Held @ Harvard 2013 style Forum

[ph5354a]

Just out of curiosity, how are you being notified of the hold?

Email from jdadmiss

[hinakas]

Just held, not getting my hopes up but glad I wasn't an outright ding. Complete 1/14.

[zorro.99]

if y'all want a realistic evaluation of your chances of maybe making it out of the hold dungeon, check the google doc in the OP (and add your stats).

Considering the stats in the google doc, I can't decide if I should feel special or undeserving. 3.93, 161, non-URM.

I also feel the same! non-URM 162 3.7

[helix23]

I don't think splitters or reverse splitters should be surprised by the hold. It costs them nothing to hold onto your app and if things get weird down the road they can start picking up GPAs or LSATs that they need to maintain medians.

[MacB]

I don't think splitters or reverse splitters should be surprised by the hold. It costs them nothing to hold onto your app and if things get weird down the road they can start picking up GPAs or LSATs that they need to maintain medians.

Here's to hoping things get weird. REAL weird.

[az21833]

welcome to where dreams die, new helds. we have a good time in here.

any of you guys have a js1 pre-hold?

[switchis32]

So, any word or idea on when we might hear back?

[lak90]

I won $10 on a scratch ticket today. Maybe today is the day.

[shntn]

welcome to where dreams die, new helds. we have a good time in here.

any of you guys have a js1 pre-hold?

Yep.

[wannabelawstudent]

welcome to where dreams die, new helds. we have a good time in here.

any of you guys have a js1 pre-hold?

Yep.

Why arent you at vandy?

[digifly]

So I couldn't sleep last night and decided to browse through last year's and 2011's threads a bit - seems like a decent amount of people go from hold to WL. While that might seem discouraging, it was something like 15-20% acceptance rate off of WL. So, that's decent news, right? Admittedly, though, a lot of those accepted off of the WL were URM.

[matrim]

So I couldn't sleep last night and decided to browse through last year's and 2011's threads a bit - seems like a decent amount of people go from hold to WL. While that might seem discouraging, it was something like 15-20% acceptance rate off of WL. So, that's decent news, right? Admittedly, though, a lot of those accepted off of the WL were URM.

if you look at page 16 of this thread i mapped it out; however, i only looked at held -> decision, have you looked at the timeline for WL ->Acceptances at all? we talking late april or more may/june etc.?

[helix23]

So I couldn't sleep last night and decided to browse through last year's and 2011's threads a bit - seems like a decent amount of people go from hold to WL. While that might seem discouraging, it was something like 15-20% acceptance rate off of WL. So, that's decent news, right? Admittedly, though, a lot of those accepted off of the WL were URM.

if you look at page 16 of this thread i mapped it out; however, i only looked at held -> decision, have you looked at the timeline for WL ->Acceptances at all? we talking late april or more may/june etc.?

somehow didn't see this. adding to OP.

[digifly]

So I couldn't sleep last night and decided to browse through last year's and 2011's threads a bit - seems like a decent amount of people go from hold to WL. While that might seem discouraging, it was something like 15-20% acceptance rate off of WL. So, that's decent news, right? Admittedly, though, a lot of those accepted off of the WL were URM.

if you look at page 16 of this thread i mapped it out; however, i only looked at held -> decision, have you looked at the timeline for WL ->Acceptances at all? we talking late april or more may/june etc.?

I mean, this is by no means empirical data, but it seems as though a lot of people get moved from held to WL, and then from there MOST of the big interview movement happens in May. For one of the years a lot of movement happened in early May, for the other it was late May. Like I said, mostly URMs, but occasionally there were non-URMs peppered in (though these were often female applicants).

[matrim]

Thanks for the info digifly. Helix - hopefully it will save people some time instead of painfully going through the threads.

[az21833]

So I couldn't sleep last night and decided to browse through last year's and 2011's threads a bit - seems like a decent amount of people go from hold to WL. While that might seem discouraging, it was something like 15-20% acceptance rate off of WL. So, that's decent news, right? Admittedly, though, a lot of those accepted off of the WL were URM.

if you look at page 16 of this thread i mapped it out; however, i only looked at held -> decision, have you looked at the timeline for WL ->Acceptances at all? we talking late april or more may/june etc.?

I mean, this is by no means empirical data, but it seems as though a lot of people get moved from held to WL, and then from there MOST of the big interview movement happens in May. For one of the years a lot of movement happened in early May, for the other it was late May. Like I said, mostly URMs, but occasionally there were non-URMs peppered in (though these were often female applicants).

yeah you guys are pretty much driving at the same thing. virtually no movement until May. Then almost all helds move over the WL at that time. In May / June about 15% movement off the WL (similar to overall acceptance rate), however this time much more heavily waited towards URM. And if you get in off waitlist you can't defer, you have to go immediately.

thats what ive found in my research as well

[digifly]

In keeping with my Jurassic Park theme:

Alan: "I've checked the old threads - looks like it's gonna be WL then ding."
Hammond (Me): "IT'S OVER."
*vrrroooommm drives off to TTT*

[ph5354a]

I know there's been a lot of discussion about LOCIs here. What's the consensus? I'm working full time and don't have anything new to report --I feel like H doesn't exactly need a letter to know that we're still interested in them. Is it worth writing something up just to stay on their radar?

[vzapana]

I know there's been a lot of discussion about LOCIs here. What's the consensus? I'm working full time and don't have anything new to report --I feel like H doesn't exactly need a letter to know that we're still interested in them. Is it worth writing something up just to stay on their radar?

Loci is a misnomer. It's really a letter with significant application updates, with perhaps some affirmation that Harvard's amazing

[az21833]

sent my LOCI in yesterday!

[txdude45]

Since I'm held, do I need to wait to send in a seat deposit somewhere else until my (possible) WL, or (probable) ding?

I know it's probably still early for sending in a seat deposit, but I'm trying to get my SEO offer asap and don't want not having sent in a seat deposit (T6 @ sticker) to keep me from it. Since "Held" isn't a WL, I'm not sure of the protocol on if I'd have to withdraw the app or not. Harvard is my #1 (and 2, 3, 4, 5,...,47) so I don't want to do anything to jeopardize that application.

@az: good to hear! I hope it goes well for you. I'm crafting one myself to drop in next week.

[ph5354a]

Since I'm held, do I need to wait to send in a seat deposit somewhere else until my (possible) WL, or (probable) ding?

I know it's probably still early for sending in a seat deposit, but I'm trying to get my SEO offer asap and don't want not having sent in a seat deposit (T6 @ sticker) to keep me from it. Since "Held" isn't a WL, I'm not sure of the protocol on if I'd have to withdraw the app or not. Harvard is my #1 (and 2, 3, 4, 5,...,47) so I don't want to do anything to jeopardize that application.

@az: good to hear! I hope it goes well for you. I'm crafting one myself to drop in next week.

I think technically when you deposit you only have to withdraw from schools that you have a decision from, so since being held isn't a final decision, you wouldn't have to withdraw from H yet.

[MacB]

Since I'm held, do I need to wait to send in a seat deposit somewhere else until my (possible) WL, or (probable) ding?

I know it's probably still early for sending in a seat deposit, but I'm trying to get my SEO offer asap and don't want not having sent in a seat deposit (T6 @ sticker) to keep me from it. Since "Held" isn't a WL, I'm not sure of the protocol on if I'd have to withdraw the app or not. Harvard is my #1 (and 2, 3, 4, 5,...,47) so I don't want to do anything to jeopardize that application.

@az: good to hear! I hope it goes well for you. I'm crafting one myself to drop in next week.

I think technically when you deposit you only have to withdraw from schools that you have a decision from, so since being held isn't a final decision, you wouldn't have to withdraw from H yet.

I know I should know this, but what is the general protocol for multiple deposits? Are there set rules or does it tend to go on a school by school basis? If I've been accepted at schools X, Y and Z, can I deposit at all of them and wait out scholly negotiations and just generally take my time in deciding, or is it inviting a ding-fest to deposit at multiple schools that have all rendered decisions?

[txdude45]

I know I should know this, but what is the general protocol for multiple deposits? Are there set rules or does it tend to go on a school by school basis? If I've been accepted at schools X, Y and Z, can I deposit at all of them and wait out scholly negotiations and just generally take my time in deciding, or is it inviting a ding-fest to deposit at multiple schools that have all rendered decisions?

I know that every school gets a list of applicants who have put in more than 1 deposit. The rules vary by school as to how they react to that. School X may take away scholarship money, School Y may do nothing, School Z may rescind their offer of admission. From what I've read from admissions people (sorry I don't remember details) is that they really, really, really don't like multiple deposits because the deposits are how they know how to make adjustments to their class.

[MacB]

I know I should know this, but what is the general protocol for multiple deposits? Are there set rules or does it tend to go on a school by school basis? If I've been accepted at schools X, Y and Z, can I deposit at all of them and wait out scholly negotiations and just generally take my time in deciding, or is it inviting a ding-fest to deposit at multiple schools that have all rendered decisions?

I know that every school gets a list of applicants who have put in more than 1 deposit. The rules vary by school as to how they react to that. School X may take away scholarship money, School Y may do nothing, School Z may rescind their offer of admission. From what I've read from admissions people (sorry I don't remember details) is that they really, really, really don't like multiple deposits because the deposits are how they know how to make adjustments to their class.

Got it. Thanks for the info, man. I'm almost gun shy about asking questions on TLS at this point because of the general "OMFGTHAT'SBEENASKED5,000TIMESALREADY" reaction that most tend to get, haha. Putting down multiple deposits is def not what I would prefer to do, but when I think about making a final decision in the next four weeks or so, after 6 months of obsessing and waiting and waffling... I cringe a little.