Hello people, I am currently a second year law student at a university in England doing my LLB.
After I graduate I would like to enrol complete an LLM degree at Harvard, but I am not sure whether I should apply because I have no practising or teaching experience. I have seen some people get in to Harvard for the LLM straight after university, but I believe their grades were incredible.
1. My grades are not incredible, I have a 2:1 overall, but I am hoping to get a First in my last year to round up my degree classification.
2. I do have volunteering and work experience in law
3. I do have extracurricular activities.
Should I apply, or should I complete a training contract first and then apply?
I was also thinking about doing a LLM here in England first, and then doing a second one at Harvard, any ideas?
Should I apply to Harvard LLM?
Posted Apr 05, 2018 20:07
0
Hello people, I am currently a second year law student at a university in England doing my LLB.
After I graduate I would like to enrol complete an LLM degree at Harvard, but I am not sure whether I should apply because I have no practising or teaching experience. I have seen some people get in to Harvard for the LLM straight after university, but I believe their grades were incredible.
1. My grades are not incredible, I have a 2:1 overall, but I am hoping to get a First in my last year to round up my degree classification.
2. I do have volunteering and work experience in law
3. I do have extracurricular activities.
Should I apply, or should I complete a training contract first and then apply?
I was also thinking about doing a LLM here in England first, and then doing a second one at Harvard, any ideas?
After I graduate I would like to enrol complete an LLM degree at Harvard, but I am not sure whether I should apply because I have no practising or teaching experience. I have seen some people get in to Harvard for the LLM straight after university, but I believe their grades were incredible.
1. My grades are not incredible, I have a 2:1 overall, but I am hoping to get a First in my last year to round up my degree classification.
2. I do have volunteering and work experience in law
3. I do have extracurricular activities.
Should I apply, or should I complete a training contract first and then apply?
I was also thinking about doing a LLM here in England first, and then doing a second one at Harvard, any ideas?
Posted Apr 05, 2018 21:15
0
A colleague of mine from UCL got into Harvard LLM right after graduating, but he had a first for all three years of the LLB and graduated on the dean's list.
Doing a TC first doesn't up your chances of getting into HLS LLM because it is a very academic and teaching focused program. However, I'd say give it a shot anyway with great recommendations, personal statement, and research proposal. I would also apply to several other top schools in the US and UK at the same time.
A colleague of mine from UCL got into Harvard LLM right after graduating, but he had a first for all three years of the LLB and graduated on the dean's list.
Doing a TC first doesn't up your chances of getting into HLS LLM because it is a very academic and teaching focused program. However, I'd say give it a shot anyway with great recommendations, personal statement, and research proposal. I would also apply to several other top schools in the US and UK at the same time.
Doing a TC first doesn't up your chances of getting into HLS LLM because it is a very academic and teaching focused program. However, I'd say give it a shot anyway with great recommendations, personal statement, and research proposal. I would also apply to several other top schools in the US and UK at the same time.
Posted Apr 05, 2018 21:27
0
A colleague of mine from UCL got into Harvard LLM right after graduating, but he had a first for all three years of the LLB and graduated on the dean's list.
Doing a TC first doesn't up your chances of getting into HLS LLM because it is a very academic and teaching focused program. However, I'd say give it a shot anyway with great recommendations, personal statement, and research proposal. I would also apply to several other top schools in the US and UK at the same time.
Thank you for the response.
Your reply has me worried! In my first year, my overall was 61%, the overall for my second year (first semester) was 61%, but I hope to do well in my modules this semester to bring up my average for year 2 to around 66%. I do have a couple of 2:2 module grades, but I have more 2:1's. As for my third year, I am hoping to put my head down to try get a high 2:1/first overall.
Secondly, Harvard is the only school which appeals to me as they offer need based financial aid, I do not have loads of money to look at other institutions (I have excluded Yale as they only take up to 25 people a year for the LLM despite their financial aid offers). I have started to look at loans, and have found Prodigy Finance, but they only cover 80% of attendance for other schools, (UCLA was another option I was considering).
As for the experience factor, I had the assumption that doing a training contract demonstrates legal experience etc and may negate my average grades.
[quote]A colleague of mine from UCL got into Harvard LLM right after graduating, but he had a first for all three years of the LLB and graduated on the dean's list.
Doing a TC first doesn't up your chances of getting into HLS LLM because it is a very academic and teaching focused program. However, I'd say give it a shot anyway with great recommendations, personal statement, and research proposal. I would also apply to several other top schools in the US and UK at the same time. [/quote]
Thank you for the response.
Your reply has me worried! In my first year, my overall was 61%, the overall for my second year (first semester) was 61%, but I hope to do well in my modules this semester to bring up my average for year 2 to around 66%. I do have a couple of 2:2 module grades, but I have more 2:1's. As for my third year, I am hoping to put my head down to try get a high 2:1/first overall.
Secondly, Harvard is the only school which appeals to me as they offer need based financial aid, I do not have loads of money to look at other institutions (I have excluded Yale as they only take up to 25 people a year for the LLM despite their financial aid offers). I have started to look at loans, and have found Prodigy Finance, but they only cover 80% of attendance for other schools, (UCLA was another option I was considering).
As for the experience factor, I had the assumption that doing a training contract demonstrates legal experience etc and may negate my average grades.
Doing a TC first doesn't up your chances of getting into HLS LLM because it is a very academic and teaching focused program. However, I'd say give it a shot anyway with great recommendations, personal statement, and research proposal. I would also apply to several other top schools in the US and UK at the same time. [/quote]
Thank you for the response.
Your reply has me worried! In my first year, my overall was 61%, the overall for my second year (first semester) was 61%, but I hope to do well in my modules this semester to bring up my average for year 2 to around 66%. I do have a couple of 2:2 module grades, but I have more 2:1's. As for my third year, I am hoping to put my head down to try get a high 2:1/first overall.
Secondly, Harvard is the only school which appeals to me as they offer need based financial aid, I do not have loads of money to look at other institutions (I have excluded Yale as they only take up to 25 people a year for the LLM despite their financial aid offers). I have started to look at loans, and have found Prodigy Finance, but they only cover 80% of attendance for other schools, (UCLA was another option I was considering).
As for the experience factor, I had the assumption that doing a training contract demonstrates legal experience etc and may negate my average grades.
Posted Apr 05, 2018 22:14
0
Secondly, Harvard is the only school which appeals to me as they offer need based financial aid, I do not have loads of money to look at other institutions (I have excluded Yale as they only take up to 25 people a year for the LLM despite their financial aid offers). I have started to look at loans, and have found Prodigy Finance, but they only cover 80% of attendance for other schools, (UCLA was another option I was considering).
What are you on about? Plenty of universities give out need-based scholarships on an ad hoc basis. Two friends of mine who went to do an LLM in the States (UChicago, Michigan) negotiated with their universities to get their tuition fee substantially discounted. The one who went to Chicago got more than 30% off.
Combine that with a fullbright scholarship and any other UK ones (I imagine a country as large as the UK offers many different kinds of scholarships to study in the US) and you're set. There are many more other options than Harvard.
[quote]
Secondly, Harvard is the only school which appeals to me as they offer need based financial aid, I do not have loads of money to look at other institutions (I have excluded Yale as they only take up to 25 people a year for the LLM despite their financial aid offers). I have started to look at loans, and have found Prodigy Finance, but they only cover 80% of attendance for other schools, (UCLA was another option I was considering).
[/quote]
What are you on about? Plenty of universities give out need-based scholarships on an ad hoc basis. Two friends of mine who went to do an LLM in the States (UChicago, Michigan) negotiated with their universities to get their tuition fee substantially discounted. The one who went to Chicago got more than 30% off.
Combine that with a fullbright scholarship and any other UK ones (I imagine a country as large as the UK offers many different kinds of scholarships to study in the US) and you're set. There are many more other options than Harvard.
Secondly, Harvard is the only school which appeals to me as they offer need based financial aid, I do not have loads of money to look at other institutions (I have excluded Yale as they only take up to 25 people a year for the LLM despite their financial aid offers). I have started to look at loans, and have found Prodigy Finance, but they only cover 80% of attendance for other schools, (UCLA was another option I was considering).
[/quote]
What are you on about? Plenty of universities give out need-based scholarships on an ad hoc basis. Two friends of mine who went to do an LLM in the States (UChicago, Michigan) negotiated with their universities to get their tuition fee substantially discounted. The one who went to Chicago got more than 30% off.
Combine that with a fullbright scholarship and any other UK ones (I imagine a country as large as the UK offers many different kinds of scholarships to study in the US) and you're set. There are many more other options than Harvard.
Posted Apr 05, 2018 22:51
0
Secondly, Harvard is the only school which appeals to me as they offer need based financial aid, I do not have loads of money to look at other institutions (I have excluded Yale as they only take up to 25 people a year for the LLM despite their financial aid offers). I have started to look at loans, and have found Prodigy Finance, but they only cover 80% of attendance for other schools, (UCLA was another option I was considering).
What are you on about? Plenty of universities give out need-based scholarships on an ad hoc basis. Two friends of mine who went to do an LLM in the States (UChicago, Michigan) negotiated with their universities to get their tuition fee substantially discounted. The one who went to Chicago got more than 30% off.
Combine that with a fullbright scholarship and any other UK ones (I imagine a country as large as the UK offers many different kinds of scholarships to study in the US) and you're set. There are many more other options than Harvard.
I have only come across two US legal institutions which provide FULL need based aid, and they are Harvard and Yale.
I believe I actually did contact Michigan last year, and they said they do provide need based aid but it is limited, the question then is, where does the rest of the money come from?
I am not too familiar with Fullbright, but I am familiar with prodigy finance and MPOWER finance, as they provide loans without the need of a co-signer etc.
Do you know much about the types of grades needed for Michigan or Chicago LLM?
[quote][quote]
Secondly, Harvard is the only school which appeals to me as they offer need based financial aid, I do not have loads of money to look at other institutions (I have excluded Yale as they only take up to 25 people a year for the LLM despite their financial aid offers). I have started to look at loans, and have found Prodigy Finance, but they only cover 80% of attendance for other schools, (UCLA was another option I was considering).
[/quote]
What are you on about? Plenty of universities give out need-based scholarships on an ad hoc basis. Two friends of mine who went to do an LLM in the States (UChicago, Michigan) negotiated with their universities to get their tuition fee substantially discounted. The one who went to Chicago got more than 30% off.
Combine that with a fullbright scholarship and any other UK ones (I imagine a country as large as the UK offers many different kinds of scholarships to study in the US) and you're set. There are many more other options than Harvard.
[/quote]
I have only come across two US legal institutions which provide FULL need based aid, and they are Harvard and Yale.
I believe I actually did contact Michigan last year, and they said they do provide need based aid but it is limited, the question then is, where does the rest of the money come from?
I am not too familiar with Fullbright, but I am familiar with prodigy finance and MPOWER finance, as they provide loans without the need of a co-signer etc.
Do you know much about the types of grades needed for Michigan or Chicago LLM?
Secondly, Harvard is the only school which appeals to me as they offer need based financial aid, I do not have loads of money to look at other institutions (I have excluded Yale as they only take up to 25 people a year for the LLM despite their financial aid offers). I have started to look at loans, and have found Prodigy Finance, but they only cover 80% of attendance for other schools, (UCLA was another option I was considering).
[/quote]
What are you on about? Plenty of universities give out need-based scholarships on an ad hoc basis. Two friends of mine who went to do an LLM in the States (UChicago, Michigan) negotiated with their universities to get their tuition fee substantially discounted. The one who went to Chicago got more than 30% off.
Combine that with a fullbright scholarship and any other UK ones (I imagine a country as large as the UK offers many different kinds of scholarships to study in the US) and you're set. There are many more other options than Harvard.
[/quote]
I have only come across two US legal institutions which provide FULL need based aid, and they are Harvard and Yale.
I believe I actually did contact Michigan last year, and they said they do provide need based aid but it is limited, the question then is, where does the rest of the money come from?
I am not too familiar with Fullbright, but I am familiar with prodigy finance and MPOWER finance, as they provide loans without the need of a co-signer etc.
Do you know much about the types of grades needed for Michigan or Chicago LLM?
Posted Apr 05, 2018 23:35
0
...
Doing a TC first doesn't up your chances of getting into HLS LLM because it is a very academic and teaching focused program. ...
I think this may be a bit of an exaggeration. While no doubt there is a minimum level of academic success required of you at the undergraduate level to qualify for HLS's LL.M. program, they don't seem to place as much emphasis on grades as would, say, the Oxford BCL programme. The general consensus seems to be that even with a 2:1 degree it is possible to successfully apply to the HLS LL.M. program, so long as you can sell them a good case for why you deserve it – HLS tends to see itself as looking for people who will go on to change the world, and so they value a good story more than good grades.
I would say if you can't get a spot at HLS right out of your undergraduate degree, go do your TC, or doing something interesting, and build up a bit of life experience which will help boost your application and make up for whatever less-than-stellar grades you think you might get from your LL.B.
In fact you can see from the HLS website (https://hls.harvard.edu/dept/graduate-program/llm-profiles/) that of the 2017/2018 class, "76% have 2 or more years of practice or teaching/advanced studies experience".
[quote]...
Doing a TC first doesn't up your chances of getting into HLS LLM because it is a very academic and teaching focused program. ... [/quote]
I think this may be a bit of an exaggeration. While no doubt there is a minimum level of academic success required of you at the undergraduate level to qualify for HLS's LL.M. program, they don't seem to place as much emphasis on grades as would, say, the Oxford BCL programme. The general consensus seems to be that even with a 2:1 degree it is possible to successfully apply to the HLS LL.M. program, so long as you can sell them a good case for why you deserve it – HLS tends to see itself as looking for people who will go on to change the world, and so they value a good story more than good grades.
I would say if you can't get a spot at HLS right out of your undergraduate degree, go do your TC, or doing something interesting, and build up a bit of life experience which will help boost your application and make up for whatever less-than-stellar grades you think you might get from your LL.B.
In fact you can see from the HLS website (https://hls.harvard.edu/dept/graduate-program/llm-profiles/) that of the 2017/2018 class, "76% have 2 or more years of practice or teaching/advanced studies experience".
Doing a TC first doesn't up your chances of getting into HLS LLM because it is a very academic and teaching focused program. ... [/quote]
I think this may be a bit of an exaggeration. While no doubt there is a minimum level of academic success required of you at the undergraduate level to qualify for HLS's LL.M. program, they don't seem to place as much emphasis on grades as would, say, the Oxford BCL programme. The general consensus seems to be that even with a 2:1 degree it is possible to successfully apply to the HLS LL.M. program, so long as you can sell them a good case for why you deserve it – HLS tends to see itself as looking for people who will go on to change the world, and so they value a good story more than good grades.
I would say if you can't get a spot at HLS right out of your undergraduate degree, go do your TC, or doing something interesting, and build up a bit of life experience which will help boost your application and make up for whatever less-than-stellar grades you think you might get from your LL.B.
In fact you can see from the HLS website (https://hls.harvard.edu/dept/graduate-program/llm-profiles/) that of the 2017/2018 class, "76% have 2 or more years of practice or teaching/advanced studies experience".
Posted Apr 06, 2018 10:15
0
I have only come across two US legal institutions which provide FULL need based aid, and they are Harvard and Yale.
Well I didn't know you meant full aid, in which case I would say you should do a thorough search for external scholarships, because you are severely limiting your options by just looking at Harvard and Yale. Those two institutions are so selective that you don't even know if you'd get in, even if you had a first throughout your entire university career, so it's probably not good pinning down all your hope on just those two. Now as I said, i'm not from the UK, so I don't know which kinds of scholarships are on offer for UK students, so you will have to look into that yourself.
But if you're not from a top-tier UK university, and you only have a 2:1, I don't think I'm crushing your dreams by saying that you should probably look for a less-than-top-tier-but-still-very-good US law school, such as e.g. Michigan, Oklahoma etc.
[quote]
I have only come across two US legal institutions which provide FULL need based aid, and they are Harvard and Yale.
[/quote]
Well I didn't know you meant full aid, in which case I would say you should do a thorough search for external scholarships, because you are severely limiting your options by just looking at Harvard and Yale. Those two institutions are so selective that you don't even know if you'd get in, even if you had a first throughout your entire university career, so it's probably not good pinning down all your hope on just those two. Now as I said, i'm not from the UK, so I don't know which kinds of scholarships are on offer for UK students, so you will have to look into that yourself.
But if you're not from a top-tier UK university, and you only have a 2:1, I don't think I'm crushing your dreams by saying that you should probably look for a less-than-top-tier-but-still-very-good US law school, such as e.g. Michigan, Oklahoma etc.
I have only come across two US legal institutions which provide FULL need based aid, and they are Harvard and Yale.
[/quote]
Well I didn't know you meant full aid, in which case I would say you should do a thorough search for external scholarships, because you are severely limiting your options by just looking at Harvard and Yale. Those two institutions are so selective that you don't even know if you'd get in, even if you had a first throughout your entire university career, so it's probably not good pinning down all your hope on just those two. Now as I said, i'm not from the UK, so I don't know which kinds of scholarships are on offer for UK students, so you will have to look into that yourself.
But if you're not from a top-tier UK university, and you only have a 2:1, I don't think I'm crushing your dreams by saying that you should probably look for a less-than-top-tier-but-still-very-good US law school, such as e.g. Michigan, Oklahoma etc.
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