Harvard university

Harvard Law School Admission and Financial Aids for Students

This is a comprehensive review of Harvard Law School Admission and Financial Aids for International Students. Harvard Law School collectively encapsulates distinct excellence and diversity on a scale that cannot be comprehended nor can it be matched anywhere. No School has shaped legal education like Harvard. 

Harvard is a place where intellectual and bright students come to upgrade their status quo and improve globally. The pursuit of excellence is a norm for a school with a good reputation like Harvard University Law School.

Although their acceptance rate is low they still admit students all you need to find out is what it takes to be admitted, their GPA Criteria, and other admission requirements.

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About Harvard Law School

Harvard Law School (known as HLS) is the Law faculty of Harvard University in Cambridge Massachusetts. The school founded in 1817, is the oldest law school that is consistently operating in the United States and the most sophisticated in the world found to date.

The founding of this prestigious law school is traced to the establishment of a “law department” at Harvard in 1817.

The Law schools in the United States before Harvard were William and Mary Law School founded in 1779, but closed as a result of the American Civil War and re-opened in 1920.

The University of Maryland School of law was the second law school in the united states founded in 1816, but did not commence lectures until 1824 and was also closed during the civil war.

But Harvard Law School has not closed since the opening and it has been continuously and zealously operating tell me who wouldn’t like to be in a place like Harvard?

The schools’ origin is traditionally aligned to the funding of Harvard’s professorship in law which was funded by a bequest from the estate of the legendary wealthy slave-owner Isaac Royal Jr, who died in 1817 in Nova Scotia during the American revolution of 1781 and left about 1,000 acres of land in Massachusetts to Harvard. 

Harvard Law School is a world-class school with a distinction in delivery and excellence in mind.

The school has the largest academic law library in the world and it has established a standard in the United States that is incomparable including contract clauses, civil procedures, criminal law, property, and damages.

The popular Christopher Columbus Langdale developed a method of teaching case law in Harvard Law School which became a model for law schools in the United States.  

Why Harvard Law School?

HLS combines the remarkable scope of the world-class research centres with the collegiality of the first-year section experience and hundreds of small seminars, independent writing, and brilliant research opportunities with a great alumni network.

The Student body is a great source of strength because of the diversified ethnicity in the school drawn from students around the world who come there to obtain law certification.

Students at Harvard have the flexibility to pursue a broad curriculum and also a specialized program in one area of law, like intellectual property, business law, human rights. 

Harvard Law School is highly ranked with a perfect overall assessment score of 100%. It is ranked top one by the Academic ranking of world universities.

Harvard’s prestige has enabled it to graduate distinguished alumni who are World figures and innovators in the business world contemporarily. Harvard university furthermore, is committed to supporting its international students with beneficial aids.

It’ll interest you to know that Rutherford B Hayes, the 19th president of the United State graduated from HLS, also Barrack Obama the 44th president of the United States, and his wife both graduated from HLS and other Past presidential candidates also graduated from Harvard Law School.

Other prominent figures include Ma Ying-jeou the former president of the Republic of China (Taiwan), Sundaresh Menon, former president of the World Bank, and many more world-recognized public figures.

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HLS Admission Requirements

Like every other institution, you have to meet a certain requirement before you’re been enrolled in your school choice of study so also, HLS requirements must be fulfilled before gaining merit admission into the school to study law.

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Below are the requirements expected from applicants:

  • Take the LSAT Test (law school admission test) or the graduate exam record
  • Every test results from the past 5 years
  • Pay all appropriate fees and register for LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS)
  • Submit all undergraduate and graduate transcripts to LSAC
  • Submit two letters of recommendation to LSAC
  • Pay the $85 application fee
  • Submit your Harvard law school application, personal statement, and resume electronically
  • Check the status of your Harvard law school application online
  • All applicants to enroll in the J.D. program

Acceptance Rate

Harvard law school offers admission to a small percentage of applicants Therefore, to gain enrollment has plenty of acceptance criteria that you should know;

  • No student will be admitted without a proper interview by the school administration, however, not all students go through this process, if you’re eligible for the interview they’ll send you an email with detailed information about the interview. 
  • Lastly, the school’s acceptance rate is relatively low at about 15.6%
  • GPA required: 3.75
  • LSAT required: 170
  • All students are expected to enroll in the J.D

What is J.D?

You must be thinking what exactly J.D is?

Juris Doctor known as (J.D)or Doctor of Jurisprudence degree is a graduate-entry professional degree in law.

It is a three-year program that gives Harvard students the intellectual foundations for legal study and also allows them to focus their studies on the specialized area of study they aspire for through advanced classes, clinics, and writing of projects.

The JD is earned by completing Law school

Does Harvard Law School Offer Financial Aid?

Harvard Law School has a financial aid program that satisfies your financial needs during law school and after graduation.

The financial aid program for HLS has two central goals:

  • To help create a legal education accessible to every student in the J.D program through need-based aid.
  • Also, to preserve the widest range of career options and platforms for graduates through the Low Income Protection Plan (LIPP)

Additionally, the school does not offer merit scholarships, but instead focuses on the one they feel is needful which the financial aid services are.

The financial aid officers decide each students’ financial need through careful evaluation and they all commit to helping every student create a workable education financing plan.

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Frequently asked questions

How many courses does Harvard Law School offer?

The school curriculum features more than 400 courses and seminars every year.

What are the eligibility requirements for applying to the Harvard Law School J.D. program?

You’re eligible to apply for HLS if you have a bachelor’s degree by August of the year you intend to enroll at Harvard Law School and you must open an account with the Law School Admission Council (LSAC).

The J.D. degree requires three years of full-time study, and new students begin their studies only in the fall semester of each year.

Does HLS Offer any part-time or summer programs?

HLS does not have any part-time or summer programs, the only exception are practicing lawyers who are allowed part-time studies for continuous legal education, 

How many faculty members are there at HLS?

Each year, the faculty includes more than 100 full-time professors and clinical professor. It also includes a rotation of more than 40 visiting professors of practice, and professors’ emeriti. 

Conclusion

Harvard Law School is a dream for most law students/applicants. Although their acceptance rate is low it doesn’t stop you from applying who knows this might be your lucky shot.

Harvard doesn’t accept students base on region or color they accept students from around the world who meet up with their criteria and fulfill their requirements, so if you want to be outstanding amidst other lawyers then you should think it through and try Harvard University Law School.

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Reference :

hls.harvard.edu

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