Harvard, C/O 2017, Applicants Thread (2013-2014) Forum

[Tela1283]

guess we're gonna have to wait till tomorrow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfibY2AlVAQ

[chneyo]

...

[Quest4Knowledge]

Not too long ago, there was a discussion in this thread about applicants being 'HYS or bust'. For those individuals who have this attitude - why? As in, you would be willing to decline other schools and wait a cycle for another chance at HYS.

I'm curious to hear contrasting views, because it was the attitude I had going into this cycle - although I think my views have softened as we progress forward.

[lawschool22]

Not too long ago, there was a discussion in this thread about applicants being 'HYS or bust'. For those individuals who have this attitude - why? As in, you would be willing to decline other schools and wait a cycle for another chance at HYS.

I'm curious to hear contrasting views, because it was the attitude I had going into this cycle - although I think my views have softened as we progress forward.

I've always been a little curious about these motivations as well. Not that I think they're wrong, I just am interested in the underlying reasoning.

[malleus discentium]

Not too long ago, there was a discussion in this thread about applicants being 'HYS or bust'. For those individuals who have this attitude - why? As in, you would be willing to decline other schools and wait a cycle for another chance at HYS.

I'm curious to hear contrasting views, because it was the attitude I had going into this cycle - although I think my views have softened as we progress forward.

Once you realize you've got a solid shot at HYS, it's hard to mentally unring that bell. In addition, for me, at least, being a KJD I am aware taking a year off is a good idea anyway.

[residentemma]

Not too long ago, there was a discussion in this thread about applicants being 'HYS or bust'. For those individuals who have this attitude - why? As in, you would be willing to decline other schools and wait a cycle for another chance at HYS.

I'm curious to hear contrasting views, because it was the attitude I had going into this cycle - although I think my views have softened as we progress forward.

I've always been a little curious about these motivations as well. Not that I think they're wrong, I just am interested in the underlying reasoning.

I was thinking about posting this question too. I'm curious to know what exactly it is about H, beyond the name... there are so many great schools with similar size/faculty/programs/clinics (albeit not the layman's prestige) and I just can't really understand why someone who knows they want to go to law school-and has gotten in somewhere great in T14-would feel they have to attend Harvard or nothing.

[Tela1283]

Is admissions likely to be closed tomorrow due to the weather? Any indication?

[chneyo]

...

[Trig]

From what I remember from stalking Harvard's thread a long time ago, was that Harvard sent out valentines acceptances last year... Not sure if my memory is accurate

Yep, they did. A friend of mine got it

Were these actually mailed Valentine's Day cards or were they simply phone calls?

[Quest4Knowledge]

Not too long ago, there was a discussion in this thread about applicants being 'HYS or bust'. For those individuals who have this attitude - why? As in, you would be willing to decline other schools and wait a cycle for another chance at HYS.

I'm curious to hear contrasting views, because it was the attitude I had going into this cycle - although I think my views have softened as we progress forward.

Once you realize you've got a solid shot at HYS, it's hard to mentally unring that bell. In addition, for me, at least, being a KJD I am aware taking a year off is a good idea anyway.

I went through this exact same thought process. Once I had an LSAT score, played around with myLSN and realized that I have a reasonable shot at one of those three, then that became all I thought about.

What softened my views though, is that I realized that if I'm rejected and then take a year off doing work/masters/whatever, it still doesn't guarantee HYS. My numbers are already locked in, so the only thing that could change are softs, and this is a small aspect of the application. The more I thought about, the marginal benefit of waiting a year for only a potential return is outweighed by the cost. But I'm still on the fence with it all, would love to hear other views.

[Quest4Knowledge]

Not too long ago, there was a discussion in this thread about applicants being 'HYS or bust'. For those individuals who have this attitude - why? As in, you would be willing to decline other schools and wait a cycle for another chance at HYS.

I'm curious to hear contrasting views, because it was the attitude I had going into this cycle - although I think my views have softened as we progress forward.

I'm curious about this too. I mean, I'd love HLS. But I'm also a pretty happy person and will probably love anywhere I end up.

There was a kid in the Stanford thread that finally got in after 2 previous years riding out the wait-list. Cray-cray. No offense to HLS, but they get one shot here. If they miss that, they'll be reading about this killer (insert other T14 name) grad in the papers, saying, "I remember rejecting chneyo. What a shame for Harvard to have missed that train."

Wow. Kudos to him/her sticking with it for so long. But wow. The only way I could see this situation being reasonable is if they're in an established career looking for a change, but there's no immediate need. Still though...

[lawschool22]

Not too long ago, there was a discussion in this thread about applicants being 'HYS or bust'. For those individuals who have this attitude - why? As in, you would be willing to decline other schools and wait a cycle for another chance at HYS.

I'm curious to hear contrasting views, because it was the attitude I had going into this cycle - although I think my views have softened as we progress forward.

Once you realize you've got a solid shot at HYS, it's hard to mentally unring that bell. In addition, for me, at least, being a KJD I am aware taking a year off is a good idea anyway.

I went through this exact same thought process. Once I had an LSAT score, played around with myLSN and realized that I have a reasonable shot at one of those three, then that became all I thought about.

What softened my views though, is that I realized that if I'm rejected and then take a year off doing work/masters/whatever, it still doesn't guarantee HYS. My numbers are already locked in, so the only thing that could change are softs, and this is a small aspect of the application. The more I thought about, the marginal benefit of waiting a year for only a potential return is outweighed by the cost. But I'm still on the fence with it all, would love to hear other views.

In my opinion, outside of certain specific goals, there are not many jobs that you can get coming out of HLS that you can't get coming from a T6 (which, if you're in the game for HLS, you probably will get at least one of CCN).

Sure, if you want to measurably improve your chances at an Article III clerkships or academia, then going the HYS route makes sense.

If you want biglaw, other clerkships, less "prestigious" PI, etc., you can be just as successful coming out of CCN in my opinion. There is some insurance for the bottom 1/3 of the class at a school like HLS compared to CCN. But I would wager that for your non-uber prestige jobs, grades, interviewing skills, and past experience are going to trump the marginal differences between CCN and HYS for most people.

The above analysis doesn't weigh costs. For many goals, taking the half- or full-ride to CCN is probably a better move than HLS.

Like all things, it comes down to your own personal situation, of course. I would never fault someone for sitting out a cycle to try and get HYS. And although HLS would be better than CCN for my specific goals, I won't be doing that. But this has more to do with the fact that HLS is a reach for me anyway.

[malleus discentium]

Not too long ago, there was a discussion in this thread about applicants being 'HYS or bust'. For those individuals who have this attitude - why? As in, you would be willing to decline other schools and wait a cycle for another chance at HYS.

I'm curious to hear contrasting views, because it was the attitude I had going into this cycle - although I think my views have softened as we progress forward.

Once you realize you've got a solid shot at HYS, it's hard to mentally unring that bell. In addition, for me, at least, being a KJD I am aware taking a year off is a good idea anyway.

I went through this exact same thought process. Once I had an LSAT score, played around with myLSN and realized that I have a reasonable shot at one of those three, then that became all I thought about.

What softened my views though, is that I realized that if I'm rejected and then take a year off doing work/masters/whatever, it still doesn't guarantee HYS. My numbers are already locked in, so the only thing that could change are softs, and this is a small aspect of the application. The more I thought about, the marginal benefit of waiting a year for only a potential return is outweighed by the cost. But I'm still on the fence with it all, would love to hear other views.

If you've got the numbers for HYS but are dinged, you were dinged because of your softs. So working on them for a year is exactly what you want to be doing if you're set on HYS.

[Quest4Knowledge]

What softened my views though, is that I realized that if I'm rejected and then take a year off doing work/masters/whatever, it still doesn't guarantee HYS. My numbers are already locked in, so the only thing that could change are softs, and this is a small aspect of the application. The more I thought about, the marginal benefit of waiting a year for only a potential return is outweighed by the cost. But I'm still on the fence with it all, would love to hear other views.

If you've got the numbers for HYS but are dinged, you were dinged because of your softs. So working on them for a year is exactly what you want to be doing if you're set on HYS.

That's an good point, but I guess the 'if you're set on HYS' is the part that I'm interested about. What makes people 'set on HYS' to the point they would not go to law school or take a year off for another chance, especially when that chance is not a sure thing. Like LS22 said though, this is obviously a really personal question that depends on the individual, but I think about it often.

[Kobaine51]

hova

[a.sleepyhead]

Schools also know there is going to be a great deal of what they refer to as “summer melting” this cycle. For many schools, this means 50% or more of their entering classes will come from summer admits.

Spivey will be the death of me. First the drama with the Oct. LSAT score release, now this.

[muzzy]

.

[HorseThief]

Not too long ago, there was a discussion in this thread about applicants being 'HYS or bust'. For those individuals who have this attitude - why? As in, you would be willing to decline other schools and wait a cycle for another chance at HYS.

I'm curious to hear contrasting views, because it was the attitude I had going into this cycle - although I think my views have softened as we progress forward.

For me, it's the knowledge that I only have one shot at law school. I didn't go to the best ug, and that really hurt me when I was applying for grad programs in my field (yeah, law is my second choice :/). Even though I had a good experience, that was my one chance at undergrad, and now I have to deal with the consequences. So now that I'm looking at law school, I'm 'going big or going home.'

That said, I hear the arguments for T6, but I don't want to go to CCN for personal reasons, mostly related to location.

[rseaney]

Not too long ago, there was a discussion in this thread about applicants being 'HYS or bust'. For those individuals who have this attitude - why? As in, you would be willing to decline other schools and wait a cycle for another chance at HYS.

I'm curious to hear contrasting views, because it was the attitude I had going into this cycle - although I think my views have softened as we progress forward.

I've always been a little curious about these motivations as well. Not that I think they're wrong, I just am interested in the underlying reasoning.

I was thinking about posting this question too. I'm curious to know what exactly it is about H, beyond the name... there are so many great schools with similar size/faculty/programs/clinics (albeit not the layman's prestige) and I just can't really understand why someone who knows they want to go to law school-and has gotten in somewhere great in T14-would feel they have to attend Harvard or nothing.

I'm going to reapply next year if I dont get HYS. There's no denying that one (relatively minor) element is the prestige; I'm the first in my family to complete college, I've got a bit of a chip on my shoulder, and going HYS would be a sweet delicious cherry on top of that haha. I also know that if I went anywhere else I'd feel like I'd settled.

Additionally, I'm KJD, I'll be only 20 if I matriculate this year, and taking a year off would cause me no chagrin (I'm advised by most friends and peers that I should take a year off, either way). I caught the JS1 bug, and I'm sure my CCN options will be there next year as well, so things could only improve in a second cycle. Lastly, elected office is definitely my long term goal -- I have little interest in BigLaw. I think most will agree that H is the right place to start that plan.

Idk I'd love some feedback.

[malleus discentium]

Not too long ago, there was a discussion in this thread about applicants being 'HYS or bust'. For those individuals who have this attitude - why? As in, you would be willing to decline other schools and wait a cycle for another chance at HYS.

I'm curious to hear contrasting views, because it was the attitude I had going into this cycle - although I think my views have softened as we progress forward.

I've always been a little curious about these motivations as well. Not that I think they're wrong, I just am interested in the underlying reasoning.

I was thinking about posting this question too. I'm curious to know what exactly it is about H, beyond the name... there are so many great schools with similar size/faculty/programs/clinics (albeit not the layman's prestige) and I just can't really understand why someone who knows they want to go to law school-and has gotten in somewhere great in T14-would feel they have to attend Harvard or nothing.

I'm going to reapply next year if I dont get HYS. There's no denying that one (relatively minor) element is the prestige; I'm the first in my family to complete college, I've got a bit of a chip on my shoulder, and going HYS would be a sweet delicious cherry on top of that haha. I also know that if I went anywhere else I'd feel like I'd settled.

Additionally, I'm KJD, I'll be only 20 if I matriculate this year, and taking a year off would cause me no chagrin (I'm advised by most friends and peers that I should take a year off, either way). I caught the JS1 bug, and I'm sure my CCN options will be there next year as well, so things could only improve in a second cycle. Lastly, elected office is definitely my long term goal -- I have little interest in BigLaw. I think most will agree that H is the right place to start that plan.

Idk I'd love some feedback.

Going to law school as a 20-year-old sounds like the worst thing.

[lawschool22]

For the couple people mentioning elected office: tcr is state politics imho.

If you want that, you may be better off going to the top school in your state for free. Develop those connections you will need to move up the ladder. Many more politicians come up through state politics than through prestigious law positions. And for state politics, who you know is going to matter much more than where you went to law school. Many times going to the school in your state will get you closer to such connections.

Not saying HYS won't open certain doors for you. I'm just saying it won't necessarily make a political future any more or less likely. That will take hustling and the right personality.

Just food for thought.

[selden]

For the couple people mentioning elected office: tcr is state politics imho.

If you want that, you may be better off going to the top school in your state for free. Develop those connections you will need to move up the ladder. Many more politicians come up through state politics than through prestigious law positions. And for state politics, who you know is going to matter much more than where you went to law school. Many times going to the school in your state will get you closer to such connections.

Not saying HYS won't open certain doors for you. I'm just saying it won't necessarily make a political future any more or less likely. That will take hustling and the right personality.

Just food for thought.

State politics is definitely a good move

[nabadgelyo]

Soo.....JS2s today???

[barcelona999]

Not too long ago, there was a discussion in this thread about applicants being 'HYS or bust'. For those individuals who have this attitude - why? As in, you would be willing to decline other schools and wait a cycle for another chance at HYS.

I'm curious to hear contrasting views, because it was the attitude I had going into this cycle - although I think my views have softened as we progress forward.

Great question...

Honestly, it has to do with bitter regret I had throughout the 4 years of college about how I would have been much happier attending one of the top colleges..
I think the name could matter a lot (depending on your environment).

In my case, going to Harvard Law School would accord much, much higher rewards than CCN. Since my GPA is at Harvard's median (but my LSAT is below their median) I'll re-take the LSAT if I don't get in this cycle.

[Tela1283]

So..,is harvard open today?