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Harvard query

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mushroom77

Joined: 20 Mar 2008
Posts: 9
Harvard query
Sat Jun 21, 2008 07:02 AM
I had sent an email to Harvard regarding a query and its been three weeks since they have responded. Does it normally take this long??!!

I wanted to know whether the Personal Statement which has a word limit of 1500 includes footnotes also. The first part of this statement requires us to write about some legal problem and this is where i was wondering that if footnotes are required whether the same would be counted for the purpose of the word limit of 1500.

Any light with regard to the above will be of immense help!
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ekchi

Joined: 20 Jun 2008
Posts: 4
Harvard query
Sat Jun 21, 2008 08:07 AM
I believe that the 1500-word limit includes the entire text plus the footnotes, if the applicant is inclined to use footnotes.

However, I have not encountered any personal statement which makes references or citations. I kept my personal statement simple to read (made a simple restatement of the problem) and just expanded the discussion of the various issues at play in resolving the problem. To put in footnotes might clutter or unduly complicate the problem for the reader. You must remember that the admissions committee is (probably) not from your country. Hence, any discussion of the problem, surrounding issues and solution should be easily understandable and, to the extent possible, easy to relate.

Just out of curiosity, where do you come from mushroom77? Thanks.
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mushroom77

Joined: 20 Mar 2008
Posts: 9
Harvard query
Sat Jun 21, 2008 09:02 AM
Ekchi, thanks a lot for the useful information.

The answer to your question is India.

One question for you if you would want to answer the same: Are you from Harvard?
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ekchi

Joined: 20 Jun 2008
Posts: 4
Harvard query
Sat Jun 21, 2008 08:03 PM
Yes. Chose Harvard over Yale.
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mushroom77

Joined: 20 Mar 2008
Posts: 9
Harvard query
Sun Jun 22, 2008 08:13 AM
Am a complete sucker for meritocracy. Bow to you.

I would really like your feed back on this essay on the legal problem which Harvard wants. I was thinking about wrtitng on some legal problem in India BUT I dont know what exactly to write about and how to go about the same. Any pointers which you can give will be very useful.

Really appreciate your help.

Thanks.
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ekchi

Joined: 20 Jun 2008
Posts: 4
Harvard query
Sun Jun 22, 2008 10:57 AM
Try to write something easily understandable by foreigners. Most of the time, local problems are similar or related to greater international problems. For example, world commodity prices, while international in scope, may have distinct local manifestations. It would help to write on these, as the reader can easily relate to the problem, and see the local effect of the international problem. I suggest you take this route.

As for the analyses, try to use legal and policy frameworks. It would make the reader understand the problem and your proposed solutions more easily. However, do try to suggest applications which are not conventional or age-old. Innovative solutions will make your personal statement stand out.
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mushroom77

Joined: 20 Mar 2008
Posts: 9
Harvard query
Sun Jun 22, 2008 02:24 PM
Thank you very much. I get the drift of what you are saying. It will be very useful in thinking out what to write.

Thanks again. Its really appreciated.
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Daverod

Joined: 20 Nov 2007
Posts: 21
Harvard query
Wed Jun 25, 2008 02:34 PM
Hello guys!

I seriously recommend not using footnotes on your essays. The word limit is too short to be wasting them on citations or sources. Remember that you have 1500 words to write both the PS and the essay.
As regards to the topic of the essay I would recommend a non cliché one. Write about something that most people don't know about and that is much related to the area of law that you like (it doesn't even have to be interesting!!!). In my case I wrote about a particular legal issue affecting my country and I got admitted. I think that the whole purpose of the essay is to assess your legal writing skills whereas the PS is aimed at evaluating your creativity and the reasons why you intent to do an LLM.
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mushroom77

Joined: 20 Mar 2008
Posts: 9
Harvard query
Fri Jun 27, 2008 05:48 PM
Hi Daverod. Thanks for the advice. May I ask which country you are from? I am from India an i was wonderung that if the legal problem is too local would it not perhaps become obscure to persons who are not exactly familiar with it?

Another question that i have is: some of the issues i have thought about writing seem to translate into a social or political or policy problem rather than strictly remaining a legal one. Is that fine or does Harvard want the legal problem to be a problem of the law?

Thank You!!
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Chiarella

Joined: 21 May 2008
Posts: 2
Harvard query
Fri Jun 27, 2008 09:27 PM
Hello everyone,

Daverod, regarding the second part of the essay, should I write a personal statement and be creative or the idea is to write a statement of purpose an be more serious (explaining just why I want to study an LL.M at Harvard and how my experience will help to it)?

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Daverod

Joined: 20 Nov 2007
Posts: 21
Harvard query
Tue Jul 01, 2008 05:07 PM
Hello Chiarella!

In the second part of the essay I would recommend you to be as creative as you can, but that doesn't mean you don't have to address the issue of why are you pursuing an LLM and why do you want to study in HLS. In my personal statement I described how my life has always been about challenges, how my relationship with corporate law initiated and developed and why an LLM in HLS would help me overcome challenges of the future.

One important thig: Try not to sound cocky in your statement!

Hope this helps a bit.
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Daverod

Joined: 20 Nov 2007
Posts: 21
Harvard query
Tue Jul 01, 2008 05:19 PM
Hello everyone,

Daverod, regarding the second part of the essay, should I write a personal statement and be creative or the idea is to write a statement of purpose an be more serious (explaining just why I want to study an LL.M at Harvard and how my experience will help to it)?




Hi mushroom77!
I’m from Venezuela! Let me tell you that the topic I chose for the essay was very local and was rather boring… I wrote about bond swapping and the Venezuelan exchange control regime!! The reason I chose this topic was simple: I already knew some things about the subject and it was related to what I like and do everyday as a lawyer.
Like I said in my previous post, I believe that the essay is aimed at evaluating your legal writing skills. I don´t think you have to impress the admissions guys with your creativity. My advice: Be grammatically perfect and be very organized with the way you express your thoughts. Don’t worry too much about topics.
Regarding your second query, I think that there is no problem if the topic isn’t 100% legal. What I do think is important is that there should be some kind of legal issue involved at some point.
Save your creativity stamina for the personal statement!
Hope you find this info helpful.
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