CGCaleb11

PROFILE: Type of Undergrad Institution: Academy Major(s)/Minor(s): Nuclear Engineering Undergrad GPA: 3.17 Type of Grad: Master in Public Policy GRE: 157V 157Q 5AW Any Special Courses: the full MA sequence in micro & macro, full phd sequence in Econometrics + (pol.econ, voting behavior, pol psychology graduate seminars) Letters of Recommendation: All very good - focused on some major accomplishments, but primarily on leadership. I sent my SOP to each recommender, had a phone conversation with each of them describing my SOP and what I would like them to comunicate - I took the advice of the Harvard admission blog here. Each SOP was different, but each communicated a similiar message that was a reflection of my accomplishments (verifying them via LOR) and then a very large word about my demonstrated leadership abilities and then statements about my potential. Research Experience: none Teaching Experience: None Other: Military, deployments, leadership etc. RESULTS: Acceptances: Harvard, HKS MPP , Georgetown SSP, George Washington SSP, Naval Post Graduate School Counter Terrorism, UGA MPA Waitlists: None Rejections: Yale, Berkeley Pending: None Going to: Harvard Advice: Experience counts more than scores - my GPA was low, my GRE was mediocre and my undergrad was unrelated. Spend months on your SOP - write, rewrite and review. Have mentors/professors/peers read your SOP. Have a plan - what are you saying in your SOP overtly and what are you communicating covertly. What feeling do you want the admission committee to have once they read your SOP - you need to connect with someone on the admissions committee/board. Do you research - most schools post on their websites who is on their committee - find their biographies, identify who will most likely emphathize with your story and write accordingly. I told a little of my childhood story (2-3 sentences), spent a paragraph on each of my major work/adult experiences, one paragraph one what the school will do for me and what I can give to the school in terms of expereince and increasing efficacy of classroom discussion then one pargraph on the future - clearly define where you will go. In my research, Harvard is an idealistic community - at the new admit day they talked this same language - I saw this coming and threaded this theme into my SOP for harvard specifically. I think this made a difference. Determine the particular schools vernacular and speak that language in the SOP. I was shocked by harvards acceptance, but once I went to the new admit day I realized why they accepted me - diverse/unique experience. They want people who will make their classroom experience more vibrant, this why unique and vast experience is key in my opinion - highlight this in the SOP. Let me know if you have questions - I would be glad to help.

Just got acceptance letter from UGA MPA - decisions are out. Congrats to all those admitted.