Dreams

In addition to Duke as @mpp2016 mentioned, check Maxwell, Heinz, LBJ, Korbel, Fletcher, and UCSD, as they award decent funding to some incoming students.

Judging by your posts, I think you need to first make a decision on what is more important for you: either getting into an ivy league (or other "prestigious") school or getting into a school that stands out in your field and will prepare you for what comes next. The Fulbright committee in the end is going to choose the school that would be the best fit for what you want to study and your goals based on your application. They also say to be flexible, as almost everyone want to go to an ivy.

Like above, you could inquire directly for clarification. My friend who was awarded a Fulbright to the US came across the same thing. In his he expressed preference for a few US universities, but in the end was assigned to a university. He still ended up with a good arrangement for his PHD studies.

If you were able to complete grad coursework and get a grad degree, which you have, I think it would help offset a poor undergrad gpa.

Congrats! Do you know where they are sending you in the country?

Most schools have the types of jobs graduates take on their websites. You might go through the career section to get an idea. The UN is generally hard to get into, there are plenty of grads from either program working in international orgs. I would focus less on which three letters the degree has (MPP, MPA, MIA, MIR, etc) and focus more on the course content and types of professional opportunities available to you during your program. Good luck!

Good job snagging Macedonia, it is a fantastic country!

===== I think it is a good idea to mention your connection to the homeless center. It shows that you have already made useful institutional connections in the country, and one that would serve as a good side project. I know the Fulbright Commission appreciated that I had done the same in my application. Good luck!

This is not some competition on where the coldest place is. I responded to a poster who noted not being used to a place with cold winters. So what does it matter is it is NJ, DE, IL, or otherwise? The point is, if someone is not accustomed to cold winters, they will need to be prepared in Princeton. I have lived in places that get as cold as -50 C -- weather that has felled buildings, so I also know what REAL winters are. Again, to the person who asked, you will need good winter gear while you are here in Princeton. And since you will be in NGC, a sled is a must

Zahar gave an excellent response on the options. I just wanted to pull one thing out of his response in case it may not have been immediately evident - and that is to look at using something like a Fulbright to do research AND get an MA abroad. If you are looking at Russia, there are several universities in Saint Petersburg, Moscow, Kazan, etc that have 1 year MA degree programs for international students. And strong graduates of these programs have a good record of being accepted into top PhD programs in the field in US and European schools. Because of the visa situation in Russia, IIE and Fulbright encourages all research grant recipients to enroll in a course or two during their studies, so this would work in your favor. Good luck!

Just how hard the Economics, Statistics, and other Quantitative Analysis courses would be. Ugh...

pushpin is spot on. Don't let fear of cost deter you from applying to a program you really want to attend. HKS, and even the notoriously stingy SIPA, have given out full tuition awards to students in the past. There is an amazing amount of information in the past posts. Good luck and keep us informed about where you are interested in applying to

You will find that most top schools won't have required scores. I was just looking at average GRE scores for the past three years at a few policy schools and the range was really large. Instead, I would suggest you focus on presenting the best application possible - sparing no detail in the statements, resume, recommendations, and so on.

Winter here will be cold - very cold. The last two years brought really severe ice storms that cause a lot of downed trees and power outages to campus. It was bad enough to cancel classes for one day in early 2010. The good thing though is that, if you don't have a coat, boots, and other accessories say, from Sweden, you can get them here before winter hits. There are Saturday shoppers that will take you to the neighboring plazas, as well as another shuttle that takes you to a shopping center slightly to the south of campus.

It is really hard to get a studio as an incoming student. It is easier to get a 1 bedroom in either Old or New Lawrence. Your best bet is to only list the places you would like to live on your housing application and submit it early. There is also room for you to make a case on why you should get your choices.

Lawrence doesn't allow cats. Basically only Butler allows uncaged pets (Millstone does also but you will not be living there).

The MSW is a very practically oriented degree. Is there any reason you are not considering a PhD where you would be grounded in a variety of research methodologies?

Nope, WWS memo stays

I think that should do it. The only other skills I suggest honing are writing and analysis. But, since you are a 1L and an English grad, I am assuming you are already have those skills (based on the lawyers I have hired in the past for program analysis). Are you looking at joint degree programs, which would shave off time for both degrees? If so, where are you considering?

In addition to what has been mentioned, you may want to check out the Heinz school at Carnegie Mellon.

A W is fine, and doesn't even need to be addressed in your application. Just focus on building up the other parts of your application.

They have taken people with both JDs and LL.Ms for the MPP for lawyers program.

There are several "different" MPP programs at WWS. One is the traditional mid-career program that accepts people with more than 7 years of post college experience (though most applicants have over 10). Then there are the newer MPP programs for physicians, lawyers and PhD scientists that do not carry a minimum work experience requirement. So long as you have a law degree, are committed to public service (and can demonstrate it), then you have a shot of getting in through the program. So go ahead and apply for 2011.

In terms of course choices, I think you would be better off at SIPA, as SIPA's sheer size warrants a lot of classes. Over the past few years, WWS' selection of Domestic focused courses has been shrinking. In fact, this past year the dean cut a popular domestic program, which sparked a negative reaction from a lot of students. That said, there are domestic classes, but you will have to fight to get in them as they usually fill up quickly and latecomers end up on the waiting list. Though in terms of cost, you can't go wrong with WWS, as SIPA and Columbia in general is really stingy when it comes to financial aid.