Harvard Class of 2012 Forum

[jessicaw]

i already started looking at apartments on craigslist. crazy me.

... no cat-friendly student housing, right?

[pinkflamingo]

i already started looking at apartments on craigslist. crazy me.

... no cat-friendly student housing, right?

Congrats! And officially, I don't think they have cat-friendly housing. However, a couple of students at the ASW said that they were able to work out something with affiliated housing and their cats.

[jrs12]

i already started looking at apartments on craigslist. crazy me.

Ha, jessicaw, I've totally got you beat in the neurotic, type-A department:
I was looking at Cambridge apartments on Craigslist in January of 2008.

Oh, yeah, and I've already read all of the Gilbert's Outlines (jk).

Maybe therapy would be better for me than law school.

[FrenchiePatootie]

Just submitted the housing app!

[drylo]

Yeah I think we'll have to schedule a trip out there in May too, or June for a housing blitzkrieg weekend.

So question: HLS does have a bit of an advantage for anyone interested in running for political office one day right?

I'd say absolutely. I think the HLS degree is the closest thing out there to a golden ticket for politics.

I don't know about this. There is some potential advantage to the Harvard network, and obviously the Harvard name is impressive to people, but... we all know that all politics is local and that you need money to get into politics. I think there is a solid argument to be made for taking the full ride at a more local school.

[Objection]

Yeah I think we'll have to schedule a trip out there in May too, or June for a housing blitzkrieg weekend.

So question: HLS does have a bit of an advantage for anyone interested in running for political office one day right?

I'd say absolutely. I think the HLS degree is the closest thing out there to a golden ticket for politics.

I don't know about this. There is some potential advantage to the Harvard network, and obviously the Harvard name is impressive to people, but... we all know that all politics is local and that you need money to get into politics. I think there is a solid argument to be made for taking the full ride at a more local school.

Who aspires to local politics? Dream big.

Go to a local undergrad if you want local politics.

I firmly believe that if you're talented and you make the right alum connections coming out of HLS, you can be propelled through ranks by the PTB.

[drylo]

Yeah I think we'll have to schedule a trip out there in May too, or June for a housing blitzkrieg weekend.

So question: HLS does have a bit of an advantage for anyone interested in running for political office one day right?

I'd say absolutely. I think the HLS degree is the closest thing out there to a golden ticket for politics.

I don't know about this. There is some potential advantage to the Harvard network, and obviously the Harvard name is impressive to people, but... we all know that all politics is local and that you need money to get into politics. I think there is a solid argument to be made for taking the full ride at a more local school.

Who aspires to local politics? Dream big.

Go to a local undergrad if you want local politics.

I firmly believe that if you're talented and you make the right alum connections coming out of HLS, you can be propelled through ranks by the PTB.

Well unless you are talking about being president, I meant that even national politics are largely local.

[FrenchiePatootie]

I agree with Objection.
I went to local HS and undergrad locally and I have yet to run into people here who have not been mega-excited that I got into HLS (we're talking laypeople here). Quite a few of my states' past and current Congressmen, Senators and Governors went to out of state grad schools even if they did their undergrad here so I don't think that would be a huge issue.

Drylo, it's true that money is a big deal. I would not do it until after making partner at a local firm. Making connections is essential though I think it's not that difficult to do here. It'll take me a few years to make sure the relationships/support are solid but I'd say the talent is the tricky part!

At any rate, this is just an idea for now. I will only do it if I still feel "the call" at that time, if it wouldn't be detrimental to my marriage/kids, and if I can afford it. I just figure the mere possibility that I might want to politics puts Harvard at the top of my list.

[drylo]

I agree with Objection.
I went to local HS and undergrad locally and I have yet to run into people here who have not been mega-excited that I got into HLS (we're talking laypeople here). Quite a few of my states' past and current Congressmen, Senators and Governors went to out of state grad schools even if they did their undergrad here so I don't think that would be a huge issue.

Drylo, it's true that money is a big deal. I would not do it until after making partner at a local firm. Making connections is essential though I think it's not that difficult to do here. It'll take me a few years to make sure the relationships/support are solid but I'd say the talent is the tricky part!

At any rate, this is just an idea for now. I will only do it if I still feel "the call" at that time, if it wouldn't be detrimental to my marriage/kids, and if I can afford it. I just figure the mere possibility that I might want to politics puts Harvard at the top of my list.

For the record, I really wasn't saying either option is necessarily better than the other... just that, depending on circumstances, you can make a solid argument for choosing a more local school. I think people on this board put HLS on an unrealistic pedestal in a lot of cases. As I have opened up to considering my other options, I am having a harder time coming up with any articulable advantage that Harvard can give me and other schools cannot. Obviously there are some intangibles at play, but I think that is often largely an ego issue. All of that said, I still may be at HLS in the fall... just saying...

[ndnlawdc]

For the record, I really wasn't saying either option is necessarily better than the other... just that, depending on circumstances, you can make a solid argument for choosing a more local school. I think people on this board put HLS on an unrealistic pedestal in a lot of cases. As I have opened up to considering my other options, I am having a harder time coming up with any articulable advantage that Harvard can give me and other schools cannot. Obviously there are some intangibles at play, but I think that is often largely an ego issue. All of that said, I still may be at HLS in the fall... just saying...

I understand where you're coming from. This is partially in response to your FB message, which I can't respond to because I can't access FB at work.

If a political career is your only concern, then you could definitely get by with a good local school. For me, my local school (OU) isn't particularly great, and the other free rides I have aren't in local places. I'm not even sure on the political side of things. That said, we ran into my wife's congressman on the plane to Boston (she was a page for him in high school), who noted that both he and his wife are HLS grads. An interesting anecdote.

HLS is the only top-tier school with a recognizable Indian law program, which is partially why I'm now leaning there. I feel comfortable enough with Michigan's program, but I was certainly wowed by Harvard's program.

The real thing that impressed me about HLS is its Office of Public Interest Advising. Law firms jobs are pretty standard -- you go to OCI, you get a call back, you get a job. Public interest jobs are much more connections-based, and I came away from the ASW convinced that Harvard's resources on the public interest front far exceed those of any other law school (less so with the T3 plus NYU).

Another area where the top 3 schools shine is in the area of clerkships and academia. It appears to be much easier to get a good clerkship and then transition into academia at a top 3 law school than at other schools. I've certainly seriously considered academia, but I'm not sure how heavily I want to weight this factor in the law school decision-making process.

That all said, it's not as if I'm going to have to borrow the whole thing. If HLS is in any way similar to SLS, we'll get a pretty decent chunk of need-based aid. HLS has also nominated me for a university-wide "restricted" scholarship based on my AI/AN background. Then there's my Truman money. And finally, the prospect of the so-called "financial aid gold mine" that is a baby. Putting that all together means I'm not looking at borrowing $200k -- more along the lines of $90-100k, which is more manageable.

HLS wins in the "intangibles" category. We LOVED Cambridge and Boston, and are less likely to love Ann Arbor and Palo Alto (despite the weather!). We also really enjoyed our time with the Christian Fellowship and at the church we visited.

Big negative: Boston's country radio station is terrible.

[bustedup]

I haven't read the entire thread, so sorry if this has been linked to already...

Does anyone know the first semester class schedule? How about which books we'll need?

[excitedutterance]

I haven't read the entire thread, so sorry if this has been linked to already...

Does anyone know the first semester class schedule? How about which books we'll need?

First semester schedule isn't assigned to us until we get our sections, I believe.

[Objection]

Random question that doesn't even apply to me (I'm single, lolz) but...

Does the OCS help significant others find jobs in Boston?

[bustedup]

I haven't read the entire thread, so sorry if this has been linked to already...

Does anyone know the first semester class schedule? How about which books we'll need?

First semester schedule isn't assigned to us until we get our sections, I believe.

Should've been more specific. Do we know which classes we'll be taking first semester? (Not necessarily at what times on what days)

[excitedutterance]

Random question that doesn't even apply to me (I'm single, lolz) but...

Does the OCS help significant others find jobs in Boston?

I went and asked (actually I went to the OPIA) and they said they might be able to help by sharing job openings, but that significant others wouldn't be able to receive personal counseling.

[Objection]

I haven't read the entire thread, so sorry if this has been linked to already...

Does anyone know the first semester class schedule? How about which books we'll need?

First semester schedule isn't assigned to us until we get our sections, I believe.

Should've been more specific. Do we know which classes we'll be taking first semester? (Not necessarily at what times on what days)

It varies.

I asked my 1L contact this same question.

All's well. I'm working on a brief due Friday, but it's pretty entertaining stuff. Basically, the hypothetical case is a 13-year-old girl who goes onto a reality TV show and accidentally cuts two of her fingers off. Then she tries to "disaffirm" the release that she and her mom signed before the show started.

Here's what my fall and spring schedules looked like:

Fall '08
- Contracts (3 classes per week, 1:15 duration each)
- Civil Procedure (2 classes per week, 2:00 duration each)
- Legislation & Regulation (3 classes per week, 1:15 duration each)
- Torts (3 classes per week, 1:30 duration each)
- Legal Research & Writing (1 class per week, 2:00 duration each)

Spring '08
- Criminal Law (3 classes per week, 1:15 duration each)
- Property (3 classes per week, 1:15 duration each)
- Constitution and the Int'l Order (2 classes per week, 2:00 duration each)
- Negotiation Workshop (2 classes per week, 4:10 duration each - intense elective, but pretty awesome)
- Legal Research & Writing (1 class per week, 2:00 duration each - though toward the end of the semester, you're basically just working on your brief and classes don't meet)

1) 1L classes will differ by section from fall to spring semester - but no section gets to take electives first semester. And, unfortunately, you have no say in which professor teaches your required courses. But if I remember correctly from a recent meeting, of next year's 1L required courses, over 80% will be taught be tenured or tenure track faculty. This year, I've had two visitng professors - both of them great, but one of them absolutely stellar (Sam Issacharoff for Civ Pro, from NYU).

2) You receive a grade at the end of each semester for LRW. In the fall, you work on memos (to an attorney or client, i.e., predictive writing); in the spring, you work on briefs (i.e., persuasive writing).

[bustedup]

It varies

Very helpful, thanks.

[meesawoosa]

in case anyone hasn't yet seen, HLS housing has updated the application page and incoming JD students can officially apply.

[iagolives]

Can you apply for housing before you send in your deposit?

[meesawoosa]

yes.
they say you can in the binder.

[Objection]

Does anyone know what kind of opportunities there are for creating new clinics or getting clinical experience outside of the formally offered clinics?

For example, the Michigan Innocence Clinic that UMich has (tries to free wrongfully convicted prisoners in non-biological evidence cases) sounds awesome, but Harvard doesn't have anything similar.

How would I go about replicating such an experience?

[heyguys]

Does anyone know what kind of opportunities there are for creating new clinics or getting clinical experience outside of the formally offered clinics?

For example, the Michigan Innocence Clinic that UMich has (tries to free wrongfully convicted prisoners in non-biological evidence cases) sounds awesome, but Harvard doesn't have anything similar.

How would I go about replicating such an experience?

I guess you would go through: --LinkRemoved--

It would probably be most fun if you were to find some buds who also wanted to do it.

Obj, have you decided btw Mich and HLS?

[Objection]

Does anyone know what kind of opportunities there are for creating new clinics or getting clinical experience outside of the formally offered clinics?

For example, the Michigan Innocence Clinic that UMich has (tries to free wrongfully convicted prisoners in non-biological evidence cases) sounds awesome, but Harvard doesn't have anything similar.

How would I go about replicating such an experience?

I guess you would go through: --LinkRemoved--

It would probably be most fun if you were to find some buds who also wanted to do it.

Obj, have you decided btw Mich and HLS?

The problem is that I don't know of any other non-DNA innocence clinics besides Michigan's.

And yeah, for the most part. Waiting for YLS, but otherwise, it's 99% Harvard.

[iagolives]

So one more question about housing:

It seems as if there are two lotteries, one for on-campus and one for off. Can you sign up for both and decide later?

[SouthernElle]

So one more question about housing:

It seems as if there are two lotteries, one for on-campus and one for off. Can you sign up for both and decide later?

Yep. According to the website, both are non-binding. Also, I talked to a 1L who told me that usually only 2Ls and 3Ls get a lottery slot for affiliated housing, so I think it is probably a good idea to sign up for both if you know you don't want to apartment hunt on your own- at least you have a dorm option.