megtree

Congratulations! That's so exciting! I'm happy for you! ?

I called again today. It's my new weekly tradition! (god dammit-hah) I was told they're still waiting to hear from the second round? That doesn't make sense to me because I know that the second round went out at the beginning of April... Candidates were only given 10 days to respond, so I'm not sure what the hold up is. Maybe extensions have been granted for 1 or 2 applicants who are waiting on other offers (although, I think most f/t programs have wrapped up now)? Or maybe the grad assistant has been instructed to placate inquiries until UVic gets around to sending final rejections? Or maybe they have no intention of informing rejected applicants because they derive pleasure from our anxious inquiries. Or maybe I've gone crazy. Maybe the program doesn't exist at all. Maybe this whole experience is just a figment of my imagination. I have no idea. It's bewildering. All I know is that despite sitting on applications for 4 months, UVic states that they still haven't filled their small 25 person cohort, they've apparently made no progress in the last month, and they're no longer offering decision timelines... ಠ_ಠ

Yes, I assume so. I only inquired about the on-campus program.

FYI: I just called UVIC's grad secretary to confirm they finished sending offers. She said they are still waiting on some responses and if there are any spaces remaining by the end of the week, then they will send final offers out early next week.

Hah! I'm an islander and the program's structured series of co-op terms are what attracted me to UVic too. I'd also like to bridge into the BC provincial government (currently work for the federal government). I'll be moving to Winnipeg for U of M's MPA program if I'm rejected from UVic, so I'm REALLY hoping for a miracle. I miss the mountains and mild weather already and I haven't even left the west coast yet :'(

Our backgrounds sound very similar. I completed a Diploma of Public Admin after my BA and I received a 4.0 GPA, but I don't know if my college transcript is even relevant for admissions. I also have experience managing non-profit organizations in addition to my public sector experience, but again, not sure how much UVic cares about professional experience... I've received decisions to all of my other applications a month ago; at this point, it feels like I've been waiting for Uvic for 100 years.

I'm in the same boat. I know the first two rounds have gone out. The second round of offers went out last Monday, and applicants have 10 days to accept the offer (today). I think the third wave will likely go out tomorrow or Monday, and I would expect wait list and rejection notices to be sent out by the end of April... In short, if we haven't heard from UVic by Wednesday of next week, I think it's reasonable to prepare for a rejection letter. EDIT: My bad. I misread your original post. My answer pertains to the on-campus program. I'm not sure what the deal is for the online program, although I have heard that online offers tend to go out a couple weeks after the on-campus offers.

I don't have personal experience, but I know someone who reached out to a school and asked for feedback. She explained that she was very interested in attending the program and intended to reapply the following year. She asked if there was anything she could do to strengthen her application and improve her chances of being admitted in the future. They gave her some personalized tips to improve her application, and she was happily admitted the following year. I'm not sure if that's typical. I imagine most schools wouldn't have the resources to respond to every rejected applicant's request for feedback. However, if you keep it courteous and complimentary, I don't see the harm in requesting feedback... just anticipate that you may not receive a response, or the response you're looking for, and to leave the matter alone if that's the case.

Interesting. I remember reading a statement on their website that suggested applicants with relevant professional experience could expect to be competitive with an essentially non-competitive GPA, so that lead me to assume that they really valued professional experience. However, I double checked my U of Man application and you're right; I didn't upload my resume... weird. Anyway, your academic background and GPA are much stronger than mine, so their selection criteria is evidently a complete mystery to me. Also, thanks for providing your background! It was helpful because it sounds like you're a very strong candidate both academically and in terms of your professional experience. There are so many degrees of separation between us that I think it would be a fool's endeavor to continue holding my breath for UVic. The anxiety over whether I'd hear from them in time was causing me to lose a lot of sleep, so I think I'll rest easy tonight now that I've accepted that it ultimately doesn't matter when they respond to my application. I think I've somewhat been avoiding making a decision because I've been holding out hope that I'd hear from UVIC, so untangling my hopes from the tangible options that are actually available makes this decision feel much less complicated. Anyway, thanks again for your advice =) It was much appreciated!

As you guessed, U of Manitoba is option B. I think you're right; If I were primarily interested in indigenous policy issues or defence policy issues, then the University of Manitoba would be a much better fit for me. I was hoping to have a concentration in economics/tax policies, however, and Manitoba's grad program doesn't really offer their MPA students economic electives unless they already have a bunch of undergrad pre-requisites. I have completed a couple of the economic pre-requisites during undergrad studies, but I would seemingly have to apply for transfer credits to be exempted from these pre-requisites (during my undergrad, pre-requisites were semi-optional, as I could email the course's department chair and petition for direct registration. I was never denied). This doesn't seem to be in option at U of Man. So, by the time my requested transfer credits are approved, I'd be knee deep in the MPA and juggling multiple 2nd yr. economics/math courses. I don't know if that makes any sense. I just don't want to delay graduation to complete multiple non-credited undergrad pre-requisites which are seemingly required to tailor the program towards my interests. Maybe I could find another work around to this issue? I'm not sure. I recognize my UVIC hopes aren't completely dashed, but it's not looking like I'll know either way until after I've committed to a program. The University of Manitoba has been really attentive and accommodating to my requests/inquiries, so I really don't want to accept their offer and then have to decline them if UVIC gives me an offer, you know? I was in their first round of offers, so I've already put off responding to them for an unreasonably long time. I think they must prioritize professional experience when screening applications, because my BA is irrelevant for a MPA and my GPA is weak/borderline for grad school. However, I have a decent amount of experience managing non-profits and working in government, so I think that has been my saving grace for both Option A and U of Man. May I ask about your general academic background/GPA/professional experience? I'm curious how UVIC has prioritized applicants and your background might help to give me a better idea. I appreciate your advice btw; it's nice being able to evaluate my options with someone outside my own head

I'm going to follow your advice to the letter. Thank you. As for my attitudes towards the advisor's assistant, I appreciate your comment and just wanted to emphasize that I share your sentiments. I've been an assistant to a department head so I recognize that an unrealistic workload is a totally plausible circumstance that could result in a lack of response. I've been a little paranoid that the lack of reply indicates that I'm not a candidate for consideration (so a non-existent priority), but I've tried not to jump to conclusions as I recognize that there are a million different circumstances that could have influenced the lack of reply. For example, one of the other school's assistants also didn't respond to an inquiry, and I later learned that the website had outdated information and an ex-employee was incorrectly listed as the point of contact. Anyway, rest assured that it was just a flippant remark and I hold no resentment towards this school's individual. I've worked in client-services for over a decade so I'd never be rude to someone who has failed to meet my expectations; I recognize they're likely trying to meet a hundred other expectations which are completely invisible to me. Cheers!

You've described my reservations with Program A. I don't want to have any regrets and I'm afraid I'd regret the decision to take on a massive debtload. Best case scenario in terms of post-grad employment, I land a high paying job that allows me to pay off my loan within 10 years. Even in this best case scenario, I recognize that these massive monthly repayment cheques would prevent me from seriously saving for retirement until I'm in my forties. That's insane. With that said, I'll likely work for the government post-graduation, and my government does offer incentives to pay off their employee's government student loans. I could also land a one year internship at program A that would allow me to pay off my second year living expenses. In this best case scenario, my principle debt would hover around 55,000. That's a much more tolerable number for me, but it is also a best case scenario! Thanks for sharing your experience. It'll definitely weigh into my considerations.

Thank you for your advice! Coincidentally, UVIC is my top choice. UVic's program structure is really attractive to me and I love living on the island; some pals recently graduated from the program and they had great jobs waiting for them as a result of their co-op terms. One of my top considerations is the opportunity to obtain professional experience developing public policy, so UVIC's numerous co-op opportunities are my biggest pull. I didn't receive an offer from them yesterday (I saw that you were given an offer yesterday), so it's looking less and less likely that I'll be accepted. I was rejected from my other top pick last week. I think my mental health will suffer more under the weight of debt than under the weight of a temporarily terrible living situation (Winnipeg - ugh). I could live in Antarctica if they had a program that I was excited to attend, but unfortunately Option B's less than favourable location is paired with maligned program concentrations. I think I may have the opportunity to leave the province during my one year internship, but I'm waiting to hear back from the MPA co-op advisor about typical internship opportunities. If national/global opportunities exist, than Option B becomes somewhat more attractive, so I'll see what they have to say about that. Ultimately, I'm no closer to making a decision and my deadlines are now days away. I'm planning to strip my emotions from my considerations to try to take a more rational policy approach to decision-making (hah!). I'm going to list my criteria, weight them, and evaluate each decision on a matrix before week's end. I don't know if this approach makes any sense, but I'm not sure what else to do at this stage. I don't feel good about either of my choices, but as you said, I really don't want to go through this application process again. Despite the writings on the wall, I'm still desperately hoping UVIC will save me from having to make this decision. Ugh. Anyway, thanks for your advice and congrats on SFU! =)

Thank you both for both of your feedback! I wish I could just email, because I feel so awkward trying to blurt out my situation on the phone, but the grad advisor's assistant failed to respond to a previous inquiry last month and I've heard my experience isn't unique; this person regularly doesn't respond to applicant/student questions. The grad advisor's assistant is the suggested point-of-contact (according to the department's website), but since she seemingly sucks at her job, would it be acceptable for me to email the grad advisor directly? Or is a phone call best in light of the weird email situation?

I have two program offers that are about to expire on Monday and I'm still waiting to hear from my top school (which is in my hometown). I've already extended both offers as long as possible, so Monday is a hard deadline and I have to make a decision before then. I know my top choice program sent out first round offers mid-march. I learned that at least one second round offer went out yesterday, but I'm not sure if the second round is being sent out in bulk or in gradual waves throughout the week. Based on previous timelines, I expect all final offers will go out by the end of April (this school's admission process is notoriously slow), but obviously I can't wait a month to learn my fate. Would it be kosher to visit the department, explain my approaching deadline, and try to glean some information about my specific application? I would hate to commit to another program and learn a couple days later that I had ranked well enough to receive an eventual offer. I'm not sure if it would be unreasonable to ask the grad advisor if she can give me a general sense of how I've ranked; I figured I'm more likely to obtain this information if I show up in person, but I'm not sure if that's too pushy or potentially harmful for my application. If I'm a definite reject, then I just want to know so I can confidently chose between my two offers, you know? What should I do?

Personally, I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a response within a couple of weeks :S. I would try calling at this stage.

Thanks for the update!! =) EDIT: Did anyone else receive an offer from UVIC today?

Hey! I was in Manitoba's first round of offers. I wasn't offered funding, and I think the letter of offer kind of suggests it isn't typically offered, but maybe I'm wrong. Here's the letter: 26/02/2018 Dear ___, I am pleased to offer you admission to the Faculty of Graduate Studies at the University of Manitoba. Your admission has been approved as follows: Term: Fall 2018** Program: M.P.A. Department: Public Administration ADMISSION Please note that: This offer of admission is valid only for the term for which it is issued. This letter does not provide, guarantee, or offer financial assistance from the Faculty of Graduate Studies now or at any time during your program. The University of Manitoba only issues an electronic offer of admission. Please confirm your intention to accept or decline our offer as soon as possible, preferably within one month from the date on this letter, unless otherwise specified above, by clicking on the 'Respond' button in the top right-hand corner of this page. Acceptance of Offer Status: Pending FUNDING Many graduate programs have Grader/Marker and/or Teaching Assistant positions available, which pay approximately $15/hr and $20/hr, respectively. Please contact Public Administration for additional information. You may be eligible for other awards, and we encourage you to check your program's website and the Faculty of Graduate Studies awards database for more information. If you require additional assistance please contact graduate.awards@umanitoba.ca. PROGRAM INFORMATION You should consult with a department/unit advisor either prior to, or at the time of registration and have your program of study approved. If you do not register for the Fall 2018 term and subsequently wish to register for courses in a later term, you must reapply and be readmitted. It is your responsibility to register for and complete GRAD 7500 Academic Integrity Tutorial in your first term of registration. This is a mandatory, zero (0) credit-hour online course intended to inform you of your basic responsibilities regarding academic integrity and the resources available to you. Further information on this tutorial can be found on our website. If you are in a thesis or practicum-based program, you must complete the Advisor Student Guidelines with your advisor. If you do not yet have an advisor assigned, please contact your home unit. Any changes to your current degree level program must be approved in advance by the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Please see the Registrar's Office website for fee information. The Faculty of Graduate Studies offers free GradSteps professional development workshops. Attend six workshops within one academic year and qualify for co-curricular recognition. See umanitoba.ca/graduate_studies/workshops/ for more information. The University of Manitoba provides a full range of support services for students. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with, and use, these services as required. Information on these services can be accessed at umanitoba.ca/student As the oldest university in Western Canada, we take pride in our laurels, our high standards, our internationally recognized programs, and the quality of service to our students and faculty. If you have any questions, I encourage you to contact the Faculty of Graduate Studies Admissions Assistants either by phone 204.474.9377 or by email: graduate.admissions@umanitoba.ca. You can also connect with us also on facebook.com/umgradstudies and twitter.com/umgradstudies. We want to ensure that you have an exceptional graduate student experience! On behalf of all of us in the Faculty of Graduate Studies, I congratulate you on the success of your application and welcome you to the University of Manitoba! Best wishes for a successful and rewarding graduate education, Dr. Todd A.M. MondorVice-Provost (Graduate Education) & Dean of Graduate Studies As a side note, I'm still undecided and I'm still hoping to hear from a couple of waitlisted programs. As such, U of M agreed to extend my response deadline until April 10th. If you're on the waitlist, then I think you can expect to hear from them within the next two weeks because most of the applicants contacted in February will have accepted or declined by then. Hope that helps. Good luck! =)

I've applied to four different professional degrees (MPA); I've been accepted into my two less desirable programs and I haven't heard from my two top choice programs.The first round offers for my two top schools have already gone out and I didn't receive an offer, although, I also didn't receive a rejection letter like others who applied. I assume I'm on internal waiting lists, but with each passing day, it looks less and less likely I will receive an offer from either of these desired programs. So, while I'm hoping for the best, I'm now preparing for the worst and I'm trying to weigh the two less-desirable programs I've been offered admissions to. School A: International program that I'd have to move abroad for. I'm very enthusiastic about this opportunity; I'd love to live in Europe and I think the experience as a whole would be wonderful. The program closely aligns with my career interests, has a top-notch faculty, and I think I'd be able to develop an international professional network that would benefit me once I've established a career for myself in my home country. There's an internship component of the program, which is great, but it wouldn't help me bridge into a job in my home country following graduation. As a result, I think a short period of unemployment following graduation is likely if I were to attend this program. This program could give me opportunities to work abroad though, so unemployment following graduation isn't a guarantee. Additionally, I'd likely have higher profile internship options at this school, so I'd potentially graduate with a more attractive resume if I were to attend this school. The biggest con with this program is the cost. It's a private school and I did not receive a funding offer. I will likely have to take on $70,000- $90,000 in student debt (local currency is fluctuating/unstable) and the program's tuition is excessive/the cost of living is high. Government student loans would only cover $30,000, so I'd have to take a private loan of credit to cover the rest of the costs. I have an extremely low tolerance for debt; I haven't saved much, however, I worked f/t throughout my bachelors degree so I've managed to stay debt free. My stomach tightens at the thought of having to pay student debt off for 15 years. The opportunity cost of this kind of debt just seems too high. The fact I may not be able to bridge into full-time employment after graduation increases my anxiety about accepting this massive debt-load. So, long story short, I'm delighted by the prospect of attending this program but the debt associated with it is an irreconcilable Achilles heel. School B: Not as aligned with my career interests, none of the faculty's research interests me, BUT, it would grant me the degree I need to move up in my field. The program is of lower quality compared to the other programs I applied for, but it's still a respectable school; it just lacks the network potential and wont open as many doors for me as every other program I applied for. Program B is located in my home country, but I would have to move to an absolutely dreadful location to attend this school. I seriously hate the idea of moving to this area; I wont be excited to attend this program due to: 1) the harsh environment/climate this school is located at is not compatible with my beloved outdoor hobbies (this thought REALLY bums me out); 2) the lower quality of life in this area of the country (higher crime, higher poverty, racial tensions etc), and; 3) the inability to really tailor my education to suit my interests. With that said, it is incredibly likely that I'll be able to bridge into a job relevant to my career interests immediately after graduation, but more likely than not, I'll be offered a job in the area that I'm dreading moving to. The cost of the program is 1/10th the cost of Program A and there is a 1yr long paid internship built into the program. Additionally, the cost of living in this area reflects how undesirable of a place it is to live (quite inexpensive), so all in all, I'd graduate with very little debt in comparison to program A ($10,000 or less), and I'll have more opportunities to start building my career as soon as I graduate. I'm very conflicted. The debt-adverse side of me says "Suck it up. Attend program B and accept that the next three years of your life will likely be unenjoyable but that's a small price to pay to get you closer to your dream job. Change your poor attitude and make the best of this situation". However, the dreamer in me argues "Your life has already been unenjoyable for the last five yrs working yourself to the bone to graduate without debt; you've wasted your youth with this grind. You deserve to attend a program that you're excited about and you shouldn't settle for anything less. There are no big rewards without risks; just try taking some risks for once". Then the debt-adverse side pipes up, "you're too neurotic to live with that kind of debt. It will make you miserable.", and so on, and so on. Then I have two other coexisting internal arguments that say, "Fuck it. Neither of these programs are a great fit for you. You have a decent paying job now, you love the area you currently reside in, and it's not the end of the world to delay entrance and try again next year." and the other voice responds, "you're almost 30 and you're still miles from your dream job. Grad applications are a god damn nightmare and you'd have to be a masochist to unnecessarily subject yourself to this process again next year; there's no guarantee you'll even be accepted into a program next year. Your job is unfulfilling and your career stagnation makes you miserable, so don't you dare spin your wheels for another year. Pick a school". The internal chatter continues in circles all day and all night. It's exhausting. I've been given a decision extension by School B, so I now have a hard deadline of two weeks to make a decision. As a neurotic person with GAD (as you've likely gathered), I often fall victim to my own unhealthy patterns of thought, so I'm having a difficult time determining which voice is making the better argument. I'm crossing my fingers that a third offer will roll in in the next 2 weeks, but assuming that this doesn't happen and my current options remain static, then I can't help but feel I'll have major regrets and "what ifs" regardless of the decision I make. Thoughts? I've been leaning towards accepting Program B's offer, but every time the reality of moving to this school sets in, I'm filled with dread and the internal debate starts all over again. Any advice or tough love would be much appreciated!

Cruising for updates. Has anyone received an "official" offer from UVic? Edit: I just called. First round offers have all gone out. Applicants have 10 days to respond. They expect that the second wave of offers will be sent out by the end of the month.

If it makes you feel any better, you're not alone. I've begun flirting with the idea of accepting my "safety" school's offer just to end this four month stint of anxious uncertainty. It's becoming a more appealing option each passing day, like if they don't show me some mercy soon, then I'll take myself out of the waiting game haha. Hang in there! This will pass =)

No... I wouldn't try to read between the lines. I think it's intended to inform you that your application is still being processed. They're likely sending this email out to all applicants to give their phone line a break from eager inquiries about decision timelines. I don't think it has any overtones of an impending rejection. Edit: Steel yourself for more waiting. I think that's all that can be concluded from this email.

Ah, my anxiety sky rocketed upon reading this. I guess the first wave of offers are out! Congrats on your funding offers! UVic is definitely a more comprehensive program but I think its policy streams are well rounded. SFU seems to be much more policy and research-orientated. If you want to develop public policy, then I think SFU may better align with your interests. However, UVic does offer policy-related courses as electives, so you would have opportunities to steer your UVic studies towards a policy concentration. I'm sure this helps you little, but based on what you've said, I think either program could meet your needs! Congrats again on your program offers! That's very exciting.

I feel you. My applications were submitted in November and I feel like my life has been on pause ever since. Crossing my fingers that we hear back sooner rather than later =)

I've heard they haven't made final decisions yet but intend to do so at the end of the month.