ehallwyo

As you know, we ended up with the same top two. My advice is to reach out to AU to see if they will match CIPA's offer--I did this and they not only matched it but actually came back with an even better one. This way you can "cancel out" the question of money when you're comparing the two. Good luck!

Cool to have someone in the same boat! I visited Cornell in Feb and they arranged meetings for me with the executive director, the head of career management, and about six different students throughout the day. Everyone repetedly stressed the flexibility of CIPA's programming. They really support students designing a program that works for them, and I think the ability to take classes from any of the schools across campus is a great asset (Yale Jackson does the same). I went to Brown (no core requirements) so being able to choose my coursework is something I really value. The other thing that I've heard over and over is how collaborative and friendly the cohort dynamic is; they specified that they know that a lot of other programs at Cornell have the reputation of being cutthroat/competitive, but that CIPA has a very different "familial" culture. The Open House videos are available online now--I watched them the other day, and you might find them helpful! Re: SPA, did you happen to be at Top Prospects weekend in Feb? Since then, I've had further contact with Jennifer Forney, an alum, and a prof. I have to say that they are head and shoulders above other schools in terms of reaching out on a personal level. I've heard a lot about the collaborative atmosphere of SPA, too. I think one difference between the programs is that by virtue of being in DC, SPA just seems to be more intense/busy. Jennifer has said on a couple occasions that "everyone is busy and there will be no sympathy for you." Here are some of the other main differences that I'm factoring into my decision: Cornell has a better global brand, but AU has a better brand in DC/the field of Public Affairs; cost of living (152 in DC vs 98 in Ithaca); can't beat Ithaca for access to nature and a culture of outdoorsiness (which is something very important to me), but can't beat DC for caliber of speakers/cultural events/etc; accessibility/ease of travel; Cornell seems to have significantly more opportunities for international opportunities (check out the SMART program if you haven't already); AU has more general quant requirements while Cornell has more specific; Cornell has a wider variety of course selection due to having access to all of the schools; AU seems to be faster-paced in terms of balancing school + job + internships; AU stresses more about the point of the program being career-readiness/ROI. There are others but these are kinda this big things that I'm looking at, along with aid. I have similar aid offers from both, but a portion of AU's comes from a GAship, while 100% of Cornell's is tuition remission. Self-quarantining has meant that I've had too much time on my hands to flip flop between the two!

Anyone considering American as a top pick? What are your thoughts?

I just got off the phone with the head of graduate enrollment at American SPA, who said that they are currently focused on contingency plans for the summer and that they have not begun to accept the possibility of needing a contingency plan for the fall. I don't know if this is representative for other east coast schools, but American is currently expecting normal operations for fall 2020.

I just came across that announcement last night! The article I read said it could open as early as Spring or Fall 2021, which means that the transition could be right in the middle of our time there. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not, because I imagine that there will be some wrinkles that will need to be ironed out. I'm also wondering how the coronavirus may impact these plans, in terms of budget (eg if significantly fewer international students are able to matriculate/pay tuition). Definitely an exciting prospect though, since it means extra attention and resources will be allocated to the program during this time.

Does anyone have insight on what the practical differences in attending an Institute within a school versus attending a standalone school would be? I am choosing between American's School of Public Affairs and the Cornell Institute for Public Affairs, which is housed within the College of Human Ecology. Do you think there would be any discernible difference in terms of opportunities, programming, available funding, etc? Is this worth giving weight when choosing one over another? (I realize that Cornell will be changing their model to a School of Public Policy, but for at least one if not both years of the degree, it will function under the current Institute model).

@sgr2020 @x26558 I'm waiting to hear from American to see if they are willing to negotiate their offer with me to match Cornell or at least close the gap a bit. American was my front runner from the get-go, and I almost didn't even apply to Cornell. But after visiting in February, Cornell really grew on me a lot (to the point that even if American does increase their offer, I'll still have a tough choice). The folks at CIPA arranged a whole schedule for me, including a lunch with current students, a tour, a coffee with another student, meetings with the ED and the Career Planning person, and a class sit-in. Though I initially envisioned my grad school experience being in DC, the idea of being somewhere with better access to the outdoors is attractive, too. I don't see myself being in DC long-term, so I don't feel the pressure to have that place-specific networking. Throughout the admissions process, CIPA and American have done the best job of making me feel like an individual and not like a number. One question I have is what impact, if any, will CIPA being an institution within the College of Human Ecology and not a school itself have on student experience (available funding, program-specific opportunities, etc). I think I may start a thread on Institutes vs Schools to see what others have to say about what practical differences there might be.

The link is https://studentviewer.finaid.columbia.edu/ , but you need to use an ID code to log in. I can't recall if there was an ID listed on our acceptance letters. Mine was included in the email I received with this link.

I just received an email directing me to their financial aid student portal, which made me create a student account using a pin code given in the email. It's a funky, low-tech website. Under the tab called "Accept Awards," it showed that I was offered a federal work study position for a total of $4,000 (2k per year), and it also gave me a figure for a FAFSA unsubsidized loan. So nothing that impacts my decision to not attend SIPA, but maybe it means that other folks who hadn't received news about aid yet will still be offered something.

CIPA is in my top two along with American. I enjoyed my visit to Cornell this Feb and could see myself there, but its location is a serious consideration for me; I would definitely prefer to be somewhere more accessible. That said, CIPA has given me the best financial aid offer. Anyone else weighing decisions?

Updated to include new acceptances and a change in Cornell's funding offer! It's between American and Cornell for me. Does anyone have insights into their MPA programs that you think is worth considering? Cornell gave be a better aid offer, but the draw of DC is strong, and I am really attracted to American's program. Now that I have heard from all four programs, I am going to get in touch with the folks at American to see if I can negotiate for more aid. Broadly, I am interested in social justice, human rights, and social policy. I am considering looking at juvenile justice reform as a potential focus, but I also have a lot of other different interest areas.

I'm in! No mention of funding other than the sentence, "In a few weeks you will receive specific information on the cost of attendance and possible sources of aid." Did everyone's say this?

Last year I think decisions were released on the second Monday of March. And today is the second Monday of March... keeping my fingers crossed

I just checked the portal, and though I haven't received an email yet, my GW MPA decision was ready! Accepted and said that I would receive an email about merit-based aid "shortly."

I submitted my video at the end of Jan (can't recall the exact day) and received an offer on Feb 24. If applications are evaluated by faculty committees (idk if they are or aren't), maybe different committees operate on different timelines? I'd imagine they'll send you something by mid-March since that's when most non-rolling programs release their decisions. Good luck!