saranyc234

From the email we received last week, I was under the impression we would be finding out at exactly 5:30cst on Feb 17th

Still waiting .... have you?

Received another email about 5 minutes ago saying it was a mistake and no admissions decisions have been released at this time

Yes just received about 45 minutes ago... not sure what to make of it. Decisions not meant to be about for another month or so

For Chicago Harris - I believe the last deadline of Jan 20th has a notification of Feb 17th? But I have also seen the March date thrown around. Anyone know?

Last minute question - there seems to be 2 optional essays for the MPP application. Are both essays optional or are only meant to pick one to do as optional? Or can you do both?

I know this has been asked several times. SAIS says the prefer a month before the deadline which would be 12/7. However - my scores have been received by my schools in around 12 days. Would it be risky to take a week before the deadline and send anyways? Would they accept these scores? HKS accepted test scores up until 12/1 (their deadline). SAIS is not as clear on their website.

Could someone comment on the difference between the MSc in Dev studies versus Dev mgmt? Thanks

Which programs did everyone apply to? I am looking at the following but confused on the differences. Looking to work at a development bank. - Development Management - Development Studies - Social Policy and Development - Public Policy and Administration - Local Economic Development

Hello - I know it is a little bit late to still be thinking about where to apply, but here I am ! I know that my list may seem long, but I am coming from a non-traditional background so I am not sure how my application will play out. I realize it takes a lot of time and money to apply to many places but not using that as a decision maker right now. After graduating I am hoping to get into IFC, World Bank etc. I am coming from a finance/banking background. The programs I am considering but still unsure: 1. Yale Jackson - what is the difference between Jackson versus the IDE program? Is one significantly more competitive? I recognize IDE is 1 year and seems more academic focused. 2. Sanford vs. Batten - I will probably only end up applying to one of these schools. Batten seems extremely new which makes me hesitant. 3. WWS - I am coming from a finance/banking background. I have public service but not in the capacity of long term work abroad. Is it even worth applying with this type of background? Seems like they really value public service (i realize all do to an extent, but their incoming class profiles are less % from private sector) 4. Stanford IPS - is this mostly students coming out of undergrad? I rarely hear much on these boards about it. 5. Penn Fels - is this very domestic career oriented in government type positions? Thanks everyone!

Hello - I am attempting to finalize my list of schools I plan on applying to this admissions cycle. I was wondering why Penn Fels is not commonly mentioned on this board. What is the reputation of the program? I am also confused how Fels graduates are seen versus Lauder graduates. I understand Lauder is the more prestigious program, so is it an issue when you are coming from Fels? I do not have the language requirement for Lauder. Thanks!

Hello - I was wondering if schools track your correspondence or visits to the school. For example, Columbia offers an all day preview for SIPA prospective students. HKS also offers an all day session. Does this have any significance in the admissions process? I know there have been some articles stating that it does have SOME impact in b school admissions (obviously would not be the deciding factor, but it is considered).

What does it mean for a program to be capped?

Just to clarify - I was not stating that I was planning to apply to the long list of schools I gave above. I more meant to compile a list that would serve as a starting point to research programs Thanks for the suggestions on the DC school. The SFS program looks great, unfortunately I do not fulfill the language requirement

Hello - I have been looking online for blogs or other sites that would be helpful during the admissions cycle. I wanted to see if anyone had a blog they referred to while they were pulling together their application that was helpful. I found a few generic grad school admission blogs, but something specific to MPP/MPA would be great

Does anyone have a list of the top 20 policy programs? I am looking for more career focused schools that are strong in development econ. I have HKS, SAIS and SIPA on my list, but wanted to possibly research a few more programs that could be a possibility. I am not trying to just apply to the top 5 programs, but figured the top 20 list would be a good place to research additional programs. I listed the programs that are most frequently mentioned on this forum, feel free to add: - HKS - SAIS - SIPA - Yale Jackson - Chicago Harris - Carnegie Mellon Heinz - Berkeley Goldman - Syracuse Maxwell - GWU - American

Thank you - appreciate the feedback. I am looking at programs in addition to MPP, I just mentioned that one as reference. Is it looked down upon to plan on going into private sector work rather than public? I am specifically interested in social enterprise and microfinance. Do you think it would beneficial to take a position at a social enterprise for a few months prior to application deadlines? Or do you think this will not have an impact on admission?

Hello - I am very new to this forum but have been reading posts regarding MPP and ID programs. I am interested in making a career change to the Intl Dev world and looking to apply to programs for Fall 2017. I have been in finance for 5 years (major banks, front office client facing positions) and went to a top 15 school for undergrad (according to USNR) with a 3.5 GPA as an economics major. I do not have any specific experience that would be relevant to MPP besides extensive travel. How do MPP/ID programs view career changers? Is it impossible to get into a reputable program without your standard MPP experience (Peace corps, aid work, etc)? I am considering going abroad to volunteer at a social enterprise in Mid-October in order to display interest in the field, but not sure how much weight this will hold since applications will be due around January. Any advice would be very helpful. Thanks, Nicole