BTF
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Posts posted by BTF
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16 hours ago, nicolek_93 said:
I recently applied for York MPPAL and awaiting decisions. However, my GPA in the last 2 years is not as good ie below 3.0 any recommendations the best way to boost my GPA/profile?. I been out of school for 4 years now and been working with the govt since.
Take more classes. The only way to increase your GPA is to take classes and do well in them.
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2 hours ago, FMBY said:
A bit strange to include the 0.4 in your L2 GPA, but do you nonetheless.
Copy and pasting from a spreadsheet. Excuse the precise answer.
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6 hours ago, Vacation14? said:
A bit late to the party but anyone know which programs are considered the most competitive so I can avoid them
I applied back in 2016 to what I can see now are one of the most competitive (Carleton, Ottawa and SFU) and got totally rejected, so I decided to take further courses (as a non-degree student) and apply again in the future
So far the only Universities on my list are Saskatchewan and Windsor
Hey Vacation14?,
If you took more courses since your 2016 application round I assume your application is a bit, if not much more more competitive now. If that assumption is true, and your average GPA in your last 20 courses is a B+ or above, then you should apply to the schools that make sense for your future goals. If your goal is to work in the federal government then you should apply to Carleton or Ottawa. If it's to work in the Ontario government then UofT and Queens might be better. Don't discount a school because it seems more competitive. Apply to schools you want to attend and have a clear reason for wanting to do so.
Think about what you want to do, where you want to do it, and why that program at that school can help you reach that goal. Your statement of intent is where you make this argument.
If you have any questions please feel free to message me.
BTF
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51 minutes ago, ZabiQs said:
Hi BTF,
Thanks for the thread and all the info you're sharing! I have two questions if you don't mind answering.
1) I'm assuming the more relevant the writing sample is, the more it helps with my overall application? Would you agree? For example, I'd choose to submit my term paper from my class on federalism vs. constitution/charter.
2) My understand of the program structure is Fall 2021 - Winter 22 are study terms, Summer 22 is a work term, and then you're left with 1x study term and 1x work term. If that is correct, do you agree that it would be better to study in Fall of 22 and then work Winter 23 in order to have an easier time to be bridged to a full time job offer? Or is there a better route?
I should add that I'm interested in working for the federal service. Thanks so much.Cheers.
Hello ZabiQs,
Answers to your questions:
1) I'm assuming the more relevant the writing sample is, the more it helps with my overall application? Would you agree? For example, I'd choose to submit my term paper from my class on federalism vs. constitution/charter.
No, the writing sample's content is largely irrelevant, the people reading it are looking for your ability to right a coherent argument supported by appropriate evidence. My writing sample was from a Psychology of Aging course paper about the course contents application to the Curious Case of Benjamin Button film. My arguments and supporting evidence were well articulated. This paper's content was nothing even remotely related to public policy and administration.
2) My understand of the program structure is Fall 2021 - Winter 22 are study terms, Summer 22 is a work term, and then you're left with 1x study term and 1x work term. If that is correct, do you agree that it would be better to study in Fall of 22 and then work Winter 23 in order to have an easier time to be bridged to a full time job offer? Or is there a better route?Yes, that's generally the program's structure. I have no idea if that's the best approach. Plenty of people take that approach and plenty do not. Focus on getting into the program and then on getting a summer coop job before you worry about getting bridged in. Assuming you like your coop employer, I think it's ideal to get a summer coop, then ask to be kept on as a part/full-time FSWEP student during your next study term and then go back full-time. This provides a years worth of experience. The downside to this approach is you only work at one place. Like I said, there are several approaches, none are perfect, do what makes sense for you.
Hope this answers your questions, feel free to ask more questions as they come up,
BTF
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16 hours ago, newbie2020 said:
Hi guys, does anyone typically know when admissions start rolling for for UOttawa and Carleton for their public admin masters? I’ve also submitted an application to Concordia too for their MPPPA. All application have been submitted for Fall 2021.
Typically, first round admissions are sent between end of February to end of March
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2 hours ago, beezus123 said:
Need some advice. Would appreciate insight from people who have applied for the CGS-M.
I'm planning to apply for the CGS-M but I don't have that much research experience. I didn't do a thesis but I have one publication in an undergraduate journal (nothing too rigorous). I am currently doing some research with a non-profit (supervised by a prof) but still haven't completed the ethics review so very preliminary. My GPA in the last 2 years of undergrad is nearly a 4.0. I have a prof who is willing to take me on as a master's student and she is helping me develop the proposal, which will be very strong and impactful. Do you think I have a chance to get the CIHR scholarship at Western University, a school that only has 19 CIHR awards? Please help.
The only way to guarantee you won't get the award is to not apply. I cant speak to CIHR, but I was successful getting CGS-M SSHRC and OGS for my masters. I had a 3.96/4 in my last two years, no publications, but did complete a thesis and had about a year of research experience. Focus on writing an excellent proposal. The proposal is worth a big chunk of your application.
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47 minutes ago, UrbanMatrimonist said:
Hi! I'm an international student considering Carleton's MPPA as one of the programs I'm applying in the foreseeable future.
I'd like to ask the following:
- Are there other co-ops that Carleton provides aside from the federal and provincial governments such as those in the private sector, i.e. consulting?
- How likely are you get funding such as RAships, TAships, entrance awards, whether international or domestic student? Is it oriented with the student being a good fit with respect to the program's areas of research?
- How would you assess the Carleton's program and your future prospects so far, despite the pandemic?
I would like to hear your insights on this. Thanks!
1. Are there other co-ops that Carleton provides aside from the federal and provincial governments such as those in the private sector, i.e. consulting?
Yes, just less of them. Private sector and consulting is more an MBA thing.
2. How likely are you get funding such as RAships, TAships, entrance awards, whether international or domestic student? Is it oriented with the student being a good fit with respect to the program's areas of research?
This is covered on their website. Read that.
3. How would you assess the Carleton's program and your future prospects so far, despite the pandemic?
It's like all other program, sometimes its great and sometimes it's a waste of time. If your goal is to work for the federal government in Ottawa you should take Carleton's MPPA program. Future prospects is vague, ask a more specific question.
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2 hours ago, lattesandlearning said:
Are the last two years more important than your overall GPA? What else would you say made your application stand out?
Are the last two years more important than your overall GPA?
Read the program websites. This is covered in the admission criteria sections for all programs.
What else would you say made your application stand out?
Personal statement, references, writing sample, and CV. The idea is to have a well rounded application.
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On 10/5/2020 at 1:56 AM, PT7 said:
Thanks for your initiative BTF!
How would you compare Carleton, UoT and uOttawa from the perspective of an international student? I feel like the co-op element would be a very important consideration here given that it would be one of the main entry points into the market. Also in terms of courses, which university would be better suited for a more finance-management-development-policy with a greater focus on preparing one with skills to enter the workforce than research and academia? (this is also given my apprehension of the federal government not being as receptive to non-citizens) Which side does Carleton tip towards?
Once again, thanks so much for your help
1. How would you compare Carleton, UofT and uOttawa from the perspective of an international student?
I am not an international student, I do not know. Paying high tuition with little chance at a government job seems like a gamble.
2. Which university would be better suited for a more finance-management-development-policy with a greater focus on preparing one with skills to enter the workforce than research and academia?
I don't know, read the program websites and their offered courses.
3. Which side does Carleton tip towards?
I don't know, Carleton has several programs. Which program are you talking about?
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Is everyone almost done their applications?
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3 hours ago, Pluto7 said:
Hi everyone, been lurking for a bit in preparation for fall 2021's application cycle for the MGA at Munk, NPSIA and GSPIA for their international affairs programs. Thanks to all of you who have posted insightful information regarding the whole process!
A little background about me before i ask my question - i'm an Indian national, a law graduate and am currently working with a UN organisation in India. What are the employment opportunities accorded to international students in the government, especially if considering NPSIA or GSPIA, which I gather are more government-employment oriented than Munk is?
The Canadian Government prioritizes Canadian Citizens in all hiring, expect for co-ops. Getting a co-op and then using that to get into government is really the best way for non-Canadian citizens to get government jobs.
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No. Do not put undergraduate course papers on a CV. Well, unless you presented that paper at a conference. Then put the conference presentation.
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Last two years GPA: 91.04%
Overall GPA: 84.34%
HBASc in Criminology, BA in Psychology, Certificate in Global Entrepreneurship.
Accepted sometime in February-March.
Applied to UofT, Queens, and Carleton
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29 minutes ago, acetone26 said:
Hi,
I know as for many Canadian MPA/MPP programs the GRE is not required, but considering how competitive 2021 fall admissions might be do you think submitting GRE scores will be an asset? Did you have peers in your graduating class who did the GRE?
No. Improving your GPA is a much better use of your time. I dont know anyone in my cohort who did the GRE. It isn't required for a reason.
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On 9/5/2020 at 9:47 PM, Rubies said:
Thank you for your initiative !
I will apply to the program this year. It seems like the best option to me, since I could do both a coop and a thesis.
To start with, I would be curious to know what your thoughts are about the economics courses ? From what I can see, most Canadians programs do not have any pre-requirement, but Carleton does. It seems like a plus for me, but it might be an illusion as well. Do you feel like the curriculum is truly more advanced there ?
Also, regarding the coops, I know Carelton is famous for its internships with the Federal government. Have you seen many job postings in other institutions ? (As an international student, I wouldn't have access to the federal or provincial governments).
Finally, as I said I'm interested in the research track. I'm curious to know if the A- requirement is very challenging to meet (I have a somewhat competitive gpa as an undergrad, but for some reasons I am worried the gap could be wide between my program and grad school, especially without a quantitative background). Do you have to take the 10 courses before enrolling in the thesis, or can you do a few of them during the second year, while redacting ?
Again, thank you so much for taking this time to help
Answers to your questions:
1. I would be curious to know what your thoughts are about the economics courses?
They are just economics courses. Nothing special or underwhelming, they focus more on the theory and less on the math. The MPPA program is designed to bring people from various disciplines together, this means they cannot provided in-depth courses on any particular subject, especially economics. I did my undergrad in Criminology, my experience with economics is slim.
2. Do you feel like the curriculum is truly more advanced there?
No curriculum at any school is "advanced", some schools just place emphasis on other areas, you can typically break theses areas into three broad categories; stats/economics, management, and policy analysis. Carleton would be more an economics and management focused school. Given we have two courses on both management and economics with only one course on policy analysis.
3. Have you seen many job postings in other institutions ? (As an international student, I wouldn't have access to the federal or provincial governments).
Co-op jobs are posted for each sector: private, non-profit, and federal and provincial government. As a non-canadian citizen/resident you will have a near impossible time getting into the government without getting bridged in through a co-op.
4. I'm curious to know if the A- requirement is very challenging to meet?
Depends how hard you work. Many are just there for the co-op and don't much care for doing well. I don't blame them, the government does not care what your grades are, well, generally. Some professors grade much harsher than others. There are at least three I've had that said they do not give A+'s or have given less than 10 in their career. Seemed odd but that's life I guess.
5. Do you have to take the 10 courses before enrolling in the thesis?
Read the MPPA Thesis Form. You need to finish all the pre-reqs and first year courses prior to thesis registration. This means you'll likely have 8/10 courses completed. Assuming you take 4 in the fall and 4 in the winter.
https://carleton.ca/sppa/academics/documents-and-forms/
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Refer to post already about this
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Look at graduate program websites to see their admission requirements
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any presentations. posters, or publications from your research experience? Did you write an undergrad thesis? I ask because these are things many applicants do not have that would set you apart from them.
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3 hours ago, CanadianPhDinUSA said:
@BTF So I'm only just now starting the third year of the PhD program here (my first application was submitted in the final year of my MA at a Canadian institution, on the basis that I would hold the award at my current institution). I've got no sole author publications but I am cited as a translator from Spanish to English in a forthcoming Latin American history publication, I have presented at conferences, and I've received only As (4.0) on my PhD transcripts. Regarding publications, I don't actually know of any history student who has published prior to becoming a dissertator; of the two history students I know who've been awarded SSHRC (one in Canada, and one at my institution here), neither one has a single publication (and I had both of them look over my program of study several times prior to submission). Generally, history students don't publish until they've been dissertating for at least a year, for example our two new hires, from Harvard and Michigan, didn't get their first publications until the sixth years of their programs, and even my advisor didn't get his first publication in History until the fifth year of his program (he'd had about 7 years of surgery publications under his belt by that time though).
That only one award out of 1026 was given to a Latin American history dissertation leads me to believe perhaps we (Latin Americanists) are just not *it* for Canadian reviewers? I've been fairly successful with internal awards at my institution (and am not yet eligible for SSRC's IDRF because COVID fucked up my in-field research plans for my prospectus so I don't know how I fare at that level just yet).Interesting, apologies, I wasn't aware the norm is not publishing in history at your stage. Do you present posters or papers at conferences? Did you receive external funding for your masters? Have you written for none academic outlets like newspapers, trade journals, etc? Maybe been an RA on projects throughout your studies.
Have those that received SSHRC outside your institution in history published in academic journals?
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Just now, CanadianPhDinUSA said:
Denied third year in a row, 12.1 with no waitlist (I forget which committee but I'm in a History program). I could be feeling bitter but it seems to me there are just some topics that Canadian reviewers don't care about? I reviewed all 1026 awards that started in 2019 (518 CGS-D and 508 Doctoral Fellowships) and there were only 11 on Latin American topics (1% of the total awards given) and of these only one went to a specifically history-oriented project (0.097%). Further, I'm at a US school and only 33 awards total (out of 1,026) went to Canadian students in the US. Am I essentially just SOL for SSHRC? I've got one more chance to apply, wondering if it's actually worth my time with those odds.
Have you published, presented at conferences, increased your GPA in each subsequent year you've applied? As a third year + PhD student your application should be years ahead of those applying with less experience.
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29 minutes ago, Namann said:
The best way for a society to prepare its young people for leadership in government, industry, or other fields is by instilling in them a sense of cooperation, not competition.
Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim. In developing and supporting your position, be sure to address the most compelling reasons and/or examples that could be used to challenge your position.
Like the famous saying goes, 'If you want to go fast, walk alone, if you want to go far, walk together'. I suppose the greatest movements of our time have come through cooperation, comman belief and unity. When people start to work together, they become a stronger force. I agree with this statement, however, to some extent, having a will to compete goes a long way in making a good leader.
Some of the qualities that a good leader must have are intelligence, ability to handle people and a strong sense of self-belief instilled in them. A good leader is required to lead from the front, able to rally his/her men and be the face of his/her people. A good leader must be humble, and have the power to accept a defeat or loss. They should be able to focus on the bigger picture and have a catholic mindset.
When the younger generation is taught how to 'co-operate' instead of 'compete' they learn how to work together. They learn how to adjust, adapt and most importantly, in my opinion, how to listen to people. If you are always in the mood to 'compete' or prove yourself to be superior, you won't win a lot of fans or followers. And, in the long run, it is important that you gather an ardent following as the path to the top is long and ardous. If you want to get to the upper echelons of government, industry or any field for that fact, you must be ready to knuckle under in some circumstances.
However, competition causes people to push themselves more, it gives motivation to people to do even better. It's important to instill this belief in people as well, as having a good fighting spirit is vital in the long run. You don't want to be like a sheep in a pack, you want to be the leader of the pack, the fox. For this, you must have a competitive spirit and this is the reason why competitions are important in the growth of younger people. Having a killer instinct is of vital importance for a leader.
In the end, I believe it depends on the severity of the competition and cooperation. I think it is just as important to be cooperative as it is to be competitive. There should be a balance of both.
1. It doesn't argue anything. You are supposed to be arguing for cooperation over competition or vice versa
2. Don't talk about foxes, use quotes, or say a catholic mindset. These all do nothing for your essay.
3. Have a thesis statement at the end of your introduction that mentions three points. Each point in the thesis statement will be given a paragraph in the body.
4. Competition isn't just about being superior to others, competition can be with yourself.
5. Make sure you precisely define what competition and cooperation are in your essay and stay consistent throughout.
6. Write with brevity. Defeat and loss are the same thing, pick one.
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3 hours ago, C_Raymond said:
So far it seems like I fall in that sweet spot where I can get into competitive programs, but not get too much help after that.
Undergraduate GPA is 4.03/4.30, strong LOR and PS, relatively unique research, did fine on the GRE (162/162/4.5) but Oxford didn't require that anyway. Ended up at Exeter for my college which is a bit of a shame as they don't have any Canadian specific scholarships. Focusing on OSAP now
Interesting, any past scholarships or publications?
Thinking of applying for the DPhil in ICSS in a year
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3 hours ago, izzy_c said:
Hi there,
I have been accepted into Ryerson for what will be my second MA degree. I have been awarded an Ontario Graduate Scholarship for the year, which unfortunately has meant that the university has rescinded my initial funding offer of $6500. I was hoping that they would add the OGS to this amount, because I would be in a much better financial situation if this were the case!
Anyways, my question here is: Are you able to continue to receive OSAP support even with the OGS scholarship? I am not sure if the online estimator is giving me an accurate amount, and I am not sure how much this would actually affect what I am offered through OSAP. Does anyone have any experience with this?
Thanks!OSAP doesnt restrict you from applying, you'll just likely receive less money OSAP when you declare OGS.
(Canada 2021) MPP/MPA Applications
in Government Affairs Forum
Posted
Do both.