jakemc
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Posts posted by jakemc
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28 minutes ago, MidByMidwest said:
I don't know why you'd have to take out 60K in loans to attend Duke, especially with your fellowship. I just checked and grad tuition at Sanford is 36K a year. With your fellowship the whole two year program would cost you something around $12,000 when only looking at tuition. Plus the cost of living in Durham is very affordable. You could probably get by with something in the ballpark of 20K in loans if you attend Duke
From the website (http://sanford.duke.edu/admissions/master-public-policy/cost-attendance), tuition for one year is $43,171, and including school fees it's about $46,812.
It would be about 15k each year to cover just the rest of tuition and fees (minus my fellowship), and then the cost of living (which I'm not exactly sure what it is in Durham) would be somewhere in the ballpark of $900-$1000 a month. (Duke people, if this number is way too high let me know)
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Hello everyone,
April 15th is coming up quickly. I think I have whittled down my grad school decision to two programs:
Duke Sanford School (MPP) (30,000 fellowship)
Virginia Batten School (MPP) (Full tuition Fellowship)
My situation is that I messed up during my undergraduate years, and have about 60,000 in loans already, so taking out a bunch more in loans is really not a good idea.
If I choose Duke (higher ranked), I will probably have to take out around another 60,000 over the two years since my fellowship already has a work component to it, so it is unlikely I would be able to hold an additional job.
If I choose Virginia (lower ranked), I won't have to take out much in loans. Since this fellowship isn't based on any out-of-class work, I would also be able to work during my studies in order to to pay for living expenses.
The thing is, I know Duke is MUCH more highly regarded in Washington DC (which is where I want to work) and therefore might give me more and better opportunities. My question: is the extra 60,000 in loans worth the extra prestige/opportunities that come with getting an MPP at Duke? -
Hey everyone, how was the Open House to those who went?
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6 hours ago, CakeTea said:
The dual degree student told me that he got asked the question 'why CEU'? He is not from Hungary, the standard and correct answer: "Specific fit with interests and funding." I cannot comment on how CEU may work for you in the US.
Thank you!
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I want to be focus more on policy creation, and the MPP programs I looked at were very hands on, which I find very important.
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Hello everyone,
So I've gotten all of my offers, and it looks like a toss up between three schools.
Duke Sanford School: 30,000 fellowship
Virginia Batten School: Full Tuition Fellowship
Central European University School of Public Policy: Full Tuition Fellowship
Right now I'm leaning towards CEU in Budapest (due to the cheap cost of living - I have a LOT of loans from undergrad), but I'm worried about the job prospects afterwards just because I never heard of CEU until I began to apply (I want to work with an international development group such as US Gov't, World Bank, UN, etc). Does anyone know anything about CEU (good or bad), because I know it is both accredited in Hungary and in the US. Is anyone looking at this and thinking "Why would you make THAT decision?" Let me know any thoughts.
Thanks! -
4 hours ago, weksa said:
Did anyone hear about funding yet? Seems they didn't make good on their promise of "within the next week".....
McCourt Scholars finalists have their interviews tomorrow, so I would assume it would be sometime after this. Here's hoping that it is sooner rather than later.
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Program Applied To: MPA, MPP
Schools Applied To: Duke (Sanford), Virginia (Batten), Georgetown (McCourt), Princeton (WWS), Central European University
Schools Admitted To: Sanford, Batten, McCourt
Schools Rejected From: WWS
Still Waiting: CEU
Undergraduate institution: University of Oregon
Undergraduate GPA: 3.64
Last 60 hours of Undergraduate GPA (if applicable):
Undergraduate Major: Economics, Music
GRE Quantitative Score: 170
GRE Verbal Score: 161
GRE AW Score: 4.5
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): 3
Years of Work Experience: 3
Describe Relevant Work Experience: 1 year Peace Corps Ukraine (TEFL Teacher), 1 year Peace Corps Response Ukraine (TEFL Teacher), Communications Manager for NGO, Research Assistant
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): I spent a few months on each, sending each to a few friends to look at and give advice.
Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc): a professor with whom I co-authored a research paper, my Peace Corps country director, and the head of the grants program in Peace Corps Ukraine
Other: I'm VERY happy about my results. Still waiting to hear from CEU in Budapest, then I will try and negotiate some more funding from each school, which will help me make my final decision.
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10 hours ago, chocolatecheesecake said:
Donna has very limited time, so if she really emailed you, I think it'd be for a real reason. =) You're probably awesome, and I hope you come to Admitted Students Weekend so you can find out if we're awesome...
Regardless, you should ask for more aid if you think you need it or if you have a higher offer from another school. =) It's never a bad thing to do, as long as you go about it honestly and respectfully, and really do intend on coming to Duke if you get the money you ask for. The worst thing they can do is say no!
I would love to be there, but alas I am still in Ukraine for my Peace Corps service. I'm SUPER debt averse (after taking out a ridiculous amount for undergrad) so hopefully I can get a little more! Excited to meet all of you when school starts in the fall.
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Just received an email saying that I am being considered for the McCourt Fellowship! Anyone else? Does anyone know what the interview will consist of?
Hope to see you all next year! -
I'm checking, did anyone else get an email from Donna Dyer that said " You’re one of our top admitted candidates, so I wanted to send you a note and say hello."? I would feel really honored to get this, but I have a sneaking suspicion that all the accepted students are considered "top admitted candidates". If not, looks like I should try fighting for some more aid..
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Still waiting to hear as well.
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I got an email last week (or maybe two weeks ago) from McCourt saying I was accepted and I should wait to hear from the Graduate School as they will be preparing and uploading the acceptance letters onto the portal.
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Applying For: MPA/MPP
Applying At: Princeton WWS, Virginia(Batten), Duke(Sanford), Georgetown(McCourt), Central European University, two Erasmus Mundus programs (MAPP, IMRCEES)
Undergrad Institution: University of Oregon
Undergrad GPA: 3.64
Undergrad Major: BS in Economics and Music (double major), minor in Math
GRE: 161 Verbal, 170 Quantitative, 4.5 Writing
Quantitative Skills: As an economics major and math minor, quite a bit. Stats, Multivar Calc, Linear Algebra, etc.
Work Experience: 1 year as a Peace Corps Volunteer (evacuated from country), returned as a Peace Corps Response Volunteer in the same country for another year. Additional year working as communications director of an NGO helping IDPs in Ukraine. 3 years of research assistant work during undergrad/internships.
Rec Letters: One from the head of the economics department (worked as his research assistant for three years), one from the Peace Corps director of my country (who I know well), one from the director of small grants in my Peace Corps country (worked closely to receive USAID grant for my community)
Age: 26
Career Goal: Working with youth and civil society organizations in developing countries by teaching and facilitating civic projects.
Concerns: Lowish GPA, requiring a lot of funding in order to attend due to huge loans from undergrad.
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Long time lurker.
Received a P for Ukraine ETA, but I have an interesting situation which may cause me to turn it down.
I was a Peace Corps Volunteer (teaching English, almost exactly the same program as ETA) in Ukraine last year. We were evacuated from the country in February 2014. Peace Corps told us they may reopen eventually. After a year of waiting I just couldn't wait anymore and last month flew back to my school in NW Ukraine to teach my students and train my teachers. So today I receive two emails, one with the beautiful "P", and one from Peace Corps saying they are reopening and in May I will go to Kyiv to get my visa...
Does anyone know the exact monetary amount an ETA grant is (or where I can find this)? I'm weighing the costs and benefits of choosing my old love (Peace Corps) and my new one (Fulbright). The programs are almost identical, except with Fulbright I would be put into a new school.
Happy I got the "P", but now for the hard decision...
Also, regardless I will be in Ukraine, so next year's Fulbrighters in Ukraine FIND ME. I will show you around beautiful Kyiv.
Better ranking vs better financial aid
in Government Affairs Forum
Posted
Wow, this is great! Thank you so much! Honestly, Duke has been my dream school. I did send them an email asking to have my financial aid package reconsidered. I think you just REALLY helped me make my decision.