you can find me at www.top-law-schools.com! Forum

[foles]

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[foles]

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[RSN]

To summarize for clarity, that's:

2015 Applicants (as of 11/28/14):
170-174: 945
175-180: 272

2014 Applicants (as of 12/6/13):
170-174: 1092 (calculated, may not be accurate)
175-180: 339 (calculated, may not be accurate)

To get back to the original topic, it seems odd that that level of a drop, significant as it is, would be enough for HLS to reevaluate their admissions procedures. I think the explanation that the applicant pool is smaller and less qualified is probably unlikely to be the primary reason for the new schedule this year.

I think I edited just as you posted haha. But more food for thought (again, assuming math is right): running last year's YTD data that we just calculated against the final applicant count would mean that while only 23% of total applications were in, a LOT more 170+ applicants were in:

170-174: 1092/2196= 49.7%
175-180: 339/592= 57.3%

So if we assume this year follows last year, the 214 drop would mean about a ~400 person 170+ test taker drop for this cycle in the end or 14% (400/2788, 170-174: 1900, 175-180: 475)

Putting that in the context of the original argument, since 170+ test takers seem to apply significantly earlier than the rest of the pool, Harvard may have had a pretty clear picture early on. I'm not sure how tight they've been on the 173 median recently, but it should be at least a little harder to hold it this year- hence the delay to hope for a lot more high scoring applicants. Or that's just my optimism talking again.

Took me a minute to figure out the math in your analysis but I got it, and will write it out here for others following along at home. 214 is the sum of the difference between last year's calculated 170-174 and this year's (1092-945), i.e. 147, and the corresponding 175-180 difference (339-272), i.e. 67, total 214; and then the 400 comes from the average of the percentages of applicants in those tiers who had submitted by this point last year (57.3% and 49.7%, average 53.5%, and 214 is 53.5% of 400) (the source of that being Spivey here http://spiveyconsulting.com/blog/final- ... 1415-data/, I assume).

Definitely good empirical support for my impressionistic hypothesis before that high LSAT scorers apply earlier, particularly the highest tier.

[Barbaroix2]

So was there a wave yesterday after all?

[The Argus]

So was there a wave yesterday after all?

Apparently a tiny one

[Barbaroix2]

So was there a wave yesterday after all?

Apparently a tiny one

Are there still slots open for a wave today?

[RSN]

So was there a wave yesterday after all?

Apparently a tiny one

Are there still slots open for a wave today?

Yup, 42 slots, 1 on 12/11 and the rest on 12/16-18.

[ravel]

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[Barbaroix2]

So was there a wave yesterday after all?

Apparently a tiny one

Are there still slots open for a wave today?

Yup, 42 slots, 1 on 12/11 and the rest on 12/16-18.

Thanks . Still hoping for an early Christmas present. It's good to hear that there are less high LSAT scorers this year so far though. It makes me less nervous.

[pylon]

Thanks . Still hoping for an early Christmas present. It's good to hear that there are less high LSAT scorers this year so far though. It makes me less nervous.

Speaking of Christmas, does anyone know when the HLS admissions office closes for the holidays (ie when can we not stress?)

[LoganCouture]

Thanks . Still hoping for an early Christmas present. It's good to hear that there are less high LSAT scorers this year so far though. It makes me less nervous.

Speaking of Christmas, does anyone know when the HLS admissions office closes for the holidays (ie when can we not stress?)

Last year someone said it closed 12:00PM on 12/24. Based on LSN, the last JS2s before the new year came out on 12/23. First rejection wave was 1/17 and first JS2s of the new year came out 1/23.

[irontryad]

175/3.87, complete since the third week of October, k-jd, not a peep. Gonna force a smile!

[pmacob]

175/3.87, complete since the third week of October, k-jd, not a peep. Gonna force a smile!

Don't worry, I'm pretty much there with you. Complete since early November, above boths 75ths, and not a peep either.

Edit: Forgot to mention I'm also a K-JD.

[jimmymac]

Numbers above medians as well, complete mid October, k-jd. Nothing yet.

Two hypotheses. First, Harvard doesn't want k-jds. Not probable considering past history.

Second, they have a quota for k-jds they want to interview. For instance, maybe they mandate that no more than 1/4 of interviews extended will be to K-JDs, giving them the end number that they want. Just a thought.

[The Argus]

Numbers above medians as well, complete mid October, k-jd. Nothing yet.

Two hypotheses. First, Harvard doesn't want k-jds. Not probable considering past history.

Second, they have a quota for k-jds they want to interview. For instance, maybe they mandate that no more than 1/4 of interviews extended will be to K-JDs, giving them the end number that they want. Just a thought.

Any proof? This seems highly unlikely...way too formulaic

[jimmymac]

Numbers above medians as well, complete mid October, k-jd. Nothing yet.

Two hypotheses. First, Harvard doesn't want k-jds. Not probable considering past history.

Second, they have a quota for k-jds they want to interview. For instance, maybe they mandate that no more than 1/4 of interviews extended will be to K-JDs, giving them the end number that they want. Just a thought.

Any proof? This seems highly unlikely...way too formulaic

None at all, just a guess

[fra]

On their website they say that the class of 17 has:

9% hold advanced degrees
76% at least 1 year out of college
56% 2+ years out of college

If greater than 24% of the applicant pool is KJD then it would seem that Harvard selects for WE.

[Auxilio]

On their website they say that the class of 17 has:

9% hold advanced degrees
76% at least 1 year out of college
56% 2+ years out of college

If greater than 24% of the applicant pool is KJD then it would seem that Harvard selects for WE.

Is it possible to see if that number changes much over the years?

[Nonconsecutive]

I was told by a faculty member that they are placing more and more emphasis on WE, I have no idea if said faculty member is even part of the review panel, so take that with a grain of salt.

[pmacob]

On their website they say that the class of 17 has:

9% hold advanced degrees
76% at least 1 year out of college
56% 2+ years out of college

If greater than 24% of the applicant pool is KJD then it would seem that Harvard selects for WE.

Not necessarily true. I think we'd all agree that WE greatly strengthens the applicant's application. If you're selecting between a K-JD and a person 2 years out of undergrad with WE and they have the same numbers, you'll likely select the one with work experience. This isn't because you're actively selecting for WE, just that the WE made the candidate a stronger one than the one without it.

Also, I'd venture lower number K-JDs tend to apply to Harvard more often than lower number WE applicants, as K-JDs tend to seem on the whole more naive to me, as well as those with WE are probably more risk averse, leaving an actual job and all, and likely to apply to more realistic destinations and less reaches. That's simply conjecture.

However, if Harvard is taking people with WE over K-JDs with better numbers, say 3+ higher on the LSAT or so, then I'd start believing they're specifically highlighting WE.

[bleachth]

I was told by a faculty member that they are placing more and more emphasis on WE, I have no idea if said faculty member is even part of the review panel, so take that with a grain of salt.

WE = Full time jobs? Or part-time/internship counts as well?

[ravel]

=

[pylon]

I was told by a faculty member that they are placing more and more emphasis on WE, I have no idea if said faculty member is even part of the review panel, so take that with a grain of salt.

WE = Full time jobs? Or part-time/internship counts as well?

WE meaning a job that involves time off in between undergrad and law school (I think they're looking for more than summer internships/summer full time work).

[zlrup]

Did any K-JD get JS1 yet?

[pylon]

Did any K-JD get JS1 yet?

Yup - take a look at the spreadsheet for this cycle and you'll see that there are KJDs (identified in the work eperience column with 0 years) who have received JS1s:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc ... ring#gid=0