Statment of Purpose(Essay)やTOEFL,推薦状といった必要な出願書類の有無は確認するものの、意外にもFrequently Asked Question(FAQ)の内容を確認し忘れ、こちらからリマインドした後に(その存在を)気付かれるケースもあります。FAQはその名の通り、受験生がふと思った疑問等を解決してくれる情報が含まれておりますので、出願予定校のサイトを確認しましょう。
http://law.harvard.edu/prospective/gradprogram/ll/faq.html#11.WillyouacceptIELTSscoresinplaceoftheTOEFL
◆TOEFL:
A. Yes, your application will still be reviewed. However, you will be at a significant disadvantage compared to the other applicants whose TOEFL scores do meet Harvard Law School’s required minimum.
Q.What happens if my TOEFL score is not available by the deadline?
A. You may submit your application without your TOEFL score, but you must state in your application when you took the exam (or when you will be taking it) so that we know when to expect your TOEFL score report. Note that you may be at a disadvantage compared to other applicants who have had their TOEFL reports sent to us on time.
Q.Can I send Harvard my most recent TOEFL score even after the deadline?
A.Yes, we will accept new TOEFL scores throughout the admissions process. You may retake the TOEFL and arrange for ETS to have your new score report sent to us as soon as it is available.
→→TOEFLスコアの追送に関する質問ですが、締め切り日後のスコア提出につきましては、各校の対応スタンスを調べておきましょう。
◆LSAC :
Q.Am I required to use the LL.M. Credential Assembly Service provided by LSAC?
A.No, the LL.M. Credential Assembly Service is recommended but is not required. If you use this service, you do not need to submit your transcripts, Transcript Request Form, or TOEFL scores to the Harvard Law School Graduate Program. You are still required to submit the rest of the online application to us by the application deadline.
→LLM. Credential Assemly Service (CAS)を使用する必要はありません。学校によっては、使用を義務付けているところもありますので注意してください。
Please note that we do not accept letters of recommendation submitted through LSAC.
→LSAC経由にて同校へ推薦状を提出することはできませんので、その提出方法につきましては、同校のOn-line application form上の注意事項等を把握してください。
We strongly recommend that you have your transcripts and TOEFL score to LSAC no later than the beginning of October to ensure we receive your LSAC report by the December 1 deadline.
→LSACを利用する際の注意事項が述べられています。LSACレポートに含まれるTranscript(s)の評価や、TOEFL Scoreなど必要書類を早めに準備する必要性に言及しています。皆さんもご存じの通り、11月から12月にかけては、US LL.M. Programの締め切りが毎年集中する傾向にありますので、LSACレポートに発行にも時間がかかることが予想されます。こうした内容を読み込んでいきますと、TOEFL Scoreの受験時期もおのずと決まってきますね。
◆エッセイ:
Q.What are the personal statement questions?
A.
a. Briefly describe either an important issue in your field of interest or a current legal problem facing a particular country, region, or the world, and then propose a theoretical framework or a legal analysis or strategy to address this issue.
b. Please tell us something about yourself—in particular, why you wish to pursue an LL.M. degree at Harvard and how doing so connects with what you have done in the past and what you plan to do in the future.
Q.How long should the personal statement be? Do footnotes count towards the word limit?
A. Your statement must be no more than 1,500 words – anything exceeding this limit will be disallowed. Part (A), the legal essay, should constitute at least half of the total length. Footnotes do not count towards the overall word limit as long as they are limited to providing sources and citations.
◆推薦状:
Q.Who should write my recommendation letters?
A. Recommendations that are the most helpful are written by law school faculty members who know you well or by persons for whom you have worked in a professional capacity. The content of each recommendation is much more important than submitting a large number of recommendations. Recommendations from personal or family friends, no matter how eminent, are generally not helpful.
→クオリティーの高い推薦状へと仕上げるためには、その具体例を使用したコンテンツが最も適切な方法です。よって、出願者自身と然程面識がなく、共有するエピソードもないが、高名な著名なという理由に異存する形で推薦者を選出することだけは回避しましょう。
Q.Should recommendations be submitted online or on paper?
A.Recommendations may be submitted either online or on paper. You should consult with each recommender to determine which submission process he or she prefers. You do not have to use the same process for all recommendations, but please do not have the same recommender submit both an online and a paper recommendation.
Please note that we do not accept letters of recommendation submitted through LSAC
→そして、「On-lineもしくはPaperでの提出に関して有利不利差は生じますか?」というご質問を受けますが、そのような差は生じません。