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

[jingosaur]

JS1!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats man!

[edwardt1988]

JS1!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats man!

Thanks!

[everett2014]

I'm in New England, and it's snowing pretty hard right now. I really hope this weather doesn't affect the admissions office's operations...

[NapoleonXV]

I am 19. Shall I take a year off

It really depends on what you want to do. If you're planning on spending your career as a successful attorney, and you just happen to be young, then I'd probably say "Yes, you should take a year off." If, on the other hand, you plan to follow in the footsteps of some of the better-known alumni from HLS and eventually have biographies written about you, then there's no need to wait. You'll probably want to have a little law-firm experience before you become a member of parliament or whatever they have where you're from, but you're better off having that experience after you get your JD.
So, basically, if you plan on changing the world, then GO. Do it. Don't wait. The earlier you start, the more difference you can make.

While I don't agree with NYC-WVU (if I understood him right which i am not sure that I have) and I do agree that starting law school at 19 short changes you on some important life decisions, I do not think you should make any decisions about law school and your future based on your ability to drink or the accessibility of alcohol. I can definitely see that the inability to drink when so much of the social life at Harvard will revolve around bars/alcohol could be prohibitive but I have no doubt that you can have a great experience at law school and in life without ever drinking.

I agree with the above. I just want to clarify for OP that my reason for saying you should wait is not alcohol-related. I think you should take some time off for several reasons:

1. You will have some time to decide if this path is really what you want. You shouldn't "coast" right into law school without being 100% sure about it, and having some time to think about it in between is helpful.

2. It will make you a stronger candidate when you do apply as you will have some work experience or some other experiences (as long as you don't simply do nothing) to help sell yourself.

3. You may find yourself doing work that you enjoy, and not need to take the risk that going to law school entails.

4. It will be the last opportunity you have to take some time off. Once you start law school, you will be working full-time until you retire or lose your job.

5. Living on your own out of college will give you an opportunity to mature to a level necessary for law school. Law school is not undergrad. You need to be a mature adult. While you may be already, the vast majority of 19 year-old college students are not.

I'm sure there are many other reasons, but I have had too much wine and can't think of any more at the moment

Wooh... been away from TLS for half a day and just found that my post caused such a stir ...

Thank you all for your advice. Very helpful indeed I had a 10-months quasi-gap year after high school, travelling around and doing some charity work. So I am not strictly K-JD.

On the positive note, I will be 20 when I join Class of 2017 (assume that I do not take a gap year), and it will be just half a year before I can attend your privileged alcohol-centred social activities

[OliveBC]

Congrats to all the JS1s!!

I'm just freaking out because my app went complete...

[andapieceoftoast]

Another day, another dearth of JS2s.

[sup_stan]

Just got a JS1 this morning too. Went complete early last week, numbers almost exactly hugging both medians. Did see a bunch of spots open.

[wtrc]

Another day, another dearth of JS2s.

Still early...

[lawschool22]

Another day, another dearth of JS2s.

Still early...

Getting later...

Each morning holds so much promise, only to be snatched away by another day without JS2's .

[The-Specs]

Getting later...

Each morning holds so much promise, only to be snatched away by another day without JS2's .

There is still hope, give it until 4 ET before you throw in the towel.

[jingosaur]

Add me to the list of nervous people waiting for JS2s.

[lawschool22]

Getting later...

Each morning holds so much promise, only to be snatched away by another day without JS2's .

There is still hope, give it until 4 ET before you throw in the towel.

Haha okay...not that I would be in this wave anyway if I were fortunate to get a JS2 in the first place.

[mermaid9052]

Didn't calls for JS2s on 11/25 start around 6/7 PM? I may be wrong but I remember them coming in pretty late.
Really surprised there haven't been any JS2s this week ...

[mont4620]

Didn't calls for JS2s on 11/25 start around 6/7 PM? I may be wrong but I remember them coming in pretty late.
Really surprised there haven't been any JS2s this week ...

Yeah, they went out pretty late

[wtrc]

So, uh, Wednesday?

[t-14orbust]

So, uh, Wednesday?

lol no use in trying to predict anything at this point

[tls2175]

So, uh, Wednesday?

Haha

I actually think it's going to be next Wednesday for sure. [My reasoning is that if I can convince myself it's next week, while I might be pleasantly surprised if I get the call sooner (if I'm lucky enough to get the call at all), I will be delaying my daily disappointment at a lack of movement for a whole week.]

[andapieceoftoast]

Jessica...why??????

[The-Specs]

So, uh, Wednesday?

This is just crazy but there has to be at least one more round of decisions before Christmas (not that narrows it down at all).

[TheMostDangerousLG]

I'm gonna guess next Monday.

[CyanIdes Of March]

I'm guessing Thursday.

[chneyo]

...

[lawschool22]

It's a Tuesday night and I'm sitting alone in my apartment with the TLS forums and a bottle of red listening to Foreigner on loop.

For those of you in a similar spot...
I Wanna Know What Love Is - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9OGfBGOCpk

The similarities to what i am doing are striking

[lawschool22]

I'm still going back to my theory that they are somewhat disappointed with applicant quality and are waiting to pull the trigger to be doubly sure they want to lower that GPA floor.

[Howl]

Went complete today. No chance for a JS1 in this very wave, but excited to start waiting for a JS1