HLS Panel Advises Prospective Students

Assistant Dean of Admission at Harvard Law School (HLS) Joyce Curll offered advice to potential pre-laws at a standing room only panel last night.

"Think of your application as a puzzle," Curll said. She instructed the audience--which was about two-thirds juniors but ranged from first-years to professionals--to think carefully about their choices before applying.

"If you have a high LSAT score you shouldn't take that as a reason to apply to law school," Curll said.

Harvard seniors tend to apply to law school, and request deferrals, at rats disproportionate to other undergraduates, Curll said. About 40 percent of College students admitted directly to HLS ask to be deferred for a year.

"You are more likely to leap into the law school application process because it occurs in the fall," Curll said.

"Have the courage of your convictions. You will get other opportunities," she said.

Law school admissions officers generally look favorably upon students who spend time in the professional world, and then decide to apply to Law School, she said.

"I think it's a good idea to wait because...there will be more information for you to provide the committee," she said.

Harvard's resources are open to graduates as well, said Dena Rakoff, the Office of Career Services (OCS) pre-law advisor.

"If you are only mildly thinking about law school now but a couple of years down the road you decide you want to go, I'm there," Rakoff said.

In choosing a law school, panelists said student should look at placement after graduation. Graduates of regional and local law schools tend find placements for students that are within that region, according to Curll. she added that this is less of a problem with national schools.

Curll and Rakoff later turned to the more important question of what factors will help students gain admission to law school.

Both Rakoff and Curll recommended that students use "grids," compilations of data from each year of applicants to law schools from Harvard, but added that students should take the grids with a grain of salt.

"Don't buy it," Rakoff said, adding that two copies are sent to each house in addition to the one at OCS.

And while academic excellence is important, Curll said, admissions officers can often tell an easy schedule from an overloaded one.

"Take the courses you think you're going to learn the most from," she said. Curll also recommended a balance course load--reading courses for science majors, and scientific courses for humanities majors.

"We see enough applications from Harvard to have a good sense of [the difficulty of a schedule]' Curll said.

Although LSAT scores are important, Curll and Rakoff both urged students away from preparation courses.

Students can order numerous old tests to use for practice from the LSAT application book which is available free at OCS.

Curll said admissions officers spend more time looking at the non-quantifiable aspects of an application, which she classified as character, commitment and context, than on the numbers.

"We are looking for people who are going to bring something special to the class," Curll said