ArtsyGirl

Hi all! I am curious, what made some of you decide to apply to/accept admission to masters of public administration vs. public/international affairs or vice versa? Particularly in instances where the universities may have had both programs and they were very similar in course and internship requirements. Does having one credential over the other make you more/less desirable as a job candidate at NGOs/non-profits/government?

It ultimately depends on the individual instructors and the amount of work they give you combined with your own time management. I have been through a grad program in another field and had plenty of time for other things, but now that I am switching to something more challenging, I will likely spend more time preparing for classes. I read on old syllabus for a course I will have to take and it basically said to allot at least 6 hours of time outside of class per week for that particular course.

Hey guys, I saw this link with GSPIA FAQs that I thought were helpful as some of this stuff wasn't mentioned in detail on the website. http://mstaniland.wordpress.com/faq-frequently-asked-questions/ Edited: Looks like the above link is kind of old, so I'm not sure if certain procedures and policies have changed or not...still a good place if you have questions and you can just verify the info later.

I am curious for any updates from the doctoral folk.

I think all first round founding offers have been made. Try calling or emailing them. Also check your spam folder.

I would just email and ask them and be honest.

Previous Schools Tier 1 school Previous Degrees BA and MA in linguistics, languages and area studies GPAs: 3.5/3.4 GRE Scores so so....not a standardized test person Previous Work Experience: summer government admin jobs (8 months total), 3 years teaching English at universities abroad, 1 year of being a teaching assistant, 10 months of being a research assistant Math/Econ Background: basic statistics, basic math course both in undergrad and received As. No econ Foreign Language Background (if applicable to your program): Italian, French Intended Field of Study in Grad School: MPA with non-profit/public admin focus/global studies Long Term Professional Goals:work for an NGO, but I am open to consulting and also FSO Schools Applied to & Results: Applied and accepted to UGA (MPA with $0), GA state (MPA) with $0, Syracuse-Maxwell (MPA) with $5k, Indiana-SPEA (MAAA) with $1700/semester, Pitt-GSPIA (MPA) with $26k I applied to the joint MPA/MAAA at SPEA, but was told my quantitative background was not enough for the MPA portion of the dual degree. They told me that I would have to take a math bootcamp and then ask to be reconsidered for the MPA after my first semester. Ultimate Decision & Why: GSPIA because they offered me the best financial package. Their program is also quite flexible so I can tailor it to fit my interests. Advice for Future Applicants: I did myself a disservice by waiting too long to apply to more schools. Be aware of deadlines and apply to as many schools as you can. If money is an issue, don't limit yourself to a handful of schools like I did. I am happy with my decision, but I wish I had more options. Also, if you are horrible at taking standardized tests like I am, study study study. Invest in a course if you must. I took the exam 2 times and studied on my own, but my scores were just not that great which didn't help in the funding department. I think my saving grace was my SOP. I worked on it and reworked it for a long time before submitting it I had a critical eye give me feedback on it as well and my statements were very strong. Lastly, aim high. Don't decide on behalf of admissions that you won't be accepted.....just put in the work on your application and give it a try. Good luck!

How would you recommend preparing for the exam?

I received some aid info (tuition scholarship) and an email from the Center for Metropolitan Studies but I think the latter is just volunteer stuff....no info on their site about assistantships. So far the best offer!

Congratulations!!!!

I didn't apply for the Atlantis but thw program looks awesome. I think they are supposed to diniah up first round funding offers this week.

Awex congrats on your funding offer. Were you notified bt emil or snail mail? I am still awaiting news on funding. Also if I do attend I would be doing the dual MPA/MAAA! Fingers crossed for the $$$$

I know that the University of Wisconsin-Madison has an MBA with a major in arts admin. Not sure how good it is, but it may be worth considering.

I don't hear much about UGA here. I just received an informal notification of admission. Did anyone else apply?

Those of you who have applied to PhD programs, are the adcoms looking more for research experience/publications or are they looking for more professional experience?