traumerei
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Posts posted by traumerei
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Thanks, I really appreciate you going into so much detail in your response. One of my big concerns was debt, and it's a relief to hear that it really can be worth it--though I realize you're not quite ready to give it your full-on endorsement yet.
If you don't mind me asking one follow-up question, what are the great jobs the seniors you mentioned were able to attain--and what kinds of higher-level work are they now set up for as a result? It's been hard for me personally to get a good idea of the career tracks that people follow upon graduating.
Thanks again for taking the time to answer questions here. It's already helped me a lot--and I'm sure other posters on here appreciate it as well!
Off the top of my head, here's a small list from the people I know:
Ernst & Young
NYC Office of Management and Budget
UN
State Department (foreign service)
Credit Agricole
Clinton Foundation
NYC EDC
I mean, you can just move up from there. You get excellent contacts and insider information, and you can more easily maneuver your career. I know an alumni who started at the UN and now works at Morgan Stanley. These people already had some relevant experience, however. Also, a few are continuing their education at law schools or doctoral programs. The tricky thing is that you should have a good idea of what you want to do before coming into SIPA, so do some serious soul searching before you come. This will help you optimize your curriculum. But there are always opportunities that don't seem as though they'll help you get you where you want. Lots of people don't know that banks are invested in philanthropic activities, for example. SIPA is not the type of school to hold your hand and tell you what you want. Finally, you don't have to work at a top tier organization to be successful. Many other people I know work at non-profits or NGOs or foundations, so YMMV.
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Thanks, traumerei! If you don't mind, I'd like to start out with the following questions:
1) Do you think the degree is worth taking on a significant amount of debt (over $100,000, for example) for?
2) How hard is it to find a decent job upon graduating? How much help do students get from professors, alumni, or the career center in the job search?
Thanks again for taking the time to do this.
1) I'm one of those people who is taking on that amount of debt. But, having gone through almost two years, it was worth it for me. SIPA helped me obtain the quantitative skills or Excel experience I didn't have, and SIPA requires you to get an internship if you don't have much work experience. SIPA also offers a huge alumni network. Some, if not most, have no problems helping. The worst that happens is you get no response. It also depends on what classes you take. Some people have really taken advantage of what SIPA has to offer, which is a lot. There are very advanced quantitative courses and courses on finance, as well as the option to take classes at the other Columbia schools. Unfortunately, I worked my butt off to get second year funding, which meant less time for outside lectures and no time for student groups. It really depends on how you plan on taking advantage of SIPA and you make it worth it for yourself. There's definitely a large group of superstar students here, who devote all their time to SIPA. (I'm not one though...SIPA itself is a ton of work if you care about your grades)
But, at the moment, I'm still looking for a job, so I can't give you a confident 'it was worth it,' though a few of my peers have gotten lucky. BTW it is very difficult for international students to get a job in the U.S., unless you are working for an international organization, though those orgs are still really competitive.
2) I think the biggest source of help in terms of job searching is the professors and your peers, but you really have to connect with them. As for the office of career services, I have only heard of one success story that the career services actually helped with. Otherwise, I think their info sessions cater to international students who have no idea of the hiring culture in the U.S. or have little Western social skills. It's difficult to really connect with alumni unless the both of you really click. I mean, they have to really like you in the first few meetings for anything to come from your connection. But again, it really is based on your efforts. Many of my ambitious/hard-working seniors from past years have great jobs, many of which set them up easily for higher level work. Also, I am not convinced about SIPA's brand in the job market, or at least, SIPA isn't advertising itself as aggressively to prospective employers like other grad schools. To be extremely honest, SIPA is near the butt end in the hierarchy of Columbia's grad schools. Business school and law school get considerably more respect. If anything, the Columbia name opens the doors, but what you have to offer as an individual is what gets you a decent job. Luckily, the SIPA student body is incredibly talented.
What makes this school truly great isn't its administration, but its students. It's a shame that SIPA doesn't get as much respect as Columbia's other schools. Anyway, I hope this gave you an idea. It's a little stream-of-consciousy.
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Hey all,
I'm a graduating SIPA student and I used to frequent this board a lot myself. Having been through the experience, I would like to give back and take any questions you might have. I am not an student ambassador in any shape, so I will be frank.
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I've been scouring the internet but I can't find many useful articles about international students renting in NYC. My roommate is an international grad student and I'm a citizen. Questions:
1. Is it easier to rent a place if one of us is a citizen?
2. Is it better if we have a year's rent paid up front?
3. How did you obtain a guarantor?
4. Were there any unforeseen challenges in this process?
This whole thing is stressing me out! I feel as though I'm going to spend a lot more than I thought I would...
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better late than never?
Previous Schools (Name, type, or tier): UVa
Previous Degrees and GPAs: 3.2 GPA in Government/East Asian Studies, graduated 2011
GRE Scores (Verbal/Quantitative/Analytical Writing): 162/156/4.5
Previous Work Experience (Years, Type):18 months in Asia, teaching English in Korea and learning Mandarin in China. Had a few internships during undergrad, mostly involving research and memorandum writing.
Math/Econ Background: A couple of economics courses, but did average in them. Tested out of math in college.
Foreign Language Background (if applicable to your program): 4 years worth of Mandarin, basic Korean
Intended Field of Study in Grad School: International Relations
Long Term Professional Goals: Was considering analyst track, but open to something more managerial/financial and related to East Asia
Schools Applied to & Results: Applied: American SIS, GW Elliott, NYU Wagner, Princeton WWS, Columbia SIPA. Rejected: Princeton. No funding whatsoever
Ultimate Decision & Why: I chose Columbia for various reasons. On a professional level, the program is so flexible that I felt I could easily mold my own curriculum. I also liked how much it emphasized marketability and practical knowledge in preparation for a career. GW Elliott was a close contender as well for the same reasons. I was very impressed at the GW open house and encourage others to attend! For my personal growth, however, Columbia won out. Living in New York is a challenge I'd love to take on and I have friends there. Also, I didn't get funding from any programs. I was happy to know that there was a good chance for second year funding at SIPA, something which Elliott, SIS or NYU does not offer.
Advice for Future Applicants: I've heard people emphasize studying for the GRE as much as possible and I second that! My scores are by no means amazing, but I believe that if it weren't for my six months of nonstop studying, my results wouldn't nearly be as good as it was this year. Admittedly, they could be better - maybe I could have gotten funding if scores were higher - so aim high!Also, don't sell yourself short. I spent the last year trawling this forum, wondering if my grades and experiences could even match up to others here. There were so many people in the "Am I Competitive Thread" who were worried that their 3.7 GPAs or 2+ years of experience in an international nonprofit bank couldn't get them into Johns Hopkins or Berkeley. It was really discouraging, because I believed my stats couldn't compare. But this whole process taught me that you really have to sell yourself. I worked hard on my personal statements and made sure it was clear I had a purpose. There has to be a real, relatable reason why you are applying to a program designed to put you in the policy career track. You can't apply "just because." I made sure I got great references and checked my applications three times at least. Basically, you don't to have to be perfect to get into a great program, just prove that you are a great fit.
It's not over for me though. Even with second year funding, Columbia is not cheap. Tacked on with my other student loans, I am well aware I have a tough road ahead of me. But instead of deferring, I did not want to wait another year to go to grad school. Everyone has already put terrific advice in this thread, but we all have a different story. Don't let anyone guilt you or make you feel bad for making a decision that you believe is right for you. After all, we are all anonymous people who know nothing about YOU.
- sturdyelm, ValarDohaeris, gradytripp and 1 other
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What "rate" are you talking about? Just as many are accepting as are declining, the same as other programs. Yields for public policy programs are also so unpredictable that it's silly to say "most people on the waitlist are bound to get in."
I meant it colloquially and based on what I'm seeing on the board. It seems way more people are passing up SIPA for other programs. It's true that we don't know how many people are on the wait list. I'm sorry if I wasn't clear enough/misled anyone, just a trivial attempt at encouraging optimism.
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I feel as though with the rate that people are declining, most people on the wait list are bound to get in.
- 123seekay123 and soaps
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how are you all doing it, esp masters students? I really hope I don't have to take out loans just to live somewhere.
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Are MIAs/MPAs pretty much reduced to DC and New York for jobs? Any stories from someone who's worked in a related field and in a different area?
As for the reason behind the question, I'm in a committed relationship and might have to face that we'll have to be in not DC/NY.
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I underestimated myself too, but I had good reason to doubt. I had a 3.2 GPA in undergrad and only 162V 156Q on the GREs, lower than a lot of people who complain about their 'low' scores. I learned that working really hard in your essays and recommendation letters can go a long way for you. Because of that, I regret not applying to SAIS. For some reason, it didn't occur to me to apply.
I also regret the bad GPA in college. It won't necessarily prevent you from getting into the schools you want, but it will do a lot for funding. I'm going to be poor for a while.
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First of all, CONGRATULATIONS to traumerei! That's awesome that you were admitted to one of your top choices (I'm assuming..unless you are shaking in revulsion?
). Thank you!
It was one of my top choices. Haha, I can't even imagine being disgusted by an acceptance letter. Those things are too psychologically satisfying. 
I hope to meet you guys there! -
I'm in. I'm shaking so badly right now.
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It seems like they're swamped. I called the admissions today to inquire about the YRP and they seemed very tense. I know Clay Made isn't an MIA applicant, are other guys MIA?
I am. At this point, any answer would be welcome.
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UGH I just want to get this over with. I'm tired of waiting.
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My two cents: get work experience, then a few years down the line, you'll only be in a better position to apply to public policy programs. You may even decide a JD/MBA is more worth it, something too many public policy students realize too late when they're not earning the six figure salary they expected.
Given the current environment for JDs right now, I personally don't regret passing up law school. In fact, I'm getting the impression that we're all the in the same boat here, in terms of employment. Moreover, I hope public policy students aren't doing this for the salary...
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I don't mean to scare anyone, but a lot of us are D.C. bound...
http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/people/the-age-of-the-permanent-intern/
Any thoughts? I'd be lying if I said my confidence didn't take a hit.
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Has anyone heard from NYU Wagner? Their website says we would find out by Feb 22nd, but I haven't heard anything.
It's March 8th, I believe.
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Teach in China or any other developing Asian country.
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Ugh...I'm applying to 6 schools and I'm already feeling the pain in my wallet. I'm wondering if I'm not the only person to be doing this? What do you guys think is a fair number?
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I'm new to this, but in the spirit of encouraging more evaluations from the forum, I'll chime in.
I think you have an impressive profile. A solid GRE, and UVa is quite a good school. Plus you have work experience abroad and are multilingual so I would assume you will definitely be competitive, especially if you are looking for an international program with a focus on Asian studies.
Another thing that worries me is my background in economics. I'm really interested in public policy, but I didn't do well in the various economics classes I took. :/ But thanks for the reply! I guess at this point all I can do is just cross my fingers and apply.
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I'm really worried about my lack of competitive edge! Not interested in flaunting anything, just want the feedback of some clearly qualified candidates.
Programs Considered: MPP in GWU, Am U, Georgetown, Rutgers, NYU. Dream schools: SIPA and WWS.
Undergraduate institution: UVa
Undergraduate GPA: 3.2 with definite upward trend, majors both GPA around 3.4-3.5
Undergraduate Major: Political Science and East Asian Studies
Study Abroad: Summer graduate courses in China
GRE: V: 162, Q: 156, AW: 4.5
Years Out of Undergrad (by enter date): 2 by Fall 2013
Years of Work Experience: 1.5 teaching English in Korea and plenty of internships and volunteer work in non-profits and public sector
Describe Relevant Work Experience: Spent about 18 months teaching English to underprivileged kids in rural Korea, interned a year at a non-profit offering free legal services for civil liberties and volunteered at grassroots level for several local candidates. These aren't that remarkable, but I was hoping it would emphasize how passionate I am about public service domestically and internationally.
Languages: Native English, working Chinese and Korean
SIPA 2015
in Government Affairs Forum
Posted
Sorry for the delay, finals are happening now.
Here's the SIPA website for second year funding: https://sipa.columbia.edu/office-of-student-affairs/guide-to-sipa-assistantship
It usually comes in the form of work-study. TAs get substantially more funding, almost the entire year's tuition, but it is extremely time consuming. I don't know what percentage of students receive it, but it depends on your GPA. There are far more PAships, DRAships than TAships, so I would say the average is 10,800 per semester. Full funding for two years is an unrealistic hope (masters are Columbia's cash cow, unfortunately), if you haven't already received first year funding.
I was a student two years out of undergrad. It's only a disadvantage if you make it. You have to learn to market the skills you have, especially the skills you learn at SIPA. It's all about getting experience. There's tons of student groups that help with that, like the impact investing group or the consulting group. Also, you must network with your peers. It's much more likely that you'll get help from them than anyone else. If they have more experience, why not tap into that resource? You would be surprised by what you learn. I thought the same as you, but by the end of school, I realized I'm a lot more marketable than I thought.