gatsby8724

So happy all of my admission decisions are in -- this has been a stressful month, to say the least, and I'm glad it's finally over! I was admitted to Chicago-MPP, SIPA-MPA ($$), and Stanford-IPS. Deciding between SIPA and Stanford -- looking forward to Admitted Student Days!

oatsoy, Stanford has an application for Student Loans/Federal Work Study that you need to fill out to supplement your FAFSA application. This is different than fellowship aid. I hope this helps! Anyone planning to attend IPS Admit Day? There is a discrepancy between the date listed in my letter and what's on their website, but they confirmed it's being held on April 15.

I'm in at Stanford -- would love to talk with some current students!

Congratulations ASEANdumpling! Yes, acceptance to IFP was part of my decision letter.

Just got my email -- accepted into the MPA program with a $20K fellowship + IFP. I am shocked and honored!

I'm still waiting as well Pinkman. I'm not totally clear why they release decisions this way, but I'm sure there's method to the madness. It's just that it's so late in the admissions cycle and deadlines to accept decisions are coming up fast! Hang in there and good luck!

I'm inclined to attend their admitted students day in order to hear about the program firsthand and make the most informed decision I can. They're giving out modest travel vouchers, which should at least cover my flight. If this is the route I choose to pursue, I'm happy to report back as I know not everyone can make the money/time commitment.

Here's the response I got back: We apologize for the delay. Emails with the decisions will be sent next week to applicants, followed by a hard copy. Wishing you good luck with your application, Castana Aguirre

I emailed the IPS program today to see if there's any kind of update. Will let you know if I hear anything back.

That's what mine said as while. I have a pretty specific area I want to specialize in, and I know WWS' program is more generalist so I'm wondering if that's where I was dinged.

ASEANdumpling, out of curiosity -- what did the second paragraph of your notification say?

It's a no for me as well. No good, very bad week for admissions decisions. Two to go -- here's hoping I have some better luck next week! Congratulations to everyone who got in!

I was hoping WWS decisions would come out today as well. I'm in Washington, DC so while I'm on edge during normal business hours (EST), I feel like I can relax in the evening and get a good night's sleep. I can't imagine being 15 hours ahead -- you must be exhausted! Hang in there, we'll know for sure tomorrow! GOOD LUCK!

Indeed! Remember the good ole days of undergrad, before there was Twitter and Facebook and your admission decisions came by snail mail? Things were simpler then...

‏ @WWSGAO seems to be the official account for their graduate admissions office.

soapwater, I initially felt the same way! (I'm a terrible standardized test taker, but I did relatively well in my undergraduate econ/stat in courses) My previous post is a reflection of what was explained to me at the on-campus information session I attended at the WWS (sans the comparison to HKS). I also understand from that session the WWS has three different quant tracks. At a grad school fair this fall, I was told by a HKS admissions rep that they're generally looking for quant scores in the 80th percentile and above. Of course, there are always exceptions, but this gave me the impression that HKS places more weight on the GRE. I hope this clarifies things. I wish you luck with your SIPA and Oxford applications!

Definitely not - every program is different! Also, when evaluating an applicant's candidacy, I understand the WWS places less weight on GRE scores than HKS. Don't give up hope!

Rough go with HKS today -- hoping for some better news from WWS tomorrow/Friday. Have a nice evening everyone!

I'm out as well. Bummed to get a rejection, but the more I thought about it, the more I felt like the Kennedy School wasn't the program for me. Congratulations to all the admits! Three schools to go -- hoping to get some better news tomorrow

By the way, UChicago is offering $250 travel vouchers for those who are interested in attending On the MaPP. Chicago Harris OOA ‏@HarrisAdmission On the MaPP details coming soon! Because I really want you here, I'm offering $250 travel vouchers. Mark your calendars now!

While we're hanging in there -- fenderpete and piquante, how is it that you have two 1st years in your cohort with the last name Bumpus?

Hi av260987, It sounds like you got in to some great programs -- congratulations! Is it possible to decide on a school without visiting it? Sure it is (although probably not ideal), but a few additional thoughts: (1) Will any of the programs you were accepted to provide funding to cover you attending their admitted students day? I don't think this is very common, but I know programs like WWS do. It might be worth checking. (2) Some programs post webcasts of their admitted students day online (e.g. SIPA, Tufts). It might be worth asking if the programs you're considering are intending to do the same, and if so, whether it would be possible to attend online. Otherwise, you might just need to try and speak with as many current/former students as possible in order to make the most informed decision possible. I wish you the best of luck!

So does this mean we may not hear from HKS until next week?!?

I absolutely agree with soapwater and CalSeeker. I did my undergraduate studies in DC (GW) and one of the major selling points was the emphasis on "experiential education" -- i.e. interning while in school. I not only graduated with a BA in International Affairs but also four years of relevant internship experience, which definitely played a role in getting a great entry-level job in my field afterwards. As someone who now works for an international non-profit organization here in DC and recruits for entry/mid-level positions both in DC and the field, I've found applicants with a MA and some internship experience, but very little full-time work experience to be a bit of a challenge. On the one hand, they don't necessarily have enough practical experience for a mid-level position, but you also question whether they'd be satisfied (and therefore give their all) to an entry-level post. I agree though that the DC job market is decent and employers like to hire known-entities. Those internships can easily turn in to full time work after graduation or serve as solid references somewhere else. It's all about networking in this town!

I was in your shoes until last Friday when I heard back (positively) from the University of Chicago, so I definitely understand! Hang in there! Decision month is almost over!