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

[applelover]

I thought I would wake up to someone with a JS2. What in the the world is going on with decisions this cycle?

My theory (aka wishful thinking) is that schools are not getting the quality of applicants they expect/want, and are holding out (in vain) for more quality applicants to submit before they accept people with lower-than-normal numbers.

I would believe that, but they haven't given out any decisions from 11/13 interview dates onward to anyone. I have some friends who had interviews that week and the week after with amazing numbers. So, it doesn't make sense why they aren't giving JS2s to anyone. They should at least be giving out decisions to some people.

Edit: grammar

[chneyo]

Good luck all!!

[everett2014]

I'm the mad old dude at 31. Haha. Years off school for military/police crap. Returned as a full-time student in 2010 and just wrapped up my undergrad. Have an awful LSAT and no time to study/retake, so living on a prayer this cycle. Good luck all!!

Coming straight from undergrad, people like you make me even more excited to go to LS and soak up my classmates' wisdom!

[lastsamurai]

page 100 of this thread

[drawstring]

I want to say there will be JS2's tomorrow, but at this point I have no idea.

[midwest17]

um wat

In other words, if you plan on being one of the people in the third paragraph of this Wikepedia entry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_Law_School then I don't think you need to take two years off so you can drink at law school social functions.

I want to believe this is a joke.

[CyanIdes Of March]

um wat

In other words, if you plan on being one of the people in the third paragraph of this Wikepedia entry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_Law_School then I don't think you need to take two years off so you can drink at law school social functions.

I want to believe this is a joke.

I have no idea what he's talking about.

[mont4620]

um wat

In other words, if you plan on being one of the people in the third paragraph of this Wikepedia entry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_Law_School then I don't think you need to take two years off so you can drink at law school social functions.

I want to believe this is a joke.

I have no idea what he's talking about.

Seriously, deciding whether to take time off has nothing to do with ambition. Obama, the first person mentioned in the wikipedia paragraph he cited, was 27 when he matriculated.

[The-Specs]

I am 19. Shall I take a year off

It really depends on what you want to do. If you're planning on spending your career as a successful attorney, and you just happen to be young, then I'd probably say "Yes, you should take a year off." If, on the other hand, you plan to follow in the footsteps of some of the better-known alumni from HLS and eventually have biographies written about you, then there's no need to wait. You'll probably want to have a little law-firm experience before you become a member of parliament or whatever they have where you're from, but you're better off having that experience after you get your JD.
So, basically, if you plan on changing the world, then GO. Do it. Don't wait. The earlier you start, the more difference you can make.

While I don't agree with NYC-WVU (if I understood him right which i am not sure that I have) and I do agree that starting law school at 19 short changes you on some important life decisions, I do not think you should make any decisions about law school and your future based on your ability to drink or the accessibility of alcohol. I can definitely see that the inability to drink when so much of the social life at Harvard will revolve around bars/alcohol could be prohibitive but I have no doubt that you can have a great experience at law school and in life without ever drinking.

[lawschool22]

I am 19. Shall I take a year off

It really depends on what you want to do. If you're planning on spending your career as a successful attorney, and you just happen to be young, then I'd probably say "Yes, you should take a year off." If, on the other hand, you plan to follow in the footsteps of some of the better-known alumni from HLS and eventually have biographies written about you, then there's no need to wait. You'll probably want to have a little law-firm experience before you become a member of parliament or whatever they have where you're from, but you're better off having that experience after you get your JD.
So, basically, if you plan on changing the world, then GO. Do it. Don't wait. The earlier you start, the more difference you can make.

While I don't agree with NYC-WVU (if I understood him right which i am not sure that I have) and I do agree that starting law school at 19 short changes you on some important life decisions, I do not think you should make any decisions about law school and your future based on your ability to drink or the accessibility of alcohol. I can definitely see that the inability to drink when so much of the social life at Harvard will revolve around bars/alcohol could be prohibitive but I have no doubt that you can have a great experience at law school and in life without ever drinking.

I agree with the above. I just want to clarify for OP that my reason for saying you should wait is not alcohol-related. I think you should take some time off for several reasons:

1. You will have some time to decide if this path is really what you want. You shouldn't "coast" right into law school without being 100% sure about it, and having some time to think about it in between is helpful.

2. It will make you a stronger candidate when you do apply as you will have some work experience or some other experiences (as long as you don't simply do nothing) to help sell yourself.

3. You may find yourself doing work that you enjoy, and not need to take the risk that going to law school entails.

4. It will be the last opportunity you have to take some time off. Once you start law school, you will be working full-time until you retire or lose your job.

5. Living on your own out of college will give you an opportunity to mature to a level necessary for law school. Law school is not undergrad. You need to be a mature adult. While you may be already, the vast majority of 19 year-old college students are not.

I'm sure there are many other reasons, but I have had too much wine and can't think of any more at the moment

[The-Specs]

I am 19. Shall I take a year off

It really depends on what you want to do. If you're planning on spending your career as a successful attorney, and you just happen to be young, then I'd probably say "Yes, you should take a year off." If, on the other hand, you plan to follow in the footsteps of some of the better-known alumni from HLS and eventually have biographies written about you, then there's no need to wait. You'll probably want to have a little law-firm experience before you become a member of parliament or whatever they have where you're from, but you're better off having that experience after you get your JD.
So, basically, if you plan on changing the world, then GO. Do it. Don't wait. The earlier you start, the more difference you can make.

While I don't agree with NYC-WVU (if I understood him right which i am not sure that I have) and I do agree that starting law school at 19 short changes you on some important life decisions, I do not think you should make any decisions about law school and your future based on your ability to drink or the accessibility of alcohol. I can definitely see that the inability to drink when so much of the social life at Harvard will revolve around bars/alcohol could be prohibitive but I have no doubt that you can have a great experience at law school and in life without ever drinking.

I agree with the above. I just want to clarify for OP that my reason for saying you should wait is not alcohol-related. I think you should take some time off for several reasons:

1. You will have some time to decide if this path is really what you want. You shouldn't "coast" right into law school without being 100% sure about it, and having some time to think about it in between is helpful.

2. It will make you a stronger candidate when you do apply as you will have some work experience or some other experiences (as long as you don't simply do nothing) to help sell yourself.

3. You may find yourself doing work that you enjoy, and not need to take the risk that going to law school entails.

4. It will be the last opportunity you have to take some time off. Once you start law school, you will be working full-time until you retire or lose your job.

5. Living on your own out of college will give you an opportunity to mature to a level necessary for law school. Law school is not undergrad. You need to be a mature adult. While you may be already, the vast majority of 19 year-old college students are not.

I'm sure there are many other reasons, but I have had too much wine and can't think of any more at the moment

+1

I agree with all of this, but most especially #4.

[crazyrobin]

Oh I am old.....

[NYC-WVU]

I'm sure there are many other reasons, but I have had too much wine and can't think of any more at the moment

I agree with everything you said for the vast, vast majority of applicants. And I got my BS 10 years ago, so I'm completely aware of the benefit of making sure that this is what you really want and of taking time off to mature, etc.

My point was, if this 19 year old international student with apparently phenomenal numbers has the ambition (already) to be something like a senator, I don't think he needs to spend two years as a teacher or an engineer before he starts on that path. (I'm fairly certain that there will be students attending these schools with such ambitions, whether or not they'll admit it out loud to their classmates.) It also seems that HLS agrees that there's no reason to wait, since they admit such young students.

On the other hand, if he's planning on being an attorney for the next 45 years, I also agree that time off would be worthwhile before starting that very long career. (I alluded to this in my previous comments.) Kindergarden straight through to mandatory retirement sounds horrible.

[lawschool22]

I'm sure there are many other reasons, but I have had too much wine and can't think of any more at the moment

I agree with everything you said for the vast, vast majority of applicants. And I got my BS 10 years ago, so I'm completely aware of the benefit of making sure that this is what you really want and of taking time off to mature, etc.

My point was, if this 19 year old international student with apparently phenomenal numbers has the ambition (already) to be something like a senator, I don't think he needs to spend two years as a teacher or an engineer before he starts on that path. (I'm fairly certain that there will be students attending these schools with such ambitions, whether or not they'll admit it out loud to their classmates.) It also seems that HLS agrees that there's no reason to wait, since they admit such young students.

On the other hand, if he's planning on being an attorney for the next 45 years, I also agree that time off would be worthwhile before starting that very long career. (I alluded to this in my previous comments.) Kindergarden straight through to mandatory retirement sounds horrible.

I still think that even for someone with those ambitions you allude to, experiences other than and prior to law school can be quite valuable and formative. Also, how does OP know that he or she will become a Senator? The most likely path for a graduate of top law schools is becoming an attorney for the next few decades. Even if OP does become a Senator, that is not happening for a while. It will likely be preceded by a lot of hard work with little time off, which just supports my original point that OP should take time off now while he/she still can, because it will probably be a long while before that opportunity comes again. I don't think starting law school at 19 vs 21 increases your chances of becoming a Senator.

[malleus discentium]

SUBMITTED

[hcrimson2014]

Judging from the Harvard class of 17 facebook group, there are at least 80 people already admitted.

[wtrc]

Judging from the Harvard class of 17 facebook group, there are at least 80 people already admitted.

Interesting.

10% of total admits. Adding for some that haven't yet joined or aren't on Facebook, so probably like 15% in, 85% to go?

[almondjoy]

SUBMITTED

flop.gif

Congrats!

[The-Specs]

I agree with everything you said for the vast, vast majority of applicants. And I got my BS 10 years ago, so I'm completely aware of the benefit of making sure that this is what you really want and of taking time off to mature, etc.

My point was, if this 19 year old international student with apparently phenomenal numbers has the ambition (already) to be something like a senator, I don't think he needs to spend two years as a teacher or an engineer before he starts on that path. (I'm fairly certain that there will be students attending these schools with such ambitions, whether or not they'll admit it out loud to their classmates.) It also seems that HLS agrees that there's no reason to wait, since they admit such young students.

On the other hand, if he's planning on being an attorney for the next 45 years, I also agree that time off would be worthwhile before starting that very long career. (I alluded to this in my previous comments.) Kindergarden straight through to mandatory retirement sounds horrible.

Okay, that makes more sense and your point is well taken. I would say though that there is something to be said for "real world" or private sector experience even for future politicians (if that is in fact what the OP wants to do). One of the biggest critiques from the right about Obama was that he hadn't ever worked in the private sector.

[NYC-WVU]

I still think that even for someone with those ambitions you allude to, experiences other than and prior to law school can be quite valuable and formative. Also, how does OP know that he or she will become a Senator? The most likely path for a graduate of top law schools is becoming an attorney for the next few decades. Even if OP does become a Senator, that is not happening for a while. It will likely be preceded by a lot of hard work with little time off, which just supports my original point that OP should take time off now while he/she still can, because it will probably be a long while before that opportunity comes again. I don't think starting law school at 19 vs 21 increases your chances of becoming a Senator.

I think all the advice you've given is great, particularly for most graduates of a top law school. And re-reading my earlier comments, I see that I may have been too emphatic about the potential upside of going early. But I still believe that if OP thinks he's ready to hit the ground running at HLS at 19 years old (he has posts in class of 2017, so I assume he's made up his mind), that he should go for it. My intention was not to undermine the advantages of waiting, I merely intended to support him in the face of those urging him to wait when he had already decided to go. Also, he doesn't necessarily have to jump in to private practice right at 23 (not everyone has a giant debt burden). Perhaps he could do something unique after law school, and he might have more opportunities with a Harvard Law degree.
Interestingly, of the 9 HLS graduates who have served in the senate in the last five years, they average about 4 years before being in an elected or politically appointed position. To your point, though, most of them didn't go to law school right away. Chuck Schumer is the exception, being elected to NY state assembly at 23 right after HLS.

[lastsamurai]

Judging from the Harvard class of 17 facebook group, there are at least 80 people already admitted.

Interesting.

10% of total admits. Adding for some that haven't yet joined or aren't on Facebook, so probably like 15% in, 85% to go?

I think there could be more who don't want to join a group without committing to the school. Anyone have the stats on how many ended up in the HLS Facebook group last year?

[luckystar84]

deleted

[almondjoy]

638 (642, 4 admins)

hth

anyone have any theories as to why today didn't happen and when the next day might be?

No idea, but I'd like to think that every day from here on out has the potential to bring a big wave. Wishful thinking perhaps though lol

[HorseThief]

638 (642, 4 admins)

hth

How the heck do you know this? Are you a wizard?

[Lavitz]

638 (642, 4 admins)

hth

How the heck do you know this? Are you a wizard?

https://www.facebook.com/groups/343072659125128/