Theevidentevaluator

I second @iamemily03. Although first off I don't even know how I'd go affording the first year with no funding, even if I bet on getting an assistantship in my second year. In the best possible scenario maybe I'll receive the $25,000 federal unsubsidized loan and a $62,395 graduate PLUS loan. But $87,395 is a lot of money to ask of someone, even if the Columbia name is attached to it. Given that I want to go into the public service (like most of us), I don't even see myself making $87,395 until mid-career. And a TA position in the second year only takes off $12,000 in tuition. I feel like it would be a burden I would probably be carrying around with for the rest of my life.
So definitely up for negotiating, and if I don't get any money from that, I've received much better offers elsewhere. The whole point of graduate school is to open up your career possibilities and if my options are limited to careers that I don't feel passionate about (even if they're high-paying) in order to pay off my debt it's not worth it. 
 

Received letter:
"We are pleased to inform you that you have been admitted to the Master in Development Studies programme, which will start in September 2019. Your admission is all the more remarkable as it crowns a rigorous selection process that saw a large number of candidates from some of the world's leading universities."
 
How about you? Scholarships?

I have been admitted to the MIA, as well ! :)
Any other in the same situation ?
 
 

Does anyone have any tips or tricks on how to best approach negotiating offers between programs?
  What has worked for you? Do you reference funding recieved by other schools and use that as a primary lever?    I'm new to this so any advice would be helpful!

I second @iamemily03. Although first off I don't even know how I'd go affording the first year with no funding, even if I bet on getting an assistantship in my second year. In the best possible scenario maybe I'll receive the $25,000 federal unsubsidized loan and a $62,395 graduate PLUS loan. But $87,395 is a lot of money to ask of someone, even if the Columbia name is attached to it. Given that I want to go into the public service (like most of us), I don't even see myself making $87,395 until mid-career. And a TA position in the second year only takes off $12,000 in tuition. I feel like it would be a burden I would probably be carrying around with for the rest of my life.
So definitely up for negotiating, and if I don't get any money from that, I've received much better offers elsewhere. The whole point of graduate school is to open up your career possibilities and if my options are limited to careers that I don't feel passionate about (even if they're high-paying) in order to pay off my debt it's not worth it. 
 

IN (holy crap)!! No funding information either. 
I will probably go lurk in last year's thread to see when that cohort received their funding.
 
 

Decisions are out folks!

In! But no word on funding. Congrats to all.

Made it in somehow! No mention of funding, what about everyone else?

Same for me @homesicksub - this was definitely my reach school and I'm so excited to have gotten in! Hopefully funding decisions will come out soon... 

The admission blog had a new post called “The Waiting Game” on anxiety applicants feel the days right before decisions are released. A sign, perhaps? 

@iamemily03 Thanks for letting us know! 

@iamemily03 Thanks for letting us know! 

Called admissions and they said decisions will be out next week!

@sandvoldus Yes, definitely stick with that deadline of the 4th! I just wanted to speculate a little.

Program Applied To: (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.) IR programs with a variety of names (MA, MIA, MALD, MPP, etc)
Schools Applied To: Johns Hopkins SAIS, Columbia SIPA, Tufts Fletcher, Georgetown SFS, Harvard Kennedy, Princeton WWS, GW Elliott, American SIS, Middlebury Institute of International Studies
Schools Admitted To: SAIS ($$$), SIPA ($$$), Middlebury ($$), Fletcher (funding TBA), American SIS (funding TBA) 
Schools Rejected From: None so far!
Still Waiting: Georgetown SFS, Harvard Kennedy, Princeton WWS, GW Elliott
Undergraduate institution: University of Maryland
Undergraduate GPA: 3.99 (a beginner's art class ruined my 4.0 ?)
Undergraduate Major: Government & Arabic Studies
GRE Scores: 168/168/5.0
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): 3
Years of Work Experience: 2 (did a post-grad year in the Middle East)
Describe Relevant Work Experience: entry-level nonprofit work (on nuclear policy, though my role is more administrative) and a bunch of relevant internships in undergrad (terrorism research, language and cultural education, social service work with refugee communities)
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): I think they were all solid - I started each at least a month ahead of time and tailored each one, reusing a paragraph here and there when I was talking about a specific experience, like writing my undergrad thesis. I also had a few friends look the essays over and give suggestions.
Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc): Probably pretty good, though I didn't read them. Had my current supervisor, my thesis advisor, and a language professor, so I think they spoke to a broad range of skills/experiences. 
Other: I was worried that a comparative lack of work experience was going to hold me back, but so far I've gotten good results! I think having good academic stats, writing and defending a thesis, and learning a critical language all helped make up for the fact that my post-grad work experience wasn't as extensive as some other applicants.

Hello to all! Posting here to maybe give hope to someone in the education/ed policy/higher ed field looking at graduate programs.
I was on academic probation/suspension 3 times before I graduated. I have gaps in my education since I took time to work when things weren't going well (best decision I've ever made tbh). I had to basically get all As once I returned to school in order to graduate, and I did, but my cumulative GPA is literally a 2.0. My in-major GPA is a 3.2, so good, but not stellar.
I graduated in the summer, then rushed to apply to graduate school despite having tons of doubts with my 2.0 GPA. First step was taking the GRE. I'm not a great test taker, and I wasn't super motivated to study for the GRE. I'm also super super terrible at math. Sooo.. my GRE scores ranged from terrible (20 percentile Quant), to average (50something percentile Verbal), to above average (90+ percentile Writing). 
Stats wise, literally everything was against me. So I worked very hard (and fast) to make sure the rest of my application was strong. So far, I've been accepted to 3 out of the 4 schools I've applied to, including 2 Ivy Leagues. I've received significant funding at two schools, waiting on financial aid from one, and waiting for an admissions decision from one.
I know I'm an exception, but I never expected to be. I'm not great at giving advice, but hopefully someone like me will read this and get that extra kick of motivation they need. 
My end goal (eventually) will be a PhD, so who knows how my past will come into play when the time comes. For now, I'm still playing the waiting game and will have a very tough decision to make next month!

Any idea when decisions come out? And I've applied there, Washington Evans, UPenn Fels, and VCU Wilder! You? 

Lurking this thread again! Assume we'll hear back tomorrow and/or Friday about Pickering. I wish y'all the best of luck and please let us know when you hear from the program.

@duj117 absolutely, and I appreciate you putting that in here. 
 
From my own personal experience: I have applied to countless fellowships/programs/ect throughout college. Most of them, I did not win. Being a determined, high achieving student (like all of us on this forum are), it is so so easy to put your value on if you win a fellowship/ect or not. It has taken me many rejections to finally come to understand that winning/not winning does not determine my overall success/ value as a scholar, and it not winning should not be a soul crushing moment. Determined, driven, smart people are no less determined, driven, and smart just because they aren't selected for a certain program. We are capable of making an impact on the world, some of us through this fellowship, and some of us in other, unique ways. Both paths are completely respectable ❤️
Good luck everyone. 
 

I think at the end of the day, we'll all be successful whether or not we get the fellowship. That's the truth.

Still waiting on an email... I am not anticipating positive news, but just wondering what the method is for emailing out news. Anyone else still waiting?

I'm still waiting too!

Still waiting. 

Have you ever applied for the GRE waiver at AU? What was your work experience and how many years did you have? I'm thinking about applying for the GRE waiver for the MPA program.