Top Law Schools

Looks like the 2012 applicants are starting to get going, and I thought it would be fun to maintain the first post on this and do a Kurst-style link mania, so here it is. This first post is going to get updated variously throughout the cycle with more FAQ, links, etc.

FAQ
Q1: What are all these acronyms?
A1: HLS = Harvard Law School
UR = Under Review (this is an application status on the checker)
KB1/JS1 = Phone interview with Karen Buttenbaum or Jessica Soban (formerly called JR1 for Josh Rubenstein or TS1 for Toby Stock)
KB1/JS1 = Admit call (when HLS calls you and tells you you're admitted — formerly JR2/TS2)
Note: KB and JS have been in charge of admissions this year at different times. JR left before this year, and KB took over on an interim basis. JS was hired on permanently. Both KB and JS have gone on maternity leave (LinkRemoved) during this year's cycle at different times.
ASW = Admitted Students Weekend (an official time to visit the school; happens in March and April)
Q2: If I get a phone interview, what are my chances?
A2: Good, but not 100%. Approximately 1000-1200 phone interviews go out every year, and approximately 800 admit calls go out every year.
Q3: My application went complete before my phone interview. Does that mean anything? Alternatively, I went complete after my JR1. Does that mean anything?
A3: No. Apps become complete randomly before/after the interviews, for no apparent reason.
Q4: When did apps become available?
A4: Apparently, mid-September.
Q5: When do the first admissions decisions come back?
A5: HLS acceptances traditionally begin on the first Monday of Thanksgiving week. This year, that's 11/21/11. (And they did begin on that day this year.)
Q6: By when would I have to submit to get in with the first round of admits?
A6: The end of October, probably. Possibly November 1st or 2nd. They tend to clean out most of the likely admits who had a phone interview before Thanksgiving week in that first round of acceptance calls.
Q7: What should I know about HLS?
A7: Lots of info at TLS's description, and more at discussions topics here and LSAC's guide, among many other places.
Q8: Am I going to get in?
A8: I don't know, but you can probably get a pretty good idea from LSAC's guide or elsewhere on TLS. According to LSAC's guide for the most recent year, the 25th-median-75th percentile LSAT scores were 171-173-176 and GPAs were 3.78-3.89-3.96.
Q9: Who are you, "tomwatts"?
A9: I'm a 1L at HLS. I was an LSAT teacher for five years before entering law school. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have about HLS or anything by PM. I'm doing the JD/MPP program with HKS, and my HKS year is next year, so I'll be doing my 2L and 3L years with the JD class that's incoming this year.

Links
HLS Admission Blog: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/admissions/

Other Current HLS Topics
In, KB1, no KB2, Held, Forgotten

Old TLS Topics
For admission in Fall 2011:
Applicants, In, Held, Forgotten, Misc, and Waitlist

For admission in Fall 2010:
Applicants, Phone Interview Stats, In, JR1, No JR2, Held, Waitlist, Misc Waitlist 1, Misc Waitlist 2, Misc Waitlist 3, Misc 1, Misc 2, and Misc 3

For admission in Fall 2009:
In, Waitlist, Forgotten 1, Forgotten 2, Forgotten 3, Forgotten 4, Forgotten 5, Forgotten 6, and Rejection

For admission in Fall 2008:
In, Forgotten, Held 1, Held 2, Waitlist, Waitlist Statistics, Misc 1, Misc 2, Misc 3, Rejection 1, and Rejection 2

Great info! Thank you very much!

Tagged. Thanks for the info. I don't think I have a good shot at getting in, but I may as well give it a try... what do I lose except $80?

Thanks for starting this!

Great thread!

Will be applying mid-September when the app comes out. 3.86/173 -- I don't think I have the greatest chance but definitely worth a try.

Checking in. Crossing fingers for the next few months.

Hello hello. Being a splitter my chances are extremely low, but we'll see...GL all!

Oh God I shouldn't even show my face in here with my PT scores, but I had to say it:


I love you. I think about you all the time. Please let me in. Also, I love you. I know I said it twice, but once was not enough.

edit: accidentally made this my 2000th post. That's gotta count for something Harvard!

Good luck everyone.

HLS posted some pics of the housing options online, in case anyone is interested: http://www.flickr.com/photos/66268538@N04/

those are horrendous, I don't want to go to Harvard anymore

#TellsMyselfThatSoIDon'tFeelBadWhenI'mRejected

Thank you. HLS is a big ol' reach for me but it can't hurt to apply... much.

will do my best to get this app out of the way early.

PS writing is hard

soj wrote:will do my best to get this app out of the way early.

PS writing is hard

Soj with your stats you don't exactly have to worry about early apps

And please write my PS as well. I'm soo lost.

Glad to know I'm not the only one struggling with a PS. I'm on topic #2 right now. About to scrap it and go with something else.

Hawkeye Pierce wrote:Great thread!

Will be applying mid-September when the app comes out. 3.86/173 -- I don't think I have the greatest chance but definitely worth a try.

hey, you're at least in the range! check below. best of luck!


direct from the HLS FAQ:

"As reported to the ABA, the 75/25 percentile GPAs for the class entering in 2008 were 3.95/3.74 and the 75/25 percentile LSATs were 176/170."


http://www.law.harvard.edu/prospective/ ... ss_profile

MumofCad wrote:Glad to know I'm not the only one struggling with a PS. I'm on topic #2 right now. About to scrap it and go with something else.

Yea I basically have no clue what to do None of my ideas seems particularly good or seems to communicate why I will make a strong law student. Blah.

Eichörnchen wrote:

MumofCad wrote:Glad to know I'm not the only one struggling with a PS. I'm on topic #2 right now. About to scrap it and go with something else.

Yea I basically have no clue what to do None of my ideas seems particularly good or seems to communicate why I will make a strong law student. Blah.

Well my first was very focused, but came off too much like an explanation of my resume. Why I chose particular jobs, what I learned from them, how I applied them in pursuing my overall goals. Nothing explicit to connect that to law school.

My second one is very personal. I talk more about the foundation of my values during my rural upbringing. What drove me then into a career, and what has brought me back to law. I think it might be too personal and not substantive enough in terms of anecdotal evidence. It also covers a long time span. Its terribly chronological.

I think I need something between the two. What? Not sure.

More fun resources, added to the top as well:

Q: When will apps become available?
A: Apparently, mid-September.
Q: What should I know about HLS?
A: Lots of info at TLS's description, and more at discussions topics here and LSAC's guide, among many other places.
Q: Am I going to get in?
A: I don't know, but you can probably get a pretty good idea from LSAC's guide or elsewhere on TLS. According to LSAC's guide for the most recent year, the 25th-median-75th percentile LSAT scores were 171-173-176 and GPAs were 3.78-3.89-3.96.

Also, improved the visual appearance.

HLS is definitely a reach school for me, but it doesn't hurt to try

Looks good Tom. Are you finally considering law school?

tomwatts wrote:

robotclubmember wrote:i'm still curious what tomwatt's rap sheet has on it. a 180 and the guy doesn't go to law school? i think he actually killed somebody or something.

They'll never prove it!

My friend who is attending Harvard this year sent me her application a few days ago so I could see her PS. She said I was welcome to skim the rest too and as I did, I found a question that requires an addendum if answered "yes."

Has your academic career been interrupted for one or more terms?

Then at the end of the series of questions: If you have answered “yes” to any of the above questions, you must provide details on a separate attachment or electronic attachment.

I am assuming they mean if you took time off during the middle of a degree. I took almost 2 years off between my undergrad and master's to work on political campaigns and start a non-profit. Do I really need to write an addendum for this? I also took 6 months off during my PhD last year for career-related interests. We don't have "terms" per se and I will submit my dissertation about 6 months ahead of time so I didn't actually need the time off. Check yes and put an addendum for both?

MumofCad wrote:My friend who is attending Harvard this year sent me her application a few days ago so I could see her PS. She said I was welcome to skim the rest too and as I did, I found a question that requires an addendum if answered "yes."

Has your academic career been interrupted for one or more terms?

Then at the end of the series of questions: If you have answered “yes” to any of the above questions, you must provide details on a separate attachment or electronic attachment.

I am assuming they mean if you took time off during the middle of a degree. I took almost 2 years off between my undergrad and master's to work on political campaigns and start a non-profit. Do I really need to write an addendum for this? I also took 6 months off during my PhD last year for career-related interests. We don't have "terms" per se and I will submit my dissertation about 6 months ahead of time so I didn't actually need the time off. Check yes and put an addendum for both?

I'm interested in hearing what people have to say about this as well. I took a year off between undergrad and grad school to teach. I guess it can't hurt in either of our cases to explain the interruptions since it's all positive!

MumofCad wrote:My friend who is attending Harvard this year sent me her application a few days ago so I could see her PS. She said I was welcome to skim the rest too and as I did, I found a question that requires an addendum if answered "yes."

Has your academic career been interrupted for one or more terms?

Then at the end of the series of questions: If you have answered “yes” to any of the above questions, you must provide details on a separate attachment or electronic attachment.

I am assuming they mean if you took time off during the middle of a degree. I took almost 2 years off between my undergrad and master's to work on political campaigns and start a non-profit. Do I really need to write an addendum for this? I also took 6 months off during my PhD last year for career-related interests. We don't have "terms" per se and I will submit my dissertation about 6 months ahead of time so I didn't actually need the time off. Check yes and put an addendum for both?

In the case of the time in between the Master's and undergraduate degree, I do not believe you would need an addendum. Not only is the time off explained by your resume, but it also does not qualify as an "interruption".

As for the PhD, I would include an addendum explaining the gap, though I do not believe it is what they have in mind when asking this question. The way these applications are written, they assume that all applicants only have Bachelor's degree. So the question is more geared towards students who, for example, withdrew for several semesters or several years between sophomore and junior year and then re-enrolled.

However, since putting your PhD on pause, regardless of the reason, does technically qualify as an "interruption", I do think it could warrant an addendum. I would call and ask to make sure if you think that checking "yes" might hurt your application, but otherwise, a short addendum of 2 sentences explaining that you took a 6 month leave in order to pursue a career interest, but have since resumed and will be able to complete your thesis ahead of schedule would not in any way reflect negatively on you. HTH.

*Feels self conscience for even trying for Harvard with only a BA*

Eichörnchen wrote:*Feels self conscience for even trying for Harvard with only a BA*

Don't be silly. Plenty of people get in without advanced degrees.