ajak568 Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 I got in! $37.5k fellowship plus $4k assistanship. Phew! I will officially be able to afford grad school, it appears. I'm not stopping here, though. I'd like to hopefully get offers from other schools in order to negotiate the best offer I can in order to be able to manage my financial situation for the next couple of years. Good luck to all and thanks for the solidarity in this waiting process! Aja Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJA87 Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 I got in! $37.5k fellowship plus $4k assistanship. Phew! I will officially be able to afford grad school, it appears. I'm not stopping here, though. I'd like to hopefully get offers from other schools in order to negotiate the best offer I can in order to be able to manage my financial situation for the next couple of years. Good luck to all and thanks for the solidarity in this waiting process! Aja Whoa, that's an amazing offer. Do you mind if I ask what your stats were? As I mentioned above, I was offered the standard $16k which really leaves me wondering how I'll finance the rest of my costs :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajak568 Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 No prob! I'll copy and paste what I wrote in the "AM I COMPETITIVE" thread awhile back. My stats are not anything super special, but I'm thinkin maybe the fact that I'm a returning Peace Corps Volunteer helped. (Duke has fellowships for returning Peace Corps Volunteers.) Here's the post: Hey y'all! I wanted to post, too, to get some feedback. I think I could get in some places, but I don't know if that's false confidence. Whaddya you guys think? What are my odds? ALL criticism is more than welcome, people. I want to get into a good policy analysis program that can give me a strong international focus. My dream is to get into the Foreign Service after completing an MPP/MPA. I'll also be applying for a Pickering. (Think I could be competitive for that? Any of you guys have ANY IDEA how competitive it is to get a Pickering?) If there are schools that I missed that would also fit well with the program I just loosely described, please give me shout and let me know! Good luck to all of you! Applying for Fall 2015 to: Goldman MPP (UC Berkeley, top choice), Ford MPP (UMichigan, I would also be very happy here), Maxwell (Syracuse, MPA), WWS (Princeton MPA), Harvard (HKS MPP) Undergrad: UNC Chapel Hill 2012 Major/GPA: Spanish/International Studies double major, Chinese minor GPA: 3.54 (distinction) GRE: Verb- 163 (91%) Quant- 161 (83%) Writing- 5.5 (96%) Languages: Spanish (fluent, advanced), Mandarin Chinese (intermediate) International Experience: Southeast Asia (study abroad Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Summer 2009), Spain (study abroad, Spring 2010), China (study abroad summer 2011), Panama (Peace Corps 2013-present) Coursework: I've taken coursework in single and multi-variable calculus (back in the day as an undergrad), statistics (even longer ago. . .but I got college credit for it and it's on my transcript so it counts, right?) and economics (intro, calc based micro, international, developmental). And, ya know. . .international studies type classes that are less technical and maybe less relevant to mention here. I've also been taking some online calc and macroecon policy courses to brush up since I've been in Peace Corps and haven't been using my academic brain as much. Work experience: Really my only relevant experience would be my current Peace Corps service (I'm mid-service, one year under my belt, will have finished my second year before my degree program would start). I'm an Education Volunteer in Panama and I'm also involved in several gender/women's/youth development initiatives and HIV/AIDS awareness activities. Nothing too technical, but I'll be trying to sell it for all it's worth in my SOP! SOP/Personal Statement: Working on these. I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to mention to you all here. I want to be an FSO. I also have interests in education policy and immigration policy (more or less in that order). More than anything, like I said earlier, I want a program that is strong in policy analysis, has an international focus, and is very practicum-based rather than theory/thesis-writing focused. I gotta little bit of a sob story about some obstacles I've overcome, but I don't want my personal statement to sound like a sob story, so if you have tips on how to strike that balance, please let me know! Recommendations: *Pretty well-known political science professor from my undergrad days. I haven't talked to him in about a year, but he knows me pretty well and we've had a relationship all throughout undergrad, so I'm confident I could get a pretty good recommendation from him. I'm thinking this recommendation could speak to my academic merits. *A pretty senior Peace Corps staff member here in the office in Panama. My idea for this recommendation is to have a rec that speaks to my work experience. *A staff member at Community School of the Arts, where I was once a student and have been volunteering for years ever since. There's a program director there that jokingly calls my sisters and I her daughters, so I'm wondering if that relationship may be too familial for a good recommendation? My idea with this recommendation was to get a rec that speaks to my committment to public service. Alright y'all. Thanks for reading my novel of stats, here. Any advice you all have would be more than welcome. If there's anybody that's up for trading personal statements and statements of purpose, I am always looking to peer-edit. I'd like to get some feedback before my essays hit the desk in admissions at Berkeley and Michigan, so I'll scratch your back if you'll scratch mine. Paz y amor, chic@s! Aja dollybird 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajak568 Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Yo peeps. I can't find any info about Sanford's admissions stats (e.g.: # of international applicants, male/female ratio, # of minority students, etc.). The only info I've found in that area is that they shoot for a class of around 60-65 each year. Has come across any further information about Duke's MPP students? I so, could you share? Thanks! Aja Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handiya Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 I am in....Accepted with a funding of18K...Relieved for the results but worries start for rest of the funding Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocolatecheesecake Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Yo peeps. I can't find any info about Sanford's admissions stats (e.g.: # of international applicants, male/female ratio, # of minority students, etc.). The only info I've found in that area is that they shoot for a class of around 60-65 each year. Has come across any further information about Duke's MPP students? I so, could you share? Thanks! Aja Here's some more information about stats for our class in terms of age, years of experience, GRE scores: http://sanford.duke.edu/admissions/mpp Here are some back of the napkin figures: our class is well-balanced in terms of gender, though maybe like 55% female. Out of our first-year class of 64, there are about ten to a dozen international students. Almost an equal number of returned Peace Corps volunteers too, I'm going to say! We also have a great cohort of veterans. As for minority students, it depends on your definition, since we have that many international students. In general, I wish Sanford were more diverse, but that applies to every institution I've applied to for undergraduate and graduate. What we do have are many socially-minded students who work on making this an inclusive community. Come join us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocolatecheesecake Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 BTW, Aja, we have a current first-year who just finished his time in Peace Corps Panama! Maybe you know him already, but feel free to PM me if you want to get in touch. =) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYJ Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 16K + 4K assistantship as well... but too much to take on as debt... Applied without any work experience...but got accepted.. Did any of u guys get full tuition coverage(or similar to that amount)? If so, can I ask how many years of work experience you had? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pubpol3434 Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Question for any current students (or if someone else knows): Does Sanford offer any financial aid grants (not just loans) based on need to those who did not receive full tuition through the merit-based scholarship/assistantship? If so, do they consider anything other than FAFSA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocolatecheesecake Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Question for any current students (or if someone else knows): Does Sanford offer any financial aid grants (not just loans) based on need to those who did not receive full tuition through the merit-based scholarship/assistantship? If so, do they consider anything other than FAFSA? I highly suggest you bring this question up to the Admissions office, because it's pretty specific. Many people do receive partial aid through grants and loans, as has been testified to on this page so far. But it's hard to say (and people themselves may not even know) if they're specifically merit or need based. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJA87 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Does anyone know if the tuition fellowship is per year, or a one-time offer? I assumed it was per year and did my cost of attending calculations based on that. If it's a one time offer, that additional $16k will probably put Duke out of my range, which is unfortunate because it was very close to my top choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajak568 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Chocolatecheesecake, thanks for the info! I will certainly be PMing you in the near future. And yea, I already know the Panama RPCV! Tell Kameron I said hi. I could be joining you guys next year, I just have to continue to see how my cards fall with admissions/funding decisions! We will definitely be in contact. Aja Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYJ Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 I also got in. Fellowship + Assistantship = Full Tuition Still have to take out loans for living expenses, but I hear Durham is not very expensive. It's a happy day for a lot of us. Congratulations to everyone. By the way, who is going to the open house on March 27? Hi Naso, congrats on your full tuition!! Just wanted to ask, how many years of work experience did you have? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJA87 Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 I believe it is for the first year, but based on your performance on your first year, the award is renewable for the second year. Any idea if most people with a 3.0+ get it renewed or is it more competitive than that? I wouldn't want to attend based on the assumption that I'll receive the funding for two years, then have the old switcheroo pulled on me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocolatecheesecake Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Any idea if most people with a 3.0+ get it renewed or is it more competitive than that? I wouldn't want to attend based on the assumption that I'll receive the funding for two years, then have the old switcheroo pulled on me. It said on my acceptance letter last year that: "We will renew your fellowship and assistantship (if applicable) at comparable levels during your second year of study if you remain in good academic standing, but we reserve the right to amend our offer if at any point you receive other funding or change degree programs." Here's also what the Duke MPP Handbook (accessible online) says: "The Duke MPP Program reserves the right to amend financial aid awards if a student receives external funding, applies to become a dual degree student or fails to maintain academic performance standards. Federal Loans require students to be making satisfactory progress. Students who perform below a 3.0 for two semesters will lose their eligibility for student loans. In order to be certified as making satisfactory progress towards the degree, graduate students must maintain at least a 3.0 ( cumulative grade point average. Students have an ongoing obligation to notify the MPP aid officer upon receipt of external funding sources, scholarships, or grants obtained independently." Unless you screw up your grades royally, I'm basically 100% sure that the awards you get your first year will stay the same in your second year. If not, I've got bigger things to worry about myself! =) Finally, these are very fine-grained, detailed questions. Please consider asking the Admissions office yourself, since they are the ones making these decisions. =) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pluckyduck123 Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Accepted with full tuition. ReinventOneself 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajak568 Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Hey guys. I'm curious. . .did anybody get a special little email from Career Services? Duke is going the extra mile, over here. Aja Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divertan Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 Hey! Didn't get the Career Services email, but I did receive emails from two professors - one who'd reviewed my application file, and another whose work I'd mentioned in my SOP! Oh also, the admissions office hooked me up with a current international dual student so I could better understand how the funding works. Extra mile, indeed. As naso said, I like Duke a lot. Maybe even more so, now. chocolatecheesecake 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJA87 Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Unless I get some kind of incredible funding offer from the three programs I haven't heard back from (Harris, Goldman, LBJ), I'll be heading to Duke in the Fall. I'm very doubtful i'll get any funding offers from the remaining three (I wont even get in to Berkeley), so Duke is looking very likely. I'm so excited! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajak568 Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Yea, Duke is kind of creeping up my short list of schools right now. The effort they're putting in right now kinds of bodes well for the next two years. The small class size doesn't hurt, either. Also I'm from NC, I love my homestate, and I have no idea when I'd live there again. I can't committ to anything until I hear from the rest of my schools/fellowship apps, but Duke could be in the cards. I guess we'll see! chocolatecheesecake 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brmoran Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Also, think it's very likely I'll be heading to Duke. Only thing that could sway me is if G'town comes back with more funding. Looking forward to seeing many of you at the open house! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudeinspace Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 My impression of Duke has changed a lot. Im very impressed with the different profiles Ive read on the facebook group of admits. Im honestly thorned... dont know what im going to decide... as some of you previously stated, i guess ill make the decission based on funding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajak568 Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 You guysssss. When you go to the open house, can you post here about your impressions? I can't goooooooo. I do know the Durham area, I'm just unfamiliar with Sanford's policy school (staff, students, etc.). I'm always looking for as many opinions as I can in order to inform my grad school decision. You guys. Rock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
localh85 Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 (edited) You are all going for Master's and they are giving scholarship tuition? How did you apply for it? Was it that part of 'apply yourself' internet application? Edited March 5, 2015 by localh85 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajak568 Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 On the Google Site, they say that they are going to live stream some of the information sessions that will happen on Open House day. You will miss the interaction, but at least you won't miss the whole thing. Oh! I was not aware that they were going to live stream info sessions. Sweet! Thanks for the info, I'll for sure be looking out for that. P.S. . .am I the only one who got an email about Conditional Admission for Microeconomics and Statistics? I'm hoping this is a mistake. I wasn't planning on scoping out extra courses over the summer since my transcript shows microecon and statistics from my undergrad days. Anybody else having this issue? Just me? I replied to the email about my concern, so hopefully they'll say hey, just kidding, you're good to go. *shrug* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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