KIMAMS

Hands down the correct decision, good luck in your future endeavors!

I declined and will be heading to a more affordable  but very reputable school in Europe. Honestly, i think it's not worth bearing such a huge debt and enter any US school this time for this policy degree (I also declined Johns Hopkins and Columbia). I don't want to have a stressful life just to have a famous name on my CV. After all, I think it is not the school name but what you can do matters. 

Heading to an MPP that costs north of $160,000 with zero funding is something that I, and everyone in the public sector, would *highly* advise against. This is even more true as we enter a recession, because graduates of all programs, including HKS, will be fighting for entry-level jobs. Head to the school that offers the most $ or reapply another year, when job prospects upon graduation improve.

I got aid reconsideration results (in an email from financial aid like the first round) late this afternoon. It felt like "finally," but they said they would reply by 4/17, so it really wasn't too bad of a wait and considerate of them to provide the decision in time for the numerous 4/15 deadlines.
Went from $27k/year to $42k/year, so I'm super stoked. As I mentioned before, I had a substantial fellowship offer from Mercatus/GMU, so I think that helped move me along, despite the programs being pretty different. Anyway, it looks like they really are bumping some up, so good luck!

Ah, sorry.. I meant to put the not in there...I can’t edit it apparently... last year they were saying that changes were happening in the account that they were fluctuating as info was being put in for those accepted. I don’t really know if it’s accurate because things can always change.  Things are donuts right now with not being able to find stuff like toilet paper so this has been a bit of an escape.  We’re trying to set up resources for parents at home with their kids, particularly those with special needs and there has been a bit of politicking going on which has annoyed people.  The school was pretty quick to respond but dealing with other aspects is harder.  People are hoarding supplies and some of the businesses have gotten robbed.  We will get through this but it is hard for everyone right now.  Sorry for the confusion from the prior post.

Exactly...but I thought it happens for only a few of the applicants. Do you think they would update us on the blog just a day before the results (if they were to come today)? But I also think that they waited to set their machines up at home because once the decisions are released, they would not like to fumble with our queries and next steps...so it may also happen today now that they officially established home offices for smooth work...

I can't answer this specifically but offering my two cents.

I recently talked to someone who graduated from SIPA and she highlighted two things about SIPA's courses - quant heavy and global in nature. In terms of job opportunities, her opinion was that having an Ivy league on your resume is certainly an advantage in and out of US and SIPA's students are favorably placed for UN jobs. 
 U-Chicago is known for its economics faculty, a great number of luminaries have walked those halls. Maybe you can find out whether the MPP course is flexible enough for you to take advantage of this.  
 
Good luck!

 

I feel very happy, excited and proud of myself. I started studying English myself several years ago by watching CNN, reading book, doing Couchsurfing to practice my speaking .etc.. And with that effort now I got into an Ivy League ??
No scholarship so I will decline and hope someone else in the waitlisted will take it. Thank you a lot everybody and please have a nice weekend. 

I feel very happy, excited and proud of myself. I started studying English myself several years ago by watching CNN, reading book, doing Couchsurfing to practice my speaking .etc.. And with that effort now I got into an Ivy League ??
No scholarship so I will decline and hope someone else in the waitlisted will take it. Thank you a lot everybody and please have a nice weekend. 

If your heart is into IR, I would say its wash between SAIS and SIPA MIA from a pure academic perspective. I recommend you think about where you would build community. SIPA in general has reputation of everyone having their NYC lives and the study body not being that cohesive. SAIS generally is better in terms of community. Honestly, you need to visit the two to really get to know.
As for McCourt... go there if you want to do IDEV program analysis work or ride the Georgetown mafia to get into Capital Hill... but short of that, it is a pretty poor option to get into most other international relations oriented jobs. In terms of overall MPP quality Harris wins academically hands down. Obvious downsides to not being in DC as well as pros. 

It will not show up on the portal. The decision will be sent to your email. All the best.

I got an Email. 

I feel very happy, excited and proud of myself. I started studying English myself several years ago by watching CNN, reading book, doing Couchsurfing to practice my speaking .etc.. And with that effort now I got into an Ivy League ??
No scholarship so I will decline and hope someone else in the waitlisted will take it. Thank you a lot everybody and please have a nice weekend. 

I feel very happy, excited and proud of myself. I started studying English myself several years ago by watching CNN, reading book, doing Couchsurfing to practice my speaking .etc.. And with that effort now I got into an Ivy League ??
No scholarship so I will decline and hope someone else in the waitlisted will take it. Thank you a lot everybody and please have a nice weekend. 

@KIMAMS Congratulations on your acceptance. Something to take with you! Good luck in your endeavors. 

Hey guys,
By now the entire Harvard system is moving online due to COVID-19 contingency and students are asked to leave dorms by Sunday. For the record HKS is working as a pivot to coordinate and navigate amid all these mess since this kind of pandemic is basically a duty of public healthcare and public administration to fulfill, which falls exactly into HKS’s work expertise. So we can imagine how crazily busy all the HKS offices could be at this point. Remember that Graduate Admission is only a part of their collective routine duty as they have to care for a way bigger picture at this near-catastrophic moment facing all human kind. 
So, please give them some time and allow all parties more cushion to multi-tasking and powering through this difficult era. This is not easy for EVERYBODY, I mean everybody, including the whole admissions committee at HKS and all other personnels and departments co-working with them.
And guys, for the record, what we want to be is future leaders in public administration/policy-making, that’s why we are here, that’s why we are all aiming to HKS. Stay in mental serenity when there is chaos, keep organized and functional when there is mayhem, remain calm and endurable when there is ordeal. We are incredibly powerful HKS applicants with mind of steel and heart of sunshine, we can deal with this ONE MORE WEEK all together. 
We are just gonna have more fun, chat, communications, and joys here. At the same time let’s stay indoor and contribute our part to preventing further spread-out of COVID-19 in the world. Beautiful things happen when you stay positive and open-minded. Like my dad cancelled my spring break flight to L.A. a couple of days ago, yet in ruins of my devastated hope for all amazing cuisines, cultures, sceneries, and entertainments in L.A., instead I found YOU, ALL OF YOU on this awesome forum while staying put in Boston. What a great alternative that totally beats an outdoor spring break! 

I feel very happy, excited and proud of myself. I started studying English myself several years ago by watching CNN, reading book, doing Couchsurfing to practice my speaking .etc.. And with that effort now I got into an Ivy League ??
No scholarship so I will decline and hope someone else in the waitlisted will take it. Thank you a lot everybody and please have a nice weekend. 

I was accepted back in December but just got an update to my portal to notify me that I got a $60,000 fellowship package ($30,000 per year). I suspect updates for others will be delivered soon as well!

I wouldn't necessarily have this change your thinking. Schools have sent stuff like this in the past. Just a big hedge.

Best of luck everyone!

Okay! Gear up folks and let's begin another wait...Today is Friday 13th...Amen!

While this is frustrating and annoying, I do think we have to cut the admissions office some slack. As probably most of everybody on this forum have seen in their own jobs, the COVID-19 epidemic has caused a lot of unexpected work for almost all organizations. I work at a consultancy and almost all our clients are experiencing different degrees of chaos right now.

Okay! Gear up folks and let's begin another wait...Today is Friday 13th...Amen!

Okay! Gear up folks and let's begin another wait...Today is Friday 13th...Amen!

Okay! Let's gear up and begin another wait folks...Today is Friday 13th...Amen!