Dear [ ]:



Thank you for your email and congratulations on your offer of admission to attend [ ].



In response to your concern, at this time, we are unfortunately unable to comply with a request for an early decision of your application for admission. Please let me explain why: Harvard Law School has a very rigorous admissions process requiring that each successful application be approved only after a careful evaluation process by a committee of experienced staff and faculty, which ensures the consistently high quality of the entire class of LL.M.s.

I would suggest that you try to get an extension from [ ] until March 21, 2008 in order to help you make an informed decision. We believe very strongly that Harvard is the best choice for anyone interested in receiving a top-notch legal education in the U.S. However, we also respect our candidates' right to consider all their options before making a decision about which school to attend.

Sincerely,

Looks like 21 March is D-Day...

I just spoke to the admission office and they confirmed what stated in the e-mail attached by dmedvedev.
So it's gonna be three more weeks!

Well, I guess Columbia's deposti deadine will come before Harvard notify us right?

So will they notify by email or mail? I am a bit concerned by the fact that I live in Italy...

thanks for this information.

Thank you dmedvedev!

Three weeks sounds like a long time, but I guess we've already lived worse times here.. also a lot of people have already received admission somewhere. Of course somewhere but not Harvard...so our waiting activities continue...

This waiting is a nightmare,

Hope for the best!

Is there anyone waiting for Harvard and is also admitted to Columbia? Have you tried to ask for waiving the deposit or extending the response deadline?

What should be the best strategy or should I just pay the deposit and wait?

Samata: Im in the same situation as you are. Id like to hear some advices on this subject as well.

I think we are a lot in the same situation...
Harvard will - probably - answer on March 21th and my Columbia deadline is March 10th.
In this respect, I called CLS yesterday and even thought they told me that they perfectly understand my position they said that they cannot grant any waiver since there is a lot of people who is still waiting to hear from them (they actually told me that this was a record year in terms of number of applications!). The risk, of course is that if you do not secure your place within the deadline you will loose it since they will admit other candidates right away.
So, in the end, I will accept Columbia and, if I get a positive answer from Harvard, I will decide if HLS is worth $500 over Columbia (and NYC!).
However this thing really bothers me!

Miki: thanks. Your suggestions seems to be the safest choice.

the 500$ is not the problem... the problem is the statement that you will withdraw all other applications and that your decision is final... at least for NYU that's the problem.

Good point. However, as long as I know, Columbia does not require you to withdraw other applicationsat least not in the materials the have sent my so far. If thats the policy, Id accept Columbias definitively and not risk my choices waiting for Harvards response. Additionally, I still dont feel comfortable with the idea of reserving my place, knowing in advance of the possibility of stepping out.

Notwithstanding the pickle that most of us, who have been offered admission at CLS n have applied to HLS, find ourselves in, I truly fail to decipher the risk CLS would undertake knowing fully well that admitted students may not really mind loosing $500 if offered admission at HLS.

hi guys, i know how it feels since i went through the same experience last year but i just have to say its all worth it. HLS is such a great place to go to. some people in my class paid the $500 at CLS to hold their places there while they waited for the HLS admissions decisions.

Wow! Now that's encouraging Greg.

Maybe we ought to pressure Harvard through e-mails and phone calls in order to speed up the process. At least those facing pending deadlines from other universities.

Hi Greg,
are you 100% sure because the message posted by dmedvedev states the opposite....
By the way, if this is the outcome, monday it might be worth placing a call to HLS.
M.

Paid 500 to Columbia today, now waiting HLS decision..

Wow.. so many of you.. pretty exciting, isn't it?

500???
that's quite alot.
You think it's worth it?