hopeful88

I got into Columbia, U Chicago, UCLA and UC Berkeley with similar scores (Q 157 V 169). I would think your scores are good enough to get into top programs as long as the rest of your app is solid (can't speak for Harvard though, as I didn't apply there and I've gotten the impression that GRE scores may matter more for that program--or maybe the folks on this forum who applied to HKS just obsess over their scores more )

Another former inner city teacher here...I've worked in both public and charter schools, and have had friends who taught with KIPP in California. In general, the academics are challenging and well organized, and expectations for the kids are high when it comes to behavior and academics, which is good. However, they work the teachers HARD. The folks I knew at KIPP had to be available by phone throughout the evening to answer any student questions about homework (they had cell phones provided by the school, which they were required to keep on and answer), and they worked LONG hours...they had an extended day schedule and then worked many afterschool hours on top of that. Culturally, the environment was pretty strict. It all depends on what you're looking for. If you want to design your own curriculum with an emphasis on social justice and the arts, then this is not a good place for you. However, if you are ready to work long hours and want to be in a more traditional setting, than it could be a good fit. No matter what, you will be in for an adventure if you become a teacher. Good luck!

Just got in off the wait list. I'm incredibly excited, will definitely be attending. Just thought I'd post here in case anyone else was on the wait list and was wondering if decisions had started to come out. Good luck to you all! I know this is a nerve wracking process to go through.

Not sure if you were replying to me or Jesus, but I'm happy to share my impressions from the Admitted Students Day. I attended the Admitted Students Day at the University of Chicago as well as UCLA. I skipped Columbia's event, and I didn't attend UC Berkeley's event since I am wait listed there. Overall, I got a very positive impression of Luskin. Since it's a public school, they certainly didn't drop as much $ as Harris did on their event, but I came away with the feeling that the program is very solid and rigorous in terms of academics (especially the quant/econ courses), and that the faculty is top notch and very available/receptive to students. I have since been connected to several alum who are working in my area of policy interest (education/social welfare), and they all loved the program and felt that it prepared them to be very competitive in the work force. I like the fact that the entering cohort is small (50-60 students max I was told), and there is a lot of individual attention given to each student. At the same time, the program is situated within the School of Public Affairs, as well as the broader context of all the centers and other projects happening on the UCLA campus, so you get access to resources that come along with a bigger program as well. I have not gotten the sense that career/internship support is all that extensive (I've been told that Maciek is fantastic, and have had positive interactions with him, but I think he's kind of a one man show--not sure about Sherry Dodge, haven't interacted with her). I feel confident that UCLA is a great fit for those interested in urban education, social welfare policy, and health and labor issues. I get the sense that those are their strongest areas based on the faculty, but that doesn't mean there isn't good work happening outside of those areas. I just haven't done the research because it's not what I'm interested in personally. I have also been told by several folks familiar with the program that it has more of a "social justice" bent then some of the other top programs, and it is very well connected to the broader community and has an "urban laboratory" feel. I suppose this could be a plus or a minus, depending on your perspective. I did find that the admitted students I met at Luskin were not quite as impressive as the Harris cohort in terms of work experience and professional achievements. Also, I think the program is strongest for those who want to work on the West Coast. That is NOT to say that Luskin grads don't intern and get jobs in DC, they DO, but it doesn't seem to be a main focus of the program. I live in CA and plan to remain here, so this is not a concern for me. And yes, the rankings are not as high. But after doing a lot of investigating I feel confident that Luskin offers a really solid education and lots of great opportunities to take advantage of, especially in their policy areas of strength. And several alum I've talked to had turned down Berkeley for Luskin due to personal reasons, and had no regrets. So that tells me that there are still top students selecting the program. Hope this is helpful...I've spent a LOT of time thinking about it, as you can tell . I would love to hear whether other folks agree with the impressions I've formed.

Still waiting to see if Berkeley is going to let me in, since I'm wait listed there...that's really for personal reasons, though. It would be easier for me to attend school in the Bay Area because I'm already living here, and I need to consider my family circumstances. But I really like the program at Luskin, and I plan to go there if Berkeley doesn't let me in (I negotiated a few extra days before I need to make a final decision). I'm hoping I will know where I'm going by the end of this week.

I believe I've seen people post on the UCLA thread that they were offered full-ride fellowships (but no one mentioned a living stipend, as far as I know). Not sure if the offers were renewable for the second year. I personally received $12,000 in funding for my first year only, but I was pleased with that because it was a second-round offer (I was initially admitted without funding, asked them to reconsider, and they offered me funding after I attended the Admitted Students event).

I'm also on the waitlist, and I did not receive a response.

Yay, I'm in (finally!!). Turns out that my official transcript got lost in the mail and it took several days to straighten things out. Very happy to learn that UCLA is an option for me, seems like a great program and I'm already a CA resident so I would pay in-state tuition. Now...to see if I can get off the waitlist at Berkeley....I also got admitted to Harris but didn't receive any financial aid and I just can't justify paying more than twice the cost of tuition compared to what I would pay if I attended a UC school. Anyone going to the admitted students event April 1?

Thank you!

Did you speak with Nancy? It seems like the number on their website goes directly to her, so I've been unclear if there is a more general line I could call. Going a bit crazy over here...haven't heard anything yet. I did receive a request for my formal transcripts about 2 weeks ago, so I'm wondering if there was an issue with that (they were mailed directly from my college). Left a VM for Nancy yesterday but I hate sitting around waiting for a return call...also don't want to be a pest. Any advice would be much appreciated!