fshopeful

I’m guessing all programs are preparing for a likely remote Fall semester — but know yields would plummet once confirmed. They’re probably also keeping an eye out for a likely second COVID-19 wave — stronger than the first — this winter. It’s also difficult to answer these questions with accuracy, as I am sure that each University’s Administration will ultimately have a say on how each of its graduate programs operate next year. SIPA — and other similar programs — will probably not have a confirmed approach until June/July.

100% go to SAIS — it’s not even close. The IDEV track + full funding is incredible, congrats!

Definitely account for COL differences as well — New Haven being much cheaper than Cambridge/NY. i would say HKS could make sense if you were interested in the private sector, but is probably not the best move if you are trying to enter humanitarian work. The entirety of the degree would be ~170k, an enormous amount. Jackson has the benefit of being flexible and the school is very much a part of the greater Yale ecosystem. You’d be able to pursue your interests and network with individuals in the greater Yale community/alums. It’s tuition is also only 43k a year. SIPA’s NYC location and practitioner focus will allow you many opportunities to intern while you study and “at bats” to network with people that have similar interests. This to me is essential. General rule of thumb — when referring to schools in this elite tier — is to follow the money. I would head to Jackson — as it would be affordable and is an excellent program.

HKS has a heavy private sector focus but I would caution against reading too much into MBB placement. Top MPPs/IR degrees — non-dual degrees — send folks to top consulting firms, but the caveat is that many tend to be international offices — i.e. you’ll need language skills and perhaps sponsorship. HKS also loves recruiting MBB consultants so they may actually just be returning to their previous job, accounting for MBB placement on HKS website — this I do not know entirely, but is possible as well.

Hey Yass, Think both schools offer great options and finances should definitely be considered when choosing. As to why I chose SIPA over Harris: 1) I have 4 years of work experience and 40% of Harris students have between 0-1 years. SIPA students are more seasoned and I want to surround myself with individuals — of varied backgrounds — that can illustrate classroom dialogue with unique personal case studies that come from work experience. 2) My interests lie squarely within the field of international affairs and SIPA clearly wins in this area. I thought of also applying to SAIS and SFS as well, but chose not to given that I much prefer NY as a setting and both have a smaller international student body than SIPA. As someone that has lived in several countries and continents, I value SIPA’s high % of international students. 3) The Columbia brand has a slight edge over The University of Chicago internationally and SIPA has a much larger edge over Harris internationally. I value this greatly — albeit may not be important for most applicants. I would venture to say that only HKS has as strong a brand as SIPA internationally but its MPP is very domestic-focused — as reflected by its 30% international student %. 4) The alums I have met from SIPA — primarily U.S. diplomats — are people I look up to. Individuals that are less focused on drafting white papers/the minutiae of policy and more focused on project management/pushing work forward in a crisis. They are all people with incredible interpersonal skills, leadership and high levels of emotional intelligence — people I aspire to be like. These are a few reasons I am heading to SIPA but please feel free to PM if you want a thought partner as you make a decision!

Received 30k a year in funding (for MIA) and will be attending. Hope to see some of you at SIPA!

My guess is that the M.I.A. (SIPA's flagship program) is slightly more selective than the M.P.A. given that SIPA is best known as an international affairs school and the M.I.A. is smaller (~200 students per class) vs. M.P.A. (~250 students). The M.I.A. has actually gone from ~350 students per year in the mid/late 2000s to ~200 per year in the present. My guesstimate would be 1/3 admitted for the former and upper 30s/lower 40s % for the latter. Also noteworthy to mention that these applicant pools are self-selective so hypothetical admittance rates should be understood with that lens, it's a competitive process.

They advised us to retake the GRE (during a webinar) if Quant or Verbal was below the 60th percentile. Your GPA is strong and your major is relevant, so it could mitigate their concern? It's difficult to make an exact assessment because you may very well have something that they are looking for, thus ensuring your acceptance.

I have applied to a few other programs as well but will most likely attend Harris!

In for MPP with $$!