Just Waitlisted At Harvard...Considering a Break Forum

spencer.414 · Post by **spencer.414** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 10:04 pm

First off my stats are: 165/3.82

I applied to about ten school and I've been accepted at Emory and George Washington. I've been waitlisted at Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Georgetown, and the holy grail of all law schools: Harvard. I really only applied to Harvard on a whim because I was fairly certain I wouldn't get in with my stats. However, I had some good softs and a killer personal statement so I figured this whole 'holistic approach' to applicants might land me a spot in the class.

I've sent LOCIs to both Georgetown and Harvard and I'll be sending one to Northwestern this week. George Washington has offered me 60k and Emory's merit scholarship is still pending so I'm in the process of negotiations. That being said, my waitlist at Harvard really shocked me and made me rethink my options. I'm graduating from undergrad this year so I have plenty of time on my hands to possibly take a year off, retake the LSAT, and reapply. At the very least, I could defer enrollment at GW (currently where I'm planning to go) and go there if Harvard still doesn't accept me next year.

In the meantime I could take the year off to work (I'll be commissioning at a 2LT in the Army this summer) and focus on my LSAT. I was really intent on going straight into law school but now I'm thinking that Harvard is a possibility rather than a pipe dream and that I should hold out. Opinions?

Clearly · Post by **Clearly** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 10:09 pm

Make sure that GW deferral isn't binding, they usually are, otherwise literally everyone would do this.

Retake and do it right and your GPA won't keep you out of Harvard.

MistakenGenius · Post by **MistakenGenius** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 10:11 pm

Post removed.

js1663 · Post by **js1663** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 10:13 pm

Yup retake and sit it out. Military officer will add significantly, as will a higher last - definitely retake.

TheOnePercent · Post by **TheOnePercent** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 10:14 pm

MistakenGenius wrote:If you decided to do GW next year...Then you're a sure bet to be a senator.

180

spencer.414 · Post by **spencer.414** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 10:35 pm

Yeah the more I think about it, the more I just don't think I can pass up the possibility of #2 for #20. I'm going to ride out this cycle and keep my hopes up though. I'm prior enlisted (not ROTC) but 2LT will undoubtedly carry more weight than a lower enlisted rank. I sent in a LOCI and I'm going to send in an additional letter of recommendation in about a month when I graduate along with my final transcript. Other than that there isn't much I can do at the moment.

middlebear · Post by **middlebear** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 7:53 pm

spencer.414 wrote: In the meantime I could take the year off to work (I'll be commissioning at a 2LT in the Army this summer) and focus on my LSAT. I was really intent on going straight into law school but now I'm thinking that Harvard is a possibility rather than a pipe dream and that I should hold out. Opinions?

I'm of the opinion everyone should work after undergrad, but yeah--if you take time and kill the LSAT, I think you'd have better options.

MistakenGenius · Post by **MistakenGenius** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 9:45 pm

Post removed.

CanadianWolf · Post by **CanadianWolf** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 10:02 pm

If I recall correctly, Harvard has a "special deal" with the armed forces/military service. With your numbers you may have gotten lucky in the respect that very few qualified military folks applied this year. I cannot offer any advice beyond believe in the power of prayer.

Northwestern is interesting for great biglaw opportunities, but your classmates might tend to be toward the neurotic side.

tls24 · Post by **tls24** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 10:33 pm

spencer.414 wrote:First off my stats are: 165/3.82

I applied to about ten school and I've been accepted at Emory and George Washington. I've been waitlisted at Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Georgetown, and the holy grail of all law schools: Harvard. I really only applied to Harvard on a whim because I was fairly certain I wouldn't get in with my stats. However, I had some good softs and a killer personal statement so I figured this whole 'holistic approach' to applicants might land me a spot in the class.

I've sent LOCIs to both Georgetown and Harvard and I'll be sending one to Northwestern this week. George Washington has offered me 60k and Emory's merit scholarship is still pending so I'm in the process of negotiations. That being said, my waitlist at Harvard really shocked me and made me rethink my options. I'm graduating from undergrad this year so I have plenty of time on my hands to possibly take a year off, retake the LSAT, and reapply. At the very least, I could defer enrollment at GW (currently where I'm planning to go) and go there if Harvard still doesn't accept me next year.

In the meantime I could take the year off to work (I'll be commissioning at a 2LT in the Army this summer) and focus on my LSAT. I was really intent on going straight into law school but now I'm thinking that Harvard is a possibility rather than a pipe dream and that I should hold out. Opinions?

I hope that you're right and it is a possibility not just a pipe dream.... but realistically your LSAT is holding you back and schools this year are just waitlisting a huge number of people....

For example, I'm a K-JD with average softs who won't get in to a T-14 unless I improve my 166 LSAT (3.5X GPA), but I'm also on UVA, Northwestern, Georgetown, Cornell, and Vanderbilt's waitlists which are a few that you mentioned. and I have a bigger scholarship to GW than you and $102k scholarship to Emory......this all just shows how numbers oriented and not "holistic" any of those schools are

I'm only saying all of this so that you realize you'll almost definitely need to retake to get off some of the more unrealistic waitlists, although I'm sure being in the military gives you a boost as well

Sorry if this seems harsh, clearly my OL status and not too great outcomes (might be retaking in June) might make my opinion seem irrelevant, but I'm just saying it's probably a pipe dream unless you retake

jawsjawsjaws · Post by **jawsjawsjaws** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 11:54 pm

A captain in my brigade got in at Harvard with a lower LSAT but with a higher GPA, so it's definitely possible that you'll get in.

Broncos15 · Post by **Broncos15** » Fri Apr 03, 2015 12:15 pm

In the meantime I could take the year off to work (I'll be commissioning at a 2LT in the Army this summer) and focus on my LSAT. I was really intent on going straight into law school but now I'm thinking that Harvard is a possibility rather than a pipe dream and that I should hold out. Opinions?

Ould be golden here with a strong LSAT.....military is one of the few softs that will cause you to out perform your numbers ( not that you need the help on the GPA front)