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ch442

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    HKS Waitlist 2020

    in Government Affairs Forum

    Posted

    11 hours ago, CrystalDolphin said:

    Huge Congrats Yass and other newly admitted ones!! I just got waitlisted after rejection. May I know when is the ddl for your HKS decision-making and deposit so that I can have a better understanding of when can I hear a confirmed decision from HKS. Thx so much!!!

    HKS's deposit deadline is April 30 this year. Good luck, y'all!

    2020 ||||| Decision time: share your dilemma

    in Government Affairs Forum

    Posted · Edited by ch442

    4 hours ago, GradSchoolGrad said:

    @LazarusRises...

    So normally, I would say hands down Nicholas school. The confounding factor is that you want to return to NYC. I recommend you do a LinkedIn Search (you might have to pay for the advanced membership) and filter for Nicholas school alums in New York to see who ends up in New York and what they do. Then do the same for SIPA grads in environmental roles. That is a good way to compare them.

    So the reason I would normally say the Nicholas school is for two reasons.

    1. They are much more equipped to do science part of environmental management (my understanding is that Duke has environmental facilities), and honestly that would distinguish you.

    2. Nicholas actually has a way super reputation to SIPA for Environmental stuff. 

    3. SIPA is good with domestic policy, but that isn't their forte... it more focuses on IR and IDEV. 

    I know plenty of Nicholas people who are in awesome environmental jobs in DC (not NYC though). I never met a SIPA person in environmental ever... All the SIPA people I have ever met are IR or urban policy. 

    I'm also an environmental policy person who was accepted into both of these programs (although am leaning toward Yale or Harvard). I would push back a bit on @GradSchoolGrad's characterization of SIPA. I know several alums who now work in energy or environment policy. One works in state government related to energy/water and another is a consultant in energy markets. SIPA has actually been really investing in the area, with the Center on Global Energy Policy. As a Columbia student, you'd also have access to the Earth Institute and faculty like Jeffrey Sachs, one of the world's leading experts on sustainable development. The Energy and Environment concentration at SIPA has a group of 30+ students per class, so you won't be alone in your interest. If you definitely want to do sustainable development work internationally, I would lean toward SIPA. The number of opportunities related to international development seem great at SIPA (compared to the less international focus of the Nic School). My one concern might be cost. You say that each school gave you a 30% scholarship but tuition and cost of living at SIPA are much higher. I wouldn't choose based on current COVID-19 dynamics. By the fall, who knows where Durham or NYC will be.

    (Full disclosure: I attended Columbia for undergrad)

    2020 Results

    in Government Affairs Forum

    Posted · Edited by ch442

    Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): MPP, MPA, Master of Environmental Management (MEM)

    Schools Applied To: Harvard Kennedy (MPP), Princeton WWS (MPA), Columbia SIPA (MPA), UC Berkeley Goldman (MPP), Yale F&ES (MEM), Duke Nicholas (MEM), UChicago Harris (MPP), UT Austin LBJ (MPAff-DC)

    Schools Accepted To: HKS, SIPA ($$), Berkeley ($), Yale F&ES ($), Duke Nicholas ($$), Harris ($$), LBJ ($$$$)

    Schools Waitlisted At: Princeton WWS

    Schools Rejected From: None

    Still Waiting:  None

    Undergraduate Institution: Ivy

    Undergraduate GPA: 3.46

    Undergraduate Major: Environmental Engineering

    GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  170/170/6.0

    Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): 2

    Work Experience: 2

    Describe Relevant Work Experience: Worked at 2 non-profits, including one entry-level role in renewable energy advocacy, one conducting research related to electric utility regulation and electric vehicles. In college, I interned at the US State Department, a think tank, and a state legislature.

    Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc.): Described how my technical background (in engineering and energy policy/regulation) made me well suited to work in federal energy policy. I also highlighted my longstanding passion for climate action and my leadership roles in undergrad related to environmental organizing.

    Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc.): Asked my two most recent supervisors (could comment on my research reports and passion for energy policy) and a political science professor from college (who talked more about my interest in public service and undergrad leadership). I read one, which was good! The others were submitted in the week before my first deadline.

    Other: I'm currently weighing a few programs. I'm tempted by HKS but unsure if it's worth the cost (no aid). My other top choice is probably the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. I'm still figuring out whether I should go the MPP or MEM route. I'm hoping to work after graduation for a federal agency or Congress on climate/clean energy policy. I'm going to try to talk Yale up from $14k/year. I haven't ruled out Duke, SIPA, or Berkeley either. I wish admitted student visits were still an option!

    Harvard Kennedy MPP 2020

    in Government Affairs Forum

    Posted

    53 minutes ago, FraiserFanNYC said:

    I also got in to HKS for the MPP program! But it looks like I got no aid. So now I am deciding between Columbia SIPA (which gave me $20K a year in aid for a total of $40K) and HKS (which gave me no aid). The loan difference wold be about $26K according to my calculations. I am trying to see if that extra $26K in loan burden is worth the Harvard name. Can someone offer their opinion on this? Thanks.

    I'm in a very similar boat. I got into a few other schools (SIPA, Berkeley Goldman, Yale School of Forestry) with moderate aid ($14-30k per year) and HKS with no aid. I'm hoping to talk to some alums/students from each school who also work in environmental policy to see if they have opinions, but I'm currently at a loss myself! I'd also appreciate any other takes from you all. When does the U.S. government post the interest rate for federal loans for the 2020-21 school year?

    Harvard Kennedy MPP 2020

    in Government Affairs Forum

    Posted

    2 minutes ago, novelpegasus said:

    Hey guys I am new! First launching. Does anyone know somehow why we didn't get an email notification as we usually do for the Blog Update 17 that 's just released earlier today? 

     

    I only seem to get an email notification for about half of the blog posts. Not sure why!

    LBJ MPAff/MGPS Fall 2020

    in Government Affairs Forum

    Posted

    I saw that there wasn't yet a thread this year for University of Texas LBJ School applicants. Feel free to post here. 

    I applied in December for the MPAff DC Concentration. The LBJ DC office just reached out to schedule a video interview. Has anyone else gotten a similar request? I didn't see anything about interviews on the website--any idea if everyone does one or their criteria for choosing who to interview?

    It looks like the first decisions are usually released in February. Good luck all!

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