Harvard Class of 2017 Forum

[sjgonzalez3]

Now I am but it tells me "We are unable to activate your account. Please contact your financial aid office and refer to Code IA".
I suppose I just have to e-mail them then.

That's unusual... sucks.

If there's one thing I realized with HLS so far, it's that they have way too many different PINs/accounts or areas where you can use a different password.

It's really obnoxious how not integrated their systems are.

Also their financial aid webpages just hurt my eyes, it's a wall of gross looking text.

[t-14orbust]

Now I am but it tells me "We are unable to activate your account. Please contact your financial aid office and refer to Code IA".
I suppose I just have to e-mail them then.

That's unusual... sucks.

If there's one thing I realized with HLS so far, it's that they have way too many different PINs/accounts or areas where you can use a different password.

It's really obnoxious how not integrated their systems are.

Also their financial aid webpages just hurt my eyes, it's a wall of gross looking text.

[ddoodle]

Hey everyone! Rising HLS 2L and 3L looking for a third roommate for next year.

We have a 3Bedroom/1Bathroom apartment about a 5 minute walk from the law school at the corner of Oxford and Hammond. Rent is $1050/month. The bedroom is spacious with great light and a large closet. We have a living room, dining room, eat-in kitchen, and back porch. Hardwood floors through out. Common areas are furnished with leather couches, a nice flat screen, and a traditional dining room set. Free laundry in the basement. Lease runs June 1, 2013 to May 31, 2014. PM me if interested!

[HorseThief]

So, for the ~40% of you who are still on the fence about Harvard, what sorts of things are holding you back (and don't tell me you all got into Y/S)?

[Pneumonia]

So, for the ~40% of you who are still on the fence about Harvard, what sorts of things are holding you back (and don't tell me you all got into Y/S)?

Dat debt.
Haven't gotten fin aid offer yet, but even if I got max aid (lol) it would still be hella expensive.

[The-Specs]

So, for the ~40% of you who are still on the fence about Harvard, what sorts of things are holding you back (and don't tell me you all got into Y/S)?

Dat debt.
Haven't gotten fin aid offer yet, but even if I got max aid (lol) it would still be hella expensive.

As opposed to what? I feel like outside of UVA and Duke every school in the T10 has a crazy expensive CoL...unless you have a stipend someplace else.

[paglababa]

So, for the ~40% of you who are still on the fence about Harvard, what sorts of things are holding you back (and don't tell me you all got into Y/S)?

Dat debt.
Haven't gotten fin aid offer yet, but even if I got max aid (lol) it would still be hella expensive.

As opposed to what? I feel like outside of UVA and Duke every school in the T10 has a crazy expensive CoL...unless you have a stipend someplace else.

Max aid is only like 35 k per year, with it decreasing further down to 20k 3L (assuming you did a 2L SA). You'd still need a base loan package of ~150k if you got MAX aid, which would mean paying over 200k in payments.

[Pneumonia]

So, for the ~40% of you who are still on the fence about Harvard, what sorts of things are holding you back (and don't tell me you all got into Y/S)?

Dat debt.
Haven't gotten fin aid offer yet, but even if I got max aid (lol) it would still be hella expensive.

As opposed to what? I feel like outside of UVA and Duke every school in the T10 has a crazy expensive CoL...unless you have a stipend someplace else.

Yeah you're right about the COL. As I'm sure you know max aid at Harvard still leaves you with about 20k / year in tuition though, so in $$ terms it's not really comparable to "max aid" at UVA or Duke, COL issues notwithstanding. As an aside, I'm from TX and want to end up back here so UVA and Duke are my top options outside of H. I've withdrawn from everywhere else except for NYU and UT.

eta: pagalabalgalbagaba makes a good point about the 3L aid reduction too. So max aid at Harvard is only 90k, 75k if you do a 1L SA.

[Pneumonia]

Quick question: does anyone know why Harvard uses "earned income" rather than AGI for financial aid calculations? Idk anything about taxes obviously.

[The-Specs]

Yeah you're right about the COL. As I'm sure you know max aid at Harvard still leaves you with about 20k / year in tuition though, so in $$ terms it's not really comparable to "max aid" at UVA or Duke, COL issues notwithstanding. As an aside, I'm from TX and want to end up back here so UVA and Duke are my top options outside of H. I've withdrawn from everywhere else except for NYU and UT.

eta: pagalabalgalbagaba makes a good point about the 3L aid reduction too. So max aid at Harvard is only 90k, 75k if you do a 1L SA.

Yeah, I understand that but maybe I am just strange or naive, I am not worried about debt in the least. That is probably the least important consideration to me when choosing between H and other schools.

[Pneumonia]

Yeah you're right about the COL. As I'm sure you know max aid at Harvard still leaves you with about 20k / year in tuition though, so in $$ terms it's not really comparable to "max aid" at UVA or Duke, COL issues notwithstanding. As an aside, I'm from TX and want to end up back here so UVA and Duke are my top options outside of H. I've withdrawn from everywhere else except for NYU and UT.

eta: pagalabalgalbagaba makes a good point about the 3L aid reduction too. So max aid at Harvard is only 90k, 75k if you do a 1L SA.

Yeah, I understand that but maybe I am just strange or naive, I am not worried about debt in the least. That is probably the least important consideration to me when choosing between H and other schools.

I go back and forth.

[Nonconsecutive]

Yeah you're right about the COL. As I'm sure you know max aid at Harvard still leaves you with about 20k / year in tuition though, so in $$ terms it's not really comparable to "max aid" at UVA or Duke, COL issues notwithstanding. As an aside, I'm from TX and want to end up back here so UVA and Duke are my top options outside of H. I've withdrawn from everywhere else except for NYU and UT.

eta: pagalabalgalbagaba makes a good point about the 3L aid reduction too. So max aid at Harvard is only 90k, 75k if you do a 1L SA.

Yeah, I understand that but maybe I am just strange or naive, I am not worried about debt in the least. That is probably the least important consideration to me when choosing between H and other schools.

Out of curiosity why does debt not concern you?

[The-Specs]

Out of curiosity why does debt not concern you?

Well, my biggest concern is being able to find the job of my choice. I am very interested in clerkships/academia/government work and Harvard gives me a much better shot at all of those than do any other T14 school (not counting S and Y but I didn't get in to those schools). Then there is LIPP which I feel like removes any debt risk for me. If I have a lot of debt and don't earn a lot Harvard will help pay it. If I make big law bucks then I won't need Harvard's help nor will I be worried about debt.

I know that for those that are planning to work in Biglaw, something that Columbia, Penn, or a variety of other schools can nearly guarantee, it makes little sense to take on the debt that comes with Harvard because it gives not real added benefit. Why pay any extra when you will get the same job for the same pay from the other schools? This doesnt' fit me though because I don't plan to work in big law and if I do I won't be there for long.

The only thing I would add to that though is that you never know when the market is going to suffer and the name on your diploma will matter a whole lot.

Hope that answers your question, let me know if my answer requires any clarification.

[06162014123]

.

[Nonconsecutive]

Out of curiosity why does debt not concern you?

Well, my biggest concern is being able to find the job of my choice. I am very interested in clerkships/academia/government work and Harvard gives me a much better shot at all of those than do any other T14 school (not counting S and Y but I didn't get in to those schools). Then there is LIPP which I feel like removes any debt risk for me. If I have a lot of debt and don't earn a lot Harvard will help pay it. If I make big law bucks then I won't need Harvard's help nor will I be worried about debt.

I know that for those that are planning to work in Biglaw, something that Columbia, Penn, or a variety of other schools can nearly guarantee, it makes little sense to take on the debt that comes with Harvard because it gives not real added benefit. Why pay any extra when you will get the same job for the same pay from the other schools? This doesnt' fit me though because I don't plan to work in big law and if I do I won't be there for long.

The only thing I would add to that though is that you never know when the market is going to suffer and the name on your diploma will matter a whole lot.

Hope that answers your question, let me know if my answer requires any clarification.

Nope, no clarification required, I wasn't trying to sound accusatory or anything, I was just genuinely curious.

Your thought process is very similar to my own, I'm just a little more pessimistic toward the debt load, haha.

[The-Specs]

Nope, no clarification required, I wasn't trying to sound accusatory or anything, I was just genuinely curious.

Your thought process is very similar to my own, I'm just a little more pessimistic toward the debt load, haha.

I didn't think you sounded accusatory, sorry if I gave that impression.

I can see why it is easy to be pessimistic about owing 200k to someone. These are crazy times.

[Pneumonia]

like the new Av Specs.

[Nonconsecutive]

like the new Av Specs.

Same

[EvMont]

Anyone know where I can find the schedule for ASW? I can only find the ones for SOs and parents.

TIA

[HorseThief]

Anyone know where I can find the schedule for ASW? I can only find the ones for SOs and parents.

TIA

Pm'd

[HorseThief]

Ftw, I ran some numbers awhile ago looking at what the debt would look like after grad. Assuming you get hit with the max loans, you'll end up with ~$300k in debt when you graduate. If you choose to pay back the debt over 10 years so you're eligible for LIPP, you have two 'worst case' financial scenarios*.

1. You take a public interest job and only make $40-50k per year. Thanks to LIPP, you'll pay next to nothing for your loan, and Harvard ends up paying for your education. You aren't making a lot of money (at least for a lawyer), but you're hopefully doing something you love and, at the end of the day, $40k per year isn't a terrible income. Plenty of people are able to make that work for years, and if you're happy, it's probably worth it.

2. You take a higher paying job (clerkship, gov work, etc) and make $60-100k per year. While you're eligible for LIPP, you pay for a good share of the loans every year, but still take home $40-60k per year. At the end of the 10 years, you've paid about $300k, aka the cost of a Harvard degree. HLS isn't giving you a discount, but it is allowing you to pay for the degree when you actually have the money. More importantly, you're still bringing home $40-60k, which might be frustrating, but it's still a good salary.

In both cases, your worst case is being a member of the middle class for 10 years, after which you can really start to save and move up if you want. For me, that's pretty much what I would be doing if I didn't get a law degree. The big difference is that I think I'll have much stronger job security with a law degree, it will allow me to work in a more compelling field, and if I really want, I can take a job that pays much better so that the loans aren't an issue.

*I suppose the real worst case is not getting a job when you graduate. Only 14 of the 2012 grads couldn't find work, but I know that won't be an issue for me (I know enough lawyers in my hometown that I'm sure I could find a gig even if I don't want to stay there long term).

[The-Specs]

like the new Av Specs.

Same

Thanks guys.

[cway]

Wait. Sorry if this has been discussed before, but you can't use Apple products for financial aid forms!!?? What decade is this?

SFS told me to try my local library. Lol.

[HorseThief]

Wait. Sorry if this has been discussed before, but you can't use Apple products for financial aid forms!!?? What decade is this?

SFS told me to try my local library. Lol.

I didn't have any problems. Did you try using a different browser?

[cway]

Wait. Sorry if this has been discussed before, but you can't use Apple products for financial aid forms!!?? What decade is this?

SFS told me to try my local library. Lol.

I didn't have any problems. Did you try using a different browser?

I'm going to try to do it on my MacBook, but as you go through the process there are several warnings about not to use Apple computers or a wireless internet connection for the process...

SFS said I could try with my computer but it might not work because their site isn't built to be compatible. So strange.