Harvard Student(s) Answering Your Questions Forum

[raspberryo]

any thoughts on when grades will be up?

[tomwatts]

any thoughts on when grades will be up?

Fall grades have historically come out the first week of spring term. The exact date has varied, but it's usually mid-week:
1/25/17 (Wednesday)
1/28/16 (Thursday)
1/27/15 (Tuesday)
1/28/14 (Tuesday)
1/28/13 (Monday)
1/26/12 (Thursday)
1/27/11 (Thursday)

[wubwubwub]

Just talked to someone in the registrar's office: they told me definitely not today, maybe later this week, but more likely next week or even first week of February. I'm not sure I believe that (it seems like they told me that to make me go away) but take that for what it's worth.

[twochipmunks]

Just talked to someone in the registrar's office: they told me definitely not today, maybe later this week, but more likely next week or even first week of February. I'm not sure I believe that (it seems like they told me that to make me go away) but take that for what it's worth.

This crushes my soul.

[fozzie]

Just talked to someone in the registrar's office: they told me definitely not today, maybe later this week, but more likely next week or even first week of February. I'm not sure I believe that (it seems like they told me that to make me go away) but take that for what it's worth.

This crushes my soul.

I heard that a 1L prof gave an impending grades pep talk this morning, which (in my 1L experience) was a pretty sure sign.

[tomwatts]

It sure seems as though the date of grade release is a closely guarded secret that only one or two people know, and even in the administration — like, in OCS and even in the Registrar's office — there is baseless rumor-mongering almost every year. If you go back through this thread, you'll find similar misleading statements attested in at least one or two other years.

This... seems like a weird way to run a school, especially since the Registrar used to send out an email every year announcing the date of grade release a couple of weeks in advance.

[Dcc617]

It sure seems as though the date of grade release is a closely guarded secret that only one or two people know, and even in the administration — like, in OCS and even in the Registrar's office — there is baseless rumor-mongering almost every year. If you go back through this thread, you'll find similar misleading statements attested in at least one or two other years.

This... seems like a weird way to run a school, especially since the Registrar used to send out an email every year announcing the date of grade release a couple of weeks in advance.

To be fair to the administrators, Harvard Law professors are suuuper lazy when it comes to grading.

[radio1nowhere]

Just talked to someone in the registrar's office: they told me definitely not today, maybe later this week, but more likely next week or even first week of February. I'm not sure I believe that (it seems like they told me that to make me go away) but take that for what it's worth.

This crushes my soul.

Potential grades release after add/drop deadline? Thx Harvard

[wubwubwub]

It sure seems as though the date of grade release is a closely guarded secret that only one or two people know, and even in the administration — like, in OCS and even in the Registrar's office — there is baseless rumor-mongering almost every year. If you go back through this thread, you'll find similar misleading statements attested in at least one or two other years.

This... seems like a weird way to run a school, especially since the Registrar used to send out an email every year announcing the date of grade release a couple of weeks in advance.

I got the impression from the registrar’s office person that there were several professors who hadn’t yet submitted, with no ETA for submission.

And yes, it’s a mess. I have no idea why this is such a struggle every year. They manage to get spring grades up in a timely manner because they’re required for graduation: I have no idea why they can’t do it for fall. It really disadvantages 2Ls on the clerkship market, I think.

[raspberryo]

My bet is tomorrow, since, historically, they release them first week of the semester, but not on Fridays (right??). Talk about traditions.

[twochipmunks]

My bet is tomorrow, since, historically, they release them first week of the semester, but not on Fridays (right??). Talk about traditions.

please please please please please please please please

[SONYAUDIO]

Does anyone know if professors have access to the grades/transcripts of students in their classes (or in general)? For research assistantship postings, it seems as though Climenko Fellows often ask for you to send unofficial transcripts along with resume, cover letter, etc., whereas normal profs only ask for the latter materials, leading me to wonder if normal faculty members already have access to students' grades, or if Climenko fellows simply care more about a student's grades (perhaps especially LRW? xD) than regular profs when soliciting RAs.

[Joscellin]

It sure seems as though the date of grade release is a closely guarded secret that only one or two people know, and even in the administration — like, in OCS and even in the Registrar's office — there is baseless rumor-mongering almost every year. If you go back through this thread, you'll find similar misleading statements attested in at least one or two other years.

This... seems like a weird way to run a school, especially since the Registrar used to send out an email every year announcing the date of grade release a couple of weeks in advance.

I got the impression from the registrar’s office person that there were several professors who hadn’t yet submitted, with no ETA for submission.

And yes, it’s a mess. I have no idea why this is such a struggle every year. They manage to get spring grades up in a timely manner because they’re required for graduation: I have no idea why they can’t do it for fall. It really disadvantages 2Ls on the clerkship market, I think.

Don't they just release the bulk anyway instead of waiting on the stragglers?

I know I had to wait like an extra 2 weeks for my Evidence grade last year...

[tomwatts]

Does anyone know if professors have access to the grades/transcripts of students in their classes (or in general)?

Pretty sure no. I remember sending transcripts when I was asking for clerkship recs.

I'd frankly be shocked if grades weren't up by close of business on Friday. The past seven years, it's been Thursday three times, so Thursday seems most likely, but Friday is also possible.

Don't they just release the bulk anyway instead of waiting on the stragglers?

I know I had to wait like an extra 2 weeks for my Evidence grade last year...

I don't think they do this for 1L classes, at least not unless there are exceptional circumstances. I haven't heard of it, and I've been paying attention for the last 7 years.

[pi.radians]

Does anyone know if professors have access to the grades/transcripts of students in their classes (or in general)? For research assistantship postings, it seems as though Climenko Fellows often ask for you to send unofficial transcripts along with resume, cover letter, etc., whereas normal profs only ask for the latter materials, leading me to wonder if normal faculty members already have access to students' grades, or if Climenko fellows simply care more about a student's grades (perhaps especially LRW? xD) than regular profs when soliciting RAs.

I've noticed this as well. I personally consider asking for grades for research positions is a bit distasteful. Your interest in the subject should matter a lot more than your raw exam-taking ability. It could be Climenkos care more about grades having recently been high-achieving law students themselves.

Only one professor out of three for whom I did research asked for my transcript, but this was after I had taken the position and it was just a formality. If you sign up on the clerkship page of Simplicity, you have the option of giving permission for faculty to look at the number of Hs and Ps, but not the transcripts (I could be wrong about this as well). So I'm not sure if that would let them see which classes you got Hs in.

[wubwubwub]

WTF DO NOT SEND AN EMAIL WITH THE SUBJECT LINE "FALL GRADES" IF IT ISN'T ACTUALLY FALL GRADES.

At least we know, I guess.

[tomwatts]

WTF DO NOT SEND AN EMAIL WITH THE SUBJECT LINE "FALL GRADES" IF IT ISN'T ACTUALLY FALL GRADES.

At least we know, I guess.

What happened?

[wubwubwub]

WTF DO NOT SEND AN EMAIL WITH THE SUBJECT LINE "FALL GRADES" IF IT ISN'T ACTUALLY FALL GRADES.

At least we know, I guess.

What happened?

Lisa Burns sent out an email with the subject line "fall grades" to tell us they're coming tomorrow.

[marthagraham]

I hate the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tomwatts]

Lisa Burns sent out an email with the subject line "fall grades" to tell us they're coming tomorrow.

So I guess the list is now:

1/26/18 (Friday)
1/25/17 (Wednesday)
1/28/16 (Thursday)
1/27/15 (Tuesday)
1/28/14 (Tuesday)
1/28/13 (Monday)
1/26/12 (Thursday)
1/27/11 (Thursday)

[tomwatts]

Just as a reminder as the inevitable questions come in...

Our best estimates are that magna (top 10%) is roughly a 3.95, cum laude (top 40%) is roughly a 3.6, and Sears Prize is more DS's than H's (with no P's). These all vary somewhat from year to year. Also, the magna and cum laude numbers are for the end of 3L, and it is likely that 2L/3L grades average somewhat higher than 1L grades, but not by much — maybe around 1 H per year, give or take.

If you did well in your first semester, good job, but you've got a long way to go. If you did poorly in your first semester, figure out what went wrong and fix it — you still have a long way to go.

[despina]

Keep in mind also that honors are calculated by averaging the 1L GPA, 2L GPA, and 3L GPA. You take more credits in 1L, so each 1L grade matters less in your overall GPA than the classes you take later.

http://hls.harvard.edu/dept/ocs/employe ... ng-policy/

[twochipmunks]

For clerkship applications, would there be a substantial difference between a semester with 4DS/1P and a semester with 3DS/2H, given that the GPA comes out the same in both situations?

4DS in a single semester seems unreal, but it seems to really beg the question what happened on that P exam. Alternatively, 3DS/2H seems more consistent. Do judges care?

[wubwubwub]

For clerkship applications, would there be a substantial difference between a semester with 4DS/1P and a semester with 3DS/2H, given that the GPA comes out the same in both situations?

4DS in a single semester seems unreal, but it seems to really beg the question what happened on that P exam. Alternatively, 3DS/2H seems more consistent. Do judges care?

Both of these would be very good problems to have. And I doubt it: at that level of clerkship hiring, it's more about getting the right recommenders to make the right phone calls. (And if you actually have either 4DS/1P or 3DS/2H, get off TLS, march right down to the clerkship office, and demand that they counsel you on finding those recommenders)

[Amazon]

THE LP IS REAL. This is like the opposite of Christmas morning. I had a horrific end of the semester (death in the family, couldn't get my head back on straight in the last weeks of the semester). Doing much better now and full steam ahead, but my goodness I will have trouble getting any 1L summer gig now. Definitely will be expanding the 1L summer search beyond firms, several of which were waiting on my grades, all of which I assume will now ding me. Will have to triage the shit out of this situation and will be seriously striving for Hs in every class this semester.