Harvard, C/O 2017, Applicants Thread (2013-2014) Forum

[ArtistOfManliness]

Got that e-mail from JS inviting me to take a closer look at HLS, as if I haven't already dreamt of being admitted. Is it really a bad sign? My numbers are fairly competitive IMO

I think you misread, he meant it was a bad sign *for him* because he didn't get it. I think, at least. I'm sure an unsolicited e-mail from Harvard to check out their school (although, why in the world would they need to do that? They're Harvard...) is never a bad sign.

I agree!

Oh, hopefully that's what he meant. I was under the impression that he meant they send those e-mails in order to boost their selectivity by getting more people to apply and then denying them.

This is usually why they are sent, especially by lower ranked schools like harvurd.

[t-14orbust]

This is usually why they are sent, especially by lower ranked schools like harvurd.

Now I'm even more confused than before.

[The-Specs]

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[ArtistOfManliness]

This is usually why they are sent, especially by lower ranked schools like harvurd.

Now I'm even more confused than before.

+10

Can't tell if he is being sarcastic or not.

You mad?

I think most schools do it to increase selectivity. I think Harvard might do it just to make sure it gets a good spread of applicants... I really don't think HLS is doing anything about being #2/#3 with SLS.

[The-Specs]

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[CyanIdes Of March]

I think we're reading into these letters way too much. If you've got good numbers, as you do t14orbust, then there's no reason they'd send to you for nefarious reasons. Maybe it has to do with the drop in applicants, maybe it's just procedural to get the word out a bit so they have a bigger pool to work with, who knows. 1 year from now we can discuss this in depth and with out all the stress at some restaurant in Cambridge.

[Sourrudedude]

I think we're reading into these letters way too much. If you've got good numbers, as you do t14orbust, then there's no reason they'd send to you for nefarious reasons. Maybe it has to do with the drop in applicants, maybe it's just procedural to get the word out a bit so they have a bigger pool to work with, who knows. 1 year from now we can discuss this in depth and with out all the stress at some restaurant in Cambridge.

+1

[The-Specs]

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[Humbert Humbert]

I didn't get an email from Harvard, though I did get one from Pacific McGeorge School of Law today, so I can't complain.

[t-14orbust]

I think we're reading into these letters way too much. If you've got good numbers, as you do t14orbust, then there's no reason they'd send to you for nefarious reasons. Maybe it has to do with the drop in applicants, maybe it's just procedural to get the word out a bit so they have a bigger pool to work with, who knows. 1 year from now we can discuss this in depth and with out all the stress at some restaurant in Cambridge.

I like you. Reservation for 2 at said restaurant please.

Drinks on me

edit: bring girls

[ralph]

I think we're reading into these letters way too much. If you've got good numbers, as you do t14orbust, then there's no reason they'd send to you for nefarious reasons. Maybe it has to do with the drop in applicants, maybe it's just procedural to get the word out a bit so they have a bigger pool to work with, who knows. 1 year from now we can discuss this in depth and with out all the stress at some restaurant in Cambridge.

So do you think we should call the email a JSP(pre)?

Anyone else get a JSP? Someone should add a column on the google doc roster.

[Pneumonia]

I think the real question here is how sabanist managed to accrue 9 years(yes, I know, they could have overlapped- still impressive nonetheless IMO) of work experience as a K-JD.

Lots of overlap - the only one that didn't was IT. Started retail work as soon as I turned 16 and took whatever else I could find to help keep my family afloat. Law school is going to be the first time since I was legally eligible to have a job that I haven't had one, so that's gonna be weird. I didn't get grilled too hard on the "why no time off, why law now" front in my JS1, and I think having a ton of part-time experience while in school helped with that.

Similar situation in regard to WE. Did you include Pre-HS graduation jobs on your résumé? I've worked since I was I age- more than half of it full time, but I thought I should only include jobs post-High School. Thoughts?

[sabanist]

Similar situation in regard to WE. Did you include Pre-HS graduation jobs on your résumé? I've worked since I was I age- more than half of it full time, but I thought I should only include jobs post-High School. Thoughts?

This may change for the upcoming year, but last year's application had a question asking you to list all employment and internships. Because this gives you the opportunity to flaunt your work ethic without clogging up a resume, I'd probably stick to post-HS jobs on the resume. I included all of my jobs because the ones I started in high school extended into college and fit my "I'm a hard worker" app theme, but if you have full time experience, I'd emphasize that. The only question asked of my resume during my JS1 was about a particular job overlap that made for a 40 hour work week on top of classes, and that seems to fit with HLS's emphasis on full time WE.
If you have a HS job/internship that really informed your decision to go to law school (internship at a DA's office or something), it might be better to discuss that in your PS.

[ThePiedPiper]

Checking in

[Innovative]

Checking in. Wishing everyone a great cycle!

[t-14orbust]

Finished the intro paragraph of my first draft PS today Finally making some progress lol

[CyanIdes Of March]

Finished the intro paragraph of my first draft PS today Finally making some progress lol

Feels good to have that out of the way. I finished it about a month ago. Waiting until September to give it the final touches.

[jrsbaseball5]

Finished the intro paragraph of my first draft PS today Finally making some progress lol

Congrats! How much work did you guys put in on these parts of your app before you were done with the LSAT? I want to get all of my other stuff ready by the time my score comes back in Oct, but don't want to short change the LSAT.

[Innovative]

Congrats! How much work did you guys put in on these parts of your app before you were done with the LSAT? I want to get all of my other stuff ready by the time my score comes back in Oct, but don't want to short change the LSAT.

I took the LSAT in June and started working on the PS after I got my results. If you feel like you are going to short change your LSAT studying then I would wait until after you take it to begin writing your PS. Your PS is a subsidiary part of your application that can be important, but not nearly as important as the LSAT. (Lots of emphasis on not nearly!)

[t-14orbust]

Finished the intro paragraph of my first draft PS today Finally making some progress lol

Congrats! How much work did you guys put in on these parts of your app before you were done with the LSAT? I want to get all of my other stuff ready by the time my score comes back in Oct, but don't want to short change the LSAT.

I finished with my LSAT last february so I was just busy finishing up school until this summer. I'd suggest putting in 100% of your effort into the LSAT, and then working on your app during the 3-4 weeks it takes for scores to come out. It really shouldn't take you much longer than that. Of course, you can/should brainstorm the general direction of your PS.

[edgeofthenight]

...

[04102014]

Checking in. I was held then rejected last year as a non-URM with a 3.9x and 161 (retaking in October), so here's to hoping.

[sashafierce]

Checking it

[t-14orbust]

Don't forget to join the spreadsheet, bros

[Searchparty]

I think the real question here is how sabanist managed to accrue 9 years(yes, I know, they could have overlapped- still impressive nonetheless IMO) of work experience as a K-JD.

Lots of overlap - the only one that didn't was IT. Started retail work as soon as I turned 16 and took whatever else I could find to help keep my family afloat. Law school is going to be the first time since I was legally eligible to have a job that I haven't had one, so that's gonna be weird. I didn't get grilled too hard on the "why no time off, why law now" front in my JS1, and I think having a ton of part-time experience while in school helped with that.

Similar situation in regard to WE. Did you include Pre-HS graduation jobs on your résumé? I've worked since I was I age- more than half of it full time, but I thought I should only include jobs post-High School. Thoughts?

For those jobs, I gave them two lines. One for the job title/year/etc. and the second line was just a quick bullet point. The reason I did this was to limit the space on such a stupid thing. Every one knows the duties of a restaurant and retail worker, no reason to try to elaborate or make it seem better than it is. However, put it there because it will show how long you've been working.