Obecalp
-
Posts
62 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
1
Posts posted by Obecalp
-
-
1 hour ago, hksMPA said:
No funding
I am very disappointed in the school. If they truly want graduates to go into public service then they should take it upon themselves to reduce the financial burden. And, I think them being a new school is a bogus argument. The university has an endowment of $80 billion!!! Where there is a will, there is a way!
If I decide to join without any funding, it will just force me to take up a consulting gig to payback the loan..and I don't want to be in a place where my post graduation career decision is solely based on monetary burden.
I don't want to underplay how much it sucks to not get funding (I didn't get any either and am really sad about it), but I don't think it's really fair to say it's a bogus argument, given how endowments work. Most of Harvard's endowment is restricted funding, so it exists in perpetuity, but can only be used for certain purposes (like building new buildings or scientific research) or for certain schools (most is for undergraduate programs). The people who are most likely to fund scholarships to the school are alumni, so the HLS and HBS have much larger endowments because the people going out of those schools make more and are able to donate more. The fact that it's a new school actually completely makes sense for them not having more money because they haven't had the number of years it takes to build up funds restricted to the Kennedy school.
-
Just now, kevin_hks said:
Are you surely accept the offer without any aid?? Anyway, I do not want myself being treated as a "Cash Machine"........
If I do not receive an aid, I would not considered myself as "truly qualified".
Good luck!
That just seems like an extra burden to place on yourself. If you get in, you are qualified.
If you decide it's not an expense that's worthwhile to you without funding, then that's your decision, but if they are only giving funding to 30% of applicants, it seems unfair to tell people (or yourself) that you aren't qualified if you're not in the top 30%.
-
1 hour ago, Abby22 said:
So i got the full MasterCard Scholarship!!! so i guess i'll be on my way to Berkeley...:) who else is surely gonna attend Goldman? let's connect!
Congratulations!
-
Just now, Nasty Woman said:
Haha! I've been eagerly awaiting the email. I'm also going to the New Admit day next week, and it will be a bummer to visit the school if I don't get any funding.
We can cry on each other's shoulders or dance with elation together.
If you get a full ride and I get no funding I will try to be excited for you, but I might not mean it.
-
Just now, Nasty Woman said:
From the admitted student website: "Financial Aid Information will be available on MYFAID by April 1."
Last year, it came out on March 31.
I was wrong and spoke too soon. This is more proof that Nasty Women should be in charge.
-
6 minutes ago, LizaBee said:
April 1 is when financial aid comes out? Where have people heard this specific date? Haven't they just said first week of April (and apparently they're getting really close)?
Anyone know how many people reject their offer to HKS each year (most likely due to funding)? Or if people really do finance the bulk of their schooling in loans? This seems pretty crazy (especially for an MPP) and am definitely more looking at Duke and Chicago (half tuition at both) if I don't receive a substantial offer from HKS (which is sadly likely)
I think in past years, it was always April 1. This year, that's a Saturday, so HKS is saying first week of April. I'm assuming we hear on Monday, but will be really sad if I find out that I get no funding when I am at new admit day on Friday.
-
Just now, WMK21 said:
Has anyone else still not received an admission decision on the MGPS track?
I submitted everything in December, have a solid Undergraduate GPA from a great school and considerable work experience abroad and working here in the U.S. in immigration. I'm really frustrated about not having heard anything, considering that it's almost April.
Have you called them? They told me that people who were concerned should really reach out. Something seems wrong here.
-
5 hours ago, Ingo93 said:
Really? I'm surprised that something like that isn't prominently mentioned on the site. I suppose I'll know for certain where I stand when everything's wrapped up and I receive the formal offer letter.
They mentioned it at the open house I went to in the fall. I think it's something that is not guaranteed, so they don't put it on the website, but that they've been able to do for a while now.
-
13 hours ago, Ingo93 said:
I also got an acceptance email from LBJ today. Unless I get a substantial financial aid package though I'm still probably going to attend A&M, since out-of-state at UT pretty damn high.
For the past several years (something like 7), the LBJ school has given in-state tuition to everyone. The UT system has the second largest endowment of any school in the country. Something like $24 Billion.
-
I talked to someone that I know at the school yesterday because I was a bit concerned that people aren't hearing back.
She clarified that there are some people who would not have heard anything yet due to the rolling admissions process. She did stress, though, that anyone with questions or concerns (or who applied early in the applications process but who still hasn't heard) should reach out directly so that they can be aware of any problems that might have stopped your notification and so they can help resolve your concerns.
-
4 hours ago, Caio Poli said:
Thanks a lot guys for the inputs. The ~superficial~ (i.e. introcutory quanti) 1-year especialization course in Applied Economy is looking much better after reading this..
I think that for someone who hasnt had the quant., it's really "scary" when you read something like this in their MPP/MPA brochure:
So having a couple of years to prepare myself the question has been: what do they consider enough?
That's a great question - and I find myself questioning the same. My goal is to prepare myself to get in; of course learning more about this subjects if great, but maybe Im loosing the hand with an expensive 2years Masters.
Having such a similar background (by that I mean no background), what do you think that got you into HKS?
I only had a 160 Quant, but had a 170 verbal, so that was a piece of it.
I think what it came down to for me was experience. By the time I start school in the fall, I'll have 6 years of experience working in nonprofits, plus I'm on two boards for three and four years now.
That and just finding the right way to sell myself despite the lack of Quant background. I think creating a strong narrative is extremely valuable.
-
4 hours ago, 3dender said:
Well I will not be going there, so maybe my hypothetical funding will trickle down to y'all. . . you're welcome
2 hours ago, coffeebean13 said:I'm going up for admit day in April, but it's currently ranked 3rd in my mind. So, unless something magical happens, I won't be going and hopefully my fellowship will get offered to someone else.
Why are you deciding against Berkeley?
-
4 hours ago, 3dender said:
FWIW, it has felt ridiculous to me from the outset that LBJ has a deadline of 12/1 but then doesn't get back to you until 3 months later. It doesn't take that long to review an application. I applied to schools with Jan. 5th and Jan. 15th deadlines and heard back from them before LBJ, some of them a little more than a month later.
I feel like, other than Chicago and, to a lesser extent, Michigan, that was my expectation for almost every program. Harvard and Berkeley had their applications due two weeks before LBJ's and I only heard from them the week before I heard from LBJ.
-
Is your goal to be prepared for the program or to get in?
I can't say how prepared I will be for the program, and I didn't apply to Stanford or Columbia, but I got into HKS and I haven't taken a math class since I graduated high school 12 years ago. I got a 160 on the GRE quant, so it's not like I had a huge showing there either. Also, nothing in my job history is really related to quantitative work. Having to submit a quantitative resume was pretty depressing.
I guess what I'm saying is that it's not the end of the line if you don't have a quant background, as long as you have other experience that bolsters your application.
-
10 hours ago, LifeOnMars said:
I have also not heard back yet (MGPS program). I sent in an incomplete application on December 13, before scholarship deadline, but they didn't tell me it was incomplete until a month or two later (I had inadvertantly attached the same file twice rather than two different files, so they were missing a document). If I remember right, they accept aplication until April 1, so I guess I just got bumped back to that time....
This is all speculation, of course. The fact that others have also not heard back yet shows that it could be something else. In any case, I'm going to withdraw my application so someone on the waitlist can take my spot. You snooze, you lose, LBJ!
3 hours ago, chipsandqueso said:Yeah I think I'm going to accept another offer too even though Austin was my #1 pick because I've received all of my other acceptance letters more than a month ago, and LBJ is just playing with my patience now. I've even emailed then a couple of weeks ago and the decision was supposed to be made 'shortly'... still nothing though.
If you don't have to make a decision right now, why withdraw or accept someone else? I found this process frustrating, but it's still a great program. I don't know what has gone on the admissions department this year, because this isn't normal, but, living in Austin, I have several close friends who go to LBJ and this is not ordinary for the school. I worry that it has to do with some software error. If it's your number one pick, and if you love chipsandqueso, it's worth giving another call.
-
I'm facing a very similar decision so I can't help much (mostly putting off any deciding until I hear about HKS aid). One thing I'm making sure to look at, though, is the availability for GSI and GRA positions. Berkeley is known for being very generous with those positions and they cover something like 60% of in-state tuition or 40% of out-of-state tuition.
I would try to narrow some down. I made a spreadsheet with all of the tuition costs and fees and cost of living, along with any scholarships and savings that I had to see what each of the schools would cost me. It's easier (still really difficult) to make a decision if you know exactly how the costs will compare. I got 15k a year off of Chicago, but once I did the calculations realized that it was only a couple thousand different from Berkeley without any funding. The 15k I got off of Michigan meant it would be about 30k total less than Chicago once cost of living factored in, and Ford is known to be better for GSI and GRA positions.
-
Got my official letter last night. I didn't realize that the DoA was writing personalized letters on them. I just assumed he was slapping on a signature. That was a real nice touch.
Also got a call from a current student last night. I missed it because I was in a board meeting but I'm excited to call her back tonight.
I'm going to be so crushed in a week and a half when they tell me I didn't get any funding and I have to choose to go somewhere else.
-
Have they still not told you? Admitted students weekend is in like 4 days.
-
8 minutes ago, tinpants12 said:
Double majored in Physics & Religious Ethics, lol
I don't think it really matters all that much as long as you can show some basic quantitive chops. I have the impression that work experience seems much more important than the name of your major. I'm sure it helps, though, if you can weave your undergrad experience into a narrative about service and public policy!
I will attest to the fact that work experience and building a narrative are far more important than the name of your major. I certainly do not attribute my admissions to committees being thrilled to have a theatre major in their ranks.
-
BFA in Theatre.
Oh, what a different life I imagined for myself.
-
Admitted Students weekend is the 24th and 25th of March. That's really soon given that they just sent my acceptance today.
Also, it conflicts with the premiere of the new season of RuPaul's Drag Race and the Texas Independence Relay. More importantly, though, that's a really short turnaround for people who live out of town.
- dwestlakeg and dollybird
-
2
-
Just got an email that said it was a preview of the email and snail mail I'll be getting later, but the preview says I'm in for the MPP. Woo!
-
5 minutes ago, dash87 said:
Congratulations to all the selected candidates...you have received results for the 2-year MPP or the 1-year MPA??
2 Year MPP for me.
-
Just now, cherrycola said:
It looks like they're releasing decisions based on decreasing funding?
That's what Harris did as well.
HKS 2017
in Government Affairs Forum
Posted
That's actually just not how endowments work, though. I agree that they should be giving more funding. That doesn't change the fundamental nature of endowments. The inflation of the last few years doesn't affect how much they are able to give out restricted funds. It takes a long time to build up an endowment. Of their $35.7 billion endowment, Harvard gave out $1.7 billion last year. That's actually a lot for an endowment that is supposed to last into perpetuity. It means the endowment lost money last year, given that it had a 2% return on investment.