The JDP at Harvard Law is an opportunity provided to college juniors who are seeking to secure admission to Harvard Law, but who are not quite ready to matriculate. As stated on the JDP website:

“Through JDP, undergraduate students in junior standing (or the international equivalent) can apply to HLS as long as they are scheduled to complete all required coursework and graduate the following year. If admitted, they must commit to defer their admission offer for at least two years once they’ve completed their undergraduate degree. Students can then use this deferral period to explore their interests and gain hands-on work experience before returning to the law school classroom.”

The Junior Deferral Program is suitable for any academically-distinguished junior who is absolutely certain that their future lies in the legal profession, but who also thinks that they would benefit from two years of professional development prior to matriculation. This time can be used to carry out a variety of pursuits, including humanitarian work such as Teach for America or the Peace Corps, paralegal work, entrepreneurship, artistic pursuits, among many other options.

What is Required to Apply Through Harvard’s Junior Deferral Program?

All college juniors are eligible to apply for the Junior Deferral Program, and the application consists of all of the same components as a regular HLS application. This includes a requirement for a GRE or LSAT score. Either are accepted — Harvard has led the charge of phasing out the ubiquity of the LSAT among elite law schools. That said, top law schools — even though they’ll never say as much — still prefer the LSAT. Applications for the 2024 JDP opened on May 1st and will close on July 1st. Decisions will be released in late July.

Beginning a law school application while still being an undergraduate is no small feat. It’s absolutely essential that those considering this program have a stellar academic track record and strong letters of recommendation that have been requested far in advance. What’s more, applicants must provide a detailed plan of how they will use their two year deferral window. It’s not often that an undergraduate can meet these requirements and convince admissions officers to invest in them for a window that will stretch five years into the future. 

How Ivy Coach Helps Undergraduates Get Into Harvard Law Through the Junior Deferral Program

Does meeting this standard sound daunting? Fear not — Ivy Coach has you covered!

Our experts at Ivy Coach are no stranger to helping driven students get into law school straight out of their bachelor’s. However, we encourage students to take at least a year in between graduating from college and matriculating to law school. The best lawyers have had time to immerse themselves in the real world, so to speak, and truly develop their passions. That’s why we love the Harvard Law Junior Deferral Program,  and work closely with our interested clients to help them gain admission to it. The program combines the best of both worlds — the security of admission to an elite law school and the time to grow as a professional and adult.

If you’re interested in optimizing your case for admission to Harvard’s Junior Deferral Program, fill out our complimentary consultation form, and we’ll be in touch.