<p>Elite colleges' welcome brings unexpected boon</p>
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When Marc Mandel applied to law schools three years ago, he didn't consider Harvard. The Pittsfield native figured it was beyond his reach.</p>
<p>But with the upheaval of Hurricane Katrina, his thinking changed: The Tulane University School of Law student, in a striking academic trade-up, has gained admittance to Harvard Law School this semester as part of the school's relief efforts.</p>
<p>''I know they weren't being selective," Mandel said of Harvard's decision to accept 25 displaced students on a largely first-come-first-served basis. ''They were opening its doors to everyone. But you can't go wrong with Harvard Law on a page of your transcript."</p>
<p>Among the unexpected outcomes of Hurricane Katrina is the boon to the academic fortunes of hundreds of students from Gulf Coast schools. Suddenly, the country's most prestigious schools are welcoming a swath of displaced students -- some of whom might otherwise never have gained entrance to the institutions. [...]</p>
<p>Choosing which students to take has made for a distinct departure from protocol for the colleges. Some, like Harvard Law School, where several classes started Tuesday, have made offers in some instances without reviewing transcripts.</p>
<p>''Students needed to know very quickly," said Elena Kagan, the Harvard Law School dean. ''We didn't want a whole lot of students coming in late for classes."</p>
<p>''This is not the same admissions process that occurs for the class of 2010," said Mark Nichol, a spokesman at Brown University, which plans to take in as many as 100 undergraduates.
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