Harvard Waitlist 2010 Forum

[Unitas]

Congrats!

A question for nobody in particular -- if I wanted to withdraw at some point, just to be able to say I wasn't rejected by Harvard, when should I do that by? And does e-mail suffice?

They usually reject within the next couple of weeks. So do it before then. Congrats Georgina!!!

[Pencil]

Hi Folks, I'm "new" here (have been silently reading for months, haha), as the summer draws on, I really would love some advice from the TLS crowd. How many LOCIs are people sending in?
I sent in a LOCI back in January when I was held, stating the usual why I want to go to Harvard and why Harvard should want me, then in March I sent a follow up letter updating them on what I would be doing for the summer, then after I was waitlisted in May I sent them one more later stating that if accepted I would attend, and updating them further on interesting legal non-profit internship I was doing for the summer. It's been 2 months since I sent my last letter- are people continuing to write them? I have no new updates, but is it important to let them know again that I'm still interested? There seem to be varying types of advice online, some say be in contact with office every 3 weeks, but since its Harvard, does that change the game, since they likely assume that most people will take a spot off the waitlist even if accepted in late August. Anyway, in sum- I've sent in 3 LOCIs since I was held in January- is sending a 4th too much and could hurt, or, at this point, do we have nothing to loose?

For folks who got in off the waitlist, what kind of communication did you have with the admissions office? Did you send LOCIs etc?

Thanks!

[jlh39]

I got in off the waitlist at the end of May, and I had not sent them any LOCI's, the only thing I sent in after being waitlisted was a transcript update. I don't know that another LOCI would help very much, I'm sure that what you've already sent has let them know you're still interested.

[roundabout]

I'm also debating about sending another LOCI, but my question is less about whether it will hurt (I don't think it will, sounds like we're all about to get rejected anyway in a couple weeks) and more about whether I feel like carving out the time for what will likely be a hopeless endeavor.

But hey, you never know! Georgina, well done, and way to keep the dream alive

[adameus]

Hi Folks, I'm "new" here (have been silently reading for months, haha), as the summer draws on, I really would love some advice from the TLS crowd. How many LOCIs are people sending in?
I sent in a LOCI back in January when I was held, stating the usual why I want to go to Harvard and why Harvard should want me, then in March I sent a follow up letter updating them on what I would be doing for the summer, then after I was waitlisted in May I sent them one more later stating that if accepted I would attend, and updating them further on interesting legal non-profit internship I was doing for the summer. It's been 2 months since I sent my last letter- are people continuing to write them? I have no new updates, but is it important to let them know again that I'm still interested? There seem to be varying types of advice online, some say be in contact with office every 3 weeks, but since its Harvard, does that change the game, since they likely assume that most people will take a spot off the waitlist even if accepted in late August. Anyway, in sum- I've sent in 3 LOCIs since I was held in January- is sending a 4th too much and could hurt, or, at this point, do we have nothing to loose?

For folks who got in off the waitlist, what kind of communication did you have with the admissions office? Did you send LOCIs etc?

Thanks!

my thought is you have nothing to lose. It sounds like the letters have all been spaced decently apart so its not as if you are constantly pestering them. I would say go for it. At this point there are very few spots that will be handed out, so if they know that you are still very interested, that cannot hurt.

[Pencil]

Thanks for all the feed back folks, it seems the consensus is that there really isn't much to lose at this point, so the only thing another LOCI could do (if anything at all) is help. I think I'll go ahead and send one, one last attempt to reach out to them before the axe falls in a few weeks. Are folks thinking that there are even any spots open at this point?

[ShibaDan]

I've sent 3 LOCI's I just have nothing left to say...but I feel like I need to send something so they know I would go if offered a spot...uggg what should I do?

[Unitas]

I've sent 3 LOCI's I just have nothing left to say...but I feel like I need to send something so they know I would go if offered a spot...uggg what should I do?

Send an e-mail and tell them, but they aren't exactly needing people at this point... You may also want to ask if they expect any more movement on the waitlist and report back.

[swampthang]

I've sent 3 LOCI's I just have nothing left to say...but I feel like I need to send something so they know I would go if offered a spot...uggg what should I do?

Send an e-mail and tell them, but they aren't exactly needing people at this point... You may also want to ask if they expect any more movement on the waitlist and report back.

I understand the need to stay active, but isn't it out of our hands at this point? After 3 LOCIs, they have to know you're interested and I question the value of piling more on at this point (diminishing returns).

As for calling and asking about the WL, my experience has been that it's just like the WL FAW they sent out: "It is impossible for us to predict..." but good luck if you thing getting your name out again will help. Who really knows?

[Unitas]

I've sent 3 LOCI's I just have nothing left to say...but I feel like I need to send something so they know I would go if offered a spot...uggg what should I do?

Send an e-mail and tell them, but they aren't exactly needing people at this point... You may also want to ask if they expect any more movement on the waitlist and report back.

I understand the need to stay active, but isn't it out of our hands at this point? After 3 LOCIs, they have to know you're interested and I question the value of piling more on at this point (diminishing returns).

As for calling and asking about the WL, my experience has been that it's just like the WL FAW they sent out: "It is impossible for us to predict..." but good luck if you thing getting your name out again will help. Who really knows?

I think the point everyone is making is that it probably won't hurt at this point. Being as they have no spots left or close to no spots.

[clintonius]

Just withdrew. Best of luck to everybody still waiting.

[Unitas]

I'm thinking today looks like a good day to do massive rejection wave....

I didn't get an e-mail or anything yet, it just feels like today is the day or it should be.

[neimanmarxist]

I'm thinking today looks like a good day to do massive rejection wave....

I didn't get an e-mail or anything yet, it just feels like today is the day or it should be.

I'm surprised I still care as much as I do

[swampthang]

I'm thinking today looks like a good day to do massive rejection wave....

I didn't get an e-mail or anything yet, it just feels like today is the day or it should be.

Too early. Or at least it would seem from previous years that this happens in early August. Fine by me, good to have the certainty one way or the other. Also, I don't buy this crap about them being "overenrolled". If that were truly the case then they wouldn't have pulled people off the WL. Right?

[Unitas]

I'm thinking today looks like a good day to do massive rejection wave....

I didn't get an e-mail or anything yet, it just feels like today is the day or it should be.

Too early. Or at least it would seem from previous years that this happens in early August. Fine by me, good to have the certainty one way or the other. Also, I don't buy this crap about them being "overenrolled". If that were truly the case then they wouldn't have pulled people off the WL. Right?

They usually do a wave of rejections at the mid to end of July then another in August I believe (who knows anymore). One of the years was late due to the Dean leaving during admission's season.

I don't recall anyone saying Harvard was overenrolled? The lower T14 is, like at UVA and Duke, but I don't believe HLS is. I think they are probably filled at this point though, and we should, at the most, only expect a 1-1 ratio of people deferring or withdraw leading to a WL admit.

[clintonius]

Yeah, I've heard about overenrollment at other places (Duke and NYU), but I bet HLS is right where it wants to be. Which is why I got the hell off that waitlist. Now I don't have to say they rejected me

[swampthang]

I'm thinking today looks like a good day to do massive rejection wave....

I didn't get an e-mail or anything yet, it just feels like today is the day or it should be.

Too early. Or at least it would seem from previous years that this happens in early August. Fine by me, good to have the certainty one way or the other. Also, I don't buy this crap about them being "overenrolled". If that were truly the case then they wouldn't have pulled people off the WL. Right?

They usually do a wave of rejections at the mid to end of July then another in August I believe (who knows anymore). One of the years was late due to the Dean leaving during admission's season.

I don't recall anyone saying Harvard was overenrolled? The lower T14 is, like at UVA and Duke, but I don't believe HLS is. I think they are probably filled at this point though, and we should, at the most, only expect a 1-1 ratio of people deferring or withdraw leading to a WL admit.

Very good point about the cycle getting pushed back last year due to Strock bouncing. Maybe we'll know earlier then? That would be a relief. Although how gut-wrenching must it be to survive that round of cuts as well? Have any you had any luck with getting Admissions to answer direct questions about the WL, like how many are on it, that sort of thing? Clintonius, maybe you can check now that you're free and clear?

The overenrollment bit was told to me by one of those for-hire admissions counselors. I agree completely with the sentiment that HLS is "right where it needs to be". If they truly were overenrolled, they wouldn't've gone to the WL to begin with.

Unrelated, does anyone know how "binding" a binding deferral is? Can you change your mind next fall, withdraw your deferral, and apply elsewhere? Or is it the pretty much the school you deferred at or nothing? Trying to figure this out.

[Hafo]

New to this forum, but I'm in off of the waitlist today!! So excited and definitely attending!! But during my phone interview, JR did mention that they are trying to fill out the last few remaining spots. So there still seems to be some hope.

[cosmopolitan]

I've sent 3 LOCI's I just have nothing left to say...but I feel like I need to send something so they know I would go if offered a spot...uggg what should I do?

Send an e-mail and tell them, but they aren't exactly needing people at this point... You may also want to ask if they expect any more movement on the waitlist and report back.

Does Harvard accept email updates?

[Pencil]

Congrats, Hafo!! You give us all a little glimmer of hope! Would you mind sharing your stats?

Also, since we've been discussing LOCIs here lately, would you mind sharing what kind of contact you made with the admissions office after you were waitlisted? New LORS? LOCIS (how many?)? How recently had you been in touch with them before you got the JR 1 offer.

Thank you! And Congratulations again!

[roundabout]

Nice work Hafo! And thanks for gathering intel on remaining spots. I second that request for more info when you have a chance.

[Unitas]

Congrats, Hafo!! You give us all a little glimmer of hope! Would you mind sharing your stats?

Also, since we've been discussing LOCIs here lately, would you mind sharing what kind of contact you made with the admissions office after you were waitlisted? New LORS? LOCIS (how many?)? How recently had you been in touch with them before you got the JR 1 offer.

Thank you! And Congratulations again!

+1, Congrats Hafo and welcome to TLS. I'm glad I was wrong about yesterday.

Does Harvard accept email updates?

Yes as long as they don't have attachments. However, they may not look right when they get them - e-mail formating errors and such.

[Hafo]

Great thanks guys for your congrats!

I'm an int'l student graduated from HYP with 3.9/173 and so-so softs. I guess I was really really lucky getting admitted and my story was kind of strange, but ultra-lucky. My senior thesis won a departmental best thesis award. An HLS professor in a related field somehow got to know about my work through some channel, and was kind enough to offer to meet with me for a discussion about my paper. He then may have talked to the admissions office about me, and not long after I got interviewed and accepted by JR. Totally random and pure luck. Maybe the professor's talk helped, maybe Harvard is short of students more of an academic-y type, or maybe Harvard happened to have some mood for int'l students...

[Hafo]

Sorry for neglecting to touch on the issue of LOCI's. I applied in Jan, rather late, and was on hold and soon after on the wailist. I just wrote one such thing after being put on hold, and that's it. 'Coz I didn't know much about strategizing my application, but after I got on this site and learned much about the game, my mind was pretty much set on reapplying early this Sept. I've even finished my new PS and asked for more LOR's. So I didn't pay much attention to appealing to the adcomm. Sorry I can't be of more help here.

[Unitas]

Sorry for neglecting to touch on the issue of LOCI's. I applied in Jan, rather late, and was on hold and soon after on the wailist. I just wrote one such thing after being put on hold, and that's it. 'Coz I didn't know much about strategizing my application, but after I got on this site and learned much about the game, my mind was pretty much set on reapplying early this Sept. I've even finished my new PS and asked for more LOR's. So I didn't pay much attention to appealing to the adcomm. Sorry I can't be of more help here.

You were/are of help and I (hopefully we) are grateful for the time you took out. TLS has a thread for Harvard class of 2013 here http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&start=75, so people can help with finding a place to live, financial aid, and so forth. Again congrats.

He did say they had a few more spots though? Just curious....