JRS218

@Kelly1015 I've mentioned this in a previous post, but I'll reiterate: I would dissuade from being overly attracted to "Ivy League" status. While it undoubtedly carries some extra distinction, I truly do not believe that distinction to be worth the price tag. It is entirely possible for you to be competitive in the job market based on what you actually do in graduate school rather than where you do it. This is particularly true in your case where your second option is a wildly well-regarded school that has a distinct presence in the diplomatic community. Going to SIPA with exactly zero financial aid is going to burden you with a potentially crippling debt just as you're looking to start a career, with potentially minimal benefit. I understand the appeal of saying you went to an Ivy League program, but I truly do not believe it is worth the debt in your situation where you have such a reputable school willing to fund you.

I did talk with admissions this morning - they apparently sent the non-resident blip to literally every single person, causing a lot of confusion. With respect to your questions about Humphrey: I am of the personal opinion that people tend to take rank into consideration entirely too much. While I think there is a case to made when comparing a top-tier policy school to a virtual unknown, I do not believe the distinction between Ford and Humphrey to be that severe. I believe it's far more important what you do in graduate school than where you do it in more situations than not. I am also unsure what you intend to focus on and what realm of employment you're looking into, but I would be highly averse to taking on nearly $100,000 in debt for what would most likely be a negligible "boost" from Ford over Humphrey. While I am sure Ford has a better name recognition overall, I do not personally believe that name recognition is worth that amount of money, particularly if you're entering public service careers (ie: not going to be a millionaire). I do also know from speaking with some of my networks from my undergrad (senators, professors, foreign service officers) that UMN has been very interested in recent years in growing and improving its international appeal both in terms of program outcomes and student recruiting, particularly while Eric Schwartz was heading the school. I think there is a distinct chance that they will be putting a lot of effort and resources into improving that, which could definitely help with your concerns about returning to India eventually. In short, I think that Humphrey is a comparable choice in several respects while also being a literal fraction of the cost. $100k is A LOT of money to have hanging over your head as you begin a career.

I can't speak from experience, but the Diplomat in Residence at my undergrad was always praising Fletcher in terms of the connections to diplomacy world. I wouldn't worry terribly about the proximity to the UN (though it does clearly have perks), as I have little doubt you could make internship connections through Fletcher In short, I think both programs are well-suited to prepare you for a diplomatic job and relatively comparable. With that in mind, I would go to the option that is funded over the one that is not. SIPA would be a considerable expense with no funding for what I think would ultimately be a marginal difference.

@VeryCheesey Yeah! I saw that, too, but I'm a little confused by it. Is that indicating that I'm receiving the difference as an additional award to my tuition cost? As in, do I get the 8k applied to my tuition cost? It's just worded so strangely. I also got a merit fellowship for $7,500 per year. Edit: Congratulations! Is Humphrey looking like the choice for you?

Just got my award letter, actually. I'm a little confused as I received a Non-Resident Tuition Award but I am an MN resident. I'll have to call in the morning to get some clarification on that.

@VeryCheesey Have you received any funding info for MPP yet? I’m also waiting and getting anxious.

Hey Everyone, Can anyone with experience of Humphrey School in MN please tell me what their funding packages looked like and when they received the offers? I haven’t seen many people talk about this here or elsewhere. I’m looking for experiences with MPP funding.