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Chilton_Manhattan

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  • Application Season
    2016 Fall
  • Program
    MPP

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  1. Hi! I have a BA in Political Sciences, and I'm interested in pursuing an MPP/MPA, for two reasons: (1) I'm extremely interested in public policy development and analysis and (2) I wish to strengthen my quantitative skills. I'm sorry to say that while my undergraduate education was very proficient in qualitative development, it completely lacked a quantitative formation (the only quantitative courses I was required to take was a basic algebra and a statistic for social sciences intro course). I had a good math foundation in HS (algebra and trigonometry, statistics, probability, geometry and pre-calculus), but it has been more than eight years since I last touched a math book - it could be said that the scraps of knowledge I retained do me more bad than good, since I get a "feeling" of what I should be doing, but it only frustrates me to be unable to remember the basic concepts of how to do any exercise. I took the GRE last November after 2 weeks of study (I was overconfident/ignorant back then of the current status of my quant skills) and got a 144Q score (18th percentile). For the purpose of this post, assume I, as a test taker, have zero quantitative knowledge. If you all could be so kind, would you help me answer these questions? How much time should I take to prepare for the GRE? (I have read recommendations from 3 months to 1 year, but all for people with a math foundation) Where should I start? Should I even try to undertake the learning of all required quant skills? Is it a good time investment? Realistically, how much of an increase could I hope to achieve? (10 points = 154?, 15 points = 159?, 20 points = 164?) What resources should I use? I am considering using Khan Academy, Manhattan Prep Strategy Guides (2nd Edition), and if needed, Magoosh 6 month plan. Is there any guide for the math learner - not only the GRE-taking skills - that you could recommend? Can you recommend a study plan? I come from a cultural background that doesn't put any emphasis on quantitative skills or standardized testing (the majority of graduate students from local universities lack the skills to make them competitive in an international setting), and I didn't understood how following my recommended curriculum in college would affect my competitiveness for grad school. Apart from my lack of quant skills, my profile is competitive: I won an elite national scholarship (USA), have a 3.8 uGPA (3.9 major), have more than 2.5 years of WE in non-profits (poverty alleviation, community development and organizing and coalition building), and have strong LOR's (Ivy League grads, my state's ex-Secretary of State, etc.). I don't want to allow the thought that I can't be competitive enough to get admitted - and do well! - in grad school take hold of me. Thank you for taking the time to read this and, hopefully, provide me with some answers!
  2. Hi! I recently took the GRE, and my results were abysmal: 159V/143Q/4AW. I am interested in applying to a MPP/MPAffairs program, and I got a strong leadership/public service background (AmeriCorps VISTA member, was awarded a renowned national scholarship focused on public service, extensive volunteer experience), a 3.87/4 GPA, studied abroad (Latin America) and got great LORs ( both academic and professional). I understand that I should retake the test, but there are three main considerations: all my mentors (which include an alumnus of a top 5 program which is my dream school) suggests I apply with this score; my financial situation is prohibitive, which makes it hard for me to invest in resources such as Magoosh or Manhattan Prep, or postpone my application cycle; and my quantitative background is complicated (I attended a STEM-focused high school, but haven't touched a math book in +7 years), so I'm afraid I won't be able to achieve a +12 point improvement in the quantitative section (to hit 155, the quantitative benchmark I keep finding in the forums for top rated MPP/MPA programs). My question is: Can a strong personal profile overcome these results? Is it possible to be admitted and receive some kind of financial aid in a top rated MPP program with these scores? If it's not possible, I would consider retaking the test, but I would have less than a month to study. Would it be possible to achieve such a dramatic score increase without having the fundamental mathematical knowledge to begin with? Thanks for your input!
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