thats what they wrote to me. Do you guys think this means I have not been accepted??

I am writing to you in response to your request for an early admission decision from Harvard Law School. I understand that you have received an admission and scholarship offer from NYU Law School.

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide you with a definitive answer before March 15, 2007. If you cannot get an extension until at least March 22 2007, then I would have to strongly advise you not to give up the scholarship package offered by NYU for the possibility of being admitted to Harvard Law School.

I hope this will help you make an informed decision. Whatever you decide, I wish you the best for the coming year.

Sincerely,

Sarine Der Kaloustian
Director of Admissions
Graduate Program
Harvard Law School

Well, this question has been asked several times recently - I posted it twice.

My impression is that this is a polite rejection. As you have seen there were posts yesterday suggesting that HLS confirmed admission to a student with a similar query. You can make a judgement based on that.

Moreover, a friend of mine who got a "wait or accept" response did manage to get an early decision + a financial aid decision from another top school (they are admitting on a rolling basis though) in response to the same query as he sent to HLS. Another indication of how those who had been chosen are treated.

It was suggested yesterday that it's better to call HLS and ask them to release the answer on the phone. I think this is a good idea (not something my friend could do yesterday) - so if anyone finally sorts it out by phone I would be grateful for an update here.

Jury

I have jut realised when reading another thread that you in fact first called HLS and only then they send you this email. Looks like calling them does not help much!

Have they told you whether they have made a decision on your application? If yes, then you know the answer.

If they said they have not decided yet, then this may be a genuine advice and not a rejection.

Let us know when you find out. Fingers crossed for you, mate!

The email is too ambiguous. My hunch is that it means that a decision has not yet been made. Don't leap to conclusions, call them again. Explain how pressing the situation is, and they'll give you a decision. There have been both admissions and flat-out rejections issued to people on this board, so I don't understand why they would need to send ambiguous, "polite" email rejections like the above.

Ring them again, and let us know how it goes.

Best of luck.

I did not know they gave out rejections as well. I would tend to agree with Ciunas then.

Nor do I think this polite email is helpful - indeed, too ambiguous, at least for me as a non-lawyer.

It would be good to know what answers ultimately received those who got such a letter first.

Just pay the $500 and save yourself the stress.

Sorry to say it but I reckon it is definitely a rejection. Two years ago when I applied to HLS I wrote to them that I had been admitted to Berkeley (admission not funding) and I had a decision back from them within a day. There was a different person there then though so the approach may have changed.

i don't think its a rejection. These people are all NYU Hauser/Vanderbilt/Grotius recipients I suppose (the aid that they mentioned) so with their stellar records, I doubt HLS would pass up on them.

You'd be surprised. I know people who got full funding from NYU and didn't get into Harvard.

A lot of Harvard's admission goes by region so if there are already heaps of people from one country who are well qualified they may not let them in.

Sorry to be such a kill joy. I will eat my words when she gets in.

Yup i know one 2....(full tution waiver at NYU- Vanderbilt n dint get into HLS)

You all have to realize that admission is not an exact science and there are some subjectives, such that no one can really be a sure bet. Nor should you take it personally; on the flip side, I know someone rejected in Penn but accepted in Harvard with significant financial aid.

I wouldn't expect any responses from the Harvard LLM admissions staff this week. The annual Parody show is running and the JDs included some jokes about LLMs, so the staff is busy mollifying the LLMs as they were about to riot and protest against the discrimination. Dean Kagan sent an e-mail admonishing students not to take part in making baseless, derogatory statements about others.

The JDs responsible tried to apologize, but an LLM reminded them that they would have to do so in two dozen languages, and the tense situation is still being worked out.

The situation may come down to blows or to beer pong.

lol, this sounds hilarious. Tell us more. What did the JDs say about the LLMs?

i think it's not a rejection because it might be the standard answer they give to students in your case, but it doesn't mean that they reviewed your file to see whether you had a chance.

and it is a way to discharge themselves of any moral obligation in case you are not admitted to HLS and you loose your scholarship elsewhere because of delay.

it doesn't mean much.
I guess you should decide if you want to take the risk or not

Actually, I am having second thoughts. i think it could just be an "undecided" otherwise they probably would have told you out right

Update...

Received an email from Christopher Nepple asking about my date of birth, since they can't seem to find it in my application materials. Dya reckon this means anything?

He also wrote:

"Admissions decisions will be available beginning next week, more than likely the Tuesday or Wednesday of that week."

yo mio, did they mention if its going to be by post or email?

I'm afraid they didn't mention it.

So we r not going to know about the results until next week.This sure is a very stress filled time.Thought some of them would get to know today but that doesnt seem to be the case.

Can anyone recall whether Harvard notify by email??? Given their antiquated paper application process I will assume it is by snail mail. I live on the other side of the world so I wont get a rejection/acceptance letter until days after its posted. agony.

They told me you can call them and get your decision over the phone starting on the 22nd of March. So even if you live on the other side of the world, you can still find out whether you got in nxt wk.