Vulpix

Penn professor in my program just emailed me personally and referenced my essay to say she hopes I come to Penn. I do appreciate these personal touches.

I saw that one of my schools allows you to add dental for an additional $294 a year. Considering I'd likely only go for one cleaning or so, it's probably not worth it (either skip the cleaning or find a place that's cheaper out of pocket).

Depends if you want to be a university professor at a school like Stanford, or it doesn't really matter where? Because if you want the a professor/researcher at a big name place, maybe it does pay to go to Stanford first.

I think April 15 is the deadline for almost all schools.

Thanks once again everyone for the info!

Thank you so much for all this information!! It's very valuable. Also, do student health plans ever include dental? I feel like students just avoid dental visits entirely.... I will also be moving to a new state, so am not sure if I would be eligible to enroll in another state's ACA plan until I have actually moved, and at that point it would likely be past the date by which I need to get the student health insurance . But your information makes it seem like perhaps that is overall the cheaper option. I generally have limited use of my health plan (and as a teacher right now, I have an amazing plan that costs me $0 each month and very low copays). As for prescriptions, I have gotten used to $0 for birth control, which I know the ACA also covers completely in many cases, but I'm not sure if that is also on a plan-by-plan basis.

FWIW, I just re-read the acceptance letter and it says the pre-matriculation website isn't really available until next week, so maybe they'll be updating it more in the coming days, and fixing links and such. It's pretty clear that much of it (like the messages from students and other stuff) has been the same for a few years. I noticed they have out-of-date subway prices and such Can't wait to visit, though! I'm definitely depending on the open houses to help me make my decision... that and I'm really nervous about financial aid!

I just booked my train tickets to come April 3-4! IEP has an alumni conference on April 2-3 and all admitted students are invited. I'll be at Penn's open house on April 2, but I'm hoping to catch the end of the conference on Sunday! It's gonna be a whirlwind few days.... Penn and Harvard all in one weekend.

It seems like for full time graduate students, most schools require a student health insurance. I noticed that for two of my possible schools, the fee is between $3,400-3,700 for a year of coverage, which seems like substantially more than Obamacare would cost each month. Does anyone know if it's generally an option to enroll in state health insurance vs. student health insurance? I saw that for Harvard, for example, it says: Your coverage cannot be: Through the Health Safety Net, MassHealth Limited, or the Children's Medical Security Program Does this mean you cannot get Obamacare as a student, and must pay the student insurance plan?

Also, the email tells me that the pre-matriculation page should have an agenda for the Open House, but I can't find that either

I get that too! Glad it's not just me. I hope they are aware of it..... I'm trying to find it again.... I originally saw it under a program's page that was not my program. I see there's a link on the MBE page but it doesn't work for me. Weirdly enough, I see it under my program (IEP) page now, but the link doesn't work... but I was able to register yesterday? I really don't know where it is now, but I did get this confirmation email: Dear Heather, Your registration for the April 4 Open House for Admitted Ed.M. Students was successfully processed. We look forward to seeing you on campus soon! Event: April 4 Open House for Admitted Ed.M. Students Date: Monday, April 4, 2016 Time: 8:15 AM to 6:00 PM

Not sure about special EPM days but the April 4 general day lets you sign up under your program.

Yes, most "outsiders" have already assumed I will pick Harvard, but everyone else just says "there's no wrong choice." I just don't want to have any regrets.

Thanks a ton!! I found a lot of development and practitioner (that's the word I was looking for!) focused classes at HGSE, so I'm less concerned about the "policy" thing now. For example, I found these courses I would hypothetically be interested in, which are very similar to Penn: Fall A819 Contemporary Developing Countries: Entrepreneurial Solutions to Intractable Problems A816 Education in Armed Conflict A205 Microeconomics: A Policy Tool for Educators Spring A132 Educational Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship in Comparative Perspective A804 Monitoring and Evaluation for Improving Education Systems A822 Consequences of Educational Policy Interventions in Developing Countries: Evidence from Recent Impact Evaluations (A-822)

It is April 4. I just RSVPed, at least.... Some programs have special event days around that weekend. IEP, for example, has an alumni conference that admitted students are invited to on April 2 & 3. I have to visit Penn on April 2, but I've RSVPed to the conference so I can check out the end of it on April 3.

Which program link did you see it under? I didn't see it under my program. Edit: Actually, it looks like it is somewhat program specific, but that most of the events are happening Monday April 4. I found a link to RSVP on the School Leadership page, but the RSVP is for all programs and you select which program you are. Is this main open house? Anyone going?

Well, I am now in this fortunate position, of having to choose between Penn and Harvard. Pending more critical scholarship information. Anyone else in a similar boat? I have to say, my family's reaction, and the reaction of Facebook, of my Harvard acceptance vs. Penn, is notable. People were happy for me when I got into Penn, but every person I know freaked about Harvard. That does say something to me about perhaps how powerful that degree could be, in terms of employment and networking down the road.

What I learned from that video is that everyone who works at HGSE, went to HGSE

I asked that same question ("Would YOU turn down Harvard?") in this general thread outside of Education. Interesting and really hard discussion for me too. The Harvard acceptance is still so fresh. All I can say, is that the way the people around me reacted is affecting me right now. When I told people I got into Penn, they were like Congrats! When I told people I got into HGSE, they couldn't believe the words they were hearing and everyone in every corner of my life was freaking out. That means a lot about what the word Harvard can do, I'm thinking mostly about future employers. I wish HGSE had the internship that IEDP has, which would make this so easy for me. The money situation is still TBD...

Totally torn between Penn & HGSE. Need to visit both. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure they have their events on the same weekend. How big of a difference do you think there is between a "development" focus (Penn) and "policy" (HGSE)? I'm definitely more interested in development, but it seems like you can specialize and focus it at HGSE too...

I just logged onto the pre-matriculation website with the Harvard Key... can anyone find info about admitted students day/weekend at HGSE? I saw on the IEP page, it said there was the IEP alumni conference April 2-3 that "corresponds" to when the open house will be, but I didn't see anything about the actual open house! Actually, I see there's a link to "receptions" in different cities, but it doesn't work for me

The impostor syndrome is already setting in. Like, there's no way I belong there or am as qualified as everyone else! But I got in somehow!

WE DID IT!!!! Now for waiting on financial aid and having to choose

I haven't cried or screamed, I'm kind of in a state of shock. I called a few people and was super calmly like "Um I got in." I still can't feel my arms or really move my body.

I GOT IN. I CANT MOVE MY ARMS AND HAVNET BLINKED IN 30 SECONDS>