WUSTL (Dean's Fellowship) vs. Harvard (sticker) Forum

mohdban · Post by **mohdban** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 6:20 am

WashU is the better option here; said no sane person ever.

BillClinton Jr · Post by **BillClinton Jr** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 8:57 am

LawBron James wrote:I think the reapply/retake brigade is going a little crazy. This guy/gal got into Harvard with below median numbers, wants geographic/work choice flexibility, and thinks they'll get a decent aid package. Just go to Harvard.

+1

BillClinton Jr · Post by **BillClinton Jr** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 8:58 am

MistakenGenius wrote:
lawdoggy wrote:For someone that got a 171 on the first take, you sure fucked up the app strategy.

I agree with the sentiment of deferring Harvard and blanketing the T14 next cycle. Possibly retake as well.
You have annoyed me on literally every page I see you on. He got into Harvard, that's a damn good strategy. And with his stats, he's not getting a full ride.

Also, I don't know where this idea that you can defer and apply to other schools came from in recent weeks, but it's 100% wrong. Deferrals are binding.

OP, don't listen to the idiots telling you to reapply. You had an incredible cycle. Go to Harvard.

+10000

to116 · Post by **to116** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 10:51 am

harvard 100%

cheesin23 · Post by **cheesin23** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 11:26 am

science burner · Post by **science burner** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 12:35 pm

Just curious how you got your CoA at Harvard being 135k if you don't know your aid package yet.

Am I missing something here?

BrazilBandit · Post by **BrazilBandit** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 12:39 pm

cheesin23 wrote:Thanks everyone for your input!

I have to give Wash U a decision by April 15 and I don't think I'll get my aid package from Harvard by then (they haven't even sent me the application yet). That being said, I'm still definitely strongly leaning towards Harvard at this point. I'm not interested in reapplying next year.

Some will people take Harvard over Full - Tuition at CCN and think it's defensible. You're choosing it over WUSTL (a great school) but the outcomes are VASTLY in favor of Harvard, it's not even close... Should you have applied to other schools and taken a fully? yes, but that's not an option - enjoy Cambridge...

cheesin23 · Post by **cheesin23** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 12:40 pm

science burner · Post by **science burner** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 12:53 pm

cheesin23 wrote:
science burner wrote:Just curious how you got your CoA at Harvard being 135k if you don't know your aid package yet.

Am I missing something here?
Sorry, I should have explained more clearly.

The 135k in loans is best case scenario, based on what I understand of the aid packages from the Harvard website. They calculate your estimated need and award loans and grants based on that.

CoA for 2015-16 = 85k

Then they calculate a student and parent contribution, and subtract that and the base loan package of 45k (everyone receiving aid will have at least the 45k in loans). Then they award grants for the remainder.

So, 85k - 45k - student/parent contribution = grant amount

However, my parents will not be contributing, so I will need loans for that part as well. I just don't know what that will be yet.

Feel free to correct me if this is completely wrong!

Do you mean your parents won't be contributing as in they told you it's all on you to pay? Unless I'm wrong, no matter what your parents might say (up to a certain age) the school will calculate a parental contribution whether they will contribute that or not. Do you have a reason to suspect you'll get full or close to it grants?

If you can get HLS at the price you're calculating it's an easy choice to go there. But keep in mind just because your parents say they aren't contributing doesn't mean Harvard will calculate it as so.

cheesin23 · Post by **cheesin23** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 12:55 pm

MistakenGenius · Post by **MistakenGenius** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 2:42 pm

Post removed.

PeanutsNJam · Post by **PeanutsNJam** » Fri Apr 03, 2015 12:59 am

this thread is making me anxious op please just say you deposited at H

timbs4339 · Post by **timbs4339** » Fri Apr 03, 2015 10:32 am

cheesin23 wrote:
science burner wrote:
cheesin23 wrote:
science burner wrote:Just curious how you got your CoA at Harvard being 135k if you don't know your aid package yet.

Am I missing something here?
Sorry, I should have explained more clearly.

The 135k in loans is best case scenario, based on what I understand of the aid packages from the Harvard website. They calculate your estimated need and award loans and grants based on that.

CoA for 2015-16 = 85k

Then they calculate a student and parent contribution, and subtract that and the base loan package of 45k (everyone receiving aid will have at least the 45k in loans). Then they award grants for the remainder.

So, 85k - 45k - student/parent contribution = grant amount

However, my parents will not be contributing, so I will need loans for that part as well. I just don't know what that will be yet.

Feel free to correct me if this is completely wrong!

Do you mean your parents won't be contributing as in they told you it's all on you to pay? Unless I'm wrong, no matter what your parents might say (up to a certain age) the school will calculate a parental contribution whether they will contribute that or not. Do you have a reason to suspect you'll get full or close to it grants?

If you can get HLS at the price you're calculating it's an easy choice to go there. But keep in mind just because your parents say they aren't contributing doesn't mean Harvard will calculate it as so.
Yeah exactly, my parents say it's on me, so whatever Harvard calculates as their contribution I will need to make up with additional loans.

Do you know what the likely contribution calculation will be?

unlicensedpotato · Post by **unlicensedpotato** » Fri Apr 03, 2015 11:01 am

Wash U is not a good school.

mohdban · Post by **mohdban** » Fri Apr 03, 2015 6:08 pm

unlicensedpotato wrote:Wash U is not a good school.

No.

MistakenGenius · Post by **MistakenGenius** » Sat Apr 04, 2015 2:19 am

Post removed.

CanadianWolf · Post by **CanadianWolf** » Sat Apr 04, 2015 7:51 am

OP: Harvard is the better choice unless you really prefer to live & work in the St. Louis area. WashUStL is a very good law school, but job placement is less than stellar.

chuckbass · Post by **chuckbass** » Sat Apr 04, 2015 8:36 am

CanadianWolf wrote:OP: Harvard is the better choice unless you really prefer to live & work in the St. Louis area. WashUStL is a very good law school, but job placement is less than stellar.

Except if OP is not from STL it will not get him a good job in STL. HLS is a no-brainer here (coming from a current WUSTL 1L).

valen · Post by **valen** » Sat Apr 04, 2015 8:47 am

OP I think I might have met you at ASW. I'll be bummed if you don't come, but I'd agree that H is the best choice here. I love wustl but it can't compete with H in job location flexibility or overall placement. Getting into Harvard is an awesome accomplishment and going to wustl instead just seems like a tremendous waste of an opportunity.

iamgeorgebush · Post by **iamgeorgebush** » Sat Apr 04, 2015 8:58 am

go to harvard.

Hutz_and_Goodman · Post by **Hutz_and_Goodman** » Sat Apr 04, 2015 9:07 am

Reapply

WUSTL for free is a fine option, but with your numbers you can get huge $ in the t14

I know a Harvard alum (3 years out) left my firm under bad circumstances, and is now leaving the law and drives an uber for a living. Not what you want to do with $150k+ in debt.

chuckbass · Post by **chuckbass** » Sat Apr 04, 2015 9:58 am

Hutz_and_Goodman wrote:Reapply

WUSTL for free is a fine option, but with your numbers you can get huge $ in the t14

I know a Harvard alum (3 years out) left my firm under bad circumstances, and is now leaving the law and drives an uber for a living. Not what you want to do with $150k+ in debt.

Your point is valid, but this example is as useful as telling someone to go to Brooklyn because you know an alum that landed Cravath.

Rigo · Post by **Rigo** » Sat Apr 04, 2015 10:07 am

Yikes. Bad app strategy for sure, but you lucked out. Enjoy Harvard.

RunnerRunner · Post by **RunnerRunner** » Sat Apr 04, 2015 10:31 am

Hutz_and_Goodman wrote:Reapply

WUSTL for free is a fine option, but with your numbers you can get huge $ in the t14

I know a Harvard alum (3 years out) left my firm under bad circumstances, and is now leaving the law and drives an uber for a living. Not what you want to do with $150k+ in debt.

I'm not sure that OP could pull enough money at another t14 to justify turning down Harvard. Getting into H does not automatically mean one could score a full ride (or money close to it) somewhere else. Honestly, being as far below Harvard's medians as OP is, I think they should feel really, REALLY good about the fact that their app was strong enough to get in and go to Harvard, rather than risk reapplying and running out of magic during a second cycle.

Hutz_and_Goodman · Post by **Hutz_and_Goodman** » Sat Apr 04, 2015 10:34 am

I think OP will get $100k+ from Cornell, might get full ride with ED to northwestern, will get 80k+ at duke and uva