks for the info.

I am just going to miss you Worm. I will be back in CA by then to clear out my old apartment.

[jselson]

Real question: Any idea about how long it takes after you've submitted your loan apps for HLS to confirm they have it/contact you? It's been almost two weeks since I did mine, and I haven't heard anything yet.

[bosmer88]

Real question: Any idea about how long it takes after you've submitted your loan apps for HLS to confirm they have it/contact you? It's been almost two weeks since I did mine, and I haven't heard anything yet.

Call the office, they are some of the most helpful people I've encountered. While you're waiting you're going to want to get your health records together. Including either proof of having the chicken pox or the vaccine and a Hepatitis shot

Agreed. I requested my immunization records from my UG. If you can, it may be useful to request them through it and then follow up with whatever is needed. My doctor's office was a real pain to deal with in accessing my own medical records.

[Searchparty]

Real question: Any idea about how long it takes after you've submitted your loan apps for HLS to confirm they have it/contact you? It's been almost two weeks since I did mine, and I haven't heard anything yet.

Call the office, they are some of the most helpful people I've encountered. While you're waiting you're going to want to get your health records together. Including either proof of having the chicken pox or the vaccine and a Hepatitis shot

Agreed. I requested my immunization records from my UG. If you can, it may be useful to request them through it and then follow up with whatever is needed. My doctor's office was a real pain to deal with in accessing my own medical records.

You just wanna check the dates. Some immunization were sufficient through UG grad, but not through 2016, so I had to get shot before they'd sign my forms.

[pixelated]

How long does it typically take to get the "step 3" email for your financial aid award? Will that email clarify how the required base loan works? I'm confused about what types of loans can be used for the required supplemental base loan. I just called and they said it could be private but had to be educational...and now I'm just confused about what that means and don't want to call back for the third time today. Please help!

Stage 3 took a long time for me, but I sent my financial aid stuff in really early too. My guess is you'll get it soon since it's crunch time. But from what I understand, the base loan can be made up of whatever you want. Most people will use the Stafford for 20k of it, but the rest can be private loans, Harvard Loans, Perkins loans... (When they say private educational loans, they just mean the loan has to earmarked for education, not like something you'd go get from a loan shark or a shady private lender. Anything you're looking at with Discover, Sallie Mae, major banks etc, will be an educational loan so you'll be ok.) But I don't think you have to use any of these options in particular, you just need to pay the school and those are the options they give you. If you want to do entirely private I think you can. If you want to do it entirely with stafford and grad plus, you can. You should apply for private loans and get some interest rates so you can start comparing to the federal and Harvard rates. Then when you get your stage 3 email it'll be easy

I too am a little confused on the base loan requirement. I am international so instead of federal loans I am being offered $25K of Harvard loans at a fixed interest rate of 7% in addition to the required $15K supplemental loan requirement. The thing is I have family members willing to loan me money at a much lower interest rate and I would thus really prefer not to take out the Harvard loan. If I can get a loan agreement notarized with the individual can that work or would it have to be through an educational lending agency? I don't understand why I HAVE to take out these private loans when I can get them the money on time anyway...being international makes applying to loans a pain in the ass as is.

[trojandave]

How long does it typically take to get the "step 3" email for your financial aid award? Will that email clarify how the required base loan works? I'm confused about what types of loans can be used for the required supplemental base loan. I just called and they said it could be private but had to be educational...and now I'm just confused about what that means and don't want to call back for the third time today. Please help!

Stage 3 took a long time for me, but I sent my financial aid stuff in really early too. My guess is you'll get it soon since it's crunch time. But from what I understand, the base loan can be made up of whatever you want. Most people will use the Stafford for 20k of it, but the rest can be private loans, Harvard Loans, Perkins loans... (When they say private educational loans, they just mean the loan has to earmarked for education, not like something you'd go get from a loan shark or a shady private lender. Anything you're looking at with Discover, Sallie Mae, major banks etc, will be an educational loan so you'll be ok.) But I don't think you have to use any of these options in particular, you just need to pay the school and those are the options they give you. If you want to do entirely private I think you can. If you want to do it entirely with stafford and grad plus, you can. You should apply for private loans and get some interest rates so you can start comparing to the federal and Harvard rates. Then when you get your stage 3 email it'll be easy

I too am a little confused on the base loan requirement. I am international so instead of federal loans I am being offered $25K of Harvard loans at a fixed interest rate of 7% in addition to the required $15K supplemental loan requirement. The thing is I have family members willing to loan me money at a much lower interest rate and I would thus really prefer not to take out the Harvard loan. If I can get a loan agreement notarized with the individual can that work or would it have to be through an educational lending agency? I don't understand why I HAVE to take out these private loans when I can get them the money on time anyway...being international makes applying to loans a pain in the ass as is.

I don't think they care as long as they get paid but it's worth calling to ask. The financial office is awesome and super friendly/helpful

[sabanist]

.

[jyrkchicken]

I've been reading Getting to Maybe (it's great), and I might have a legal assistant position set-up for the summer (I've never worked in a firm environment before, so even tho it's not much, it might be helpful). That's about it for prep. Obv gonna read Crime & Punishment, The Bros Karamazov, and Law's Empire before classes start.

I've been working at a firm in the same type of role since I graduated. I just got off a twelve day stretch of eleven hour days and no weekend last week, so I'm really jealous of everyone else's relaxing summer...
GTM is awesome though. It helped me a LOT in the class I took at my UG's law school last semester.

Yea and I'm starting Game of Thrones and rereading Harry Potter so I guess we'll both be pretty well prepared.

I've been talking to a couple of folks on tumblr who are going to HLS next year, and another one and I are HUGE HP fans. Movie marathon when we all get there

movies? psh. books or nothing.

[jselson]

Man, I'm so screwed on this immunization stuff.

[bosmer88]

Man, I'm so screwed on this immunization stuff.

Why are you screwed? What's the problem?

[jselson]

Man, I'm so screwed on this immunization stuff.

Why are you screwed? What's the problem?

Because I'm losing my health insurance on Tuesday, and with it, a healthcare provider. I mean, I'm not screwed, I'll make it work, but it's grad school, why do we need immunization records?

[bosmer88]

Man, I'm so screwed on this immunization stuff.

Why are you screwed? What's the problem?

Because I'm losing my health insurance on Tuesday, and with it, a healthcare provider. I mean, I'm not screwed, I'll make it work, but it's grad school, why do we need immunization records?

Could you use a free clinic?

But chances are good that you likely have had most of them taken care of anyway for UG. Crossing the fingers for you.

I waived one of the immunizations, the one for meningitis I think. That was the only one you could waive if I remember correctly.

[jselson]

Man, I'm so screwed on this immunization stuff.

Why are you screwed? What's the problem?

Because I'm losing my health insurance on Tuesday, and with it, a healthcare provider. I mean, I'm not screwed, I'll make it work, but it's grad school, why do we need immunization records?

Could you use a free clinic?

But chances are good that you likely have had most of them taken care of anyway for UG. Crossing the fingers for you.

I waived one of the immunizations, the one for meningitis I think. That was the only one you could waive if I remember correctly.

Looks like I'll have to take a tdap and pray to God they believe me when I say I got chicken pox when I was three, otherwise it'll take me an extra week to get my records for that.

[bosmer88]

Looks like I'll have to take a tdap and pray to God they believe me when I say I got chicken pox when I was three, otherwise it'll take me an extra week to get my records for that.

I'm sure they'll believe you. I had zero proof that I had chicken pox as well, but I never forgot the awful, itchy scabs I had. Dr just asked me to guess and was totally fine with putting down an age.

All in all, getting immunization paperwork together really sucks.

[bosmer88]

H told me that I had to have documentation for the chicken pox or else I had to get the shot

I don't have any documentation, but I remember when I had it. I did go to the doctor for it, but I don't have any documentation for that visit as it was over 20 years ago (Feels old). Dr trusted me and simply marked that I had a history of the illness on the sheet.

I haven't heard anything from H about it, so I'm assuming it's all good.

[jselson]

H told me that I had to have documentation for the chicken pox or else I had to get the shot

I don't have any documentation, but I remember when I had it. I did go to the doctor for it, but I don't have any documentation for that visit as it was over 20 years ago (Feels old). Dr trusted me and simply marked that I had a history of the illness on the sheet.

I haven't heard anything from H about it, so I'm assuming it's all good.

Yeah, I'm imagining that's what H means by "documentation." Hoping so. Monday's gonna be a long day waiting to see if someone can pencil me in for a few minutes at the student health center.

[Eichörnchen]

I've been reading Getting to Maybe (it's great), and I might have a legal assistant position set-up for the summer (I've never worked in a firm environment before, so even tho it's not much, it might be helpful). That's about it for prep. Obv gonna read Crime & Punishment, The Bros Karamazov, and Law's Empire before classes start.

I've been working at a firm in the same type of role since I graduated. I just got off a twelve day stretch of eleven hour days and no weekend last week, so I'm really jealous of everyone else's relaxing summer...
GTM is awesome though. It helped me a LOT in the class I took at my UG's law school last semester.

Yea and I'm starting Game of Thrones and rereading Harry Potter so I guess we'll both be pretty well prepared.

I've been talking to a couple of folks on tumblr who are going to HLS next year, and another one and I are HUGE HP fans. Movie marathon when we all get there

movies? psh. books or nothing.

Obviously the books are far superior, but a book-reading marathon might be a bit more awkward in terms of an in person get together.

In this same vein of nerdiness, will someone get me this? I'll provide snacks for game night.

[sabanist]

Yeah, I'm imagining that's what H means by "documentation." Hoping so. Monday's gonna be a long day waiting to see if someone can pencil me in for a few minutes at the student health center.

I've had the same doctor since I was in the womb, and all he did was sign off that I had it when I was 3 and that seemed sufficient. I think they only wanted supplemental documentation for ongoing illnesses that they should know about.
I haven't gotten any confirmation via email that they've received the vaccine info or my transcript, just an email for my certification. Has this happened to anyone else?

[yarsten]

...I haven't gotten any confirmation via email that they've received the vaccine info or my transcript, just an email for my certification. Has this happened to anyone else?

Same story here, I turned everything in well in advance and haven't received any confirmation other than for the certification.

[bosmer88]

...I haven't gotten any confirmation via email that they've received the vaccine info or my transcript, just an email for my certification. Has this happened to anyone else?

Same story here, I turned everything in well in advance and haven't received any confirmation other than for the certification.

Did you check the post admissions status checker on the admitted students website? I didn't receive an email confirmation for my transcripts, but the status checker showed it as received. I did receive email confirmation for the certification though, but that also was on the post admission status checker.

I am not sure whether we will get confirmation about the health forms. There isn't a spot for it on the status checker. I assume we would be emailed if anything is incorrect or missing.

[sabanist]

Did you check the post admissions status checker on the admitted students website? I didn't receive an email confirmation for my transcripts, but the status checker showed it as received. I did receive email confirmation for the certification though, but that also was on the post admission status checker.

I am not sure whether we will get confirmation about the health forms. There isn't a spot for it on the status checker. I assume we would be emailed if anything is incorrect or missing.

ah, awesome! It's all there. Thanks!

[bosmer88]

No problem!

[Searchparty]

How long does it typically take to get the "step 3" email for your financial aid award? Will that email clarify how the required base loan works? I'm confused about what types of loans can be used for the required supplemental base loan. I just called and they said it could be private but had to be educational...and now I'm just confused about what that means and don't want to call back for the third time today. Please help!

Stage 3 took a long time for me, but I sent my financial aid stuff in really early too. My guess is you'll get it soon since it's crunch time. But from what I understand, the base loan can be made up of whatever you want. Most people will use the Stafford for 20k of it, but the rest can be private loans, Harvard Loans, Perkins loans... (When they say private educational loans, they just mean the loan has to earmarked for education, not like something you'd go get from a loan shark or a shady private lender. Anything you're looking at with Discover, Sallie Mae, major banks etc, will be an educational loan so you'll be ok.) But I don't think you have to use any of these options in particular, you just need to pay the school and those are the options they give you. If you want to do entirely private I think you can. If you want to do it entirely with stafford and grad plus, you can. You should apply for private loans and get some interest rates so you can start comparing to the federal and Harvard rates. Then when you get your stage 3 email it'll be easy

I too am a little confused on the base loan requirement. I am international so instead of federal loans I am being offered $25K of Harvard loans at a fixed interest rate of 7% in addition to the required $15K supplemental loan requirement. The thing is I have family members willing to loan me money at a much lower interest rate and I would thus really prefer not to take out the Harvard loan. If I can get a loan agreement notarized with the individual can that work or would it have to be through an educational lending agency? I don't understand why I HAVE to take out these private loans when I can get them the money on time anyway...being international makes applying to loans a pain in the ass as is.

Take it out, and pay it right back.

[tachikara]

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