--jawn--

@CFBrown, it looks that way! I'm headed to Syracuse, too -- Maxwell, specifically. What are other Maxwell folks doing about starting at the end of June? I think I'm just going to try to find a 7/1 lease and try to fanagle my way in a couple days early. If anyone is looking for a place at that time, PM me! Maybe I'm being a little naive about mid-sized de-industrialized cities, but how bad could Syracuse get?

Previous Schools : Temple University, Honors Program Previous Degrees and GPAs: B.A. Linguistics, 3.63 GRE Scores (Verbal/Quantitative/Analytical Writing): 160/153/4.5 Previous Work Experience (Years, Type): 2 years AmeriCorps VISTA and VISTA Leader for the same project, interned with a low-power radio advocacy group and with a fair trade organization during undergrad. Math/Econ Background: Intro to Micro and Intro to Stat Foreign Language Background (if applicable to your program): Passable Spanish Intended Field of Study in Grad School: MPA, focusing on Urban/Social Policy. I'm interested in economic development, housing policy, labor markets, and how they all (and others) affect education. Long Term Professional Goals: I don't have a preference w/r/t public or private. I only have experience at the non-profit and city level and am interested to see if I'd enjoy working on a state or federal level. Schools Applied to & Results: Cornell CIPA - $16k/yr, Pitt GSPIA - $15k/yr (+ I am in-state), Syracuse Maxwell - $10k, Penn Fels - $8k Ultimate Decision & Why: Syracuse Maxwell. I didn't think I was going to be accepted, so when I got the e-mail, I was thrilled. All of the programs I applied to had their positives -- Fels is in my hometown, Pitt gave me a very generous award, and CIPA... well, you can look on these boards and learn quickly how truly personalized and inclusive their program is. However, I went to a middling undergrad institution and I wanted to do it right for my graduate studies. My fiance is looking to go into IA or International Law, so I was looking for a highly mobile degree. And finally, CIPA has a highly individualized structure which I felt might overwhelm me (the choice in courses is positively staggering), whereas Maxwell's program is rigid. I am glad that I applied to a range of programs and had time to think critically about what would be best for me as a student and for my future career. Advice for Future Applicants: Put the effort in to make your SOP shine. I worked my butt off on my SOPs and I credit them with the acceptances and award packages I received. Write them early and do not be afraid to have a LOT of people look at them. I probably spent upwards of 50 hours on them. Think about your life as professional narrative and how grad school will help to shape that narrative. For me, I wound up studying collective impact in a thesis I wrote in undergrad, and it led me to the VISTA work that I have been doing the past two years. Grad school will allow me the tools to study this in a much more thorough manner. There is always an interesting way to frame your experiences. Finally, tailor your essays!! Each program is different and has a different personality/culture. Play into that. Honestly, getting into the mindset of the school as you write may help you come April when you have to make a decision.

If you are okay with taking the regional rail every day, I would recommend living in one of the northern suburbs (Jenkintown, Abington, etc.). They are easily accessible and Temple has a train station adjacent to campus.

I'm in the process, like many of you, of deciding where I will attend next year. I am interested in how workforce development and planning/housing policy affect education in cities, and would like to work in domestic government, non-profits, and/or think tanks working on policies that affect education. I have narrowed my field down to two: Cornell CIPA and Syracuse Maxwell. Both have offered me pretty equal funding ($16k/yr at CIPA; $20k for the year at Maxwell). From there, things diverge. I have been an AmeriCorps VISTA working within the education sector for two years. Maxwell's condensed schedule is appealing, because I am tired of barely scraping by. I would be able to start my career a year earlier, with a prestigious degree in hand. However, CIPA's staff has been so supportive and communicative throughout the application process; I feel like I would get personalized attention as I get my degree. I know that CIPA is flexible and Maxwell is rigid in their respective course structures, but I honestly don't know what would be best for me. Cornell might be overwhelming. I am interested in a lot and how various sectors interact -- I might get muddled by all the options. Maxwell might go by too quickly for my liking. How does one decide between flexibility and rigidity in program structure? I have other offers from Pitt GSPIA ($17.5k/yr with in-state tuition) and Penn Fels ($8k/year), but am not really considering either for various reasons. I would greatly appreciate any and all insight! Thanks in advance.

I heard about funding on 3/20. I would love to visit, but my work schedule is insane right now. Would anyone care to give a little synopsis of their experience? I know one was written last year, but any further perspectives would help out a friend on the fence!

Try checking applyweb. They never e-mailed or called, but my decision was posted on the website on Friday. To be quite honest, I have been increasingly unimpressed with their composure throughout this application season, so I will be looking elsewhere for my degree. I am local, so this was a big decision for me, especially because Fels opens so many doors in Philly. They gave me some money ($8k/yr), so I hope anyone with no funding will be able to benefit!

Just got an e-mail with the aid letter attached! Looks like they're starting to roll them out. Good luck all!

They haven't made a peep for anyone since alumni interviews, so I called and a student worker said they would have acceptances out by the end of this week. My friend got a phone call last night notifying her of acceptance, so the wait is almost over! Best of luck.

I know little about UMD's program, but on a surface level assessment, Cornell has the name brand that would do well internationally (I see you're from Pakistan). Additionally, the program allows for a lot of flexibility -- this could be a positive or negative depending on what you want to study.

Congrats @serwah! Where else have you applied? And yep, I got a scarf, too

Hi @LYJ I don't think CIPA gives full tuition coverage to anyone. The most they do is usually ~50%, so I would think that $10k is nothing to shake a stick at! My experience & gift aid are already in the thread, so I'll spare you the repetition. Where else have you applied?

@dudeinspace that is a real pain. From what I've heard, CIPA staff have been pretty receptive to difficult situations such as that. Hopefully it all works out! Is anyone planning on attending the admitted students day on 3/20?

Hi everyone! I got the e-mail yesterday. Congrats on all who have been admitted, and best of luck to those waiting. The end of March can't come soon enough!

@freeverse, it still just says 'submitted'. Hope that helps!

@serwah sure. I posted in the stickies thread, but I'm on my phone so I'll paraphrase here. I graduated cum laude in 2012 from Temple University's Honors Program. I am proficient in Spanish - having extensive experience in Nicaragua from working in a non-profit and studying abroad there. Scored a 160 verbal, 153 quant, and 4.5 writing on my GRE. Last year, I served as a VISTA in a high school in Philly, where I worked as a resource coordinator (to put it simply). This year, I stayed on as VISTA leader through the sponsoring org which is housed by UPenn. In a nutshell, I want to focus on the Community Schools model of education and how we can better bridge our k-12 education to labor and industry while also addressing socio-emotional needs. How about you?