| I was on a pre-law forum the other day, and I was | | | | someone off? Did I have an inside person slip me in? |
| amazed at how many college students think getting | | | | No, none of this happened. |
| into Harvard law School is difficult. It may not be a | | | | I was able to get into Harvard Law School because I |
| walk on the beach to get into that school, but it | | | | took advantage of the admissions process, which I |
| certainly is not impossible. I read one forum post | | | | studied long and hard. I learned that rolling admissions |
| from a Georgetown undergraduate student with a | | | | is one crucial aspect of the process that was begging |
| 3.6 GPA and a 170 LSAT score who thought that | | | | to be exploited. |
| Harvard was a "pipe dream." | | | | The way to exploit rolling admissions is to apply early. |
| I responded and argued vehemently that it's not a | | | | By applying early, you force the law school, in this |
| pipe dream at all! Getting into Harvard Law School is | | | | case Harvard, to evaluate you against an incomplete |
| must simpler than prevailing wisdom makes it out to | | | | pool of candidates. Because the pool is incomplete, |
| be. This created a fire storm of posts back and forth | | | | the standards to get in are far more flexible than |
| because, predictably, many people disagreed with me. | | | | they would be later in the process, when more |
| They thought I shouldn't have been telling this | | | | candidates have applied, and the pool is much more |
| Georgetown student to apply to Harvard. | | | | complete. With more flexible standards, you can |
| The truth is they were all wrong. I got into Harvard | | | | conceivably get admitted whereas, had you applied |
| with credentials that some would think did not qualify | | | | later, you might have been rejected. |
| me to get admitted there. My LSAT score was well | | | | This is what I did. I applied the very first week |
| below a 170, and I did not attend Georgetown. In | | | | Harvard began accepting applications. And that is |
| fact, I attended a third-tier undergraduate university. | | | | what you should do if you are thinking of applying |
| How then did I get in? Was it a mistake? Did I pay | | | | and getting into Harvard Law School. |