phil413
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Posts posted by phil413
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Hi I haven't decided yet. Have you received the contact of an email buddy? I think individual contact is a good complement to group sessions.
In his lastest email(really nice of him to help me during springbreak), the L&L student said Ed.D or PhD in Harvard are both extremely competitive (4% acceptance rate). I did checked out some of my other interested areas outside of HGSE. Apparently, promising value in research and fit are what professors look for (assuming stellar GRE, GPA, etc). I did quite a bit of research on the ICE alumni's careers on linkedin, most of them found quantitative positions. In contrast, what I saw on L&L website, most graduates go back to teach. That said, HDP is less focused than L&L and probably better received among PhD programs(according to a HDP student in UTAustin, each year PhD program accepts around one Ed.HDP from HGSE), so it's a different story.
To me, it begins to look like a career decision. I have 7 yrs w/e but wanted a change of roles from teaching and managing to researching. Empirically speaking, PhD is relatively easy for undergrad and/or grads who haven't lost contact with the research world over the years of their professional experience. Whatever program I ended up choosing, I will try to get more research experience prior to August.
Let me know if you find more info on this.
Rex
I have a email buddy for HGSE, but one thing I have noticed is that it has been much harder for me to get in touch with somebody from Stanford to speak with. Since we found out about HGSE, I have gotten a chance to speak with 2 current students and 1 alum. I have reached out to 2 Stanford alum but have heard nothing back. In that sense, it seems from this extremely limited anecdotal experience that HGSE students seem slightly more helpful and more enthusiastic to talk about Harvard. May I ask how you got to in touch with the Stanford student?
Thanks MAC for sharing your thoughts as well! Indeed, it would be additionally helpful to understand whether you have had any experience with either of the schools or if you're going through a similiar decision process.
SoCalGuy, would love to hear what you think as well.
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Received your reply to my message.
I've talked with an ICE alumna who is studying towards her PhD in an IVY league university. She said it's important to get in touch with professor ASAP if I am interested in doing PhD. She got in touch with her current supervisor through the reference of a professor from an elective course. In her case, the research experience she had in ICE didn't helped her very much since she studies in biz school now. Like you said, ICE requires more credits to finish and gives students who haven't decided with their research interests a chance to experience and try. But my suggestion is If you are going to work in a developing country, name recognition is actually a problem. I am in Asia, and I would say few people here would say they didn't know Stanford but 7 out of 10 people who knows that I have a decision to make (be aware of the bias) said it's a no-brainer.
I emailed with an L&L student. According to him, the funding in Harvard is second to none and he mentioned quite a number of research opportunities. Considering my interest in L2 language education and place identity, a not-very-popular topic, HGSE really has a lot to offer. He also mentioned the size of my future cohort is 30 MA and a couple of PhD students which is slightly bigger than that of ICE. I am amazed at how well-connected and NICE people are in HGSE. He and an current student here in Gradcafe @nicolemae really helped me a lot.
I am still waiting for the merit-based scholarship from HGSE. Will attend the virtual session and a couple of other sessions. Good luck with your choice.
Thanks for sharing, that's very helpful. So it sounds like you have picked HGSE, then?
Just to clarify on the name recognition in Asia point, did you mean that 7 out of 10 people have heard of Stanford yet it is obvious to them that they would pick Harvard, when only considering the name?
If you can find faculty and resources specific to your area of interest, then it makes a lot of sense that you choose that school!
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Hi friends,
I am having some difficulty making the decision between Stanford's ICE (International Comparative Education) program and Harvard's HDP (Human Development and Psychology) program. If anybody is faced with a similar decision or can speak to any of the below points as a current /past student, I would greatly appreciate your input!
Below are the various factors that I'm thinking through. Please clarify or correct any misconceptions!
· Nature of Program - Obviously, HDP and ICE are very different programs. I am interested in studying moral/emotional development within international populations and how that affects educational equity, so both courses are relevant to me. It seems to me that the HDP program is slightly more flexible and open-ended, which can be a good or bad thing, while ICE is certainly more focused (I don’t yet know whether it is actually feasible to cross-register for many classes across outside the ed school for Stanford)
At HGSE, I am able to find faculty whose research aligns perfectly with my interests, but less so in Stanford GSE. However, I have yet to look outside the ed school -- ie. there may be opportunities conducting research with professors in departments outside of Stanford GSE.
· Research vs Practical Experience – It seems to me that Stanford’s ICE program focuses on a culminating MA thesis paper, and very few students have internships. On the other hand, HGSE is much more practice-focused and many students take on practical experience or internships. In this regard, I prefer HGSE. But a MA paper is also good in that it is strong preparation for a PhD program one day, and I would not want choosing HGSE to potentially preclude me from a strong PhD application in the future. Can anyone speak to whether it is still feasible to have a strong research experience that produces substantial results at HGSE?
· Length of Program – The MA program is already very short at both schools, but Stanford’s takes up the whole calendar year (including summer) while HGSE’s is 9 months. It seems that 9 months would be incredibly rushed, and I wonder if it is enough time to produce research AND glean practical experience AND complete coursework AND form lasting relationships w peers in a substantial manner…
· Cohort Size – HGSE’s cohort is ~500 people, while Stanford’s is ~200. In terms of cohort bonding, class size and professor relationship, I prefer Stanford’s smaller size. However, the pro of a bigger school is the ability to build a bigger network (if this actually happens practically at HGSE), and better resources. Hence, in this respect I am undecided.
· Intellectual Calibre of Peer Group – I have spoken to current students at HGSE, who tell me (and this is their perspective! Not mine!) that because the school is larger, they found the intellectual caliber/work ethics of some students in the program disappointing for such a top-notch institution. Granted, these types of students might be found in any program, but it was certainly disconcerting hearing them say that of Harvard. In addition, because Stanford GSE is smaller, technically the acceptance rate is lower – could that indeed have a bearing on the types of students found in the program? Can anyone speak to the cohort at Stanford? I don’t mean to sound judgmental on this point – I fully understand that “intelligence”, or insightful experiences, come in many different forms from people of various backgrounds. I know I can learn something from anybody. But, I was just wondering about the intellectual climate and level of rigorousness found in the peer groups of each program. The bottom line is that regardless of which graduate program, we learn from our peers as much as we learn from the professors, so I just want to be in an environment where I am constantly challenged and sharped by my peers. Can any current students at either of the programs speak to this?
· Lifestyle – Weather and climate, Stanford obviously wins hands-down. But from what I understand, Palo Alto seems to have much higher living expenses compared to Cambridge. Hence, in this respect I am undecided.
Additional Questions to Answer:
- Career Prospects Post-graduation – How “easy” or possible is it for students to get a job or move on to their desired next step post-graduation? Where do most students from either program go? Is Stanford’s program indeed more PhD-geared than HGSE? How much does a program from either school strengthen a student’s candidacy for a job / PhD / research etc. ? Do different schools place students in specific roles (eg. more Stanford graduates end up pursuing a PhD vs students graduating from Harvard, for example?)
- Cohort / Community Bonding – Harvard seems to be much better resourced as an ed school compared to Stanford, and so does give me the impression that it is much better at maintaining that cohort loyalty / a sense of belonging among alumni. Might this have an effect on how accessible and ready-to-help the future network of graduates become to each other?
- Reputation – Would the slight difference in reputation have any effect in reality? Negligible point, but does sadly have some bearing especially overseas, whether I like it or not.
Argh! Please let me know if I missed any important factor to consider in addition to the above, or if this is even a good approach at all! I would love to hear your two cents, especially if you are a current /past student, or if you are also currently choosing between these two schools. Please also let me know if you have any thoughts or experiences in general to contribute that I might not have thought of. Your insight would be tremendously helpful.
What are some key factors you are considering as you make your decision between programs? Please share, and please also let me know if the above thinking sounds like I’m on the right track, or if It's completely out of whack!
Thank you so much!
[edit] Apologies in advance that my post is rife with grammatical errors. I am actually typing this half-asleep, as it is late where I am. Pardon me! [/edit]
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Wow! I was actually reading this thread, thinking, "Wouldn't it be awesome to figure out where this person is and see how things turned out?" That's pretty great, and comes at a good time for me as I've pretty much jumped in the Harvard boat before I've gotten my financial details. Also, thanks for the reminder that I'm not going to HGSE to be just a cog in the wheel.
I see this point, but I understand what the OP is getting at. It's definitely not a shot at anybody who actively wants to work in education in Asia. It's something that I've thought myself, having already taught in Korea. Since I left Korea, I've always felt that I had that opportunity in my back pocket in case things didn't work out at home or abroad somewhere else. Why? The pay is pretty good and the jobs are reasonably easy to come by. That in no way diminishes the value of teaching in Asia or the people who choose to do so. I have plenty of friends who chose to stay in Korea and for them, teaching there is definitely a "best case scenario." I think what the OP is trying to say here is that teaching in Asia is by no means his first choice of employment, but that it's ultimately not such a bad fate. No hard feelings were meant. At least that's how I interpreted it.
Phil413, no offense intended. I'm actually Asian myself and have family there. I was simply referring to the fact that more teaching jobs with competitive compensation are available in Asia (at least Korea, HK, Taiwan, Japan, China, and Singapore) than in other parts of the world. I have no qualms about moving to Asia to grow my venture since the demand there for a quality education is so strong, and many of the cities are able to provide a high-quality standard of living.
That makes sense. Thank you for clarifying, guys
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Hey guys, so I ultimately chose Harvard over Columbia, Stanford, and Penn. I've been here just over a week and I already feel I made the right decision. In just my first week, I've already made fantastic connections with people (students, faculty, staff) who have such rich experiences and connections to the education world (and beyond) that I'm not worried at all about finding a job afterwards. I know there will always be something out there, even if it might take me a few weeks to land a gig. Worst case scenario, you can always teach in Asia
My professors are amazing and topnotch in their fields. Being in their classes motivates me to push myself harder than ever, and it's really inspiring.Everybody is so approachable and genuinely friendly here it's like grad school heaven. People literally are not afraid to introduce themselves to people they haven't met, and the well-funded social events don't hurt in facilitating such connections. People also organize their own parties and the members of different programs are not cliquey at all. At HGSE, I truly feel anything is possible. It's easy to tell money flows through this place. Programs are well-funded, the classrooms are world-class (though the exterior of some buildings at HGSE might not be so aesthetically pleasing), grants are very accessible to students who have a compelling idea and want to go with it. Just this first week, people have already formed groups around various issues like Autism Research and the Philosophy of Education. That's the great thing about HGSE- it's the perfect size. It's not too small like Stanford's or too big like Columbia's. It's great for forming a lot of connections that are actually sustainable because you will be seeing some of these same people everyday on campus. HGSE students also have a lot of pride in the institution and the Graduate School of Education is seen as very prestigious and noble in the university all around.
After all I've experienced so far (and like I said, it's only been about a week), I don't even want to think back about how things would've been different for me had I decided not to come. I know this experience will transform me in ways I can't even imagine right now. If you get into HGSE, just go! But if you're still ambivalent, I'm pretty sure a visit will convince you.
Hoping,
Thanks for sharing your experiences, and I'm glad to hear you're doing well. I'm currently deciding between Stanford (ICE) and HGSE (HDP) as well, and it is a tough decision. Your insights have surely helped.
However, not to pick a fight here (I really have no intention), but what did you mean by "Worst case scenario, you can always teach in Asia "? I may have been wrong in my interpretation, but I couldn't help being bothered by this statement, as it seems slightly callous and generalizing to me. Why is this the "worst case scenario?" It is many people's, especially those with a heart for certain Asian populations, "best case scenario". And it did come across as if finding a teaching job in Asia would be your last and easily attainable resort. Again, I may be too sensitive here, but I'm surprised at what seems to be such a casual, throwaway comment from a HGSE grad and fellow educator, so I would just like to understand.
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LOL Your not going to Columbia you idiot
Hey! Are you a troll? Just wondering...
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I would go to Teachers College to be honest.
Why? Can you substantiate this please?
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Just to clarify, if we didn't receive any information on scholarship in our acceptance letter, that means there is none offered? And there is no travel stipend or housing for the Admit Open House, is that correct?
Thank you!
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Yea, my pre matriculation page is denying me access as well, I'm guessing our information hasn't been updated by the servers yet.
Dude thanks! I felt bad asking such a practical question amidst all this excitement!
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Is anyone else having trouble logging in to the prematriculation website
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erms so i still haven't been able to log in to the system....when is admit day!? argh
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also accepted
, thankful, congrats all. Now, decisions time.........! -
Hmmm, so this is interesting (attempts to divert conversation from this compulsive refreshing, which can't be good for anybody
). What do we think is driving the disproportionate amount of viewers at this critical time of decisions release (OR SO WE THOUGHT...) on this HGSE thread, versus any other ed schools at admissions release time? I mean, "because it's Harvard" would be a gross simplification, since IMHO i don't think other schools fall far below, if at all, in terms of reputation or program quality. Any takers (just for conversation's sake...)?
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lol@66 users are reading this topic!!!!!!!!!!
Haha I wonder how many of those actually applied / have vested interests, or if this is just amusing to watch...
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ughhhhhhhhh. guess it isn't coming out today....
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Oh, great! Well yes I do hope they get the emails out soon in order to facilitate people making travel arrangements!
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Not to be a naysayer, but I have a sad feeling it might not be today. I emailed Admissions yesterday asking them for a precise date for the admit students event, just in case / so I could potentially plan travels around it, and they couldn't seem to give me a set date. My thinking goes: if results were to be released today, shouldn't they have locked in on a date by now?
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I've crossed a point where one minute, I'm thinking, "I probably didn't get in", but a few minutes later, I'm reassuring myself that I probably got admitted. And this process repeats endlessly. I'm turning insane.
Haha good luck, all! I have found, in freaking out over Stanford, that freaking out probably wasn't the best course of action for me and was unduly anxiety-inducing. Hence, I will not freak out over Harvard *commences to refresh page 2308420394 times* (jk).
kijewels, if you are waiting on PhD, didn't those results come out awhile ago?
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I'm hoping that's the case also!
Does anybody have any guesses as to when the admit student event might be, for planning-ahead purposes?
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I got an email on Jan. 14th with the subject line: "2014-2015 HGSE Financial Aid Application Instructions". In the email, it gave instructions on how to submit HGSE financial aid applications. Did you get this email? You might not have gotten the email if you are an international student since you won't have any tax-related forms to send them. Anyway, we're supposed to send in the financial aid apps and FAFSA by Feb. 14th, and mail them tax return and w-2s by March 3rd. I'm going to mail them my stuff today... ugh...
Ahhh yes. I submitted the form but did not send in the tax-related forms. Yikes. Aren't you an international student as well?
I haven't completed my tax return and w-2s yet though... O_O
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Whoops, I just realized that I didn't send in the tax return and w-2 that was due on March 3rd
We got so many emails about app deadline but nothing about this... totally my fault though! Anyone like me too??Are you talking about the financial aid forms, or what :/ ? I wasn't even aware we had to send in any tax return / W-2 forms...could you please enlighten?
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Like to thank everyone for responding as I am getting my arms around the different programs and why people apply to them. To clarify, my specific areas of interest are the business sections of universities-administration, finance, planning, etc. Additionally, with the MBA and continued involvement with my program, would be highly open to the general school strategy (e.g. admissions targeting, program marketing, strategic issues, etc.)
What I am hearing through my networking is that yes, some people do get in with an MBA, but having an understanding of how schools operate, think, get things done, would help level the playing field in terms of not having specific, university experience and provide tools that would help with performing well once I am in an academic environment. I am competing against people who already have university experience and that can be challenging.
In terms of length, with an MBA program usually 72 credits, a Masters in Education of 30 or less is doable from a logistics and financial perspective. @tdix09, you mention Penn and assuming you mean MS Ed in Higher Education. Says 10 credits plus internship. I will look at this and also Stony Brook to see their offering.
Again, really appreciate everyone's input. Interested in moving my career in a different direction and looking for the mechanics of doing that.
Hi dbrown, career switcher here as well from a consulting background into education. Certainly do-able in my perspective, but I have not yet started so we shall see!
PennGSE also has executive , part-time ed programs I believe, geared towards working professionals. Definitely look into that. Else, Stanford GSE's POLS program has a large intersect, it seems, with organizational policy and is a popular double-degree with Stanford's business school, if I'm correct.
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Sorry Moyru...remember that whereever you end up, you will be doing amazing things and a step towards your journey either way
!Congrats to all who got in and no worries/you will kick ass wherever/best of luck to the rest!
I also got accepted into ICE with scholarship -- so I guess that makes 3 of us so far in ICE on this thread alone...are you guys planning to attend admit weekend? If so, I hope to see/meet you all! (BTW just to clarify, is the $400 only expensed if we choose to enroll ultimately?)
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BETTER THAN WAITING ALL WEEKEND FOR IT, AMIRITE?
(hysterical at this point -- k best log off before i lose my marbles
. Happy Friday!)
Stanford GSE
in Education Forums
Posted
Hey WordlTraveler,
I actually emailed admissions with this specific question. They said: