muro0901

I have not received formal notification in the mail. I am trying not to get too excited but I think the fact that we were able to logon to a statement of intent page that has an option to accept an offer of admission says it all.

I was finally able to login to the graduate certification website today! I applied to the MPA program on 11/17.

Well chellinchen, if you want something to do you could watch the hockey game between the two schools you're applying to tonight and tomorrow (St. Cloud State #10 vs U of M #1). Should be some good games. I am a recent SCSU grad myself.

Mine didn't work either. Since they seem to still be pretty early in the acceptance process I am not going to take it as a bad sign for us yet, but I will say it's a good sign for whoever can get on. I also got my ID from the email you referenced.

Running is usually my coping mechanism but I both live in Minnesota (which makes exercising difficult for half of the year), and I have mono. Apparently the world just wants me to sit around and stress about graduate school. You win this round world.

Well I am disappointed but not surprised that we probably wont hear until later in the month or early in march. I was really hoping to hear this week. Oh well. I guess I should stop frantically checking the mail for awhile.

I applied to the MPA program and got an email a couple weeks ago saying that decisions would be made in late January or early February. Clearly we are now in that time period. I was just wondering if anyone else had heard something similar since it looks like in years past notifications haven't gone out until mid-February. I just want to know if I need to be having a heart attack already obsessively checking my email and snail mail, or if I should try and put off the stress for a couple more weeks. Thanks.

Schools Applying/Applied To: USC (MPA), University of Washington (MPA), University of Oregon (MPA), Portland State University (MPA). Schools Admitted To: n/a Schools Rejected From: n/a Still Waiting: All Undergraduate institution: St. Cloud State University, MN Undergraduate GPA: 3.9 Undergraduate Major: Double major in Sociology and Planning & Community Development GRE Quantitative Score: 152 GRE Verbal Score: 158 GRE AW Score: 4.0 Age: 21 Years of Work Experience: 1 to 3 Depending on what you consider work experience Describe Relevant Work Experience and International Experience: Throughout my undergraduate career I worked closely with a non-profit organization that raised funds for children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in Kenya so that they would be able to receive an education at a boarding school created by a profession at my undergraduate institution. I was president of a student organization (that I helped create) that was their main fundraising arm. I spent approximately 3 years working with this organization. For the last semester of my undergraduate work I interned at a regional foundation where I focused on assisting the 160 cities in our 14 county region with community and economic development programs and grants. Upon my graduation I was hired as a community development associate at this foundation, although because I will be attending graduate school in the fall this is set up as a temporary position that will run through the summer. Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): I think my SOP turned out very well. I am committed to public service and have great passion for non-profit work which I believe I conveyed. The entire reason I chose the programs I did was because of their strong non-profit management specializations. I highlighted the work experience I have (limited though it may be) and spoke to the necessity of additional education and training to achieve my professional goals. Strength of LOR (be honest, describe the process, etc): I have only seen 1 of the 3 that I submitted (two are from professors, and one is from my current boss). The one that I was allowed to see was from a professor who I hadn’t had in class for awhile (although he is my advisor for my sociology major) which worried me, but he described me as being in the top 1% of students he has ever had in his social theory class. Being that this was the recommendation I was most concerned with I would say I am sitting very well in this category. My other professor and boss love me, and honestly I think that my recommendations will be one of the strongest aspects of my application. Long story short: I didn’t go to the best undergraduate school and my GRE scores aren’t exemplary (although they meet all of the averages for each of the schools I have applied to), but I honestly believe that my applications will be successful because of my hard work, passion, and the amazing professional relationships that I have struck with my recommenders. That said, I am not so confident that this period of waiting is an easy one. I cannot wait until schools start to make their decisions. Good luck everyone. My dream would be to go to USC. Any thoughts on my chances?

Schools Applying/Applied To: USC (MPA), University of Washington (MPA), University of Oregon (MPA), Portland State University (MPA). Schools Admitted To: n/a Schools Rejected From: n/a Still Waiting: All Undergraduate institution: St. Cloud State University, MN Undergraduate GPA: 3.9 Undergraduate Major: Sociology and Planning & Community Development GRE Quantitative Score: 152 GRE Verbal Score: 158 GRE AW Score: 4.0 Age: 21 Years of Work Experience: 1 to 3 Depending on what you consider work experience Describe Relevant Work Experience and International Experience: Throughout my undergraduate career I worked closely with a non-profit organization that raised funds for children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in Kenya so that they would be able to receive an education at a boarding school created by a profession at my undergraduate institution. I was president of a student organization (that I helped create) that was their main fundraising arm. I spent approximately 3 years working with this organization. For the last semester of my undergraduate work I interned at a regional foundation where I focused on assisting the 160 cities in our 14 county region with community and economic development programs and grants. Upon my graduation I was hired as a community development associate at this foundation, although because I will be attending graduate school in the fall this is set up as a temporary position that will run through the summer. Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): I think my SOP turned out very well. I am committed to public service and have great passion for non-profit work which I believe I conveyed. The entire reason I chose the programs I did was because of their strong non-profit management specializations. I highlighted the work experience I have (limited though it may be) and spoke to the necessity of additional education and training to achieve my professional goals. Strength of LOR (be honest, describe the process, etc): I have only seen 1 of the 3 that I submitted (two are from professors, and one is from my current boss). The one that I was allowed to see was from a professor who I hadn’t had in class for awhile (although he is my advisor for my sociology major) which worried me, but he described me as being in the top 1% of students he has ever had in his social theory class. Being that this was the recommendation I was most concerned with I would say I am sitting very well in this category. My other professor and boss love me, and honestly I think that my recommendations will be one of the strongest aspects of my application. Long story short: I didn’t go to the best undergraduate school and my GRE scores aren’t exemplary (although they meet all of the averages for each of the schools I have applied to), but I honestly believe that my applications will be successful because of my hard work, passion, and the amazing professional relationships that I have struck with my recommenders. That said, I am not so confident that this period of waiting is an easy one. I cannot wait until schools start to make their decisions. Good luck everyone.