This is getting off track, as the experiences of Harvard graduates aren’t what the OP will ever concern herself with, but I wanted to address this:
“Also, FYI, the Great Recession ended a while ago, and hiring has picked up in the last year or so.”
By technical definitions, the recession is over, but the labour force participation rate is at a thirty-year low. Yes, legal hiring is “picking up” but is nothing near pre-2008 levels.