HKS hopeful

Last year thread traffic didn't pick up until mid Feb. I expect increased activity towards the end of the month as release date approaches and panic sets in. lol
Last year on Feb 14th, traffic picked up after David King (from HKS Admissions Committee ) posted this in the HKS 2016 thread. See below.
Best wishes to all who applied this year. Fingers and toes crossed for all of you. 
From David King on Feb 14 2016 in the "HKS 2016" thread:
"Hi there, HKS hopeful.  I haven't been on this site in many many months, and I'm glad that I checked in now to see your post.  I don't know anything about where the MPP or MPA/ID committees are - but I want you to know that the MPA committees (for MPA2 and MCMPA) are on track.  Every file has been read independently by two committee members.  Written comments have been entered for each applicant, and we've had several full committee meetings to make sure that we're all looking out for the same sorts of things.  We are now in the "in review" process - during which every file with substantially differing scores are discussed by the two initial readers.  Some of those cases will soon come to the full committee for discussion.  We meet as a group on Tuesdays and Thursdays - and we're making good progress. As in years past, I'm sorry to say, the overwhelming majority of applicants will not be offered admission.  And as in years past, I want to underscore that we're not mesmerized by GREs and GPAs. HKS will almost certainly end up saying "no" to applicants with perfect board scores and "yes" to applicants who struggled at times. We look for an applicant's clear fit to our mission.  Bottom line.. keep your hopes alive... and chill (if you're the kind of person who can) until mid-March. Everyone will find out, one way or the other, on the same day.  You - and I - are both looking forward to that day."

New blog post... http://hksadmissionblog.tumblr.com/.
This is the one about reading the names and checking the systems, which last year was published the day before decisions went public. Closer and closer!
 
 

Accepted with funding... received the email about 5 minutes ago 

I don't mind reading the wild speculations.. They are quite entertaining .. Many smart cookies and detectives applied to HKS this year. lol :-)

As we wait for the results I would like to take the opportunity of learning from you all about the different works you guys are doing and its impact.
Since last three years I have started and is leading Future Agriculture Leaders of India (FALI) which is somewhat inspired from the Future Farmers of America. FALI is rooted in the Action Platform’s research which indicates that most children and their parents do not want the next generation to go into agriculture, largely because they see it as an unpromising activity, based upon the experience of India’s many small and marginal farmers. FALI aims to both turn around the perception of students and their parents and prepare young people to succeed in modern farming and agro-enterprise. 
This project is currently operational in 46 schools with plans to touch 100 schools by June 2017. Surveys have indicated that we are able to change the perception of the students and their parents towards agriculture.

A post from a 2015 thread by David King (Chair of the MPA admission committee):
"A few other comments, responding to the thread.  Yes, admission rates for the MCMPA are higher than for the MPPs, but they're nowhere near what people have speculated.  We don't publicize our admission rates, largely because we don't think they're very meaningful.  For this year's class of Mason Fellows (MCMPAs) for example, we will offer admission to less than a third of the applicants.  We would love to admit a far higher percentage, but we just don't have the capacity, and our applicant pool is so strong.  It takes a tremendous amount of focus and attention for us to read mid-career files, because test scores don't tell us very much about applicants who are in their 30s or above.  And as many of you know, a lot of what we end up doing when folks look at HKS is to *discourage* people from applying if they're not a fit for the school.  I think it's crazy that other schools work to encourage applications from folks who won't get in - just to boost their selectivity ratings.  We're not playing that game, and we'd love to have a higher admission rate from a terrific pool than a lower admission rate from a less terrific pool.  
 
Please also notice, as Matt has discussed so well on the admissions blog, that we have different criteria and expectations for the different programs. Of course, test scores matter for the MPP and MPA/ID programs.  The average test scores for MPA2 applicants are virtually the same as for MPP applicants, but the MPA2 committee is looking for substantially more graduate-level experience that's consistent with our MPP and MPA/ID "core requirements."  That's why we tend to think of the MPP and MPA/ID programs as places to "tool up" for a life in public policy, and we tend to think of the MPA2 program as a place to "integrate across professions."   That said, test scores are *not* the be-all-and-end-all.  We routinely turn down applicants with perfect test scores, and we routinely take applicants with far from perfect test scores.  Not everybody tests well.  We understand that, and we view files more holistically than you may expect.  Letters and essays really *do* matter."

A post from a 2015 thread by David King (Chair of the MPA admission committee):
"A few other comments, responding to the thread.  Yes, admission rates for the MCMPA are higher than for the MPPs, but they're nowhere near what people have speculated.  We don't publicize our admission rates, largely because we don't think they're very meaningful.  For this year's class of Mason Fellows (MCMPAs) for example, we will offer admission to less than a third of the applicants.  We would love to admit a far higher percentage, but we just don't have the capacity, and our applicant pool is so strong.  It takes a tremendous amount of focus and attention for us to read mid-career files, because test scores don't tell us very much about applicants who are in their 30s or above.  And as many of you know, a lot of what we end up doing when folks look at HKS is to *discourage* people from applying if they're not a fit for the school.  I think it's crazy that other schools work to encourage applications from folks who won't get in - just to boost their selectivity ratings.  We're not playing that game, and we'd love to have a higher admission rate from a terrific pool than a lower admission rate from a less terrific pool.  
 
Please also notice, as Matt has discussed so well on the admissions blog, that we have different criteria and expectations for the different programs. Of course, test scores matter for the MPP and MPA/ID programs.  The average test scores for MPA2 applicants are virtually the same as for MPP applicants, but the MPA2 committee is looking for substantially more graduate-level experience that's consistent with our MPP and MPA/ID "core requirements."  That's why we tend to think of the MPP and MPA/ID programs as places to "tool up" for a life in public policy, and we tend to think of the MPA2 program as a place to "integrate across professions."   That said, test scores are *not* the be-all-and-end-all.  We routinely turn down applicants with perfect test scores, and we routinely take applicants with far from perfect test scores.  Not everybody tests well.  We understand that, and we view files more holistically than you may expect.  Letters and essays really *do* matter."

A post from a 2015 thread by David King (Chair of the MPA admission committee):
"A few other comments, responding to the thread.  Yes, admission rates for the MCMPA are higher than for the MPPs, but they're nowhere near what people have speculated.  We don't publicize our admission rates, largely because we don't think they're very meaningful.  For this year's class of Mason Fellows (MCMPAs) for example, we will offer admission to less than a third of the applicants.  We would love to admit a far higher percentage, but we just don't have the capacity, and our applicant pool is so strong.  It takes a tremendous amount of focus and attention for us to read mid-career files, because test scores don't tell us very much about applicants who are in their 30s or above.  And as many of you know, a lot of what we end up doing when folks look at HKS is to *discourage* people from applying if they're not a fit for the school.  I think it's crazy that other schools work to encourage applications from folks who won't get in - just to boost their selectivity ratings.  We're not playing that game, and we'd love to have a higher admission rate from a terrific pool than a lower admission rate from a less terrific pool.  
 
Please also notice, as Matt has discussed so well on the admissions blog, that we have different criteria and expectations for the different programs. Of course, test scores matter for the MPP and MPA/ID programs.  The average test scores for MPA2 applicants are virtually the same as for MPP applicants, but the MPA2 committee is looking for substantially more graduate-level experience that's consistent with our MPP and MPA/ID "core requirements."  That's why we tend to think of the MPP and MPA/ID programs as places to "tool up" for a life in public policy, and we tend to think of the MPA2 program as a place to "integrate across professions."   That said, test scores are *not* the be-all-and-end-all.  We routinely turn down applicants with perfect test scores, and we routinely take applicants with far from perfect test scores.  Not everybody tests well.  We understand that, and we view files more holistically than you may expect.  Letters and essays really *do* matter."

Resolved!! Thank you!

Whether you apply for fellowships has no effect on the admissions decision, because the evaluation process is need-blind. Admissions director Matt Clemons noted on one of the HKS blog posts that because the ad com evaluates on the candidate's "fit" to the program, they don't necessarily factor in the financial capability, and often end up declining students whose tuition might have been fully funded by respective government/external scholarships. 
I think they just really want the students to at least apply for funding, as this is the only chance that they could during the two years at HKS, should they be accepted. This being said, I'm off to finishing my app! 
 

Admitted w funding! 

Hi folks!
Have applied to MPA ID. I am a management graduate from Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, India (arguably the best B school in the Asia Pacific region). Have work exp of a year in the private sector and three years in the development sector. Since last three years have started and is leading a project related to Agricultural Education for rural schools and students in India. Have some weak links in applications as moderate gpa and GRE scores.
Have applied for the first time but happy to see people like HKS hopeful in this thread as was a regular reader of your last year posts.

A 2013 post from David King:

"Hi. I think I can help answer some of these questions -- though my answers won't make it any easier for prospective students who aren't getting financial aid.  The Kennedy School is very expensive; Cambridge housing costs are crazy; and reasonably-priced daycare is especially hard to find. I wish we could make things less expensive.  It's distressing to recruit students to HKS only to have us fall short on financial aid. 
 
I chair the MPA admissions committees, and I'm sure that the MPP admissions committee operates this way, too: we have a need-blind admissions policy.  Applicants whom we think have money have *no* advantage over applicants whom we suspect will need a lot of aid.  (And if anyone -- ever -- raised the question of letting someone in because they have the ability to pay... that person would be shunned in the admissions committee and then drummed out.)
 
Our ethic in favor of need-blind admissions sometimes puts us in the uncomfortable position of turning down applicants who *would* have been funded by an employer/agency/non-profit.  For example, imagine that an agency guarantees the tuition for any state employee who is admitted to one of our MPA programs.  That guarantee would not come up in our discussions about an applicant's "fit to the program."  The bar for admission cannot be moved by a pre-existing grant or scholarship. We leave scholarship money on the table, unspent.  It happened with several scholarships this year alone. Because those pots of money were given to HKS to fund students from specific countries/states/agencies (and so on), we cannot spend the money elsewhere.
 
Harvard's endowment is huge, yes. But it's useful to remember that each school has only a slice of the endowment.  HKS has had to raise its own endowment.  We (and the Divinity School, and the Ed School) would *love* to have even a slice of the Law School or Business School endowments. Since we are a young school, and since we don't spin out millionare alumni, our endowment can't support the kinds of scholarships we'd like to see.
 
You shouldn't be surprised that many of us at HKS (and especially on the Admissions Committee) look at the Wilson School with envy. Of course... we'd rather teach here... but we wish we could fund our students as they do.  The Wilson School received a remarkable gift that set up their tuition endowment.  Tufts, too, has some good financial aid packages.  We're envious.
 
David Ellwood made financial aid his top priority when he became dean, and we have more of it than we used to have.  Much of it, though, has been given for candidates from specific places or backgrounds. There is more "general aid" available than there used to be, too -- but not enough to make anyone especially happy.  I *am* sorry.  You-all can leave, for another time, discussions about whether the money "should" be spent on an MPA. We can leave conversations about Placement and Career Services to another time, too. 
 
Today, though, with many of you deciding whether to go to HKS or elsewhere, I only wish that we (and they) had more resources to help folks out."

Update: Waitlist for Mason MPA closed today. I Would need to reapply if wanting that degree. Best wishes to those still waiting and those admitted and attending.
 
 

The admitted students day was a mixed bag for me. Generally, I got excited about the curriculum and the opportunities at HKS to nerd out about policy, but the admitted students day didn't dissuade my worries about the culture of an elite academic institution. Coming from a liberal, social justice oriented background, I want a classroom where students understand and are open to talking about systems of power, oppression, and privilege, and how we can redefine policy to balance scales. It was hard for me to get a sense of how many admitted and current students engage with these concepts. I'm wary of coming into a student body as an educator in these areas, which I don't feel qualified to do, instead of as a participant in the conversation. I would greatly appreciate the thoughts of any current/admitted students on this! 
Personal highlights from the day: 
Nerding out. Professor Christopher Robichaud gave a mini-lecture on Ethics and Public Policy in Emergency Decision-Making to the MPPs where he discussed the trolley problem, related it to a real life case, and turned the session into a mini classroom. I enjoyed this a lot - this topic area appeals to me, and it was interesting to hear the perspectives of other admits. Students seemed genuine and forthright in their responses, and Robichuad did a good job of picking apart arguments quickly yet respectfully. You can tell he's a good professor.  Supportive career services. The Office of Career Advancement (OCA) seems like they work really hard to help students find internships and jobs in their field of interest. I met with Amanda Peters at the OCA, and she guided me on a path to finding potential internship opportunities in my field of interest. Diverse professional backgrounds. The range of backgrounds from the MPPs was interesting and telling -  I met people who work in DC at various research centers, a labor union organizer, several ex-military/Marine members, World Food Programme officers working abroad, teachers, corporate consultants, research analysts from think tanks, etc. One of the students who works as a corporate consultant said something to the effect of "Geez, I feel like everyone else here is out like saving the world or something, and I'm just working for the man". Heh.   Cohort throughout the core. The student panel and the speech from the student government president stressed the community and the caring friendships you build at HKS, particularly with the cohort of 60 students that you take all your courses with in the first year. Okay, to be honest, they didn't sell the cynic in me on the rainbows and butterflies, but the idea of taking all first year courses with the same 60 people and getting to know them well does appeal to me.  "Theater Camp". One of the students on the panel talked about her favorite courses (US Congress, Making of a Politician) which all involved role play, like mimicking an actual congress, complete with lobbyists that can give out money during the semester, or running for president within the class, where they put you through a full presidential campaign, complete with a horrific scandal that you are guilty of and must handle. This sounded hilarious, and the excitement with which the students talked about the courses excited me. It seemed students got a lot out of the courses beyond acting skills, even if acting/bs-ing is most of what you need to go into politics, right?   Areas for concern(?) 
Debt. Many of the students I talked to were worried about the cost of HKS. These were also students who received admission to other very reputable schools with better $$, such as Berkeley's GSPP or Princeton's WWS. When I spoke with the financial aid counselor, Dan Rossi, he said that the average in loans is $60k, but many students take out the entire thing in loans, which is just bananas to me! His advice was to determine whether HKS could provide us with something beyond our other options, and if the difference is worth the cost.  Racial/socioeconomic diversity. I had to leave early and didn't get to attend the diversity reception, but I've heard from a current student that representation from minorities is low. Among the admitted MPPs, it looked like about 20% were students of color, but with the lack of financial aid I'm wary that the percentage will drop significantly.  If I remember correctly, this question was about diversity amongst faculty, which the students did say something to the effect of "It's a work in progress..." Like many elite universities, diversity is pretty dismal, and the general shrug of the shoulders towards the issue disappoints and worries me. A current student I spoke with did say that the diversity caucuses are working with the admissions committees to look at how they can better recruit and support students of color.  The core curriculum. The student panel expressed that the core curriculum is flawed, but gave caveats that it's hard to please everyone with a standardized curriculum. From another student, I heard people really disliked Policy Analysis, but loved Negotiation. The administration is constantly tweaking the curriculum according to student feedback. Rigor.  This was interesting because a friend of mine from undergrad (a very rigorous, intensely academic school) said HKS was just as intense and difficult. However, I think this depends on how much you care about your grades, like if you're aiming for a future PhD program. Another student did tell me it's hard to do poorly, and, echoing the student panel, that she did skate by in courses she didn't enjoy as much. Of course, we don't really know what "skate by" means - it could mean still working at 85% and getting a B instead of working to get an A.  Let me know of any questions! Would also love to hear from other students who went, particularly from those who attended the diversity reception. 

In order to pay off $100k of student loans in 10 years, you would need to pay $1,100 per month.  In order for that to be "affordable" based on the standard of paying no more than 10% of your monthly income (that's what the income-based repayment plans for federal loans is based on), you would need an income of $150,000, excluding contributions to retirement and health insurance premiums.  
Given entry-level public sector salaries, a common approach is to enroll in an income-based repayment plan.  On a $60k income, your payment would be around $352 per month. Bear in mind the calculation for income-based payments is based on your AGI, which excludes retirement contributions and health insurance premiums.  Therefore the income-based payment will probably be a bit lower.  Based on current interest rates, $100k in loans will accrue $487 in interest every month.  So your income-based payments will not even cover the interest that accrues each month.
What does this mean in practice?  If you do income-based repayment, you can keep doing that until your loans get forgiven in 10 (through public service loan forgiveness, which may very well be eliminated or changed by Congress) or 20 or 25 years (assuming you're paying under IBR or PAYE).  However, unless you get forgiveness through public service loan forgiveness, the amount forgiven is likely to be considered taxable income.  An extra $100k in income (or more, if you've let your balance increase over time) is a big tax hit.  Plus of course there is the stress to consider.
Also bear in mind that the salaries out of HKS are as much a function of who goes to HKS as they are a function of what HKS does for its students.  In other words, if you are someone straight out of college who got into HKS, the odds of getting a federal government job that pays $65k are pretty low.  You're much more likely to start out as a GS-9 making $53k (assuming you are in DC).  Your salary will certainly grow (if you're lucky, you could get up to a GS13 in as little as three years, and that currently equates to a $92k salary), but so will your expenses/desire for savings if you're trying to save for retirement, buy a house, etc.  
Don't get me wrong, I have heard great things about HKS (apparently their career services is amazing), Fletcher and similar schools.  That said, I have seen my former classmates from Syracuse go on to jobs with sought-after employers such as the UN (I was offered one), the World Bank, and McKinsey.  You can go on to have a great career out of most reputable MPP programs, though I think a place like HKS might do a bit more hand-holding along the way.  Think carefully about taking on a massive load of debt for the sake of a prestigious name on your resume, in order to work in a field where your salary will likely top out at around $200k at the most, unless you decide to go for the private sector, in which case why not just get an MBA?

Fingers crossed for you!
 

Not sure. It's so hard to turn down HKS. As of now it seems like I didn't get the CPL fellowship I applied to because I've gotten no news about interviews. I'm hoping at least some other fellowship I applied to comes through.

Got rejected, as expected. But my HKS acceptance softened the blow. Congratulations to all! Thinking about it, I think it makes sense. My field is very niche and I'm not sure the program would have been the best fit, even though I love small classes.

Best of luck to you! You've still got a chance.

I'm also wait listed for MC-MPA. But it's kind of more frustration. More wait and lessor chances of financial assistance. I have got acceptance in MIDP (PFM) at Sanford, Duke. But really indecisive right now !!!

Waitlisted for Mid-Career MPA! Excited but now the wait continues! However, will resume normal life (workouts, reading/studying and social outings) until further notice. All fingers, toes and eyes crossed until then. ;-)
 
 

FINGERS CROSSED FOR YOU!!! Almost there!

Waitlisted! 

HKS hopeful I really hope you make it!!! I know you really want this, so best of luck