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worrypower

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Everything posted by worrypower

  1. So, I have an MPA and I have been working in government since 2016. This is a solid path to a middle-class job-- squarely middle-class, maybe even upper-middle. I make about $80,000 a year now, which is certainly nothing to sneeze at in a tough economy, but really isn't rich-rich. Working in government is NOT is a path to wealth. Unless you have good capacity to be inner-circle, friend of the party, highest-ranking status in China, you're better off studying business, commerce, banking, etc.
  2. Not applied to MPP but I am also a bit surprised to see so little discussion of Oxbridge on this forum! Maybe Brexit has scared everyone off? Has everyone stockpiled enough canned peaches and French wine? Hahaha
  3. Hey, congratulations! I did my undergraduate at McGill. The education is second-to-none but the administration can be... Challenging. So, if your program recommended you, then you are IN! And the system will probably update your status sometime before the end of the Year of the Pig. LOL.
  4. What country are you in? As a side note: I work in policy myself and I have since 2015. I would not recommend doing policy work in the USA necessarily-- their immigration status challenges, paired with a generally anti-government context, mean getting and especially keeping work is very difficult. In Canada we have a much more robust public servant culture, as does the UK. I have worked alongside foreign nationals in various policy roles, including public treasury policy, infrastructure, and health. (If you're a Commonwealth citizen, it's somewhat easier to get work in the UK than a non-Commonwealth immigrant worker.)
  5. This morning, upon waking up: Excitement: AN EMAIL FROM OXFORD! Worry: ...to complete a survey about my experience with the application process? I did the survey, of course. But oh man, did I ever laugh at that. They really zoinked me.
  6. I actually also had a conditional acceptance to an MPA. By the time they send the email to you, it means you're in-- the rest is just semantics. Don't worry, you'll be great!
  7. I work full time as a public servant, now. We're headed towards an election-- and likely a change to a government I am not so fond of-- so if this doesn't work out, I will persist until August (my 3 year work anniversary) then maybe transition into consulting. Three years' experience appears to be the "magic number" for professional work, so regardless, it'll be a good chance for some personal growth.
  8. I come from the land of Political Science and Policy, hoping to tackle the wicked problems of the internet with my government hat on.
  9. Worries: It's a one-and-done. I'm not interested in blanketing the world with applications; either they'll take me or they won't. It's a moonshot! I am also slightly coloured by my experiences of having been rejected like, a lot during my master's application cycle. (Only got in to 1/7 haha. Guess where I went! Guess where I graduated from!) Excitement: Great email from my proposed advisor. Also, you only need 1! Doing my master's degree got me a job, a pension, and recently, the chance to present at a United Nations conference in Lithuania. I took what I got and I ran with it, and I am very hopeful that my application demonstrates my capacity to do exactly that. I'm an enigma. I'm a mystery. It'll work out or it won't, but SOMETHING will work out.
  10. Hello, gang! Here's me! Program: PhD in Policy, or potentially political science-- still exploring the viability of that. Schools Applying To: UChicago Harris PhD, University of Saskatchewan Public Policy PhD-- where I did my master's, Queen's (Canada) Political Science PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Political Science) PhD, Duke Public Policy PhD Interests: Long-term policy planning (pension viability, CPP which is like Canadian social security); public finance; measurement and evaluation of policy, particularly in long-term output contexts like infrastructure maintenance or the intended policy outcomes of education systems design. It would depend on the interests of the school in question though. Undergrad Institution: Top Canadian University, in the Worldwide Top 50 Undergraduate GPA: 3.4 Undergraduate Major: Political Science, Women's Studies Graduate Institution: Canadian U15, Top 200 Worldwide Graduate GPA: They calculate it oddly, but 83%, which is an A/A- (4.0/3.7) depending on whose comparison scale you use. Graduate Major: MPA GRE: not yet done-- depends on if I seriously look at applying to the USA because it's not needed in Canada Quantitative Courses: Graduate Quantitative Methods (A), Graduate Statistics (A), Graduate Micro Economics for Policy (A), Graduate Social Economics (quant...ish) (A), undergraduate political economy (A), undergraduate micro (C+ but I think the grad should make up for it) Years of Work Experience: By time of application, it will be 3.5 (or 4.5 including graduate internship) all in direct policy work in increasingly senior roles Age: 24, will be 26 at time of application Languages: English (native), French (fluent), Spanish (functional) Work Experience: One year policy internship in provincial government: education, one year policy: finance, one year policy: infrastructure. LORs: 1 from Master's prof under whom I worked as a research assistant and with whom I have kept regular contact. 1 from my Master's with whom I worked on an out-of-university research project. Probably another professor from my Master's with whom I completed a lot of coursework and who is a Canada research chair, but he's frustratingly hard to get a hold of, so I may need an alternate, haha. The first two are entirely in the bag, though. Publications & Honours: First Author 1 chapter, political science and gender, in an edited academic volume published by a Harvard visiting scholar 1 journal article, Kyushu University (in English), about immigration policy and international relations-- not super prestigious but it is referred 1 pedagogical article, University of Tennessee, about social policy and gender-- not a referred journal, but nevertheless an academic publication 1 book review, Laurier University, Canadian political subject I also have a few prospective chapters in the hopper. It will depend on if they get accepted or not. One is about education policy and the other is more political science-y. The education one is likely a go, though. Multiple Author 1 Policy Report, published at Undergrad level with an NGO, gender and policy-- multiple author but just shows I've been at it a long time Acknowledged in 2 journal articles as a research assistant-- not author status but they're in my resume while explaining my research work. Public finance subject. Posters Finalist, Inter-University Poster Competition at Master's Level. Public finance. Semi-Finalist, the Same. Public finance and gender. SOPs: In progress, but I'm a ways out yet. Concerns: * Lowish undergrad GPA. If you look at my posting history in this very forum, it was the source of some stress during my master's application, haha. * Don't have a good sense of how Canadian degrees are valued in the USA. Are we good because Canadians speak the same language, or is it seen as sort of poxy by comparison with a US degree? I know the GRE is hugely important (in my practice testing I've top 165+ in verbal and about 158 in quant, so I'm practicing that) but assuming good scores, am I at a relative loss compared to a US applicant? * Is it possible to apply for straight political science degrees given my published research and my undergraduate degree, or am I dreaming in technicolour? * I know my research is a little all over, but it's circling the same policy/gender/public finance drain. I think I can tie them together, though-- will that be an asset or a problem, to have done some varied research? * How much does American financing tend to be? Do they offer full tuition waivers and stipends? The websites seem cagey. I'd love to get the boost of an American PhD, but not at the costs they so often seem to present.
  11. Hello Professor! I was wondering about the "boost" provided by a non-political science master's. I completed my BA in Political Science, then an MPA-- it wasn't a thesis program, but I did have the opportunity to work with a professor as an RA during the course of my degree. I've also done academic research since then (journal articles and a chapter so far, with a few proposals I'm waiting to hear back on). Turns out-- research actually is what I want to do, professional degree be damned. Basically, is it a hindrance to have done a non-thesis/terminal master's if I've subsequently done academic work that backs up my research capacity? I've been looking at Policy PhDs, but given that there aren't very many of them, I'm looking back to my undergraduate field to explore options further. Thanks!
  12. After what felt like an eternity of waiting, I got my first acceptance today! I checked my application to the University of Saskatchewan and it said "Department Recommend-- Conditional." I'm assuming that the condition will be to send my final transcript with proof of graduation, because I had to send my transcripts in before all of my final courses had been graded. I am thrilled and delighted and over the moon! No matter what happens from here out I will be going to graduate school in the fall! Today is a very good day.
  13. I applied to the University of Saskatchewan's MPA program on the late deadline (May 1st); apparently the results are supposed to be out by June 1st. The university is specifically designed for ease of late applicants, though, with funding still potentially available... I'm hopeful!
  14. Finally got rejected from the U of T. So polite! Very impressed that it takes a full four months of total radio silence to process a form-letter rejection. Oy vey. Still waiting on McMaster though.
  15. Haven't officially heard from either university I'm waiting on yet, although I suppose it would be reasonable to assume I'm on their waitlists (unless the policy is to keep rejects on ice until May, which seems a little too cruel to be possible!!!) No word on how the spots are organized or anything like that, even after a phone call and an email. My hands are aching from having my fingers crossed for so long. Come on, universities, gimme a spot!
  16. When I was rejected from SFU's MPP program I got an email the same day, so I think if you're rejected they usually let you know pretty quickly.
  17. Well, I'm not applying in Computer Science but I am still waiting to hear from McMaster. They are apparently notoriously slow. Have you checked your application status online? It might have more information for you (although it also may not-- mine has been sitting blank for quite some time now.)
  18. That's the best news I've heard all day! Thank you for letting me know, and congratulations with wherever you're headed.
  19. On the plus side-- no news means we're still in the running! It was driving me absolute crazy for a few weeks, especially since I've only received rejections so far back in March, but now I feel a lot more chill living by the "no news is good news" principle, hahaha.
  20. Still haven't heard from McMaster or U of T, tra la la...
  21. Thank you-- it means a lot to me that you decided to post these words of encouragement as your very first comment. I wish you the best of luck too... Hopefully there is good news around the corner for the both of us!
  22. Queen's: two form letter rejections via email, then a letter sent to my house, then an invitation to a survey after I'd already been rejected. Rude!
  23. So, my situation is as follows: I have been rejected from two schools and I'm still waiting to hear from two more... But I recognize that, as time goes on, the likelihood of being accepted to either of those two schools is diminished significantly (especially as the forum fills up with more and more people happily announcing their acceptances to those same schools.) I'm disappointed to have received the rejections. I'm especially disappointed to have received one form-letter rejection, without comment, without personalization, and with my name spelled wrong, THREE TIMES from the same school. Three! Two emails and a letter. To say that the salt was rubbed in my wounds was an understatement. Oh, and an adorable census from a university which had already rejected my application the month prior. But, you know, I get it: you can't always get in. That's okay. That said, I'm angry that neither of the remaining universities has made any effort to be transparent or reasonable about the waiting process. I have sent emails asking when decisions might be known: one went completely unanswered, even after three weeks' worth of time; the other was a snarky form letter that essentially boiled down to "you'll know when we tell you, so shut up." I've called and attempted to make communication along the relevant channels, but my messages also went completely unanswered. Nobody is even remotely interested in answering any questions, dealing with any concerns, nothing. I recognize that this is a labour intensive period for admissions staff, but frankly, I'm pissed. I did not spend hundreds of dollars to be rejected without even the basic human decency of communication. I did not put myself and my work and my hopes on the line so that I could not even be placated with a "better luck next time." No: if you're an admissions employee, you should have at least some semblance of the fact that people are incredibly stressed and that their entire lives are hanging on your word. Accept, reject, whatever, but if you have people in the palm of your hand, you should treat them with the dignity they deserve. I made an effort; I deserve at least a tiny fraction of effort in return. Anyway. Basically, the point I'm at now is: should I essentially give up? Is it worth checking my email 40 times a day at this point, or am I only going to be confronted with another form letter, another anonymous rejection, another "haha, fuck you, thanks for the $$$ but we really don't care, please don't call us?" Is it delusional to assume that people actually get accepted at this point in the game Basically, what I want to get a sense of is what my odds are. I don't have a sense of that. Do people get accepted at the April 15th deadline? Do people on waitlists (that they've never been able to find any information about from anyone) actually get accepted, or is it just a pacification so that they reject you in July? I'm sorry that this is whiny and shitty, but I'm just so upset. I was so optimistic that this process would turn out differently. My optimism is spent, now.
  24. Well, it appears that I misunderstood the conversation that I had with the Queen's admissions office-- I thought I was being waitlisted for rejection, but apparently I heard wrong because I was fast-tracked for rejection. I wish that the woman on the phone had been more clear and hadn't got my spirits up on Friday... It makes this rejection that much more painful knowing that I thought I had a real chance all weekend. Oh, but I was delighted to receive another form letter rejection, with 0% explanation, reason, or detail. It takes you three months to look at my application and you can't write two sentences about what can be improved? Thanks a fucking bunch. Anyway, I'm still waiting to hear from McMaster and Toronto, but for some reason I see a barista position in my near future, ughhhhhhhhhh
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