Hi guys,

I feel kinda stupid admitting this but I'm doubting if I made the right choice when I was applying this year: I didn't apply to YLS for a variety of reasons (logistics issues, unavailability of a course I really wanted to pursue) and applied to HLS. My main goal is to be an academic and my main interest in pursuing my law studies is ultimately academic. I didn't realise that there was a contrast between YLS and HLS in this respect.

I'm obviously probably going to go to Harvard, it's an amazing opportunity, but I'll feel kinda bad if doing that means I'll never be able to study in YLS. I'm just asking if anyone knows if it's possible to take a second US LLM from YLS in exceptional circumstances? The website says it isn't "ordinarily" possible but what if there's one particular academic there who is the leading experty in my particular academic interests (I think there is).

Again, I know this is a pretty stupid situation but knowing that this was at least a possibility, however small, would really help.

Thanks for reading this

I am in the same situation as you: haven't applied to Yale because I missed the timeline; been accepted to HLS.

I don't think it is wise to do two LLMs. Since your interests are academic (same with me!), I would recommend doing some kind of visiting researcher (or scholar) program at Yale.

The only thing that you will be never able to do at Yale is the SJD program, because it is only open to Yale LLMers.

Thanks for the quick reply! Yeah I know it's probably not a good idea to do 2 LLMs I guess I just don't like the finality of it all: you get one shot with your US LLM and that's it. Even knowing that an LLM at Yale was at least a possibility, however remote, would make me feel better about the whole thing. I can't believe I'm doing this to myself considering the lucky situation I'm in but my brain's on a weird track at the moment :S

You don´t even NEED a LLM to do some quality research and pursue an academic career.

You just have to have (1) a research agenda and (2) PUBLISH, PUBLISH, PUBLISH.

LLM is just a foreigner´s degree; you are a lawyer from, say, China or India; you spend a year in the US, get a hang of the US Legal System, pay some cash, and is rewarded with some bragging rights ("I studied at Harvard"), which may, or may not, translate into real money back in your country.

For academics like us, LLM is (1) just a chance to get to know some professors, (2) a year to research and publish one or two articles in english.

So, stop crying; Harvard is a very good place to research; there is this Godzilla-sized faculty, lots of opportunities etc.

Hi guys,

I feel kinda stupid admitting this but I'm doubting if I made the right choice when I was applying this year: I didn't apply to YLS for a variety of reasons (logistics issues, unavailability of a course I really wanted to pursue) and applied to HLS. My main goal is to be an academic and my main interest in pursuing my law studies is ultimately academic. I didn't realise that there was a contrast between YLS and HLS in this respect.

I'm obviously probably going to go to Harvard, it's an amazing opportunity, but I'll feel kinda bad if doing that means I'll never be able to study in YLS. I'm just asking if anyone knows if it's possible to take a second US LLM from YLS in exceptional circumstances? The website says it isn't "ordinarily" possible but what if there's one particular academic there who is the leading experty in my particular academic interests (I think there is).

Again, I know this is a pretty stupid situation but knowing that this was at least a possibility, however small, would really help.

Thanks for reading this