Harvard Waitlist 2010 Forum

[swampthang]

Deferral definitely would throw some wrenches in the work and make later acceptances likely, however, I will refer you all to Asha's latest blog entry from which I quote, "Generally, the bulk of our wait list activity, if we have any at all, will take place around our deposit deadline... I would say that usually our class is stable by the end of May."

Y'all can make arguments about different WL dynamics due to the vast differences in size, but I think as a general principle it would stand to reason that if you're not in by June, your chances are probably quite slim.

Sure, you can say all this, but pretty much every year on LSN there are waitlist admits in July and later. There may not be this year because of the new dean, but I doubt the factors that lead to these July admits are going to change for the worse. If anything, maybe more people will defer because of the bad economy.

Of course, I'm not saying there aren't any late WL admits, I just think your chances are very diminshed once June rolls around. Or as I said above, "quite slim". You pulled LSN data from last year and said it was about 50/50 before and after June. I would probably take issue with the completeness of LSN data. Regardless, no need to argue to death a hypotheticality over which we have no control. I'm just going to hope that your economy-driven deferral argument is true and that they're upfront about it and do it sooner than later.

[Unitas]

Deferral definitely would throw some wrenches in the work and make later acceptances likely, however, I will refer you all to Asha's latest blog entry from which I quote, "Generally, the bulk of our wait list activity, if we have any at all, will take place around our deposit deadline... I would say that usually our class is stable by the end of May."

Y'all can make arguments about different WL dynamics due to the vast differences in size, but I think as a general principle it would stand to reason that if you're not in by June, your chances are probably quite slim.

Sure, you can say all this, but pretty much every year on LSN there are waitlist admits in July and later. There may not be this year because of the new dean, but I doubt the factors that lead to these July admits are going to change for the worse. If anything, maybe more people will defer because of the bad economy.

Of course, I'm not saying there aren't any late WL admits, I just think your chances are very diminshed once June rolls around. Or as I said above, "quite slim". You pulled LSN data from last year and said it was about 50/50 before and after June. I would probably take issue with the completeness of LSN data. Regardless, no need to argue to death a hypotheticality over which we have no control. I'm just going to hope that your economy-driven deferral argument is true and that they're upfront about it and do it sooner than later.

New to TLS I take it?

EDIT: regarding the bolded part of text.

[CoaltoNewCastle]

Yeah, arguing about this stuff is fun. Anyway, I'm just saying that even if LSN is somehow very off, and only ten percent of the people accepted off the waitlist are accepted in July or later, you still have a decent chance of getting in if you're not in by June. Particularly people with numbers or demographics that could fill gaps really well, like, I'm praying, me with my numbers.

[Unitas]

Yeah, arguing about this stuff is fun. Anyway, I'm just saying that even if LSN is somehow very off, and only ten percent of the people accepted off the waitlist are accepted in July or later, you still have a decent relative chance of getting in off the WL if you're not in by June. Particularly people with numbers or demographics that could fill gaps really well, like, I'm praying, me with my numbers.

FTFY

[swampthang]

After further consideration, I want to slightly modify my June-or-bust theory. From skimming past HLS WL threads, it seems the first JR emails go out mid-May, conversations happen with acceptances going out around that last week. These WL pulls are driven primarily by admits depositing elsewhere or deferring. Assuming that other schools are on a similar timeline, this means that Y and S will also be doing their first big pull around mid- to late May, and some of them could be admits at H. Thus, I think early June you'd see a much smaller pull, but still with multiple people, but after that it's pretty much lights out. The only reasons I can think of to pull people in the dog days of summer would be last minute deferrals, sudden withdrawals, feet-dragging double depositers, and maybe death, but all those would be one-for-one replacements. Again, there's still that small sliver of hope, but I figure that if you're not in by Flag Day, then it's probably lights out. Ok, that's my theory.

[Unitas]

29 admits to withdrawal on LSN - 41 total last year.. Not sure if this bodes well or not.....

I didn't count overall admits to get percentages... I might tomorrow.

[Von Schlieffen]

O hai guyz.

Reporting in for waitlist duty.

[roundabout]

O hai guyz.

Reporting in for waitlist duty.

o hay.

[ShibaDan]

29 admits to withdrawal on LSN - 41 total last year.. Not sure if this bodes well or not.....

I didn't count overall admits to get percentages... I might tomorrow.

I'm thinking not well, but I'm hoping people are just lazy in updating their LSN profiles.

[blue5385]

another day of riding the waitlist.

on a more cheerful note, do you guys think they'll start doing WL ---> admits at some point next week? IIRC, their deposit deadline is May 1st, so they'll get a sense of what their class is going to look like in the next couple days.

[Dtackpat75]

another day of riding the waitlist.

on a more cheerful note, do you guys think they'll start doing WL ---> admits at some point next week? IIRC, their deposit deadline is May 1st, so they'll get a sense of what their class is going to look like in the next couple days.

I am thinking it is a longer process than that. If they truly do not rank the waitlist then they are going to have to review all of the files next week. Maybe week after that schedule and do some JR 1s. so the week after that the week of the 17th will probably the earliest they admit anybody. Pure speculation on my part i.e. completely talking out of my ass.

[MeredithGrey]

I so wish I was on the waitlist with you guys. Sorry if that sounds crazy but at this point it looks like they have no more space in their class and all they've given since April 2 or so have been waitlists/rejections. At least waitlist keeps the hope alive.

I am in a really tough situation because I applied to a combined program, and I will be at Harvard in the Fall regardless for at least one of my degrees. I have deferred my other law school acceptance, GULC, by one year but they require a binding commitment to attend GULC in 2011 for granting the deferral. *Sigh* I think I have a few days to decide (May 3).

The combined program at HLS would be a dream, (but also a reach bc I acknowledge my sub 25 LSAT makes it a huge reach). Of course, it was also sub 25 for GULC and they looked beyond that.

I am very happy with GULC and it's still a dream school, but it's just is painful to be in this situation to make a binding decision when I still have not heard from 5 schools about an initial decision (late applicant/Feb LSAT)


Anyway, point being, I wish I was on the waitlist with all of you. At least there is still hope of an acceptance. Keep the faith!

I already have an advanced degree and can tell you I got that from a top school 3 days before classes started! I packed a couple of suitcases and made my way cross country, stayed in a hotel one night, and found housing the next day. I can also tell you that for me, the waitlist came through, because I sent them letters throughout the summer. The admissions office assistant told me in fact that they got my last email at just the right moment. A few minutes before someone had withdrawn and she was an out-of-state female and they wanted an out-of state female. She printed the email and handed it to the Dean of Admissions, and within 10 minutes of sending the email, I got in.

I hope that gives you hope!

Edit: Three days! Got the call on a Friday, orientation started Monday!

[chanchito]

I met a guy at my school who will go to Harvard law in the fall. And I was jealous.

The end

[The Human Fund]

I so wish I was on the waitlist with you guys. Sorry if that sounds crazy but at this point it looks like they have no more space in their class and all they've given since April 2 or so have been waitlists/rejections. At least waitlist keeps the hope alive.

I am in a really tough situation because I applied to a combined program, and I will be at Harvard in the Fall regardless for at least one of my degrees. I have deferred my other law school acceptance, GULC, by one year but they require a binding commitment to attend GULC in 2011 for granting the deferral. *Sigh* I think I have a few days to decide (May 3).

The combined program at HLS would be a dream, (but also a reach bc I acknowledge my sub 25 LSAT makes it a huge reach). Of course, it was also sub 25 for GULC and they looked beyond that.

I am very happy with GULC and it's still a dream school, but it's just is painful to be in this situation to make a binding decision when I still have not heard from 5 schools about an initial decision (late applicant/Feb LSAT)


Anyway, point being, I wish I was on the waitlist with all of you. At least there is still hope of an acceptance. Keep the faith!

I already have an advanced degree and can tell you I got that from a top school 3 days before classes started! I packed a couple of suitcases and made my way cross country, stayed in a hotel one night, and found housing the next day. I can also tell you that for me, the waitlist came through, because I sent them letters throughout the summer. The admissions office assistant told me in fact that they got my last email at just the right moment. A few minutes before someone had withdrawn and she was an out-of-state female and they wanted an out-of state female. She printed the email and handed it to the Dean of Admissions, and within 10 minutes of sending the email, I got in.

I hope that gives you hope!

Edit: Three days! Got the call on a Friday, orientation started Monday!

Just so I understand it right, you have an advanced degree, will be going to Harvard this Fall for another, and are trying to get a law degree too?

PS what is the other H program?

[MeredithGrey]

I so wish I was on the waitlist with you guys. Sorry if that sounds crazy but at this point it looks like they have no more space in their class and all they've given since April 2 or so have been waitlists/rejections. At least waitlist keeps the hope alive.

I am in a really tough situation because I applied to a combined program, and I will be at Harvard in the Fall regardless for at least one of my degrees. I have deferred my other law school acceptance, GULC, by one year but they require a binding commitment to attend GULC in 2011 for granting the deferral. *Sigh* I think I have a few days to decide (May 3).

The combined program at HLS would be a dream, (but also a reach bc I acknowledge my sub 25 LSAT makes it a huge reach). Of course, it was also sub 25 for GULC and they looked beyond that.

I am very happy with GULC and it's still a dream school, but it's just is painful to be in this situation to make a binding decision when I still have not heard from 5 schools about an initial decision (late applicant/Feb LSAT)


Anyway, point being, I wish I was on the waitlist with all of you. At least there is still hope of an acceptance. Keep the faith!

I already have an advanced degree and can tell you I got that from a top school 3 days before classes started! I packed a couple of suitcases and made my way cross country, stayed in a hotel one night, and found housing the next day. I can also tell you that for me, the waitlist came through, because I sent them letters throughout the summer. The admissions office assistant told me in fact that they got my last email at just the right moment. A few minutes before someone had withdrawn and she was an out-of-state female and they wanted an out-of state female. She printed the email and handed it to the Dean of Admissions, and within 10 minutes of sending the email, I got in.

I hope that gives you hope!

Edit: Three days! Got the call on a Friday, orientation started Monday!

Just so I understand it right, you have an advanced degree, will be going to Harvard this Fall for another, and are trying to get a law degree too?

PS what is the other H program?

Haha, yes, you have it exactly right! Because of my situation, any details I give would probably give away my identity but oh well, I don't mind. I will be attending Harvard in the Fall for an MPH and applied to several JD/MPH programs as well. I do already have an advanced degree but there are specific goals I have in mind of how I want to help people that would require all three degrees. I am really excited about it!

[clintonius]

Joining the party with little hope but much eagerness. Hi all.

[swampthang]

Joining the party with little hope but much eagerness. Hi all.

Glad your uncertainty has come to an end! Or wait...not really, I guess.

[$1.99]

aosdinaofia

[someones alt]

Do any high lsat/low gpa splitters want to combine applications so that we balance one another out?

[Legacy316]

Wait... so WLers get JR1s? I was under the impression that they just call you up and tell you that you have been admitted? Totally wrong?

[blue5385]

Do any high lsat/low gpa splitters want to combine applications so that we balance one another out?

sure, why not? your gpa + my LSAT = both of us getting in off the WL.

[ShibaDan]

Wait... so WLers get JR1s? I was under the impression that they just call you up and tell you that you have been admitted? Totally wrong?

IIRC, about two weeks after the deposit deadline last year some JR1 e-mails went out. I think you still get a JR1. Another poster said that most of the movement happens early and then it's a trickle...but there's debate on that.

Personally I think the biggest movement will take place before June and if I don't get a JR1 before the end of May I'm thinking it's lights out.

[februaryftw]

IBPN (In before Peter North)

The general is yes, you need the JR1. Some dispute this for rare exceptional cases. And I agree most of the waitlist action will probably be after the Yale/Stanford/Hamilton etc. attrition is taken into account, so sooner rather than later...

[blue5385]

I counted 39 Acceptance ---> As, 32 Acceptance ---> Ws, and one Acceptance ---> A/D on LSN (yay for the last two! ). Obviously LSN isn't a representative sample, and there are accepted applicants who have yet to update their profiles after the deposit deadline yesterday, but that seems like a high ratio of withdrawals to matriculations considering HLS's ~2/3 yield. Let's hope the WL movement starts soon.

Also, on a completely premature note, what do WL/admits do about housing? It seems from the HLS lottery system (on the "In at Harvard!" thread) that the majority of the good spots will be gone before any of us would get in.

[chanchito]

lol I wouldn't care if I lived in a box if I got to go Harvard