le_neocon

I just realized that my application to SIPA became a little more diverse. Amongst the SIPA applicant pool, almost 60% are female, which means its a little different to be male..yippee !! ok..that was childish

I sure hope the number of applicants comes down. Although when it comes to HKS, I do see it as a big lottery of sorts. Does anyone know the acceptance to applicants ratio for HKS ?

I submitted my Harris MPP app quite a while back. The deadline was Jan 3rd. I've been checking the application status every single time and I find no updates. This includes my test scores and transcripts, all of which I've submitted quite a long time ago. Anyone else facing similar issues?

I know its too early, but for whats it worth, I thought it'll be great to know of the job opportunities at policy/IR schools for international students. I have some fears because some of my friends who are already in non policy/IR graduate schools ( some top ones too ) say that 80% of the jobs on campus don't really open up for international students because companies aren't that eager to sponsor a work visa. I just wanted to know if it'd be any different for policy/IR schools. Would our area of study or the possible jobs that we might end up doing make things any better for us ? Given the fact that a lot of us might shell out a lot of money with loans etc., it would be absolutely essential to get a decently paying job right after graduation. The economy isn't that great either. Are there any other options ??

Just a couple of thoughts .. 1. A little less than half of my SoP talks about how my experiences shaped my decision to pursue policy studies at Harris. The rest of the essay talks about my professional goals and why I think Harris is the best suited for that. Again, my focus will be on international policy, and I'm struggling to find research work/faculty with similar goals, which makes me wonder whether I'm a good fit. The fact is that there are a lot of other schools with acclaimed international studies etc. But I get the feeling Harris being what it is will be just as good. 2. I actually sent the material only with transcripts and nothing else. I thought I'd submit my resume and SOP online. Now i'm thinking it may not have been such a great idea as you are not allowed to "upload" these documents, but just type it out with very minimal formatting. I'm an international student too, I thought of just sending in the transcripts early. I mean I did get additional time for my SoP/resume. But I do wish they gave us the option to upload a document instead of just typing it out. I hope it really doesn't matter.

I had a look at the memo format. In my case, i'm talking about a specific issue in my region ( outside of the US ). Half of the essay is used up in explaining the issue and analyzing it. The other half is used up in proposing solutions. I can't adopt the memo format as it assumes that the person who you are sending it to does have a certain amount of knowledge already. Any other thoughts ?

Hey, I'm halfway through my application, but I still haven't enrolled myself in a macroeconomics/microeconomics yet. I just want to know how everyone else is fulfilling the requirement. I'm an international student, so the options aren't that flexible as in the US. Any help is appreciated Thanks

joerandom You have a very similar background to mine. However, I am going ahead with my application at quite a few places including HKS ( left out WWS though ). I had a look at the ages for the programs and the average age is around 25, which does mean that there are people at our age ( and there has to be quite a few to explain the avg. ). As you rightly said, the toughest part of the application process is convincing them that you are up for it and that you really mean it. Given that we don't have any experience in either policy making or development work, it is a tough shot, but I believe they will be looking for a diverse class profile as well. I also hear that a lot of people go into finance/consulting after their mpp, so its not as if its entirely different either. Postponing your application only makes sense if you're going to switch jobs and do something thats going to make your chances 100%...

Hey I suppose this is to fulfill the requirement for a second language. I'm from India, I know two non English Languages ( Hindi and Malayalam - mother tongue ) and have high school courses in them. I know a little bit of Arabic too. Just wondering, do I need an additional language before I apply, especially at places like SIPA...

Thank you spaulding and PolAn I would have tried HKS program too, but for the enormous tuition fees they charge. I know this is the case with most schools too, but I would need funding to a large degree, and I'm wary of Harvard in that respect. As for MDiv degrees, wouldn't the best way be to actually get there and then apply for that extra MDiv degree, given that you can apply as late as your first year ? Besides, the extra tuition fees might be a little too much for me. Speaking of costs, do you know what is the total cost for a two year program, all inclusive ?

Hi everyone, I'm pretty new here at gradcafe and found my way here after finding the amount of focus it has on MPP programs. I'm applying for MPP related programs this fall 2010 and was wondering if you could help me identify the schools I have a good chance of getting into. GRE V: 620 Q: 790 I have an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from a top ten univ in India. I currently work in strategy management consulting focussing on health care and will have 2 years of work experience by next year. I have a heavy quant back ground with a little bit of focus on finance having done research projects in finance. I've also interned at an top 5 investment bank and i've passed 2 levels of the Chartered Financial Analyst program. I know I don't have the typical arts background for the MPP but I am pretty sure I want to do a course that has a focus on economics and public policy. I've loitered around the place ( been in consulting and i banking ) and kind of figured out that I don't really fit in there. Other than work, I don't have any NGO experience, but I do write heavily on a lot of stuff and take an active part in Church and related stuff. I've done quite a bit of research on the programs I want to be applying ( gotta get moving fast ) and found these to be a good fit 1. CMU Heinz MSPPM and maybe MDiv along with that 2. NYU - Robert Wagner with concentration in finance 3. UMich Gerald R Ford 4. SIPA 5. Princeton 6. Georgetown 7.HKS ( little chance ) 8. Syracuse I know i stand only a small chance for 7 and 8, but I wouldn't mind knocking on their doors too. So, it will be really great if you guys could tell me if i really stand a chance at these schools, any more schools i should try given my back ground etc. Given that I'm new at this place, I'd be grateful for any suggestions/advice you would have to offer. Thanks !!