yhakak

it's been a while since i took the test, but i really like the princeton review approach. I know it's not for everyone, but from what you're describing you have no problem with the material, it's a matter of cracking the test questions themselves, and that's what the princeton review specializes in...

this sounds very interesting...as for whether a phenomenon deserves researching, the answer is YES. The question is not whether the topic is good, it's what you do with it.

reposting verbatim is unlikely to increase the chances of a response.

I think that's a good approach in general, but not necessarily for a thesis, which might be too long for that sort of thing, but it's certainly a way to work if you do it chapter by chapter...

well, it really depends. Do you respect the people who gave you these comments?

Anyone know when HKS will be posting their application?

Honestly, i wouldn't stress about it too much. Almost all graduate schools would only want to see your academic record. And, since you seem to have taken a positive from the experience, if all else fails i'm sure your explanation will be compelling if you have to disclose. The only thing that's slightly worrying is that you claim it was your first and only offense, but above you stated that you had previously lifted some things...is that in the write-up?

I would certainly agree, the theoretical framework is a result of looking at the empirical case and deciding what the best lens is... however, Simmel's framework about the philosophy of money could be an interesting counterpoint to gambling addition, i.e.the anti-financialization of money...

What exactly is a "student conduct record"? Will it appear on any standard record your school would send another school or anything like that? Was there a formal disciplinary procedure brought against you? One application I did asked me the following question: Have you ever been disciplined for your conduct (academic or otherwise) while enrolled in college or university? So, the question is how would you answer that?

look at it this way - would you consciously avoid getting high grades in order not to get an honors scholarship? Of course not, because that's merit-based. TA positions are also merit based, and you should not in any way feel that you're taking anything away from anyone. And, as others said, keep the money, you've earned it.

Thanks Namash, right on the money and very helpful as always. Good luck at SIPA and don't forget about us applicants!

thanks, appreciate the info. Do you think it's worth a trip from NY?

hi everyone- i'm considering trying to make it to the HKS open house on October 28th. Anyone have any information on these open houses? are they useful? Do you get to meet people from the adcom? Is there any opportunity to make any kind of impression on HKS, or is it just to get a feel for the place? It's a pretty big schlep for me and i'm trying to decide if its worthwhile... thanks!

thanks Namash, your points are good and very helpful and i hope to take them on board for my next application. I hope, as you say, that it's mainly a matter of "presenting" yourself correctly, i've recently been given management of an economic policy team, so i'm hoping to leverage that... as for SIPA, i'm sure you'll love it. Columbia, like New York, is known for being a little bit "hard nosed", that is, it's not the kind of place that coddles the students or wraps them in cotton wool, you really have to speak up for yourself and figure things out, which is, as far as i'm concerned, an advantage because that's how the real world works. Since you've been working for a regulatory agency that has to fight for its jurisdiction, i'm sure you're used to this :-) And, it's in NY, which is a distinct advantage in terms of networks, etc....and its also a fantastic place to live. Morningside Heights is a great neighborhood, it's gentrified a bit since i was an undergraduate (things were really rough for a while), it's not a university town...i really don't know why there's an anti-Columbia bias on gradcafe, but all i can say is, their loss.

heavy drinking Seriously, though, having been through the process once and in the middle of it again for a second thesis, i can say with reasonable confidence that many readers just want their "pound of flesh" to feel like their comments were taken on board, and that will be it. In my current thesis my advisor helped me to pre-empt some of this stuff by making some references to things by people in the dept., etc.... anyway, take a deep breath, it's out of your hands anyway, and i'm sure you'll be fine.

Sorry, missed the "SIPA" in your profile. It's a great school in an absolutely fantastic city, i'm sure you'll love it (guess which ivy i went to as an undergraduate )?

hi Namash, Congratulations your acceptance! may i ask what you've ended up doing? going to a different school, continuing work, etc.? Also, in terms of competition policy, I don't know how things work in pakistan but in the US the anti-trust dept. has done this kind of stuff for a long time...i'm also a regulator (in a specific sector) and i pushed this angle hard in my application, and i'm not sure it helped...

hi, i'm also considering re-applying for MC/MPA next year. Some info about me, i'd be grateful for any feedback (i'll get my act together soon and write it up in the 'am i competitive' format as well): 1. i'm applying as part of a fellowship for civil servants in my country where you have to get into HKS separately, and then you can be considered for the fellowship. Since I got flat-out rejected by HKS last year, that wasn’t relevant. I obviously can’t really afford to take a year off from work and pay the tuition without the fellowship.. 2. undergrad: I grew up in the USA and went to an ivy for undergraduate. Did econ with a GPA of 3.277 (a solid B+), but did engineering the first 2 years where my GPA was much lower, 2.75…and that’s on my transcript L 3. grad school: Also have an MBA from a local university (a good one) in finance with an average of 90/100 and an MA in sociology (or at least I will have it finished by the time admissions rolls around) with a 94/100 average and an award-winning thesis. (search my profile and you’ll see where I’m from, etc.) 4. Tests: you don’t need a GRE if you’re applying via this fellowship program, but I took it in 2002, got 780/800 math and 710/800 verbal, 6/6 writing. 5. Work: been working for a government regulatory agency for the last 8 years, starting as a staff economist and now director of research and strategy; all sorts of prizes, employee of the year once, at least 3 times on award-winning teams, etc. With all due modesty, I’m pretty good at my job. 6. Previous application: LOR from a cabinet minister, an economics prof. and my former boss. SOP about regulation, etc., and “public good” essay about a regulatory change I spearheaded. Anyway, all this goodness got me flat-out dinged. I know the HKS people read this forum sometimes and I hope I’ll be able to get some feedback from them…before I reapply I want to make sure there’s nothing that makes my application a non-starter from HKS’s point of view…so I’d appreciate any pointers, tips, or critiques, and if anyone would like to swap SOP’s closer to the when the admissions season opens up I’d appreciate it…

That is certainly true. If you're looking to work anywhere in the Arab world, a degree from an Israeli university is a distinct liability.

MollyB, Are you kidding me? Dressing modestly in Tel Aviv? The most liberal, gay-friendly city in the middle east? I am wondering whether you've actually ever been to Israel... I am from Jerusalem and have a degree from Tel Aviv University, so i speak with a certain amount of bias, but much of what you say is just wrong. For example, the liberal bias in Israeli academia is, if anything, more pronounced than it is in the USA (see for example a group, which i think are a bunch of idiots, called "Im Tirzu" which harass professors for being too liberal and not supporting Israeli militarism, the constant debates in the knesset about the left-wing bent of the universities, etc.)... One of the problems i think you will encounter if you're american (and I am one) is that Israeli university programs are much more structured and there's less independent work, which sometimes grates on my nerves, coming from a slightly different intellectual tradition. Regarding the IDC: inside Israel the IDC is not so well-regarded as the universities, it has a reputation for being a place where privileged kids from North Tel Aviv go to buy a law or business degree. I'd go for one of the universities (Tel Aviv or the Hebrew University). And as for " People might not look kindly on an American in their midst criticizing their country" we Israelis don't take kindly to anything, we're kind of an abrasive people. Don't take it personally PM me if i can help with any specific information about Tel Aviv university...

I like mendeley...however, if most of your sources are books, archive files, that sort of things (as distinct from PDF's where mendeley is at its most awesome) look at zotero (www.zotero.org). Also free, has a browser plugin so you can suck sources into your list of materials automatically, it has the same word integration as mendeley and cloud storage, etc. I can't even think about going back to doing citations by hand, especially since i'm up to about 100 sources for my MA thesis and counting... the other thing i would say is find an organizational scheme that works for you...i'm a planner, so i have an excel spreadsheet with my chapter headings and how i see the thesis coming together, and how long each chapter should be (just so things stay more or less balanced). Then, when i write i update the spreadsheet with the actual pages so i know where i stand in terms of not getting stuck on one chapter, etc., and I can always go back to a different chapter for a while as a break. Obviously, working like this is not for everyone. I know it would drive some people batty, the point is find something that allows you to get an overview of the process and not just the pages you happen to be working on... it also helps that i have an excellent advisor, i send him chapters and i get back detailed comments in my word files, he shares some of his research for an upcoming book with me, etc....

Well, as i said i'm applying through a fellowship program so that changes the considerations quite a bit, my employer will give me study leave to do the program...it's less a career development thing and more a function of the fact that i think that doing the program will really help my work, i hope to do some interesting research if i get accepted... also, as you've probably figured out, i'm a "lifelong learner" type, i try to always be studying something, because just working is really boring...one of the nicer things about being in the public sector is the flexibility, i can go to class or to TA my section and make up the hours later, that sort of thing...

hell yeah! congrats.

sure.. not applying through Mason (not experienced enough)...i have about 10 years of work experience (of these 8 in the public sector)...i'm applying through a fellowship program in my home country, so getting in would only be the first step, need to get the funding otherwise i can't go. As for stats: BA in economics from a US ivy league school (GPA about 3.25, a solid B+) MBA in finance from a leading local university (GPA 90/100) finishing up an MA in sociology from another well-regarded local university (GPA 95/100, but still gotta wrap up and hand in my thesis :-)) in terms of work, for the last 8 years i've been with the economic policy unit of a regulatory agency. Did the GRE 10 years ago, so not really relevant anymore, but at the time it was on the 800 point scale - 710 verbal, 780 math. 6 on the writing. how about you?

I concur completely...i'm applying for MC/MPA and i can attest that my coworkers come from all sorts of backgrounds and there doesn't seem to be a strong connection between where they went to school and how successful they are...