2016 Harvard Law School transfer thread Forum

[PeanutsNJam]

Just to sort of help with the grades v. softs for future applicants or posterity or whatever, I was second in my section with a 4.0, and someone who was 1st in a different section at our T20 applied and has not yet been accepted. I have really strong softs (im a little older than my average 1L classmates) a prior graduate degree, tons of public interest work experience, and I put a lot of time into my transfer applications because I didn't want to leave anything up to chance. So, my feeling is that it's probably grades that get you even considered and softs that might get you accepted. I'm definitely not adding to racial or ethnic diversity but maybe public interest focused diversity?

There are people who got in with average or zero softs. It's not softs or grades. It's just what it is. I mean if we had more data we could come up with something meaningful, like whether URM mattered, or whether it was the strength of your LoR... Personally, I think it's strength of LoR that mattered most after grades.

But no, for future generations, grades are not a dispositive. Top 1% at a T20 is certainly not even close to a lock at HYS. Like I said, Arrow's guide is misleading. At least remove the HYS stuff or something; maybe other schools are grade-on. If you're set on transferring I guess other than "get good grades," the advice is to "cozy up to professors." I really didn't and despite doing well, I probably got mediocre LoRs. I went to like 2 office hours for each professor total, and they lasted like 5 mins each. I just had a question.

[heregoeseverything]

Just to sort of help with the grades v. softs for future applicants or posterity or whatever, I was second in my section with a 4.0, and someone who was 1st in a different section at our T20 applied and has not yet been accepted. I have really strong softs (im a little older than my average 1L classmates) a prior graduate degree, tons of public interest work experience, and I put a lot of time into my transfer applications because I didn't want to leave anything up to chance. So, my feeling is that it's probably grades that get you even considered and softs that might get you accepted. I'm definitely not adding to racial or ethnic diversity but maybe public interest focused diversity?

[ilikechocolate]

Just to sort of help with the grades v. softs for future applicants or posterity or whatever, I was second in my section with a 4.0, and someone who was 1st in a different section at our T20 applied and has not yet been accepted. I have really strong softs (im a little older than my average 1L classmates) a prior graduate degree, tons of public interest work experience, and I put a lot of time into my transfer applications because I didn't want to leave anything up to chance. So, my feeling is that it's probably grades that get you even considered and softs that might get you accepted. I'm definitely not adding to racial or ethnic diversity but maybe public interest focused diversity?

There are people who got in with average or zero softs. It's not softs or grades. It's just what it is. I mean if we had more data we could come up with something meaningful, like whether URM mattered, or whether it was the strength of your LoR... Personally, I think it's strength of LoR that mattered most after grades.

But no, for future generations, grades are not a dispositive. Top 1% at a T20 is certainly not even close to a lock at HYS. Like I said, Arrow's guide is misleading. At least remove the HYS stuff or something; maybe other schools are grade-on. If you're set on transferring I guess other than "get good grades," the advice is to "cozy up to professors." I really didn't and despite doing well, I probably got mediocre LoRs. I went to like 2 office hours for each professor total, and they lasted like 5 mins each. I just had a question.

I had pretty amazing LORs and didn't get in. Know someone from my school that did (better grades, though). I think maybe after they pick one person from a certain school the bar becomes a lot higher for everyone else? I also think last year was an exception with respect to the size of the transfer class, and not the norm. They probably went back to admitting 30-35 people as they did in the past.

[houritsu]

.

[legit]

Out of curiosity, wondering if doing the write-on competition helped!

[qweeqly]

Out of curiosity, wondering if doing the write-on competition helped!

Don't know if we can reliably answer this question.

Law Review doesn't reach final decisions till late July, after transfer admissions decisions. Doing the competition may indicate very strong interest in HLS but unclear how helpful that is to getting in.

Anecdotally, my sense is many transfers/admits do not do the write-on, because it overlaps with their 1L finals. That certainly didn't harm them, also doesn't imply that doing it wouldn't be helpful to your application.

[aharown]

I didn't miss anything in my 3rd read through of what they've sent, looking for information on a deposit, did I?

Just checking.

[Xrt313]

I didn't miss anything in my 3rd read through of what they've sent, looking for information on a deposit, did I?

Just checking.

i didn't see anything about a deposit either.

[heregoeseverything]

No deposit - I called to check!

[Joscellin]

I didn't miss anything in my 3rd read through of what they've sent, looking for information on a deposit, did I?

Just checking.

After I sent in the commit form, I got a confirmation email awhile later that said "thanks for the deposit!"

Hey, less money out of pocket is nice!

Beginning the housing rat race now ><

[aharown]

Submitted form last night. Confirmed receipt by phone, they apparently comfirmed by emailing the harvard address. Called a bit later to see about the Office of Career Services (or whatever it's called) and how to submit the resume they want. They said they hadn't received the info of my confirmation yet from admissions, would email me when they had.

If you've already gotten this far, how long did this take? They made it seem from the first admission email as though it is a big hurry to get it in. On the phone the lady repeated "it's no hurry."

[moralsentiments]

Just got the official ding email. No surprise, still a bummer. Congrats to all those admitted!

[the-american-guy]

Just got the official ding email. No surprise, still a bummer. Congrats to all those admitted!

Same here, congratulations everyone that will be attending!

[houritsu]

.

[Dactyl08]

Ding here too, again, not a surprise.

[PeanutsNJam]

Yep got the official ding, looks like they all went out at the same time.

[browniestasty]

Officially dinged too. probable 5%, definitely 10%. T2.

[zaylla2015]

Yep got the official ding, looks like they all went out at the same time. (please don't quote: top 1% T20)

wait was it emailed or on the status checker? I haven't gotten anything yet!

[jd1220]

Did people who got dinged get an email, and status checker update? My status checker says decision rendered but no email, I'm assuming that means i got dinged but just wondering since i did not get an email

[Nebby]

CLS is better anyway

[lavarman84]

Yep got the official ding, looks like they all went out at the same time.

Honestly, I'm very surprised you didn't get in. Seems like it was hyper-competitive this year.(I know that doesn't make it easier to swallow) I don't know if you're planning to stay or looking to transfer to a different school but for what it's worth, I was in your shoes a year ago and things ended up working out really well for me. I did not transfer, and I am very happy with the decision made for me.

No matter what, you're in an incredible position. Don't let this get you down.

When I got the rejection letter last year, I turned on music and started dancing (terribly). Then I started laughing. It was freeing. After all the dismay from seeing everybody else accepted while I sat there with no news, I was finally able to move forward. I knew that I would be successful, Harvard or no Harvard.

[fp9898]

For future transfer applicants looking through these threads, my main piece of advice would be to put time and thought into your application materials. I thought I had a lot going for me (no rank but likely top 1-2% at T20; 2 good LORs from professors--one of them well known; URM; 10 years WE; on board of student organization and participated in a 1L journal), but definitely nothing is a given.

The only real explanation that I can think of for why I would have gotten into YLS but not HLS (other than maybe a computer glitch at Yale ) is that I was burned out after finals and wrote a fairly uninspired personal statement and also recycled my diversity statement from a year ago. I put more into my Yale app and definitely my 250 word essay was more original than my PS. I highly recommend getting your app together in March or April if you are thinking of applying.

[PeanutsNJam]

For future transfer applicants looking through these threads, my main piece of advice would be to put time and thought into your application materials. I thought I had a lot going for me (no rank but likely top 1-2% at T20; 2 good LORs from professors--one of them well known; URM; 10 years WE; on board of student organization and participated in a 1L journal), but definitely nothing is a given.

The only real explanation that I can think of for why I would have gotten into YLS but not HLS (other than maybe a computer glitch at Yale ) is that I was burned out after finals and wrote a fairly uninspired personal statement and also recycled my diversity statement from a year ago. I put more into my Yale app and definitely my 250 word essay was more original than my PS. I highly recommend getting your app together in March or April if you are thinking of applying.

You are indeed a very unique case. Congrats on Yale!

[knmhls]

Welcome incoming 2Ls!

I’m a rising 2L, and I’d like to invite everyone interested in working on a journal this year to consider joining the Harvard Journal of Law & Technology (JOLT).

Why join JOLT?

[*] JOLT is the highest ranked specialty law journal in the country, and we’re second only in rankings to the Harvard Law Review amongst all publications on campus.
[*] JOLT is not just for those with a science background or an interest in practicing IP law. We publish an array of topics ranging from cyberlaw, patent, copyright, trademark, antitrust, privacy & security, biotech, telecommunications, energy, cybercrime, and much more. For example, our most recent volume featured articles on black-box medicine, the right to be forgotten, and trademark in 3D printing. Of course, having JOLT on your resume makes a difference when talking to employers, especially in IP.
[*] JOLT is also a lot of fun! More than just a journal, JOLT is also a community. We put on speaker events and an IP career fair during the year, and we also host many social activities for members ranging from happy hours to study breaks to house parties.

There are many ways to get involved with JOLT, including working in our various functions such as editing, submissions, student writing, or programming. Specifically, we’ve reserved a few openings for transfer students in our more substantive roles in editing and submissions. Please read below for more information on how to apply. We will aim to have our masthead selection decisions made before the Early Interview Program (EIP) begins so that you can update your resumes to reflect any new roles you may be taking on within the journal. If you have any questions about JOLT, please feel free to contact the Editors-in-Chief at jolt@law.harvard.edu.

LINE EDITORS

If you have journal experience from your previous law school, you can apply to be a Line Editor. Line Editors manage a team of Subciters and are in charge of the technical and substantive editing for a section of an article or student note. The major time commitments for a Line Editor include the periods of source pull, subcite, and technical edits. Line editing is a prerequisite for senior masthead positions such as Editor-in-Chief or Executive Editor.

Please fill out the Line Editor application form by Sunday, July 31st at 11:59 PM (EST). The application can be found here: http://[link redacted]/forms/ustJ1lksRntPwp4v1

Transfer applicants will also need to complete a short Bluebook test with their application. To receive the Bluebook test, please email jolt.tech.editor@gmail.com. This test should take no more than 2 hours and is due at the same time as the application.

Please e-mail Kayla Haran, our Technical Editor, at jolt.tech.editor@gmail.com if you have any questions about the role or application process.

SUBCITERS

If you have no prior journal experience, you can sign up to be a Subciter. There is no application process for this role and recruiting will begin after classes start. Subciting is roughly a 5-10 hour time commitment, and those who subcite become eligible to apply for a Line Editor position the following semester.

SUBMISSIONS MANAGERS

Because JOLT is the top-ranked specialty law journal in the country, we receive hundreds of article submissions each year, on everything from patents to cybersecurity to stem cells. The Submissions staff comb through those articles, searching for scholarship that is original, interesting, well-written, and timely, and select the articles that will be published in the next volume of JOLT.

If this is of interest to you, consider applying to be a Submissions Manager. Submissions Managers assist the Submissions Editor in deciding which articles to publish. Please note that in order to be an SM you'll need to be available to start reviewing articles ASAP. August is a rush month for us and we want you to be a part of it!

Why Submissions is great

[*] Read about areas of the law that interest you. If you're reading this, you're probably already interested in law and technology — but the 1L curriculum doesn't give you much of a chance to explore patents, copyright, cyberlaw or clean tech. Through Submissions, we do!
[*] Learn about legal scholarship/publishing. If you're interested in pursuing a career in legal academia, you'll have to publish in student-run journals. We'll show you how the process works, and why some articles get published while others aren't even read.
[*] Join a community of tech geeks. Submissions people are all super passionate about the intersection of law and technology. We like to talk about it — especially over food.
[*] Submissions Manager is a masthead position.

If this sounds interesting to you, send your resume, transcript, and a quick blurb indicating your main interest areas to Katherine Kwong, our Submissions Editor, at jolt.submissions@gmail.com. You will receive the Submissions Review Guide as well as a recent submission to review. Based on your review and other qualifications, we'll make a decision. Please also email Katherine if you have any questions about the role or application process.