sgr2020

@ehallwyo So it looks like they are actually transitioning the CIPA Institute into a School of Public Policy! I was actually able to speak to some of the CIPA staff and it seems like it will actually be a very positive step for the program. And I completely agree with you on being able to build a network outside of DC. I'm also not sold on remaining in DC for the rest of my life, so I like how Cornell has much more diverse placement options.

Yeah I really hope to see some deferral policies. To me it would totally defeat the purpose of graduate school to take courses online. Would we be able to defer after the April 15 deadline?

@ehallwyo @x26558 I'm in a similar position as well, currently trying to decide between CIPA ($$$$) and McCourt ($$). I'm drawn to Cornell because the staff seems to really go out of their way for the students. They have been the most helpful/responsive contacts by far. I'm also excited for the reorganization they seem to be doing to bring more attention to public policy at Cornell. The staff seems to really be pushing to improve Cornell's reputation/recognition. Right now I'm just worried about reputation/networking opportunities, but looking around on their website they seem to do a good job of pulling in speakers and leading networking trips out into NYC/DC. We'll see where I end up, but for now I'm leaning towards Cornell.

Right now I'm really struggling to choose a school. I have it narrowed down to McCourt and CIPA, I'm just trying to determine if McCourt's extra cost (and much higher living expenses) are worth it. For what its worth, I tend to prefer more rural/suburban areas and think that I would personally be happier in Ithaca than in DC. I did a summer internship in DC last year and really did not like the DC atmosphere. Because of that, I'm not even entirely sure I would want to work in DC after graduation. Cornell has much better placements outside of the DMV area. I guess my question is, is the Georgetown name/connections worth it (even outside of DC)? I know Cornell doesnt have the best name recognition, but they have given me my best offer by far and I remain hopeful that the rebranding to the Cornell School of Public Policy might help. Thoughts?

Updated- I'm all done! Overall I did better than I thought I would, especially in terms of funding. The SAIS wait list was not surprising in the slightest as it was the only IA program I applied to and I really don't have much of a background in it.

Into the MPP as well! Also curious about if the scholarship is renewable or not- that makes a huge difference!

Updated to include LBJ and CMU Heinz

Results are out! Applied 11/30/19 accepted 2/10/20.

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): MPP/MPA/MPAff/MA Schools Applied To: Brown Watson, Cornell CIPA, UT Austin LBJ, A&M Bush, Carnegie Heinz, Georgetown McCourt, Johns Hopkins SAIS Schools Admitted To: Brown ($), Cornell ($$$) Schools Rejected From: n/a Still Waiting: UT, A&M, Carnegie, Georgetown, Hopkins Undergraduate Institution: Large flagship state university Undergraduate GPA: 3.8 Undergraduate Major: Political Science and Economics GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores: 157/168/4.5 Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): n/a Years of Work Experience: 3 Describe Relevant Work Experience: 3 years of research experience in international affairs/conflict, Dept. of Treasury internship, House campaign internship Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): Strong, I had all of my statements reviewed by peers, mentors, and the university writing center. Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc): Strong, letters from an assistant secretary in the department I worked for, the professor I did research with, and the campaign manager I worked for. Other: Strong extra-curricular and volunteer work related to national affairs and human rights. Undergrad research developed strong quant skills (programming in R, STATA, and Python).