In at Harvard Forum

[MumofCad]

Soj - you def need to let them know. They can at least give you the log-in details and its been great - contact from profs, organizations, and now even alum that have been helpful to me. I "met" someone doing PI work similar to my interests and he's already been helping me with how he charted the course and what I should start thinking about for 1L summer plans. The package can wait, its basically nothing, but you should get your log-in now so you can get as excited about Harvard as I am. The package is underwhelming, but I've been really surprised with the rest.

Plus, now that you are an admitted student, I think they treat you different than before when you were just one of the guys/gals knocking on the door. I bet they get it for you quickly.

[soj]

Good call, thanks. I'm very excited for the Admitted Students Website!

[soj]

I now have access to my HLS email and ASW.

[thederangedwang]

I now have access to my HLS email and ASW.

yeah, quite exciting..i sent an email from my HLS account to my LOR writers to thank them

[metaphobe]

I now have access to my HLS email and ASW.

yeah, quite exciting..i sent an email from my HLS account to my LOR writers to thank them

ooh that's a great idea, especially since we have our HLS accounts for life, so no need to awkwardly update our email addresses with them

[annyong]

Yes, the email is quite awesome, and the ones I've been receiving from faculty and students have been super helpful and encouraging.

In other news, I've asked for winter clothes for Christmas. I wore a T-Shirt and sandals out today, a week before Christmas...I'm going to miss that...

[splbagel]

Figured out how to get the Harvard mail to forward to my gmail.

Instructions here: --LinkRemoved--

1. Within MyMail click the OPTIONS link in the upper-right corner. Result: This will direct you to your options page.
2. Under "Mail Management" click MAIL PREFERENCES. Result: This will direct you to your mail preferences page.
3. Click MAIL FORWARDING. Result: You will be directed to the mail forwarding section.
4. Select the radio button next to FORWARD MAIL TO: and then type the email address of where you would like your mail sent.
5. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click SAVE. Result: your new mail settings will be saved.

[spek]

Figured out how to get the Harvard mail to forward to my gmail.

Instructions here: --LinkRemoved--

1. Within MyMail click the OPTIONS link in the upper-right corner. Result: This will direct you to your options page.
2. Under "Mail Management" click MAIL PREFERENCES. Result: This will direct you to your mail preferences page.
3. Click MAIL FORWARDING. Result: You will be directed to the mail forwarding section.
4. Select the radio button next to FORWARD MAIL TO: and then type the email address of where you would like your mail sent.
5. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click SAVE. Result: your new mail settings will be saved.

Thanks!

[croser]

Was super excited to get the call on Wednesday, but have spent today researching financial aid and it's not looking so rosy. 40K/year base line loan what? It's intense. How is everyone else feeling about/negotiating this issue?

[kilgoretrout66]

Was super excited to get the call on Wednesday, but have spent today researching financial aid and it's not looking so rosy. 40K/year base line loan what? It's intense. How is everyone else feeling about/negotiating this issue?

Yeah that was a slight buzz kill for me as well Re-reading about LIPP rekindled my enthusiasm, though. I wanna do something public interest-ey with my life, so I plan to rely on LIPP's generosity to take care of all that debt for me. Perhaps my attitude's a little gung-ho, considering that I'll be taking on $120K in debt, but hey, it's Harvard

If you're shooting for a big $ Big Law job, I suppose that debt's just a drop in the bucket in the long run.

Their "need-based" approach seems to preclude negotiating finaid, but I'd be very interested in hearing what other people have heard about this.

[MumofCad]

Was super excited to get the call on Wednesday, but have spent today researching financial aid and it's not looking so rosy. 40K/year base line loan what? It's intense. How is everyone else feeling about/negotiating this issue?

Yeah that was a slight buzz kill for me as well Re-reading about LIPP rekindled my enthusiasm, though. I wanna do something public interest-ey with my life, so I plan to rely on LIPP's generosity to take care of all that debt for me. Perhaps my attitude's a little gung-ho, considering that I'll be taking on $120K in debt, but hey, it's Harvard

If you're shooting for a big $ Big Law job, I suppose that debt's just a drop in the bucket in the long run.

Their "need-based" approach seems to preclude negotiating finaid, but I'd be very interested in hearing what other people have heard about this.

People have successfully negotiated for more, but I wouldn't assume you are going to get by a baseline loan. Have you looked at peer schools?

Regardless of PI or BigLaw, because you can't really know how you'll come out (the numbers tell us that from incoming surveys vs outgoing salary numbers), Harvard is a good investment even with 120k in debt. That's nothing. If you really do PI, you'll be comfortable. If you go BigLaw, you'll have it paid back in 3 years. If you are single, this makes so much sense. You will always have your Harvard JD, but the debt will be a memory.

When it makes less sense is if your SO makes alot of money and you are going into PI. Essentially, they are going to be paying back your debt then. In the end, its the same as if the tables are turned in terms of outcome, but I don't like the concept of my SO subsidizing my do-goodery.

[ladybug89]

Was super excited to get the call on Wednesday, but have spent today researching financial aid and it's not looking so rosy. 40K/year base line loan what? It's intense. How is everyone else feeling about/negotiating this issue?

Yeah that was a slight buzz kill for me as well Re-reading about LIPP rekindled my enthusiasm, though. I wanna do something public interest-ey with my life, so I plan to rely on LIPP's generosity to take care of all that debt for me. Perhaps my attitude's a little gung-ho, considering that I'll be taking on $120K in debt, but hey, it's Harvard

If you're shooting for a big $ Big Law job, I suppose that debt's just a drop in the bucket in the long run.

Their "need-based" approach seems to preclude negotiating finaid, but I'd be very interested in hearing what other people have heard about this.

People have successfully negotiated for more, but I wouldn't assume you are going to get by a baseline loan. Have you looked at peer schools?

Regardless of PI or BigLaw, because you can't really know how you'll come out (the numbers tell us that from incoming surveys vs outgoing salary numbers), Harvard is a good investment even with 120k in debt. That's nothing. If you really do PI, you'll be comfortable. If you go BigLaw, you'll have it paid back in 3 years. If you are single, this makes so much sense. You will always have your Harvard JD, but the debt will be a memory.

When it makes less sense is if your SO makes alot of money and you are going into PI. Essentially, they are going to be paying back your debt then. In the end, its the same as if the tables are turned in terms of outcome, but I don't like the concept of my SO subsidizing my do-goodery.

Yeah, this is a big, big problem for me. I really want to do PI, but my SO works at a hedge fund. So basically it'll be a combination of him and my parents dealing with my loans and that just makes me feel icky. But I don't think he'd prefer I take a place with fewer opportunities/less "fit" just for that reason, so idk.

[edited for grammar fail]

[Elston Gunn]

Figured out how to get the Harvard mail to forward to my gmail.

Instructions here: --LinkRemoved--

1. Within MyMail click the OPTIONS link in the upper-right corner. Result: This will direct you to your options page.
2. Under "Mail Management" click MAIL PREFERENCES. Result: This will direct you to your mail preferences page.
3. Click MAIL FORWARDING. Result: You will be directed to the mail forwarding section.
4. Select the radio button next to FORWARD MAIL TO: and then type the email address of where you would like your mail sent.
5. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click SAVE. Result: your new mail settings will be saved.

Awesome! I was just going to ask someone for this.

[Zelda]

I read about this a little bit at the beginning of the thread, but what do you all think about withdrawing applications?

There are a few schools that I was recently accepted to that I know I will not be attending, but I almost feel like it is rude to withdraw less than two weeks after being accepted...

I am sure it is worse to not withdraw, but just looking for some advice.

[yankees42789]

I read about this a little bit at the beginning of the thread, but what do you all think about withdrawing applications?

There are a few schools that I was recently accepted to that I know I will not be attending, but I almost feel like it is rude to withdraw less than two weeks after being accepted...

I am sure it is worse to not withdraw, but just looking for some advice.

I decided to withdraw from a couple of schools I'm 100% sure I wouldn't attend over Harvard, even with a full ride just because I thought that was the most fair thing to do for everyone involved. I don't think there's a certain prevailing etiquette other than to use your best judgment from what I can gather. I do know schools won't be offended if you withdraw, even relatively soon after getting an acceptance. They know how the system works just as well (if not better) than we do and won't take offense to it.

[MumofCad]

I read about this a little bit at the beginning of the thread, but what do you all think about withdrawing applications?

There are a few schools that I was recently accepted to that I know I will not be attending, but I almost feel like it is rude to withdraw less than two weeks after being accepted...

I am sure it is worse to not withdraw, but just looking for some advice.

If you know you aren't going and they aren't peer to a school you might be negotiating for more money from, withdraw now. Its better for them, its better for other applicants, its part of the system. I've withdrawn everywhere I'm not considering and the only pain involved is just giving up all the things that excited you about the school in the first place. They don't really care and expect them coming.

On a side note, what have you all given your recommenders? Now that my cycle is over for all intents and purposes beyond working out money, I wanted to let them all know how it went naturally, thank them, and send them a little gift card for Christmas with the news. My husband and I do not see eye to eye on how much is appropriate versus cheap. One is also in South Korea, so I was thinking an Amazon gift card for all 3...I can take my boss out and give him something, but for profs, I would think they would all have book needs or some sort of Amazon need.

[tt102]

...

[MumofCad]

-

I would call or email. I wouldn't want to mess this up with secondhand information, though it probably wouldn't be a deal-breaker. Its a simple question that will take them under a minute to deal with and you'll know the answer is correct. Just reply to the email that gave us our contact person and ask.

[Tom Joad]

I am still jealous, yet happy for your achievements future HLSers.

[Zelda]

If you know you aren't going and they aren't peer to a school you might be negotiating for more money from, withdraw now. Its better for them, its better for other applicants, its part of the system. I've withdrawn everywhere I'm not considering and the only pain involved is just giving up all the things that excited you about the school in the first place. They don't really care and expect them coming.

Am I correct in thinking a peer school for HLS would be T-7? Or would it be T-14?

[splbagel]

If you know you aren't going and they aren't peer to a school you might be negotiating for more money from, withdraw now. Its better for them, its better for other applicants, its part of the system. I've withdrawn everywhere I'm not considering and the only pain involved is just giving up all the things that excited you about the school in the first place. They don't really care and expect them coming.

Am I correct in thinking a peer school for HLS would be T-7? Or would it be T-14?

Conventional TLS wisdom seems to be that peer schools, for the purposes of financial aid negotiations, would only be Yale and Stanford, and possibly CCN. Can anyone confirm?

[MumofCad]

I think you'd need a full ride from CCN to suck even a few more fin aid dollars from HYS, maybe the same from MVP but I think its a long shot. Otherwise, maybe something comparable could be coming from H if for some odd reason S or Y offers more. I doubt Y would give more aid because COL is so much less in NH, but if they did...it seems like between the COL and what not that H might be receptive.

I'm just basing that on the fact that so many are willing to pay sticker over a full ride at lower ranked schools that they probably don't feel a ton of pressure to negotiate past a certain point. You're going to be needing big offers either way. And no way anything below MVP will be considered pertinent.

[gimelstein315]

you guys are scarily informative!! can't wait to see some of you at ASW.

[Harvard14]

I'm a Harvard 1L and have had great experience with the finaid office. I highly doubt that you could negotiate in the traditional sense, since it's all about need. But they're very helpful (even once you're in school!), and they'll try to work with you to help you get the most you can. For example, I was actually given tips on how my parents could help me out financially without hurting my grant (have them pay my bills instead of sending me checks). You feel like you're dealing with a creative accountant who happens to work for the IRS... One general piece of advice: if you're poor enough or if you have dependents and will be a candidate for a grant, do a bit of research on how your assets and summer income will affect your grant and plan accordingly (e.g. if possible, arrange to receive income/handouts before June; selling a car can hurt you). You can discuss this stuff openly with the finaid office.

Good luck!

[splbagel]

selling a car can hurt you

...well, crap. That's how I was planning to finance leaving my job in July and travelling for a month before school.

As a related question, I know it depends on each individual situation, but is there a basic guideline for what "poor enough to be a candidate for a grant" means? I'm pretty much living paycheck-to-paycheck, but my parents have a decent income (a good chunk of which is funding a sibling's college education, and another chunk of which is tied up in their home).

I'm almost ready to take the plunge and decide on Harvard, but the whole "can't apply for financial aid until February" thing combined with tempting offers from other schools is starting to make me anxious.

...I suppose there are worse problems to have!