Question 1

What are you most proud of from your time in college?

Accepted Answer

Harvard's own example of an opener. It shows what you value, and the interviewer builds follow-ups from your answer. Pick one thing (academic, leadership or personal, which Harvard says are all fine) and explain what you did and why it mattered to you. Choose something with depth, because Harvard says follow-ups usually come from this answer.

Question 2

Tell me about yourself.

Accepted Answer

A warm-up that lets you set the frame. Applicants report Harvard may ask a pointed version tied to something in your file. Give a short arc: where you started, one or two experiences that shaped you, and how they lead to law school. The interviewer has read your file, so add the thread that connects it rather than repeating it.

Question 3

How have you changed as a student, and how do you expect to change in law school?

Accepted Answer

Tests self-awareness and growth. Applicants report (2024) that applicants coming straight from college got many questions about their academic development. Name a concrete before and after: a habit, a way of thinking, or a kind of work you used to avoid, and what changed it. Then say one specific way you expect law school to push you further.

Question 4

Why do you want to go to law school?

Accepted Answer

The core motive question. The interviewer wants a reason rooted in what you've actually done. Anchor it in one specific experience from your file, say what it showed you about what lawyers do, and connect it to the work you want. Keep it to a couple of minutes and consistent with your essays.

Question 5

Why law school now?

Accepted Answer

Checks that the timing is a decision, not a default. Applicants say this matters most if you are coming straight from college. Explain what you have learned that makes you ready now, whether from work or from your studies. If you are a college senior, say why waiting would not add much for you.

Question 6

Why do you want to attend Harvard Law School?

Accepted Answer

Harvard says this is your chance to talk about the student groups, professors or clinics that excite you. Dean Jobson says they look for genuine enthusiasm and research. Name two or three specific things and tie each to your goals, for example a clinic, a Program of Study such as Law and Social Change, or the 1L reading groups. Explain what you would actually do there.

Question 7

What are the downsides of attending Harvard for you?

Accepted Answer

Harvard lists this among its favorite questions. It tests whether you have thought honestly about the school, not just its reputation. Give one or two real trade-offs that apply to you (for example the large school size or a move to Cambridge) and say how you would handle them. Applicants advise preparing pros and cons specifically, not a generic why Harvard.

Question 8

If you were admitted, how would you decide whether HLS is the right school for you?

Accepted Answer

A Harvard favorite. It shows what you value in a law school and how you make decisions. Name the factors that matter to you and how you would check them, such as talking to students or visiting. Link the factors to your goals.

Question 9

Is Harvard your first choice?

Accepted Answer

Applicants report (2026) being asked this, in different wording, to gauge commitment. Answer honestly and then explain specifically what draws you to Harvard. Keep it short and confident.

Question 10

What are your immediate and long-term career goals?

Accepted Answer

Tests whether your plan is thought through and fits your file. Name a likely first job or type of work, the problem you want to work on, and a longer direction. Show how Harvard helps you get there.

Question 11

What have you learned about what you do and don't want in your legal career?

Accepted Answer

Harvard says this question is about self-knowledge, not having a fixed plan for your degree. Use a concrete experience that showed you something you want and something you don't. It's fine to say your plans are open, as long as you show what you have learned.

Question 12

Tell me more about your work at [an experience on your resume].

Accepted Answer

Harvard's questions come from your file. The interviewer wants to see what you did, what you learned, and how you talk about colleagues. Say what your role was, one specific thing you did, and what it taught you. If you are working now, applicants advise explaining how your job relates to law.

Question 13

What surprised you during your recent studies or work?

Accepted Answer

Harvard says reflecting on moments that complicated your goals shows adaptability and thoughtfulness. Pick a real surprise, ideally one that changed how you saw your goals, and say what you did differently afterward.

Question 14

What have you been doing since graduation, and what will you do before law school starts?

Accepted Answer

Checks how you use your time. Applicants applying through the Junior Deferral Program report being asked about their deferral plans. Describe your current work and one concrete plan for the coming months. Tie both to what you want to bring to law school.

Question 15

What are you excited about for law school, and what are you apprehensive about?

Accepted Answer

Tests honesty and self-awareness about the step you are taking. Name a specific thing you look forward to, such as a class, clinic or kind of work, and one genuine worry with how you plan to handle it.

Question 16

Tell me about a time you handled a disagreement or a difficult conversation.

Accepted Answer

Harvard says this shows how you engage across difference and react to challenging ideas. Choose a specific case, explain both views fairly, describe how you listened and what you did, and say how it ended. Dean Jobson stresses humility and respectful nuance.

Question 17

Tell me about a time you changed your mind.

Accepted Answer

A named Harvard favorite. It tests whether you take other views seriously and can update. Pick a belief you genuinely held, explain what new information or argument moved you, and what you do differently now.

Question 18

Tell me about a time you were frustrated with a co-worker. How did you handle it?

Accepted Answer

Dean Jobson gives this as an example of Harvard's conflict question. It tests professionalism under friction. Describe the situation neutrally, own your part, and explain the steps you took to resolve it. Dean Jobson notes the interviewer hears only your side, so choose words carefully.

Question 19

Tell me about a time you faced a challenge in a group project in an academic setting.

Accepted Answer

Dean Jobson names this as a behavioral question interviewers often ask. It shows how you work with peers. Give the problem, your specific action, and the result. Show you cared about the group, not just your grade.

Question 20

What would you say are your main strengths and weaknesses?

Accepted Answer

Harvard says prepared questions can cover your own evaluation of strengths and weaknesses. Name a strength with a short example, then a real weakness and what you are doing about it. Keep both specific.

Question 21

Tell me about a humbling experience.

Accepted Answer

Applicants report (2024) this question. It tests humility and how you respond to setbacks. Pick a real moment where you fell short or were corrected, what you learned, and how you act differently now.

Question 22

What will you be like in the classroom and community at HLS?

Accepted Answer

Harvard wants to know how you engage with faculty and peers, academically and socially. Describe your actual style (for example, a careful listener who speaks when they have something to add) with an example from school or work. Mention a part of community life you would join.

Question 23

What brings you joy?

Accepted Answer

Harvard says it uses this because it is broader than asking what you do for fun, and the team cares about you as a person. Answer honestly and specifically, with a detail that shows why it matters to you. It does not need to connect to law.

Question 24

How will you handle the move to Cambridge?

Accepted Answer

Applicants report questions tailored to geography, such as why they want to relocate and how they fit on the East Coast. Be concrete about why the move makes sense for you and what support or habits will help you settle in.

Question 25

Is there a question you wish I had asked you?

Accepted Answer

Applicants report (2026) this prompt near the end, giving you room to add something. Applicants suggest using it for a hobby or personal side not covered in your application. Keep it brief.

Question 26

What is your one most important question about Harvard Law School?

Accepted Answer

Every interview ends this way. Dean Jobson says it shows genuine interest. Ask a descriptive question about student life, such as what students do at lunch, which Dean Jobson says she loves. Have a backup ready.

Questions HLS applicants report

Opening

Why law and why Harvard

Your work, studies and plans

Character and judgment

Fit: classroom, community and you as a person

Closing