Harvard 2010! Forum

[Sogui]

Zara might have an amazing application, and there are some hints that he/she might have one... but the numbers alone would not explain any "fast-tracking" when me and that guy with the 178/3.8 are still sitting on our hands.

Chill OUT!! You act like the PS and LORs add nothing to the application... bottom line: you need to just chill and not buy into this whole "numbers game" theory. TLS pushes it way too much. You need decent stats but there's bound to be people with appealing applications. You need to accept some of them catch the adcomm's eyes for whatever reason. Wait and chill. You're making me nervous and I don't even have a shot anymore

Someone earlier suggested that Zara's numbers might be so amazing (4.1/180) that it would get his fast-tracked through the admissions cycle. I was simply countering that claim. But as I pointed out in my original statement, Zara could still have a mind-blowing app... it would just have to be more than numbers to make that so.

And yea I'm just going to calm down and wait, it was just the combination of Zara's post and the Harvard phone interview info thread where it seems like the universal constant this cycle was:

Apply
30-32 days later you go under review
7 days later you get the JR1 email
You get the completion email about the same time as the JR1 interview

Now that I'm about to pass 40 days without any JR1 email, I naturally start to worry.

But my SO is finding out about her Fulbright today and there's just way too much anxiety under one roof.

[crackberry]

Sogui -

Somewhere on the HLS in Focus blog I remember reading that Josh said he sometimes picks applications he thinks are really interesting and interviews them quickly. Others he doesn't even see in the first go-round because they are read by someone else first and those people get interviews later. Perhaps you're in the latter pile. Don't stress.

Hope this helps.

[georgina]

Sogui -

Somewhere on the HLS in Focus blog I remember reading that Josh said he sometimes picks applications he thinks are really interesting and interviews them quickly. Others he doesn't even see in the first go-round because they are read by someone else first and those people get interviews later. Perhaps you're in the latter pile. Don't stress.

Hope this helps.

oh, and yea, to add my anecdotal story-- i had my JR1 over a month after my complete email. i was ultimately held, but if it's JR1 you're worried about, timelines indeed vary greatly.

[JusticeHarlan]

Just dinged via email, totally expected and very much the right decision on JR's part. Dates/stats in profile/LSN. Good luck to those still waiting.

[BenJ]

Sorry, when I say "Complete" I meant "Under Review"

I thought I was O.K. when I went UR on the 22nd and hadn't heard from JR yet. Yet you applied 2 weeks after me, went under review only 3 days after me, and heard back for your interview within 3 bloody days?

I went from stress-free to nail-biting over my application now. Either I'm on my way to ding-town or you did something to get your application on the "fast track".

Either way I'm sitting right on the "bright line" of 2008-2009 accepts/waitlists for Harvard, god knows it's going to be even harder this year. I wouldn't be totally dejected if Harvard rejected me down the line after JR1 (well it would suck waiting for the JR2) but after being an underachiever my whole life I would be happy if Harvard would at least consider me worth talking to.

chill, my numbers are way below yours (not URM), yet my received --> completion date is about the same. (Jan. 4th received, Jan 25th UR). i think it might just have something to do with the batch based on the "received date". who knows?

Yea I'm not so worried about the differences in our application sent --> application under review time gap. It can be explained by the holidays, snail mail from the LSAC, etc... it was only the "big picture" that someone who applied two weeks after me was getting their JR1.

I read Zara's profile (sorry for the stalking, but you're the only one who I've heard get their JR1 with a U.R. date that was AFTER mine) and he says he has a 172/4.0. He sounds like he has some great experience and worked abroad, but he's not URM. I have NO IDEA how common it is for such a "discrepancy" to appear. If the JR1's are first-come first-serve then I'm already ding'd... all I know is that at some point they had my application sitting there, someone took a look at it for this latest batch of JR1s and said "maybe/no" and put me off for a while longer. Zara might have an amazing application, and there are some hints that he/she might have one... but the numbers alone would not explain any "fast-tracking" when me and that guy with the 178/3.8 are still sitting on our hands.

When I spin it in my head it sounds like nothing good.

I assume you're talking about me with the 178/3.8? Relax. We're not in danger for at least a few weeks without a JR1 email. I want one later today, but, hey, if I have to wait, that's okay. Plus, I went UR two days after Zara (on 1/27), so it would be pretty miraculous if I got a JR1 e-mail just two days after going UR. Calm down. Check your e-mail once a day, after 5 p.m. EST, and don't worry about it.

[mockstar]

Check your e-mail once a day, after 5 p.m. EST, and don't worry about it.

Thar is fantastic advice. Props to you.

[JDtrue]

Ding today via email as well. Expected but disappointing nonetheless. Congrats to those already in, and good luck to those still waiting.

Applied: 11/15
UR: 12/1

[zoey15]

"on hold" via email. ur around 11/18 i think.

got waitlisted there for UG.... these people have their hearts set on breaking mine, don't they?

[Fancy Pants]

Held via e-mail today. UR 11/12.

[of Benito Cereno]

held. 178/3.6. 11/12 UR. 12/24 complete. no JR1. happy.

[PapantlaFlyer]

held. 178/3.6. 11/12 UR. 12/24 complete. no JR1. happy.

Holy shit...No JR1?? WTF was in your app??

[Sogui]

I assume you're talking about me with the 178/3.8? Relax. We're not in danger for at least a few weeks without a JR1 email. I want one later today, but, hey, if I have to wait, that's okay. Plus, I went UR two days after Zara (on 1/27), so it would be pretty miraculous if I got a JR1 e-mail just two days after going UR. Calm down. Check your e-mail once a day, after 5 p.m. EST, and don't worry about it.

Actually I was referring to the gentleman with the Mickey Mouse avatar. He went UR like on 1/9 or something and hasn't heard anything.

Also, thanks for more of the info about JR's interviewing procedure. From people posting here, LSN, and the Harvard Phone Interview thread it seems like hearing back within a week of going UR was the standard and it was done on a "FIFO" basis. The info about what he posted on his blog is good news as well.

/deepbreathes


Then again, Benito getting a 178/3.6 and being held without a JR1 isn't soothing news either.

[Dignan]

held. 178/3.6. 11/12 UR. 12/24 complete. no JR1. happy.

Holy shit...No JR1?? WTF was in your app??

Hey, we saw a 177/3.6 (with a UG degree from HYP) get outright rejected a few days ago. And we saw a 180/4.0 get held this week. Benito is in good company.

[Kronk]

Well, a 3.6 is historically too low for Harvard. The 180 / 4.0 makes no sense.

[pissantvache]

so I guess i'm safe for the weekend then... (ur 11/20, nothing but a complete email). HLS WHY ARE YOU BEING SO COY!?

[of Benito Cereno]

held. 178/3.6. 11/12 UR. 12/24 complete. no JR1. happy.

Holy shit...No JR1?? WTF was in your app??

nothing wrong at all as far as I can tell. top 10 UG, extensive graduate work in political theory and legal history, excellent letters, PS relating my graduate research interests in constitutionalism to my interest in legal education. 3.6 due to one bad semester with explanation. gpa is really 3.58. As far as I can tell on lsn very few if any 175+/3.65- splitters got JR1s (except maybe one or two Harvard UGs). Also two people with quite similar numbers have been rejected in past few weeks without JR1s so I'm happy to have the chance to send in letters that the directors of my graduate department both recently suggested they write for me.

[Hattori Hanzo]

Yea I'm not so worried about the differences in our application sent --> application under review time gap. It can be explained by the holidays, snail mail from the LSAC, etc... it was only the "big picture" that someone who applied two weeks after me was getting their JR1.

I read Zara's profile (sorry for the stalking, but you're the only one who I've heard get their JR1 with a U.R. date that was AFTER mine) and he says he has a 172/4.0. He sounds like he has some great experience and worked abroad, but he's not URM. I have NO IDEA how common it is for such a "discrepancy" to appear. If the JR1's are first-come first-serve then I'm already ding'd... all I know is that at some point they had my application sitting there, someone took a look at it for this latest batch of JR1s and said "maybe/no" and put me off for a while longer. Zara might have an amazing application, and there are some hints that he/she might have one... but the numbers alone would not explain any "fast-tracking" when me and that guy with the 178/3.8 are still sitting on our hands.

When I spin it in my head it sounds like nothing good.

I assume you're talking about me with the 178/3.8? Relax. We're not in danger for at least a few weeks without a JR1 email. I want one later today, but, hey, if I have to wait, that's okay. Plus, I went UR two days after Zara (on 1/27), so it would be pretty miraculous if I got a JR1 e-mail just two days after going UR. Calm down. Check your e-mail once a day, after 5 p.m. EST, and don't worry about it.

Actually I know of at least 2 ~177 ~3.8-9s with early december UR and no JR1 yet so he has a good reason to be worried

[CoaltoNewCastle]

Maybe JR1 thought my personal statement about how I want to be a comedian politician was a joke. It's not! Also thank you for calling me a gentleman. I took that adorable photo of Mickey Mouse (copyright Walt Gisnep) in a shantytown in Buenos Aires (which I mentioned in my app).

Anyway, I'm by no means panicking, fortunately. But I do feel that I'm having a hard time moving forward with any of my other life projects until have an idea of what's going on with Harvard.

Edit: I think I may have applied late enough that the admissions office figures that I can stand to wait a month or so until all the apps are in and they have a better idea of who's in their applicant pool.

[micads]

Hi, So I think I'm wondering what a lot of other people are. Is a "hold" a pretty sure rejection? Does anyone know from last year? Thanks!

[Kronk]

Hi, So I think I'm wondering what a lot of other people are. Is a "hold" a pretty sure rejection? Does anyone know from last year? Thanks!

From what I can gather about 25% turn into acceptances and 75% turn into WL -> rejections. Acceptance rate could be lower. Plus I only had one year of evidence to go off of.

[lightbulb1986]

.

[Dignan]

Hi, So I think I'm wondering what a lot of other people are. Is a "hold" a pretty sure rejection? Does anyone know from last year? Thanks!

From what I can gather about 25% turn into acceptances and 75% turn into WL -> rejections. Acceptance rate could be lower. Plus I only had one year of evidence to go off of.

How did you gather that? Based on what I could glean by glancing at last year's LSN info, the percentage appears to be quite a bit lower than 25%.

Admittedly, it's a small sample size, and it's tricky to figure out who was held because "hold status" is not a distinct field in LSN. Still, it looked to me like the acceptance rate was closer to 1 in 10 than 1 in 4.

[Veritas2010]

held today after rambling JR1 1/20 (not saying that's what did me in) 3.9 166 mex american. UR 1/13

Hey do you mind telling me when you went complete? Thanks!

[lightbulb1986]

.

[Fef619]

my application has been under review for about 3 1/2 weeks....this normal?.....this school is a huge reach for me...but my dad went to princeton and is a harvard law alum...and a successful lawyer in his field. i did some research with him last summer...and have some pretty strong addendums. you guys think this will all help strengthen my application?...harvard law school has nothing to prove...they are used to seeing extremely high lsat scores...so perhaps they really analyze each application in order to get a good feel for who is most likely to make a good addition to their program...just a thought.