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mrgelato

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Posts posted by mrgelato

    HGSE vs Stanford GSE (HDP vs ICE)?

    in Education Forums

    Posted

    @mrgelato, for me the cohort size is important not only for post-grad networking, but also because you are exposed to a wider range of peers with different backgrounds and experiences. You learn just as much from peer students as you will from your profs. There is a critical mass needed for programs, just as there is an ideal size for classes to stimulate discussion and idea exchange.

    In terms of post grad networking, there are many more alumni of HGSE out there than there are of Stanford by virtue of their relative sizes. I think this will be useful whether you decide to pursue research/phd or you pursue something in the classroom.

    One last unrelated point. Consistent with what some other international students have said, if you plan to work abroad, reputational differences matter. I met a student on gap year a week ago from Australia. We were talking about universities here vs there and she said she could only think of one or two "top" US schools - Harvard and MIT. She "had heard of" Stanford, Yale, Berkeley, but didn't have any specific impression of any of those. In Aus, Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard apparently carry distinctly more cache than any other global uni.

     

    You right. Even though I prefer Stanford's course design (12 more credits, a MA paper, very research oriented), I can sense that people going to Harvard or graduate from there are generally nicer! I hate to say it, but the fact that I only talked to one nice girl from ICE and at least 5 or 6 nice people from HGSE really makes me think how the different personalities of students are going to significantly affect my later career. 

     

    You know what, I am an intuitive person. But this time I will do a thorough comparison in exel. Hope that's gonna help. I assume you either are going to HGSE or graduated from there right?

    Stanford Admit Weekend

    in Education Forums

    Posted

    I was wondering whether there are people on gradcafe, who participated in admit weekend at Stanford? If so, can I please ask to share your impressions? Particularly if there are people in ICE program! thanks!

    Same question here. 

    HGSE vs Stanford GSE (HDP vs ICE)?

    in Education Forums

    Posted · Edited by mrgelato

    One other thing to consider which I alluded to in another thread. According to Stanford's website, last years ICE/IEAPA masters cohort was 14 students! The entire non-STEP cohort size is 77 MA students for last year. In contrast, HGSE's cohort size by masters program ranges from 30-60 masters students, which I think is just the right size - not too large (like TC) and not too small (like Stanford). I went to an admitted student reception recently and was impressed by the folks I met there. The size thing was a positive relative to the other comparable programs. Looking forward to the Visit Days this week!

     

    I agree that Cohort can be important. But is it that important if I want to pursue PhD afterwards?

     

    I'm in China so I took the virtual session for L&L students. People in that program mostly want to work in the field, and so pursuing a PhD is not very popular. But I've talked to a HDP student, and she said 30-40% of graduates from her program are aiming for PhD. I guess it depends on the programs.  

    HGSE vs Stanford GSE (HDP vs ICE)?

    in Education Forums

    Posted · Edited by mrgelato

    Thanks for sharing, that's very helpful. So it sounds like you have picked HGSE, then?

     

    Just to clarify on the name recognition in Asia point, did you mean that 7 out of 10 people have heard of Stanford yet it is obvious to them that they would pick Harvard, when only considering the name?

     

    If you can find faculty and resources specific to your area of interest, then it makes a lot of sense that you choose that school!

     

    Hi I haven't decided yet. Have you received the contact of an email buddy? I think individual contact is a good complement to group sessions.

     

    In his lastest email(really nice of him to help me during springbreak), the L&L student said Ed.D or PhD in Harvard are both extremely competitive (4% acceptance rate). I did checked out some of my other interested areas outside of HGSE.  Apparently, promising value in research and fit are what professors look for (assuming stellar GRE, GPA, etc). I did quite a bit of research on the ICE alumni's careers on linkedin, most of them found quantitative positions. In contrast, what I saw on L&L website, most graduates go back to teach. That said, HDP is less focused than L&L and probably better received among PhD programs(according to a HDP student in UTAustin, each year PhD program accepts around one Ed.HDP from HGSE), so it's a different story.

     

    To me, it begins to look like a career decision. I have 7 yrs w/e but wanted a change of roles from teaching and managing to researching. Empirically speaking, PhD is relatively easy for undergrad and/or grads who haven't lost contact with the research world over the years of their professional experience. Whatever program I ended up choosing, I will try to get more research experience prior to August.

     

    Let me know if you find more info on this.

     

    Rex

    HGSE vs Stanford GSE (HDP vs ICE)?

    in Education Forums

    Posted

    Received your reply to my message.

     

    I've talked with an ICE alumna who is studying towards her PhD in an IVY league university. She said it's important to get in touch with professor ASAP if I am interested in doing PhD. She got in touch with her current supervisor through the reference of a professor from an elective course. In her case, the research experience she had in ICE didn't helped her very much since she studies in biz school now. Like you said, ICE requires more credits to finish and gives students who haven't decided with their research interests a chance to experience and try. But my suggestion is If you are going to work in a developing country, name recognition is actually a problem. I am in Asia, and I would say few people here would say they didn't know Stanford but 7 out of 10 people who knows that I have a decision to make (be aware of the bias) said it's a no-brainer.   

     

    I emailed with an L&L student. According to him, the funding in Harvard is second to none and he mentioned quite a number of research opportunities. Considering my interest in L2 language education and place identity, a not-very-popular topic, HGSE really has a lot to offer. He also mentioned the size of my future cohort is 30 MA and a couple of PhD students which is slightly bigger than that of ICE. I am amazed at how well-connected and NICE people are in HGSE. He and an current student here in Gradcafe @nicolemae really helped me a lot.

     

    I am still waiting for the merit-based scholarship from HGSE. Will attend the virtual session and a couple of other sessions. Good luck with your choice.

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