[MPA / MPP / Phd Policy Admissions 2008]

Well, yes.

It gets worse as time passes. I got into my first program a month ago (Duke MPP), and the other programs I applied to (KSG, WWS, and the Ford School at UMich) won't let me know until (as you know) around mid March it seems.

Still, your stats are rather impressive, so I doubt you'll be left out of both places. Don't worry, but do know that the next week won't be fun. Why do you want an MPP alongside the law degree, again? Do you plan to practice at all?

[MPA / MPP / Phd Policy Admissions 2008]

Questions and answers....

I've applied to four schools, my stats are above. So far only Duke has gotten back to me, with good news. That said, one thing I am always curious about is why there is such a draw to DC schools. Have DC admits found it easier to get internships there? It seems to me the top MPP/MPA programs are all outside the city, and have career services departments that make up for the distance between the college and the capital. I say this as a person who lived in DC the past two years, and has done two fairly decent internships in the city in his life. I'm applying to four schools all outside the city, and couldn't find a reason to be especially compelled to go to Georgetown (plus, I wanted to be able to devote myself to my studies, and staying near work would have made that hard) so I did not apply.

I say all this becauseit seems with the schools you are looking at the proximity to the capital may not be that big of a deal unless you hate to move during the summer for internships. For international development, I think Columbia has the most well-known program, if that's SIPA you're talking about. I don't know enough offhand about NYU to say much. As for Duke, are you going to the open house/weekend? I went to school just down the road from Durham, and so I am well aware of how strong their program is...and would say that you might be remiss not to consider them heavily as well.

[MPA / MPP / Phd Policy Admissions 2008]

GPA: 3.82 from a top 25 university (Top 5 Public)

GRE: V - 680 Q - 770 AW - 5.5

Experience: 2 years at a medium size consulting firm in the DC area, one academic semester during college in DC at a preeminent policy think tank, and I also spent a summer interning for a US Senator.

Recommendations: Two letters form thesis advisors, 1 from a VP at work, and 1 from a community service organization director (one app required this).

I applied to four schools, all decently high level. I got into one, and am waiting on the other 3.

[MA/MPA/MPP/Master's funding]

Greetings,

The other thread seemed more targeted toward PhD funding, so I figured I'd parse out master's funding packages. I'm only semi-knowledgeable on this front, but my impression is that while the acceptance rate of master's programs is typically higher than doctoral ones, the rate and % of funding is typically nowhere near as high. Is this true?

As acceptances start to roll in, I'd just like to hear what is typical, and what people are expecting/receiving.

Thanks!

[Rank by selectivity (MPP)]

The rankings posted above from US News should be taken with a grain of salt. Those are the aggregate MPA rankings, not the MPP rankings. The closest rankings you can find that correlate with what an MPP should provide you are the US News MPA: Public Policy Analysis rankings.

Those looks like this:

1. University of California

[Duke check status link thing?]

https://app.applyyourself.com/?id=DukeGrad

[Duke check status link thing?]

If you got the email stating that your decision was available, it's there.

I could have been too vague, so go log in again, and then scroll down to see where it lists your application. On the very bottom, it should tell you when your decision is supposed to be available. Mine was available 2/13/2008. It will then tell you if you can view it yet.

The entire Duke graduate school online notification system is the same, so you should be able to find where it says your decision is, or is not, available.

[Duke check status link thing?]

I received my notification last week, and I can verify that it's a generic link to the application site.

Just go to the application site and log in, and the decision notification link should be available. The financial award information, if there's anything of note, should also be in the mail.

Hope this helps.