Harvard Law c/o 2020 Applicants (2016-2017) Forum

[Leliana]

If you do get waitlisted and interviewed once more, tell them you'll commit if accepted. This worked for someone I know.

Tell them IF TRUE

HLS already states explicitly on their website that you should stay on the waitlist only if you're certain you would accept an offer of admission.

Many wouldn't be certain without knowing financial aid.

I agree, but it seems like they expect you to be. I was mostly trying to point out that that particular strategy (saying you'll commit if accepted) may not be as helpful as it could be with other schools' waitlists because the presumption that you'll commit already exists on HLS's part.

[eck456]

guess it's about time someone who knows firsthand about admissions process in HLS tell us why this cycle is weird and the prognosis thereof.

Someone in the Y thread suggested that Y's delay was because professors who generally review apps are busy fighting Trump's measures, so the office is waiting on them to submit their feedback. Admittedly, H's process is a lot less reliant on faculty, but I wouldn't be surprised if that had contributed to the slowdown.

Lol this was me after I talked to a friend at Yale who's tight w the admissions team..no real insight on what Harvard law profs are doing other than not admitting me tho haha

[proteinshake]

SEVEN WAITLISTS LATER AND JS2!!!!!!!!!

Just got the call, interviewed 1/25. LSAT = 75, GPA <<25

congrats!!!!!!!

[jaketp123]

So is the JS2 wave not continuing today?

[futuregingerlawyer]

Sorry I didn't post earlier/yesterday, but I was far too overwhelmed with excitement:

JS2! Got the call from Anne around noon! 173/3.8 non-URM KJD. Interviewed 1/4, had almost lost all hope but thank god!

[LHS17]

If you do get waitlisted and interviewed once more, tell them you'll commit if accepted. This worked for someone I know.

Tell them IF TRUE

HLS already states explicitly on their website that you should stay on the waitlist only if you're certain you would accept an offer of admission.

Many wouldn't be certain without knowing financial aid.

I agree, but it seems like they expect you to be. I was mostly trying to point out that that particular strategy (saying you'll commit if accepted) may not be as helpful as it could be with other schools' waitlists because the presumption that you'll commit already exists on HLS's part.

I would presume people haven't read the fine print (I know which article you're referencing though) and appreciate reassurance if I were in their shoes. Also, the expectation seems so impractical that I wouldn't expect every interviewer to hold it.

[LHS17]

If you do get waitlisted and interviewed once more, tell them you'll commit if accepted. This worked for someone I know.

Tell them IF TRUE

HLS already states explicitly on their website that you should stay on the waitlist only if you're certain you would accept an offer of admission.

Many wouldn't be certain without knowing financial aid.

I agree, but it seems like they expect you to be. I was mostly trying to point out that that particular strategy (saying you'll commit if accepted) may not be as helpful as it could be with other schools' waitlists because the presumption that you'll commit already exists on HLS's part.

But yes, I agree with you, too. It may not be as helpful as other places.

[hellohalo]

If you do get waitlisted and interviewed once more, tell them you'll commit if accepted. This worked for someone I know.

Tell them IF TRUE

HLS already states explicitly on their website that you should stay on the waitlist only if you're certain you would accept an offer of admission.

Many wouldn't be certain without knowing financial aid.

I agree, but it seems like they expect you to be. I was mostly trying to point out that that particular strategy (saying you'll commit if accepted) may not be as helpful as it could be with other schools' waitlists because the presumption that you'll commit already exists on HLS's part.

I believe stating the true commitment will help if anything
The argument is would SOMEONE you know still get in without explicitly committing themselves?

[KaijuOh8]

Sorry I didn't post earlier/yesterday, but I was far too overwhelmed with excitement:

JS2! Got the call from Anne around noon! 173/3.8 non-URM KJD. Interviewed 1/4, had almost lost all hope but thank god!

Sounds like WL is all I can hope for at this point... Congratulations though!

[kamy123]

Any URM's still waiting/hoping for a JS1?
What's going on with this cycle... Going insane!

[poptart123]

Any URM's still waiting/hoping for a JS1?
What's going on with this cycle... Going insane!

yes

[taxman14]

Any URM's still waiting/hoping for a JS1?
What's going on with this cycle... Going insane!

yes

so bizarre...a ton will happen in the next week

Quick q: any estimates of how many JS2s are remaining?? I'm sure someone has done the analysis

[poptart123]

Any URM's still waiting/hoping for a JS1?
What's going on with this cycle... Going insane!

yes

so bizarre...a ton will happen in the next week

Quick q: any estimates of how many JS2s are remaining?? I'm sure someone has done the analysis

what makes you think a lot will happen next week? I want to be optimistic!

[taxman14]

Any URM's still waiting/hoping for a JS1?
What's going on with this cycle... Going insane!

yes

so bizarre...a ton will happen in the next week

Quick q: any estimates of how many JS2s are remaining?? I'm sure someone has done the analysis

what makes you think a lot will happen next week? I want to be optimistic!

Last year there was a big wave on 3/28 s othat would be next week!

[kamy123]

Any URM's still waiting/hoping for a JS1?
What's going on with this cycle... Going insane!

yes

so bizarre...a ton will happen in the next week

Quick q: any estimates of how many JS2s are remaining?? I'm sure someone has done the analysis

what makes you think a lot will happen next week? I want to be optimistic!

Is there any hope for a JS1 this late in the cycle? With all this talk about decisions being made by April 1st, I'm beginning to lose all hope...

[KaijuOh8]

Is there any hope for a JS1 this late in the cycle? With all this talk about decisions being made by April 1st, I'm beginning to lose all hope...

If you get waitlisted without a JS1, you might get a JS1 later. TBF, I would start managing my expectations if I were in your position.

[SybillAnnDorsett]

Is there any hope for a JS1 this late in the cycle? With all this talk about decisions being made by April 1st, I'm beginning to lose all hope...

If you get waitlisted without a JS1, you might get a JS1 later. TBF, I would start managing my expectations if I were in your position.

I wonder why last year and the year before, the first JS2s went to WL-JS1s and not pre-WL JS1s.
Gives me hope that if I'm waitlisted I could hear as early as late May.

(delusions of grandeur are so fun, you should really try it!)

[LegalAAA]

I wonder why last year and the year before, the first JS2s went to WL-JS1s and not pre-WL JS1s.
Gives me hope that if I'm waitlisted I could hear as early as late May.

A lot of people probably take themselves off the waitlist by that point.

[LSRAT]

Also, since there are no interviews tomorrow, doesn't it make sense that a large reject/wl wave will happen?

[Kinch08]

Any URM's still waiting/hoping for a JS1?
What's going on with this cycle... Going insane!

yes

so bizarre...a ton will happen in the next week

Quick q: any estimates of how many JS2s are remaining?? I'm sure someone has done the analysis

Here's some math I did in a PM to SMC that might be comforting/helpful to all the other JS1's who haven't heard back yet:

There's one wave left, probably average-sized (so, 1/5 of the 1000 non-WL admits, or 200 potential HLS'ers). Maybe 30 spots in it (I'm just spitballing here, but it's honest spitballing--I'm not fudging numbers to make you feel better) will be taken up by last-minute JS1's (there haven't been enough last-minute JS1's to fill more than 30 ish spots). We know from the thread that everyone who wasn't a last minute JS1 (i.e. people with JS1's in early March or earlier) was considered for this last wave, so the other 170 JS2's will be given out to people exactly like you. I don't think there's any reason to suppose that you have a better chance than someone who JS1'd in November, but by the same token, I don't think there's any reason to suppose that you have a worse shot than someone who JS1'd in late February. So the question is, how many people are you competing against for those 170 spots? Well, that math is easy--it's the total number of non-WL JS1's (around 1200, when you account for the last-minute people) minus the admits so far (800-ish). 400. 170/400 = 42.5%. You have a better than 40% "raw" chance of getting in. That's not the 75% chance you started out with, but it ain't bad.

Now, of course, those 170 spots are not given away randomly. It's a numbers game, just like it always has been.

[seeprybyrun]

Also, since there are no interviews tomorrow, doesn't it make sense that a large reject/wl wave will happen?

Could happen, certainly. Will happen? No idea.

[Anon.y.mousse.]

Any URM's still waiting/hoping for a JS1?
What's going on with this cycle... Going insane!

yes

so bizarre...a ton will happen in the next week

Quick q: any estimates of how many JS2s are remaining?? I'm sure someone has done the analysis

Here's some math I did in a PM to SMC that might be comforting/helpful to all the other JS1's who haven't heard back yet:

There's one wave left, probably average-sized (so, 1/5 of the 1000 non-WL admits, or 200 potential HLS'ers). Maybe 30 spots in it (I'm just spitballing here, but it's honest spitballing--I'm not fudging numbers to make you feel better) will be taken up by last-minute JS1's (there haven't been enough last-minute JS1's to fill more than 30 ish spots). We know from the thread that everyone who wasn't a last minute JS1 (i.e. people with JS1's in early March or earlier) was considered for this last wave, so the other 170 JS2's will be given out to people exactly like you. I don't think there's any reason to suppose that you have a better chance than someone who JS1'd in November, but by the same token, I don't think there's any reason to suppose that you have a worse shot than someone who JS1'd in late February. So the question is, how many people are you competing against for those 170 spots? Well, that math is easy--it's the total number of non-WL JS1's (around 1200, when you account for the last-minute people) minus the admits so far (800-ish). 400. 170/400 = 42.5%. You have a better than 40% "raw" chance of getting in. That's not the 75% chance you started out with, but it ain't bad.

Now, of course, those 170 spots are not given away randomly. It's a numbers game, just like it always has been.

you're my hero

[Leliana]

Also, since there are no interviews tomorrow, doesn't it make sense that a large reject/wl wave will happen?

Could happen, certainly. Will happen? No idea.

I don't think so because admissions will almost certainly be busy at ASW tomorrow.

[seeprybyrun]

Also, since there are no interviews tomorrow, doesn't it make sense that a large reject/wl wave will happen?

Could happen, certainly. Will happen? No idea.

I don't think so because admissions will almost certainly be busy at ASW tomorrow.

True, but WL/ding emails don't take much work to send. Someone just has to push a button, assuming they've been batched up for release.

[seeprybyrun]

Here's some math I did in a PM to SMC that might be comforting/helpful to all the other JS1's who haven't heard back yet:

There's one wave left, probably average-sized (so, 1/5 of the 1000 non-WL admits, or 200 potential HLS'ers). Maybe 30 spots in it (I'm just spitballing here, but it's honest spitballing--I'm not fudging numbers to make you feel better) will be taken up by last-minute JS1's (there haven't been enough last-minute JS1's to fill more than 30 ish spots). We know from the thread that everyone who wasn't a last minute JS1 (i.e. people with JS1's in early March or earlier) was considered for this last wave, so the other 170 JS2's will be given out to people exactly like you. I don't think there's any reason to suppose that you have a better chance than someone who JS1'd in November, but by the same token, I don't think there's any reason to suppose that you have a worse shot than someone who JS1'd in late February. So the question is, how many people are you competing against for those 170 spots? Well, that math is easy--it's the total number of non-WL JS1's (around 1200, when you account for the last-minute people) minus the admits so far (800-ish). 400. 170/400 = 42.5%. You have a better than 40% "raw" chance of getting in. That's not the 75% chance you started out with, but it ain't bad.

Now, of course, those 170 spots are not given away randomly. It's a numbers game, just like it always has been.

Here's hoping!

FWIW, I just got a Vandy from NYU this morning. So that takes some of the sting out.