Overview

Applicants
7,578
Acceptance Rate
13%
Median Undergrad GPA
3.90
Accepted Applicants Who Attend
484

Test Scores

LSAT
25th-75th percentile
(enrolled students)
170 - 175

Deadlines

Application Deadlines
February 3

Application Process

Rolling Admissions
Yes

Application Fee
$85

CAS Service Used
Yes

Applicants accepted in terms other than fall
No

Transfer Applicants Accepted
Yes

Deferred Admission
Yes

Other Admission Factors


Selectivity Rating

Faculty Information

Student/Faculty
7:1
Total Faculty
350

35
Female
15
Underrepresented Minorities


Students Say

Simply put, Harvard Law School is “legal education nirvana.” The school’s “academic rigor,” “employment prospects” and “worldwide reputation” are virtually unmatched. Students here really value that they “have a lot of freedom to choose the types of courses and professors they want to take.” And many are also quite impressed with “the breadth of classes and clinics” available.

Unsurprisingly, Harvard Law professors tend to be “thought leaders in their field, and often in the wider political and intellectual discourse of the day.” As one third-year explains, “It is trippy to read your professors’ articles in the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal, but it happens quite frequently here.” Thankfully, despite their success, the faculty is “nonetheless accessible and happy to use their (amazing) connections to help students out.” They obviously “care deeply about their students, and make a great deal of time to talk to them, even 1Ls.” And, as this grateful student highlights, they are “quick to respond to questions and emails!”

Harvard Law students are equally appreciative of the school’s administration. The staff is “supportive of students and tries to get feedback at every opportunity so that they can make a better law school experience for [everyone].” As this student gushes, “The Dean of Students Office is phenomenal. Whether you need help running your student group and navigating bureaucracy, have to take a medical leave, or just otherwise need support in law school (whether academic or personal), DOS has you covered.” All in all, the “school is run like clockwork.”

Additionally, Harvard’s “research facilities and resources are world-class. Not only do we have the largest law library in the world, but we are able to draw from the rest of the University's research resources.” And beyond the “great” research librarians, there’s “specialized staff who can help with empirical research and quantitative analyses, as well as programmers who work with students and professors on innovative projects such as perma.cc, H2O, and the Caselaw Access Project.”

Finally, HLS students happily declare that “opportunities post-graduation are unparalleled.” Indeed, “big law, clerkships, and public interest positions are all on offer and the real determining factor is what you want to do.” Moreover, students boast that “the alumni network and career services are insatiable when it comes to setting graduates up for success.”

Career overview

Pass Rate for First-Time Bar Exam
97%
Median Starting Salary
$190,000
% of graduates who are employed within ten months of graduation
96%
% of job accepting graduates providing useable salary information
100%

Career Services

On campus summer employment recruitment for first year JD students
Yes

On campus summer employment recruitment for second year JD students
Yes

# of Employers that Recruit on Campus Each Year
400

Employers who most frequently hire graduates
Major national law firms, federal & state government agencies, investment banks, consulting firms, non-profits.

Graduates Employed by Area

61%
Private Practice
18%
Judicial Clerkships
9%
Public Interes
4%
Business/Industry
4%
Government
1%
Academic

Graduates Employed by Region

39%
Mid-Atlantic
19%
South
15%
Pacific
11%
New England
5%
MidWest
5%
South West
4%
International
2%
Mountain

Dates


Financial Aid Statistics

Average Annual Total Aid Package Awarded
$74,418

% Students Receiving Some Aid
71%

Expenses per Academic Year

Tuition
$65,875
Estimated On-Campus Room and Board
$25,419
Estimated Off-Campus Room and Board
$25,419
Estimated Cost for Books / Academic Expense
$6,700
Fees
$1,206

Student Body Profile

Total Enrollment
1,737
Parent Institution Enrollement
36,012

Number of Foreign Countries Represented
70

% International
15%

Demographics

29.00%
% Under-represented Minorities

100% are full time
0% are part time
50% female
50% male

Campus Life

Students Say

Rest assured that, “despite the ‘Paper Chase’ stereotype, today’s HLS is quite collegial.” Sure, you’re bound to stumble upon some “‘gunners’ who...wait in line to kiss up to professors, or who...rais[e] their hand in class [non-stop] to provide their unsolicited opinions.” Fortunately, the vast majority of students are “the right balance of smart, driven, and easy to get along with.” One thankful individual elaborates, “In my experience, when I’d miss class, no one was hesitant to share notes – in fact, oftentimes people proactively reached out to me to see if I needed [anything].” A classmate attributes this to the fact that “everyone at Harvard who wants a high-paying firm job can get one.” This “does wonders for making the law school experience relatively stress-free and the student body incredibly cooperative…[people] are much more likely to be cheerleaders than rivals.” Additionally, given “the wide variety of student groups, most [everyone] find[s] ‘their people’.” And many champion “the section system [which provides] students [with] a built-in social circle from day one.” Finally, most everyone loves going to school in Cambridge since it’s “both a metropolis but not as bustling as a place like New York – so you can get away from campus, but you’re not overwhelmed with distractions.”

More Information

% of Classrooms with Internet Access
100%

Admissions Office Contact

Contact
Kristi Jobson
Assistant Dean for Admissions and Chief Admissions Officer

Address
1563 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138

Phone
6174950658

Email
jdadmiss@law.harvard.edu


Articles & Advice