cosmike10

I actually think Wagner will be more interested in your graduate GPA since it is the same program you are applying to. As far as your reasons for switching schools, I am sure you know you will need to explain why NYU is better for you than the school you are currently at. And it must go a lot deeper than ranking.

Anybody here have any knowledge on the likelihood of gaining admission with a late application? I know a school will typically go through all the applications that were on time first, then if any room is left, they will go through the rest that came in late. I'd like to know if anyone from last year got in at a school they applied to late.

this thread is surprising. to the original poster, believe in your qualifications. i was impressed when i read your history. true, you don't have work experience, but if you are certain of your intentions for graduate study there is no reason you shouldn't apply now. but be very certain and articulate that in your sop. i think you will get into at LEAST one of those schools, if not more as long as you can portray yourself as focused on your interests. by the way, i think learning a foreign language carries distinct advantages compared to speaking that language as a native. not to say one is better than the other, but it definitely says lots of very positive things about you. if you are sure this is for you, best of luck. i hope you find a way to do exactly what you want.

i really don't know, but someone at the school might be able to tell you.

as for your explanation greendiplomat, i like it all except that the last sentence seems to bring you down a little. instead of portraying yourself as 'limited,' i think you should spin it in a more positive direction. how has your diagnosis helped you progress?

I feel it is generally not a good idea to apply to two programs at the same school, but the TSPPPA website seems to indicate that they don't really frown upon it as much as I believed. Under the admissions checklist tab I found the following statement, "If applying to more than one degree at GW (such as the MPP and MPA), separate applications must be submitted for each degree." Does this imply that applying to both programs would not diminish my chances of being accepted to either one? http://www.tspppa.gw...s/checklist.cfm

i think you can submit both. and i think you should.

i think you'll be fine. just keep believing in your qualifications. your retake will probably arrive in time too. an aside: i know its not in the 600s or above like everyone would like, but you're still above the 80th percentile. i think the AW portion should be a higher priority than the verbal score for your retake and that you should highlight your writing talent as much as possible in the application.

i've had the same question.  would they not admit an otherwise appealing applicant because it doesn't look like he/she could pay the tuition at their school? i feel like this thinking is a little pessimistic and the real reason is that they want to know for need-based aid information.

working on my app and i get to a point where they tell you to list anything you're sending in with your supplementary packet (thesis, written work, cv, etc). it is clearly optional, but i wonder if its optional as in 'advisable.' anyone think its a bad idea not to? i don't really have anything except research ideas, nothing written out.

it looks to me like the extra essay is optional. https://gushare.georgetown.edu/PublicPolicyInstitute/Web%20Files/Admissions/GPPISupplementalApplicationRequirementsMPP.pdf

for my harris sop, which i am finishing up now, i went over their course descriptions in the program brochure and mentioned the classes that fit my interests. i then went over the professors that taught the classes i liked and mentioned their expertise in my field. i am still putting the finishing touches on my statement, so any advice in that regard would also be appreciated. i was actually a little unsure of that too. i don't know if i will be able to actually 'work with' the faculty as a masters student since my understanding is that they tend to advise the phd students a little more.

I am currently working on my Harris SoP and am wondering exactly how specific I should be. I can be very specific, as in focusing on one, tiny area of policy that I would like to affect after graduating, but I don't want to look too one-dimensional. Am I worrying too much that I won't be able to portray myself as a generalist instead? After all, it is just an SoP, not a commitment to study certain courses only.

wasn't me. congrats be to cornell07 for getting that internship

this is a common semantic ambiguity in linguistics. are you referring to educational grounding AND professional grounding (two groundings), or your the grounding you got from your education and profession. both 'have' and 'has' are correct, but change the sentence's overall meaning. i agree with the poster that said you should change the word 'grounding.'

wow, sounds pretty awesome! best of luck!

I'd like to arrange an exchange with someone who'd be willing to let me know how my SoP reads (read it through once, then focus on grammar, punctuation, etc.). Any takers?

good neighborhoods for price and location for ucsd: university city (suburb with affordable rooms and apartments and very close to ucsd), clairemont (some weird teenagers though, close to pacific beach if that's your thing), university heights (indieish area, next to hillcrest, clean, cultural), hillcrest (gay neighborhood, cultural, lots of bars and restaurants, very central, safe), mira mesa (suburb, more inland, cheap, close to ucsd) you need a car to get to ucsd unless you take the bus or shuttle. biking is doable only for very short commutes within neighborhoods or along the beach. craigslist is the way to go. everybody uses it and posters are pretty up front with what they are looking for. if you like to eat out go to sushi ota in pacific beach, the freshest sushi in san diego. a real hole in the wall. sushi on the rock in la jolla is good but trendy and pricey. good mexican is everywhere. for taco tuesday you can't beat south beach bar and grill in ocean beach. awesome fish, lobster, shrimp, calamari tacos. bronx pizza in hillcrest has good NY style pizza (if you're a new yorker don't lecture me about how it doesn't come close, i know, but it is good), so does regents pizzeria close to ucsd. board 'n' brew in del mar makes great sandwiches. there's a decent pho at ob noodle house. lightning jack's in clairemont has good bbq (bbq lovers see what i said about ny style pizza). downtown la jolla has some of the best reviewed restaurants in the nation. if you are from out of CA, NV, or AZ then you're stoked you get to go to in-n-out for a few years. one last thing, take advantage of mexico's proximity. not tijuana or rosarito, go to tecate. 40 minute car ride inland takes you to the border town of tecate where the brewery is. you can go on a tour of the brewery, they give you some free beer. then you can eat amazing mexican food in the plaza. i went once with 10 people, we all drank a bunch, ate a bunch of authentic mexican food, and paid eight bucks each. oh, and don't leave san diego without going to my favorite beach in the world, blacks beach. you'd be missing out.

Yeah that's how I found out about it too. I considered applying, but don't think I will for pretty much the same reason as you. I've wanted an MPA for a while and want to study international social and economic development. I'm applying to USC, George Washington, UI-Chicago, Portland St. and considering Washington, Pittsburgh, and Columbia.

hi keondra. i wish i was only considering one program, i'd save lots of money. just wanted to let you know however of another school you might like. denver's korbel school is offering a brand new degree called Masters of Development Practice. lots of travel involved and they call their method a 'holistic approach.' if you like you can check it out, but i hope it works out well with columbia.

that is true, if anyone was hoping for a management position directly out of grad school then i would assume that person would have previous relevant work experience. that is probably why many programs that offer an mpa have a two year regular program and also an 'executive' one-year program for mid-career professionals. since i am not mid-career and have no previous administrative experience or public sector experience, i am hoping an mpa will give me a boost into the policy analysis arena where i can eventually move up. after all, its not unheard of for someone with an mpa to do policy analysis. i'd rather not go the mpp route since its so quant heavy.

no, a 4.0 GPA will only hurt your chances. seriously?

VOLUNTEER/OTHER. I'm applying right now. I took two years off in the middle of my undergrad years to do a volunteer mission in the Dominican Republic. After finishing my undergrad years I worked in Peru for six months as an English teacher. I just came back from that and got a job as a bilingual Math and English tutor for K-8 Spanish-speaking kids. Overall 2.5 years work experience, but not public affairs oriented. Hoping that doesn't adversely affect my chances. Applying to MPA programs at GWU, USC, UI-Chicago, Portland St., UW, and thinking about Pitt, San Francisco St., and an international program at Denver.

a related question. i am 26, and have a few years of work experience, but not really related to any sort of public affairs. my work has been mostly oriented to education. how important is it that the work experience be related to public work? will my experience be less than helpful for my admission chances?