HLS in Focus

Students often ask what we’re looking for in an applicant, beyond a history of strong academic performance.  While there are many other factors, one that often gets overlooked or minimized in the minds of applicants is a demonstrated history of leadership and impact.  Intellectual ability is obviously a key factor in admissions here, but we’re very fortunate to receive applications from more talented students than we can possibly fit in an entering class.  One thing that really sets applicants apart is what they’ve done with their time outside the classroom or how they’ve built upon their academic work.

Now this isn’t something that you can start to think about around the time you’re starting to fill out your law school applications.  It’s more about how you’ve spent the last few years.  Have you dedicated yourself to an extracurricular or cause?  Have you taken on a leadership role in a group or job that has allowed you to create significant change or have a meaningful impact?  There’s no one right answer here – the key is to use your application to let us know about situations where you’ve come in and changed things for the better. 

A big part of being at HLS is immersing yourself in a community of people who are dedicated to change and impact across a variety of fields.  A great way to convince us that you’ll be a positive addition to this community is to explain how you’re already doing this – I can’t wait to read about it. 

- Josh

I have noticed from talking to my law school minded friends and from reading this blog that the next law school admissions cycle is in full swing. With this comes the one-two punch of meticulous application preparation followed by the seemingly endless wait to hear back from the various schools people have applied to.

I know that it can be easy to feel that you are somehow behind in the process, or that your results aren’t matching up with those of others. I figured that being a newly minted 1L, I am not that far removed from the process, and it might be helpful to talk about my experiences with the dreaded law school admissions cycle.

My trip to Harvard Law was pretty non-traditional. By May, I was still on the wait-list at HLS and had subsequently made arrangements to go to a different law school. I was quick to set up my housing and financial aid with that school because I knew that I was going to be be out of the country all summer doing volunteer work in South Africa. I left for my summer abroad in early June, assuming that there was little to no chance I was going to make it off the waitlist so late in the admissions game.

I arrived back in the US in late July and almost immediately received an email asking if I was still interested in a spot in the entering class at HLS. To put this in context, I had been in the country for less than a day and I was planning on leaving my home in less than a week to go to a different law school. Even if I were able to prepare for the phone interview, I would still need to divert all of my energies to going to a new law school, essentially accomplishing in a couple days the preparations that every other 1L had all summer to arrange. However, HLS was my dream school, and if I didn’t at least try to get in I would always wonder if I could have. I replied to the email and arranged to take my phone interview the following Monday.

I’m going to let you guys in on a secret about the HLS phone interviews. After your interview, you will feel that your performance was anywhere from “meh” to “terrible”. Personally, mine probably leaned towards terrible. I had planned on spending most of the time talking about my experiences that summer in South Africa. My rationale was that my application talked in detail about the things I had done while an undergraduate and my summer was something new that would add color to my application. However, when I got on the phone I think interview jitters seized me and I only spent about a minute talking about my summer before delving into the activities I had done in college. Every one of my answers seemed like an unhelpful rehash of things from my application. At the end, I was pretty certain that in an attempt to sound interested in the school (which I was) I asked too many questions and I came off as poorly researched about the school (which I wasn’t). When my mother called me that afternoon to ask how the interview went, I assured her that she didn’t need to worry about adding crimson to her wardrobe any time soon.

Assuming that whoever is reading this is aware of what website they are on, you probably also know how this story ends. The next morning I got a phone call offering me a spot in the entering class at HLS. In my excitement, I pumped my fists in the air so hard that I broke a ceiling tile in my basement.

I thought my story might be helpful for any potential applicants out there to hear. I know that it’s hard sometimes, but it is important not to stress about the process too much. I remember agonizing over what I was going to say in my phone interview, only to do something completely different in the actual interview. If you are relaxed and talk about yourself and your accomplishments honestly and openly, you will be fine. It is also important not to get freaked out if your application results aren’t matching up with the results you are hearing about from other people. I had heard all the message board chatter about how not getting off the waitlist by Date X was the death knell for my application. I also had a lot of friends and friends of friends that were getting into their dream schools (including HLS) while my application results were just trickling in. It’s easy to get discouraged with all of the activity going on around these applications. It is important to stay positive about your chances, because in the end you will almost certainly end up in a school that is a good fit for you.

- Anit

Got a great question at an info session the other day: why does it take us as long as it does to review your application? 

First off, we don’t have any shortcuts or thresholds.  We’ve found that there’s no substitute for a complete reading of your application including your transcript, recommendations, personal statement, resume, and application questions.  We only evaluate candidates once we’ve reviewed their entire file – this takes longer but we think it helps us build a better class. 

Further, no one individual’s opinion holds sway – both our admissions officers and our faculty admissions committee are highly involved in reading applications.  Each application has multiple readers – again, this takes a bit longer, but we think its worth it. 

So while we want to get you a decision as quickly as possible, we also want to make sure we’re giving your application the consideration it deserves.   Hang in there and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. 

Have a great weekend!

Josh

As promised, the second half of our top ten tips for applying to and choosing a law school:

6. Personal statement (what it should be):

First, your personal statement is a writing sample.  It should be well written and free of grammatical errors.  It is also your chance to tell us more about you in a way that is not reflected in the other elements of your application.  Let us know how your broad range of experiences, coursework, and extracurriculars fit together and suggest law school is the right next step.  Let your personality and writing style shine through and tell us what we should know about you.

7. Personal statement (what it should not be):

Because everyone is different, we do not suggest the use of  “successful admissions essays” type books.  Typically those essays were successful because they were a good fit for a particular applicant, in the context of their overall application.  Squeezing your experience and background into someone else’s structure is a bad idea – in addition to this tactic being easy to recognize, it also keeps you from figuring out how to best tell your story. 

Your personal statement should also not be a resume in prose.  We’ve seen what you have done; this is your opportunity to tell us how that experience changed you, how you were affected, how you grew, or what you learned.

8. Take time off (if you want):

If there is nothing else on the planet that you would rather do than go to law school right after you graduate, you may skip to #9; if you are even thinking about taking time off, read on.  Law school is a pretty serious commitment of your time, energy and money.  You’ll go to law school for three years and then you will work for 40-50 years.  We encourage you to get experience, travel and make sure that you want to go before applying.  This is the perfect time in your life to experience something different, explore your options and get ready for your next step.

9. Once admitted, visit schools: 

Most law schools, including HLS, will have programs for admitted students to visit the campus.  Take advantage of those opportunities to meet current students, faculty, and your potential future classmates.  Websites and pictures can provide a sense of a law school, but you’ll get a much better idea for the feeling of a school if you’re able to visit campus.

10. Be active on the waitlist

If you find yourself on the waitlist, you should update your file with fall or spring semester grades if you are still in school.  You should remove yourself from the waitlist if you have made plans to attend another law school.  If you are not admitted to your top choice and your interest in attending remains through your first year at another law school, consider applying as a transfer applicant.

Welcome to the first in our series of Friday postings about the application and admissions process.  Each Friday, I’ll be posting updates on our process, interesting stories from this admissions cycle, and the occasional application pointer. 

Recently, I was asked to put together a “Top Ten” list of application tips for a student conference on the law school application process.  Since the tips are applicable to all of you as well, I figured I’d share some:

1. Start early and plan ahead

Take time to put together a well-crafted, thoughtful application.  Create a calendar of deadlines and all the application steps and work backwards to build a schedule. At HLS, and many other schools with rolling admissions, your chances will be better if you apply early.

2. Put your best foot forward

The most compelling applicants have a good sense of why they want to come to law school and can often cite specific experiences that they’ve had that make this move a logical next step.  Spend some time thinking about what you want to convey and how you can use all of your application materials together to get this message across.  It is OK if you are not really sure exactly what type of law you want to practice, but you should have a sensible reason for pursuing a law degree.

3. Use addenda wisely

Many students have something on their application that might raise a question for the reader.  Examples include large gaps of unaccounted for time, a “withdrawn” grade on a transcript, or multiple, widely varying LSAT scores.  The best way to handle any issue that might raise a red flag is to address it: simply, directly, and honestly.  A short addendum can go a long way in alleviating a reader’s concerns.  Keep in mind that while addenda are useful, you should focus your efforts on making your case within the contours of the required application. 

4. Choose the right recommenders

When choosing recommenders, be sure to pick people who know you well, not just who gave you an “A” in their course or a good performance review at work.  The key to a good recommendation is a recommender who can offer deep insight into who you are and what you can contribute, often by referencing specific examples.  Finding someone who knows you well, and reminding them of your interactions, often results in the most effective endorsement of your candidacy. 

5. Proofread, Proofread, Proofread

Your application is your best shot to make a good impression on the admissions office.  Given that, readers will assume that your application is your best work.  Any typos or spelling or grammatical errors suggest that either you’re not capable of producing error-free work or that you didn’t care enough to do it in this instance.  Neither impression is helpful to your chances for admission.  

Have a great weekend!  See you next Friday…

Just got back from the student activities fair.  Have to say I was completely blown away by the level of student-driven activity going on at HLS.  All told, over 90 organizations had booths at the fair.  The Ropes-Gray room in Pound Hall was absolutely packed with students. 

While I can’t say I had a chance to speak to every student group, I would be willing to guess that every HLS student must be able to find at least one organization that appeals to their interests.  In fact, I learned that while the process for starting a student organization is quite straightforward, the biggest challenge is actually trying to come up with something that isn’t already being done! 

For a sense of what student organizations are doing at HLS, check out this page: http://www.law.harvard.edu/current/orgs/index.html

I recently asked 2L Nate Hamilton to track a typical day.  Here’s his thoughts: 

Friday 7:30am

Up early to do my reading for First Amendment Law.  Finish reading around 9; cook some eggs for breakfast and kiss my wife goodbye as she leaves for work.  We live in Holden Green, Harvard-affiliated apartments about a ten minute walk away from campus.  Shower, get dressed, then grab my laptop on the way out the door (the Professor doesn’t let us use them in class, but I need it for later).

10:00am

First Amendment Law begins, taught by Noah Feldman.  He’s one of the best Socratic method instructors I’ve seen – strikes the right balance between class discussion and lecture.  Today we’re discussing whether the First Amendment allows religious groups to be exempt from laws infringing on their core beliefs, and if so, how far that right extends.  I raise my hand, ask a question; I guess it must have been a decent response because Prof. Feldman keeps coming back to me throughout the discussion.  Good thing I did the reading…

12:00pm

Go to a lunch discussion panel hosted by the Federalist Society.  The topic of discussion is “Should We Legislate Morality?” featuring Prof. Feldman along with Prof. Charles Fried (former Solicitor General) and Prof. Bradley of Notre Dame law school.  Looking around the room, I’m impressed by the mix of FedSoc members and visitors in the room; while conservatives like myself are an, albeit sizeable, minority at HLS, I’ve always found the students and professors here to be open-minded and accepting of viewpoints that don’t match their own.

1:30pm

Over to Gannett House, where the Harvard Law Review offices are located.  As a new Editor on the Review, I’ve been very busy since the start of the term, working hard to ensure that the November issue is published on time.  Today my assignment is to read a piece written by a fellow student and write up a detailed memo evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the piece’s arguments.  Reading these sorts of pieces, I’m always struck by the intellectual depth and writing abilities of the students here at HLS.

3:30pm

Now finished with the Law Review assignment, I turn to researching some of the law firms which I am interviewing with next week.  Though it might seem crazy, 2L fall is when firms hire for next year’s summer associates – which usually ends up leading to a job after graduation!  So it’s important to go into the interviews with some knowledge about the firms I will be meeting with.

5:00pm

Drop my stuff off at home, then head over to the Harvard Square T station.  I’m heading into downtown Boston to meet up with my wife and some friends of ours for dinner and margaritas at the Cactus Club.  I love how easy it is to get around the Boston area – it’s a compact city, yet it has everything that a major metropolitan center has to offer.  Best of all, the city is highly “walkable,” so you don’t need a car to get around – you can walk from one side of the city (Fenway Park) to the other (the very Italian North End) in under an hour.

10:00pm

The evening ends with hanging out on my friend’s roofdeck.  The leaves haven’t yet started to turn, but the crisp night air portends the coming autumn.  I take a deep breath, look out over the city, and feel blessed to live in such a place.

Highly recommend checking out this article from the main HLS page:

http://www.law.harvard.edu/news/spotlight/student-pursuits/10_students.html

For those of you trying to sort out what law school might be right for you, this article provides a great perspective on the type of people you might meet at HLS, the opportunities that are available here, and the interesting things that graduates go on to do.  Check it out.

When applying to law school, I had lots of questions.  How to apply?  Who should write my recommendations?  What would life be like at the school?  How would I pay for it?  While we’ll try to address many of your questions here on this blog, I want to highlight a few other opportunities to interact with members of the HLS admissions team. 

Throughout the fall, we host information sessions here on-campus.  The sessions typically last an hour with a brief presentation and time for Q&A.  Immediately following, you can join us on a tour of our campus.  Info sessions are held on most Fridays throughout the fall.  For a full schedule and more information click here:

http://www.law.harvard.edu/prospective/jd/visit/infosessions.html

The admissions team spends much of the fall traveling to undergraduate campuses around the country.   We also participate in several law school forums put on the by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC).  Both are great opportunities to learn more about HLS and ask a question or two.  For a full schedule of where we’ll be and when check out this link:

http://www.law.harvard.edu/prospective/jd/visit/recruiting.html

We hope to see you sometime soon!

Applications for the fall semester of 2010 are now available online:

http://www.law.harvard.edu/prospective/jd/apply/jdapp.html