natalou

I just finished my undergrad in Knoxville and I lived in Shelbourne Towers, which is actually on campus (but the property itself is private) and I STILL found it absolutely necessary to have a car. Anyone I know who did not have one got by by catching rides with someone else. The biggest reason for me is because the nearest grocery store is at least 10 minutes away. Knoxville is just one of those cities where you need a car. There are lots of students who ride their bikes around campus (myself included!), but not much further. Anywhere you go from campus, you will have to encounter Kingston Pike, which starts out as a small 2 lane road with no bike lanes and sometimes no sidewalks. This road links the suburbs to the downtown area and is parallel to the interstate. It's poor planning because the traffic is heavy at rush hours and it is very unfriendly to bikers. I only rode the city buses a few times and they are just okay. I didn't feel unsafe, but that is from a Memphis girl's perspective. It's not a great bus system, though. The timing is unreliable and too infrequent. However the campus has a great shuttle system like most college campuses do. It covers almost every inch of the campus and buses come every 5-10 minutes. So I really do think a car is a must. There are so many great places in Knoxville to discover where the buses don't go, or don't go at night, that I would have hated to have missed out on! And there is nothing like a spontaneous road trip to the Smokey Mtn National Park! Anyway, I loved Knoxville! I felt negatively about it when I first moved, but I quickly fell in love. It is such an interesting mix of your typical conservative southerners and young (and old!) hipsters. Great vibe. And the mountains are beautiful, of course.

What is a good location to live on the Green Line for a student? I'm going to Maryland but I'd rather not live in College Park... I'd like to live closer to downtown.

Thank you! I knew there must be information within easy reach, I just didn't know what to search for. Here is Maryland's page on their Consortium policies, if anyone is interested: http://www.testudo.umd.edu/soc/consortium.html

I've heard that most of the DC area schools allow you to take courses at other DC area schools as part of their program, but I have never seen any details on how this actually works. How many students actually take advantage of this? How do you do it? Does your funding at your main school cover a class at another? And most of all... I'm sure the students who actually go to a school receive priority over you, so how do you even find classes that would be open to you? Should you do this during the summer or winter sessions? Also, I'm considering Maryland and Georgetown for MPP, and strongly leaning toward Maryland for the money they are offering me. So if anyone knows information specific to how Maryland does this, I would love it! I'm planning on requesting more information on this from them, so I will post that here when I get a reply.

Program Applied To/Schools Applied To: Georgetown (MPP), American SPA (MPP), Duke Sanford (MPP), Maryland (MPP), George Mason (MPP), NYU Wagner (MPA), GWU Elliott (MIA), Seton Hall (IR) Schools Admitted To: Georgetown, American, Maryland (half grad assistantship), GMU ($5k/yr), NYU Wagner, GWU Elliott, Seton Hall Schools Rejected From: Duke Still Waiting: Praying for a random scholarship offer or two or three or four before I make my final decision. But other than that, I'm done! Undergraduate institution: U of Tennessee Knoxville Undergraduate GPA: 3.98 (Major: 4.0) Last 60 hours of Undergraduate GPA (if applicable): 3.8? Don't know. Undergraduate Major: Honors Political Science and French (Minor Global Studies for what it's worth lol) GRE Quantitative Score: 610 GRE Verbal Score: 690 GRE AW Score: 4.5 Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): 1 Years of Work Experience: I worked part time during undergrad and I've been a full-time secretary since graduating because I couldn't find anything else in my home town (I wanted to stay here before grad school). Don't give up hope, secretaries! Describe Relevant Work Experience: My PT job in undergrad was working in a policy center's political archives but I wouldn't say I did any relevant work. I did an internship at a community social justice nonprofit and took a few grassroots organizing training course from them, but that's about all. Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): I didn't have any one edit mine, but I think it turned out okay. I don't think I had a very interesting personal story but I was extremely specific about what I want to study and what I want to do for a career and I think I made the few qualifications I have shine as brightly as I could! Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc): All three of mine were from professors (one thesis advisor) and I'm afraid that may work against me. I'm not even very close to any of them but I did good work in their classes and I'm sure they had enough to say. Other: My interests are international development, intl aid, and Africa. I studied abroad and I had 8 years of French. I didn't think I would get in anywhere without any experience and mediocre LoR's but I'm so glad I talked myself into applying this year!

Ooh, I did not get that email. And I got a letter in the mail today letting me know I'm eligible for $60k in loans. Oh no! Have either of you received that?

So do we all agree that if we haven't heard about funding and have not been asked to submit an essay, we're not going to get it at all? They never said I WON'T get any. That would be nice to know. This is key to my final decision!

I also received my admission offer via email today. No funding though. Nothing changed on the application page for me, and the letter they emailed me is not on there either.

Did anyone attend the first visit day?

Wow that is ridiculous. What is even the point of having a second wave if it's that late! I actually made a stupid mistake with the deadline... I submitted my payment and didn't realize I still had to go back and press a separate submit button because it was my first application in this format. I didn't realize it until I woke up at 7 the next morning. That's what I get for waiting until the last minute, I guess. Has anyone not heard anything from them that applied before Jan 7?

Does anyone know how much $$ GW usually gives out? Need a lot to convince me! Also, I like how the "Friggin' GW" post is turning into our general GW thread, haha.

According to the results search for last year, there was a long silent period before another wave of Acceptances on March 25. The last few financial aid decisions were sent around March 30. Rejects in early April, and a few decisions after April 15, which I would never wait for. March 25 last year was a Wednesday, so... maybe we'll hear on Wednesday! I hope so. It will be my last decision and I really need to get the ball rolling on my extensive pro/con lists.

I just received the exact same "Welcome to GPPI!" email that I received March 2. I guess they just like me so much they DOUBLE accepted me. Did this happen to anyone else? Weird. For the record, I still haven't gotten the official graduate school letter, admissions packet, or a single peep about financial aid.

SpS4: They sent a mass email out on March 2nd that said thank you for applying and decisions will be sent by email in late March. No hint as to whether I was likely to be accepted... doesn't look like they did that this year.

Still waiting here, too. Notices seem to have been quite spread out this year, though. People have reported receiving the notice at all hours of the day. Sometimes I try to convince myself that they simply alphabetize these things because my last name is toward the end of the alphabet.

Thanks to both of you for the info! The career services sounds really promising for an MA! I'm trying to decide between an MPP and an MA... Did you notice the ages of the students? Are they mostly right out of undergrad or what? And have either of you heard anything about merit awards? They haven't contacted me about funding yet, but I did write that essay for the GA. My acceptance letter was short and sweet and didn't even mention any forthcoming aid announcements.

I have been out of undergrad for 1 year but have only been able to land a temporary secretary job... In undergrad I worked two months during one summer for a community justice org. and 2 years part time in what was essentially a library (political archives). I thought not having work experience would keep me from getting in anywhere, but so far I'm in at Georgetown GPPI, Maryland, American SPA, Seton Hall, and George Mason. I encourage everyone with strong stats and specific interests to give it a shot!

I don't know... If you've already been accepted, they're not going to withdraw their offer! So it wouldn't hurt to ask about it.

I just got an acceptance email! Don't give up hope. I had, so I was totally shocked. This was my reach school so I am feeling awesome. I probably won't be able to afford it, though. The email didn't mention when I would hear about funding or lack thereof, but it didn't sound like they were done giving it out, either.

Does anyone have any inside information/opinions on the MA program at the Whitehead School? I notice that a lot of people on this board apply and are accepted but there are no threads dedicated to it. I was accepted and I realized I'm not seriously considering it because I haven't heard anything about it. I haven't heard anything BAD about it, but nothing good either. I'd love to hear some insight, especially because I won't be able to visit.

I'm only in at 3 schools so far, Luckily I have 2 right next to each other: Maryland: March 25 American SPA: March 26 I wasn't sure I was going to go until I saw Maryland offers to refund $100 for travel. Waiting to see if I can get off work! I'm not sure Seton Hall has a visit day... I got my acceptance letter today but there was no mention of one (no mention of $$ either, hmph!)

Quarter Final

Okay, I'm feeling better about this now! Program Applied To/Schools Applied To: Georgetown (MPP), American SPA (MPP), Duke Sanford (MPP), Maryland (MPP), George Mason (MPP), NYU Wagner (MPA), GWU Elliott (MIA), Seton Hall (IR) Schools Admitted To: American, Maryland Schools Rejected From: None yet but I know at least 2 are on their way Still Waiting: Gtown, Duke, GMU, NYU, Elliott, Seton Hall (They lost my LoRs...!) Undergraduate institution: U of Tennessee Knoxville Undergraduate GPA: 3.98 (Major: 4.0) Last 60 hours of Undergraduate GPA (if applicable): 3.8? Don't know. Undergraduate Major: Honors Political Science and French (Minor Global Studies for what it's worth lol) GRE Quantitative Score: 610 GRE Verbal Score: 690 GRE AW Score: 4.5 Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): 1 Years of Work Experience: I worked part time during undergrad and I've been a full-time secretary since graduating because I couldn't find anything else in my home town (I wanted to stay here before grad school). Don't give up hope, secretaries! Describe Relevant Work Experience: My PT job in undergrad was working in a policy center's political archives but I wouldn't say I did any relevant work. I did an internship at a community social justice nonprofit and took a few grassroots organizing training course from them, but that's about all. Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): I didn't have any one edit mine, but I think it turned out okay. I don't think I had a very interesting personal story but I was extremely specific about what I want to study and what I want to do for a career and I think I made the few qualifications I have shine as brightly as I could! Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc): All three of mine were from professors (one thesis advisor) and I'm afraid that may work against me. I'm not even very close to any of them but I did good work in their classes and I'm sure they had enough to say. Other: My interests are international development, intl aid, and Africa. I studied abroad and I had 8 years of French. I didn't think I would get in anywhere without any experience and mediocre LoR's but I'm so glad I talked myself into applying this year!

I'm planning on adding to this post, but I'm going to wait until I get at least one acceptance (ahem!). Bubbins, when did you hear from American SPA I haven't seen anything on the results board yet.