Dreams

Well first you need to visit both schools to make that decision. Just because there is crime in Baltimore does not mean there will not be crime in NYC, or any other city for that matter. Have you read Columbia outputs recently on the increase of crime incidents to its students - in broad daylight even? As far as degree and job prospects, the MPH and MHS are equivalent degrees, and will get you comparable opportunities. Job opportunities will be similar in both locations as well. NYC has tons of jobs in Public Health from what I see; and there are scores of jobs in Baltimore, as well as Washington, DC. You may want to take a look at the total cost of both degrees in the end. At Mailman, you will need to factor in cost of living as well as whether you will be able to get a paid internship or assistantship your second year. At JHSPH, masters students get tuition scholarships and there are many positions open for research assistantships you could tap into. I think in the end, you should visit each school, speak with the students, and get a feel for the city before committing to a decision.

After the application closing date? The responses ranged from 14 days to 3.5 months.

Now that the celebrations have cooled down, I just read that professor Cecilia Rouse will go on service leave for the Obama Administration. While it definitely says a lot about the school, does anyone think about how instruction will be affected without these professors. I mean, from what I hear, she is an outstanding econ professor who helps students "get it." Krueger and Slaughter are also on leave serving the Obama Administration.

Sure. I spent about 4 or 5 hours on the phone with one and he was really nice and candid about WWS. He did not have the best test scores, but he did have some relevant government experience. He was also involved with a lot of policy related activities as an undergrad.

younglions MCneelified06 and sisepuede congrats. Be sure to let them know your decision soon so they can tap into their waitlist :wink:

Hot damn. Congrats on the acceptance.

Like the others said, let it go. There is no need for an explanation.

You hit it spot on. I am also very concerned about the length of time it would take to complete the degree. My program anticipates 4 years til completion. And from the very heavy course load the first year I can see how they came up with that number. I am worried about burnout from the load too, but we will see about that. I would likely have to spread the load, resulting in more than 4 years. I am fortunate that my advisor is involved in the types of things I like to do. He teaches and is still in the tenure process, but his major duties consist of evaluating programs around the world. So I am sure he will help me develop the skills I will need for what I want to do. I laughed at the email he sent me yesterday inviting me to come to his office for a visit after he returns from his 3 country trip. I made it very clear in my proposal to all of my schools that I was not interested in research for a career, and that I had no plans of going into academia. I assume they read and understood that since I was still accepted. And yes, the program is at the top of the field. But it doesn't matter. What mattered more to me was whether I would get the support and training I needed from the school. And I believe I can, but still need to think it over because the time commitment is serious, and I am simply not trying to be a student forever

Your degree may provide a leg up for your initial job. But afterwards, it is your work experience and contacts that matter. If you have a string of poor references, then not even your Harvard degree will help you there!

1. Yes 2. Beginning of the semester or right before the semester typically. You will need to check with your university's bursar office to find out when they release balances to students. 3. If you mean to cover you for this semester, then likely not.

Monterey has significant name recognition as well, and is especially know for its language training. If what you intend to do in the future involves, then I think Monterey combined with Middlebury is the best option. There is a huge alum base in the DC area and abroad you could tap into through the school.

They usually are, but then they all decided to steal the gold and apply to GradCafe University to take such classes as: Feminist Art History: Artemesia Gentileschi is gonna cut a bitch!

I would love to hear others' thoughts as well, as there are a few of us here applying to both policy masters programs and doctoral programs. I was recently accepted into both a doctoral and a masters program and am weighing my options as to which route to take. My goal is to work in an applied setting either something along the lines international program creation and evaluation in the health, social, and education fields, or in some other support type capacity like what I am currently doing. I have no interest in research, and even my doctoral program is very applied in nature. You are right, interning with an international org would allow you to gain entrance and contacts in the job market; and this can be done on all degree levels. You might want to consider the combined time it would take to get the degrees though. Each year spent off the job market is a huge opportunity cost in potential earnings assuming the job market improves in your intended field. I am thinking it would take a lot for you to break out of work to go back to school down the line if you get a good job you really like, assuming you go for the masters first. I would figure it would not be worth it if you land something you really like that gives you a variety of options. If you have the motivation now, I would suggest going the PhD route because it could potentially open more doors in the long run than having just a masters (even though you say you would later pursue the doctorate). Also, since you will likely be funded in a doctoral program, why shell out money for a masters program and put yourself into debt? The level of debt you end up with could seriously influence the type of job you take after graduation. And the goal is to do something you actually like right? Sorry if this seems jumbled. This is my attempt to make sense of it all for me as well.

Yes they do. I have recently spoken to people both from HKS and WWS who were accepted from the waitlist. And the person who was accepted from WWS's list wasn't even one of linden's "superpeople." Yeah imagine that, there are people out there who would turn a free ride down!

I don't know what the average package is, but I do know their top stipend is $18,500 per year for masters level students. I do not know about the doctoral level.

I spoke to a student in the Domestic Policy concentration and was told that there are a lot of support and resources available to those who choose that route. The program also has many connections to set you up for an internship at places that may interest you. Plus have you seen their list of courses for DP? If it weren't for the quantitative focus of the concentration, I would have chosen it myself.

Maybe it means we are all being considered for fellowships :wink:

We will stick with no news is good news then. I am still waiting on them myself.

That sucks. Have you heard back from Columbia? Or will You just head to UW-M?

Rutabaga did you get any word yet on funding? I got a letter in the mail Friday. It said 50% tuition support for the first 6 quarters and 75% support thereafter. That bummed me out until I read the next paragraph saying I was nominated for a fellowship that will provide full tuition and stipend for 5 years plus research money.

No sweat folks. If you don't get your acceptance on Wednsesday, then it means you will be waitlisted on Thursday :twisted:

$1800 monthly is very doable in DC. And you can actually live in the city with that amount. There are several high quality apartment buildings near Dupont and the U Street corridor that have apartments around a grand monthly for a 1 bedroom. The thing is that they are usually not advertised online and you would need to go to the buildings to speaker with the landlord. As said in the above posts, you will be using public transport or even walking, so you will save a ton by not needing a car. Just be mindful of how often you would like to go out, because DC will tempt you with its many many cafes, bars, and restaurants. So yes, it is very doable with that budget.

Baltimore is a great city. To maximize your experience, just be sure not to confine yourself to JHU and other typical college hotspots and you will be fine.

When I inquired about all of my rejections, I always made a phone call to the Admissions Director, DGS, or other similar person. They were all polite and briefly put me on hold while getting my file. Then I pummeled them with questions on why I was not taken in :twisted: No really, I just asked about weaknesses in my file that could be addressed in the event I were to apply again. In all instances I got invaluable feedback.

It's gonna be an exciting day! Just for the thrill of it all, I think I will keep away from the internet all day and check things out on Saturday.