socaljournalist
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Posts posted by socaljournalist
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Hi RunnINcircles,
Yes, you'll have to go from department to department (checking websites/emailing department coordinators and professors) if you're interested in applying for GSI/reader positions. Unfortunately, there is no central site to search for positions. But a good place to start is to e-mail Kari Hamilton with career services at the Goldman School; she can put you on her list to receive announcements about jobs across the university. You will want to jump on this asap, because most of the hiring happens in April. Reader positions tend to get filled later, I'm told, because they are contingent on specific enrollment numbers. Some departments asked me to check back with them in July for reader positions.
It's totally worth it. I got the position I interviewed for, and so will receive the full tuition remission and $1,600/month living stipend for the fall semester.
Good luck and I look forward to meeting you in August!
ah nice!
Wait so to backtrack a bit, you said that you were offered an interview for a GSI position- did you have to contact different departments to begin that process or is it for a GSI position within the Goldman school? I'm thinking of pursuing a tutoring or reader position
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That is terrible! If I were you, I would be of a mind to call the admissions office, use a stern voice and tell them they can't deny you! Not sure if that will work...
Hope you were also accepted elsewhere. Best of luck!
I received an admission from a top ranked school (not naming it here) for an MPP. It was followed by a piece of communication the same week informing that the admission notification was sent in error. Anyone else has had or heard of a similar experience ? Any advice on what I should do ? I guess not much if they do not want me.
- Perplexed and Distressed
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Congrats RunnIncircles. Now you can join the GSPP Class of 2012 facebook group I just created! http://www.facebook.com/rashi.kesarwani?ref=profile#!/group.php?gid=119289384754142
(Btw, I also turned down SAIS for Berkeley.)
haha thanks, ya it's a great program, just not the right fit for me right now. Good luck to all of you if your decisions are still pending!
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To give you a bit more info in making your decision (from a biased person who's already committed to GSPP)...
You can work as a GSI in your first year! I was recently offered to interview for a position that would cover full tuition and provide $1,600/month for living expenses and I will be a first-year in the fall. Yes, Berkeley's fees will go up by 15 percent, but you will be able to go there for free if you are willing to work 25 hours/week as a GSI.
Also, you're mistaken about the flexibility of the program. Your second year at GSPP is basically open to take whatever electives you want across the university - a university that is unparalleled in terms of quantity of highly-ranked graduate schools/departments. This means that you can cultivate an international focus, if you so choose, through electives in the second year.
to s33- you are right, in that I do not think I would want to stay in D.C. for very long, so having the option to move to the Midwest is a big plus for GSPP. I keep wanting to make my decision official but then end up questioning whether I should be so quick to say no Hopkins which seems to be *the* place for international relations. sighhh
fallmpp- A 15% increase is definitely steep, but if that keeps the ranking of the program from going down then I guess maybe it evens out with a GSI position or at least a reader position to offset that increase- where have you decided to go?
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I'm surprised by those figures for HKS; seems a little low to me. At Berkeley's visit day this week, the assistant dean said they had virtually 100 percent employment for the class of '09. Granted, she did not specify how long after graduation. I was pleasantly blown away by the figure.
For the Kennedy school class of '09, employment at graduation was also about 50%. It was much, MUCH higher by October (90%, I think?), but that number isn't ridiculously low. Follow up with the career services office, get the figure for students six months out, and see what it is. Hiring processes for a lot of government agencies are slow, so if you don't start until you get an academic lull around spring break, it sometimes takes until mid-summer to get a job.
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Yes, ask more questions about that 50 to 60 percent job figure. How many months after graduation? Where do these graduates end up? The more info you have, the better you will feel about your choice.
Similar to you, I am turning down expensive private schools to stay in state at Berkeley's Goldman School. But I don't feel like I'm sacrificing at all, since Berkeley is excellent.
You want to pick the right school for you, and sometimes that means being very careful about the debt load you will have afterward.
This is exactly the kind of stuff I need to hear. Thank your for you advice!
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Yes. You should understand that the only person(s) appropriate to ask to be a co-signer would be a parent or other close relative. You are asking that person to pay off your debt should you default. Your finances have the potential to ruin their credit rating.
I agree with fadeindreams...getting a co signer is a difficult task given the large sum...some of my close friends have said no...as it affects their future borrowing capacity. the SBI rate of interest is quite high - 11.25%, when compared to US interest rates.
You may want to check out Global Student Loan Corporation (www.globalslc.com) that helps out with loans in US without a co signer. I haven't checked it out in detail yet...so apologise if this doesnt work out.
I think the EducationUSA idea is good.
@fadeindreams : Could you please repost the links....Thanks!
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Yes, I can see the value of getting an MBA/MPP if you know you want to move to the private sector from public sector (or vice versa). I personally don't see that for myself, and if in the future I do decide to make a switch, I would go for one of those executive MBA programs that you can pursue while continuing to work. I'd rather do that than go into steep debt now for a degree that qualifies me for jobs I don't really want in the near future.
Thanks! Yeah, I want Fuqua
I applied for R3 and have an interview on the 9th. If I get in this year it will be a dual degree MPP/MBA in 3 years.I only applied to Fuqua. I don't want an MBA per se, I want their MBA specifically, for several reasons that I can't go into with two papers due in about 6 hours.
If I get in I'll go, unquestionably. If not, I doubt I'll re-apply next year unless my internship this summer is life-changing and I think I can get enough financial aid so that the debt load makes sense. After all, there's a "how has your application improved?" essay required for re-applicants; I would want to have a good answer and I don't necessarily see one developing between now and December. I think this is the last time I'll go back to school so I'd like to get it all done now if possible, and the MBA would help me do what I want: Corporate Social Responsibility Officer / Climate Change Officer at a big organization. So that's my reasoning.
This is exactly what I'm seeing. We may learn more analytical stuff than the MBAs, but they have more options and make more money in the private sector (though I believe this situation may improve in time).
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Honestly, I don't think it's worth the time/money. I never understood the rationale behind dual advanced degrees, either. Maybe the people who do it are trying to please their parents or a part of themselves that fears that an MPP alone won't be lucrative, even though they're really attached to the idea of getting one? Not sure...
Do you really need both? I'm hoping to understand the reasoning behind joint degrees, specifically the MPP/MBA and the MPP/JD.
1) In what professional capacity would you use both the MPP and the JD? Usually, salary expectations after a law degree are enough to push recent grads into the legal field. True, many come out looking for public sector jobs after law school debt is paid off, but I'm inclined to think the JD alone is sufficient. Assuming the MPP is not free, I don't understand the rationale for this joint degree.
2) MPPs with finance/economic policy tracks- why not stick with it or get the MBA by itself? What added benefit do you get by getting both?
Theoretically, the degrees complement each other well. But in terms of getting to where you want professionally, is it worth the extra cost and time?
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Thanks for this thread! I too feel like our generation (I'm 27) has been shafted by sky-rocketing tuition and a crumbling job market.
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Hey, sypher2k3, I think a full-ride is worth more than going to Georgetown. Couldn't you just write on your resume that you received a full scholarship somewhere beneath your graduate degree info? Nobody's going to question that.
I was also accepted to both Georgetown and GW for Fall 2010. No word on funding from Georgetown, which was always my first choice, but GW offered full ride on tuition. Still, I really want to go to Georgetown....
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Thanks, Jae B. You're making me really excited to start at GSPP in the fall! Go Bears!!
Congratulations on such awesome acceptances!
As an undergraduate at Berkeley, I have to vouch for GSPP. I really admire the program; the faculty is amazing and the grad students (great GSIs! -- definitely TA to offset your costs) are top notch. Their research projects are really impressive, and I only wish I knew more. I've tried to spend as much time at the school as possible, and I know my policy-buff peers have, as well! The minor offered at the school is quite popular among us.
That said, the school is calm, quiet and welcoming. It has a great location on the campus' North side, the side grad students prefer because it's away from the undergraduate hubbub.
At least in the San Francisco Bay Area, GSPP is very highly regarded in terms of public policy analysis. I see the Dean, Henry Brady, on the news frequently, and Professor Robert Reich offers commentary often. In some ways, GSPP is the public face of UC Berkeley.
If I choose to continue my education at Berkeley (at the Journalism school, also North side), I'll definitely be taking classes at GSPP! It's my favorite graduate program at Cal, second to my own.
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It all depends on what you plan to pursue upon graduation (i.e., your expected salary upon graduation). If your goal is consulting/finance, then I wouldn't think twice about 100k debt. But, if you're uncertain about those jobs or see yourself at a multilateral org/non-profit/public sector position, then I think it's wiser to at least consider cheaper options or be aware that you will face years of paying off your large debt on a modest salary.
Ok.. i'm terrified of the huge financial debt that I'll incur if I choose to go to SIPA. Is it easy for SIPA graduates to get a job (esp for international students)?
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Yeah, I got the same thing. Sucks!
I'm going to Berkeley's GSPP instead, because it will save me approx. $80k.
OK, first I was excited that I got accpepted to the MSFS but today I received my package and a scholarship or funding wasn't mentioned hence the bill would be 120k. Did others hear from Georgetown today as well?
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But one argument for MPP/MPA over IR is the median salaries - that I've seen - tend to be higher for the former. Harvard boasts a median salary of $100k for private sector MPP graduates. On the other hand, Columbia's MIA grads attain a median salary of $55k.
I agree. For the most part, the point is simply to obtain a master's degree from a prestigious school, so employers understand that we're qualified for certain jobs. The employer list for SIPA at Columbia (MIA) vs. Berkeley's Goldman School (MPP) is virtually the same, so I don't think it matters that much. If you work hard and cultivate a specialty, you can have whatever career you want.
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Yes, they do offer fellowships, ranging from $20-40k, but that will still leave you with about $100k in loans, given that the two-year cost is a whopping $137k or something like that.
Maybe some of the policymakers coming out of SIPA will have a special interest in college/grad school cost reform.
I think there's a reason why their MPA median salary is significantly higher at 70k. Maybe those students come into the program with different kind of experience that makes them more lucrative on their way out. I'm sure there are exceptions, but generally speaking, it seems like the MIA student gets a lower-paying job than an MPA student, all other things being equal.
Since most of MIA and MPA courses are similar barring a few, how difficult is it to try one's hand at an interesting MPA job.
Also, from what I hear, SIPA does help out second year students with fellowships.
But yes the median salary of $55K is not quite encouraging.
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I agree. For the most part, the point is simply to obtain a master's degree from a prestigious school, so employers understand that we're qualified for certain jobs. The employer list for SIPA at Columbia (MIA) vs. Berkeley's Goldman School (MPP) is virtually the same, so I don't think it matters that much. If you work hard and cultivate a specialty, you can have whatever career you want.
I wouldn't pour too much brain power into trying to decipher the minutiae. The Masters level is definitely a different animal than the undergrad level for both of them.
The alumni base and how the schools position their programs is very important of course, but from my experience working with people in Beijing with IR degrees (primarily SAIS people) and comparing it to the MPP program here at Duke I'd say that an IR degree with a policy focus and an MPP with an international focus are often po-tay-to / po-tah-to. I'd certainly consider both kinds of programs if you want to do international policy work.
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There's a brief description of this stuff in the admissions packet mailed to you. But I found out the specifics from a friend who graduated from there recently. He said it was "pretty easy" to secure a second-year TA position that covered full tuition and provided a 1k living stipend. It's not a sure thing, but sounds like a way better deal than anything the private schools can offer.
hi socal,
i didn't hear about this option to TA the second year for goldman...can you elaborate? is it available to any goldman student (assuming they maintain a certain gpa etc)?
i was just factoring in the cost reduction since i can apply to be a CA resident second year...which it sounds like i wouldn't have to do if this TA thing was an option..
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Nobody here has mentioned anything about Berkeley's Goldman School. I'm planning to go there in the fall and would be interested to hear what people's impressions of the school are. Strengths? Weaknesses? Reputation?
Thanks!
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I think you are ABSOLUTELY RIGHT to be terrified by the SIPA debt load, particularly if you've been accepted to the MIA rather than the MPA. The median income - $55k - does not justify approx. $100k in debt. The only way that is reasonable is if you have wealthy parents who are willing to gift you at least $50k, to bring your debt load down to a more manageable $50k.
I have a friend who went there, finished in '09, and did not find full-time employment with benefits upon graduation. She is still looking for work and deferring her loan payment of $1,000 per month. If you are going to be around 30 by the time you get out, think about how that debt load is going to affect your ability to save for a down payment on a home, etc.
That's why I'm going to Berkeley's Goldman School instead. As a CA resident, I will graduate with approx. 40k in debt (the school generously offers the option to TA as a second-year, which covers the full cost of tuition and gives you a living stipend of 1k/month).
But I understand that if you have no other option, you just have to go to SIPA and hope for the best in terms of debt and the job market in the future.
Good luck!
Oh, don't get me wrong. It will only benefit you in the sense that your Diploma is like owning a share of the company. You buy the share, the company grows, the share is worth more. I.E., the reputation of the school is likely to go up a lot. If, and this is a BIG if, you think that the name of your diploma will still be helping you in four or five years, this is an important consideration.
Full disclosure: while I will be attending the SIPA admitted students day, I am highly unlikely to matriculate, given Duke's and Chicago's generosity, as well as the offer from HKS. I am really impressed by SIPA's International Finance and Economics Policy track, however, and NYC is the best place ever. (Outside of Philly, that is. !)
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I've submitted 2 applications and the rest could be sent in within the next week. All GRE scores and transcripts have already been sent. Two old professors have submitted their LORs. The ONLY thing holding back my applications is ONE of my LOR writers. I told him over a month ago that this week is my target application submission date and to please, please, please have his letters in by then or let me know if he won't be able to. He said it wouldn't be a problem. But a month has gone by, and I haven't heard anything from him. I emailed him twice last week to no avail. This prof has totally bailed on me before so I am FREAKING out that he's going to do it again. I really don't have anyone else that could write for me.
I'm going to send him another, more urgent email today. What should I say? I don't want to piss him off (for fear that would come through in my LOR), but I want to let him know that he's single-handedly keeping me from grad school right now. (Dramatic, I know. But true nevertheless.) Some of these programs admit on a rolling basis so it's crucial that these apps are completed ASAP! How have you guys handled this?
Help!
KieBelle! My professor eventually came through for me. I would recommend sending an assertive email explaining that your schools have rolling admissions and it is critical that he send his letter asap. Follow up with an assertive phone message. (Write it down and read it if you have to.) Also, think about an alternative third recommender, if the bastard lets you down. Can you ask a former or current supervisor? Someone who can do it in one or two weeks? Just in case.
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Pardon me, but WHAT THE FUCK???
My applications for MPP/MPA/Masters in IR weren't even AVAILABLE until late August. None of my schools make any mention of rolling deadlines, and there's just no way that I could have gotten apps for ten schools together 2 months early as Donald Asher's fucking book recommends.
Maybe if the apps were available in June...
But now I'm tempted to email the seven schools to which I'm applying with January deadlines to clarify whether they admit on a rolling basis or after all the apps are received after the deadline.
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I was informed by my professors to print the CV on fancy paper.
I sent a packet of hard copy materials (mostly writing samples) today and used fancy paper for everything. Hope that wasn't overkill. It's just a high quality white paper.
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I posted a thread on this forum a week or two ago and got some pretty good advice, so you may want to look through that.
Hi, JerryLandis. I did a search for your username, but I don't think I saw the thread you mention. Do you remember any of the resources that were helpful to you? I have some pretty specific questions about how to arrange this thing, and I'd love to get my hands on a book filled with samples.
Berkeley's Goldman School vs. Hopkins' SAIS
in Government Affairs Forum
Posted
Glad you got the info you need, RunnINcircles! Stan is really helpful.
To answer your earlier question, I will be a GSI for media studies 10, an intro media class that's a good fit for my journalism background.
See you in August!