Harvard Law School: Everything to Know Before Applying
Harvard Law School is a top institution that offers law degree programs to students at every level. Programs under the school come as into J.D., LL.M. degree, or S.J.D. The school’s programs are unique in both delivery and grading. It also stands as the oldest and most prestigious law school in the United States.
Harvard Law School Admissions Standards and Criteria
Harvard Law School admissions rules and standards target accomplished candidates who show the potential to succeed once accepted. The admission decision is determined after careful evaluation of the information submitted by a candidate’s application. You have to be in the upper percentile when it comes to standardized tests. Aim to fall under the 75th percentile bracket. An LSAT score of 160-170 is considered great by most experts.But if you want to get accepted into HLS, go for 170 and above (180 being the maximum). Apart from these application criteria, the assessment board will check your extracurricular activities, work experience, leadership skills, and personal qualities.
Harvard Law School Acceptance Rate: How Many Get In?
Harvard Law School acceptance rate stands at about 12.5%. That makes it one of the most competitive schools in the country. However, it has the lowest acceptance rate of the top three institutions. The average LSAT score for students accepted into the college is 173. As for the GPA, the average is 3.9.
Final Words and Conclusion
If you want to study in the country’s best law school, HLS is an excellent choice. It ranks at the top of the list and has a more lenient acceptance rate. A good GPA, LSAT score, and record outside of class are ways you can make your application stand out. As for costs, you can explore financial assistance options for needy students.
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Harvard Law School Application Process and Requirements
Harvard Law School application is looked at as a whole. The first step towards gaining admission is registering with the LSAC. Once on the LSAC site, you’ll find an application form that you should fill out. Then you will need to pay a non-refundable application fee of $85. However, you can apply for an application fee waiver if you’re not in a position to pay. The priority deadline for the J.D. program application at HLS is 1st February, where a decision is communicated by 1st April.The application ends on 1st March, and any application submitted by then will be decided by 1st May. To be eligible, ensure you will be through with your Bachelor’s program by August of the year you’re applying for.
Harvard Law School Rankings and Fees
Harvard Law School rankings depict the institution is among the best. It holds the third position as per the USNWR ranking. In 2019, the university was ranked first in the law and legal studies category by Top Universities. HLS also boasts of notable alumni, including two US presidents, Rutherford B. Hayes (19th) and Barrack Obama (44th).
Cost of Studying at HLS
Harvard Law School cost for tuition stands at $65,875. When you add other expenses, the total cost ranges between $99,922-$100,525. The fees will depend on whether you reside within or outside Massachusetts. However, there are options for financial aid that students can apply for to cater for tuition.
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School (HLS) is the law school of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is the oldest continuously operating law school in the United States and one of the most prestigious in the world. Harvard Law School graduates accounted for more than one-quarter of all Supreme Court clerks between 2000 and 2010, more than any other law school in the United States. According to Harvard Law's 2015 ABA-required disclosures, 95% of the Class of 2014 passed the Bar exam. HLS combines genuine excellence and wonderful diversity on a scale that is unmatched anywhere. No law school has done more to shape law or legal education. The unique strength of this community is that it brings together, from around the world, so many exceptionally talented people of different backgrounds, lived experiences, interests, ambitions, approaches, methodologies, and perspectives.
Total students ~1.990
Status
Private
Established in
1817
Website
www.hls.harvard.edu
Campus
Urban
Adress
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Dates&Deadlines
The Application Dates for the Law School
(matriculating fall 2021)
LL.M. Program
S.J.D. Program
Deadline
Deadline 1
Deadline 2
Deadline 3
December 1, 2020, preferably by November 15, 2020
(for the LL.M. class beginning in Fall 2021)
April 1, 2021
(for S.J.D. candidacy beginning in Fall 2021)
April 15, 2021
(for applicants wishing to begin research in September 2021)
September 15, 2021
(for applicants wishing to begin research in February 2022)
How to Apply
All Steps of the Application Process
It is obligatory to upload the transcripts of all the courses you have ever taken. You may upload the unofficial transcripts or your student copies. Further you must give the official transcript to the applying committee. HGSE reserves the right to withdraw an admissions offer, if there is a discrepancy between the uploaded version and the official original transcript and/or the official translation.
The TOEFL test is an obligatory requirement to apply to the HLS. Applicants with at least two consecutive years of full-time university education conducted entirely in English may request a waiver of the TOEFL exam; however, such waivers are very rare, and are granted at the sole discretion of the Graduate Program. Moreover, remember that the TOEFL results are valid for two years, so that is an obligation to apply the test result that is two years prior to the application deadline.
You are required to write a Personal Statement consisting of 2 parts. The certain topic and requirements will be available at the official HLS web-site sooner.
To accomplish the application you have to apply at least two recommendation letters. As a rule, you are required to choose people to give the recommendations by yourself. Also, it is an important point not to communicate about the content of the recommendation letters with the people who are supposed to write you the recommendations.
You can apply your current CV through the application system. There are no special requirements, just the resume you would use to apply for a job.
Application fee of US$85
International Applicants
What International Applicants to Law School Must Have
The admissions criteria applied in evaluating international applicants are the same as those for U.S. citizens. All application materials, including transcripts and recommendations, must be submitted online and in English.
The all transcripts you apply through the application system must include all diplomas for all degrees that you have received. The transcripts must be translated into English language, whether you have graduated from an international university.
All applicants from non-English speaking countries who did not receive their full-time legal education entirely in the English language must take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) examination within two years prior to submitting their applications. The Graduate Program requires a minimum score of 100 on the internet-based test (with a minimum score of 25 on each subsection). Please, note that the HLS doesn’t accept the MyBest™ TOEFL score reports).
The documents for the admissions process :
The documents for the admissions process :
- - Online application form
- - CV/Résumé
- - Personal statement, parts (A) and (B)
- - Transcript(s) (including diplomas for all degrees that have been received)
- - Recommendations (at least two)
- - Official TOEFL report (if applicable)
- - Financial Aid application (if applicable)
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