kb_sf
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Posts posted by kb_sf
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5 hours ago, excxn said:
Anyone hear back about scholarship reconsideration yet?
Haven't heard anything yet, but my original scholarship letter isn't in my portal anymore. Hoping that means there is a new one coming.
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Any advice on negotiating funding? I received more from Heinz, and I’m deciding whether to factor in cost of living differences when asking for an increase. Did you just use your scholarship as leverage, or try to make the point that Pittsburgh is cheaper (sooo much cheaper gah)?
Thanks for all your insight in this thread!
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Just now, Saf78 said:
Nothing on this end, the application portal said something about Mid-March but based on history, I was hoping for Late-February but that's gone. (Applying for the DA track)
Same here. Decisions must be coming any day now.
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2 hours ago, ellien575 said:
That got super long, but hopefully it was helpful!
Thank you for your thoughtful response! It's great to hear that there are people who are interested in software/data engineering. I think that a lot of these schools try to bump up the policy coursework in their marketing events and don't want to scare students away by discussing programming in more depth, so I was actually wondering if I would even do well in any of these programs if my goal was to do software/data engineering (which it is!).
Also - love a good slack channel
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Hey! Thanks for doing this! Curious to hear about what your program outcome ideas were going into the program, and how they’ve changed now (if at all). What are you planning to do after you earn your degree?
Also- were you deciding between CMU Heinz and McCourt DSPP as well? Why’d you decide on chicago?
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I got that email a while back and scheduled a convo as well. I actually think they send that offer out to everyone (did anyone not get that email?) just to give applicants a chance to ask questions about the admit process/program. I definitely didn't feel like it was an interview at all, but came prepared with good questions. I wouldn't think too much into receiving that email, as I'm pretty sure it's just a nice offering from admissions.
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Just got an email saying an update has been posted to my page. Admission to DSPP with no mention of funding, anyone have any idea if they send out separate funding letters?
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I'm in for MSCAPP with funding! Also I didn't receive an email yet, but my funding and admission letters do appear in my application portal FYI.
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1 hour ago, FrenchFry22 said:
According to last year’s thread, it looks like EA applicants heard back on Friday, November 15th! Do we think decisions will go out this Friday the 13th? Or unlikely? Also, does anyone know the size of the EA pool this year and/or how many students are selected? Any info you guys have would be sincerely appreciated!
I would be surprised if the turnaround time was that quick (I think last year their early deadline was Oct 1?), but I'm hopeful! I feel like closer to Thanksgiving would be more likely.
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On 9/11/2020 at 5:43 PM, Mr. Jameson said:
Hey-- I am a current MSCAPP student. First off, if you are looking for a program that is more geared towards a non-academic career, then MSCAPP and MSPPM-DA are far better choices than QMSS and MACSS. In fact programs like MACSS, MAPSS, QMSS, are marketed as PhD "prep" programs.
I think if you'd like broader training and flexibility in policy studies, but also interested in spatial analysis, I think that MSCAPP and MSPPM-DA are pretty superior to those other programs. But, if you are looking for a more focused program in urban planning then I don't think those are the programs for you.
Thanks so much for that info, much appreciated! Would you mind if I PM'd you with some MSCAPP questions? Mostly curious about elective options and class culture. Thanks again!
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5 minutes ago, GradSchoolGrad said:
So in my opinion, it makes no sense for you to do an MPP program if your focus is to be a data scientist post graduation. Every person I know from an MPP program who became a data scientist, did a lot of self-learning / boot camps / maxed out data electives (or a combo) to get there (AKA: lots of extra work). However, if you want to get a broader exposure to the policy environs in general, then an MPP makes sense. The top 3 most quant focused programs are U. Chicago, Princeton, and if you want to go crazy with quant - HKS (but not in terms of graduation requirements).
Some other thoughts:
1. Part of me thinks the you might be too advanced for some of these programs already. I would check to see if these programs are sufficiently difficult enough for you, or if you can jump ahead to your appropriate level of difficulty. There might be something to be said if you spent the first semester as a necessary refresher and dive deeply during the rest of your academic time.
2. Part of me thinks that a you should expand you grad school search into an advanced stats/data analytics in general and do public facing projects.
3. How to Think About These Data Programs:
So these programs are all relatively new (started within the past few years) to A: capture profit from the grad school market and B: posture towards the big data future.
In my opinion it is better to go with a school that had a robust computer science capability that is leveraged by the policy program (Harris + CMU Heinz) vs. a policy program that organically built a data capability to adjust to the future (McCourt). This is because especially for someone at your level of competency, you have robust comp sci + other statistical analysis entities to draw expertise has. McCourt makes up for its lack of institutional data strength (heck you can find LInkedIn postings of them hiring for Data oriented professors to grow their program) through exposure to industry (that would be government facing entities). However, at the end of the day, though the program is solid + the Director is super awesome (I know him well as a Professor), your alumni base focused technically on data is simply not that large.
Really appreciate your thoughts here! I'm going to take a look at some data sci programs and see if there are any that have a social/public focus. Thanks!
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Thanks in advance
Candidate: White female
Applying to: Harris MSCAPP, Heinz MSPPM-DA, McCourt MS-DSPP, UPenn Weitzman MUSA, NEU Urban Informatics,
Undergraduate Institution: Northeast "Public Ivy"
Undergraduate GPA: 3.5
GRE Quantitative Score: 160 (estimated)
GRE Verbal Score: 162 (estimated)Undergraduate Major: Economics
Years out of college: 6
Languages Skills: English
Relevant Work Experience: Data Analyst at a public school network in CA, working on assessment analysis and analyzing "nudges" for students/teachers. Have been working in the social sector for four years.
Quant Background: All the intro Econ classes, Calc I, II, III, Linear Algebra, Statistics, Econometrics, proficient in python/sql and have some experience with machine learning/modeling.
Strength of SOP: Will be strong enough, writing is not generally my strongest suit. Will be able to summarize how these schools will help me further my work in data analysis for social good.
Strength of LOR: 1 very strong letter from manager, 1 very strong from former coworker, looking to get one from someone who can speak more about my quant skills than the previous two, likely won't be quite as strong.
I feel pretty confident about getting in somewhere, and I think my main concern will be how COVID will impact funding for next year. Also wondering if there are any straight MPP programs that I should be looking at that offer more data science electives? Out of school I'm hoping to work as a data scientist for a policy research organization or potentially in the private sector. I'd appreciate any thoughts!
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Hey there,
I'm curious about y'alls thoughts on degrees like Columbia's QMSS and UChicago's MACSS as compared to programs like UChicago MSCAPP, and CMU Heinz MSPPM-DA. The classes seem to be really similar between both sets of programs, but I'm getting the sense that QMSS and MACSS are more suited towards people looking to go on to PHDs, does that resonate with current/former students? I'm hoping to attend a program that sets me up to be a practitioner immediately after, and don't intend on pursuing a PHD.
It also seems like the MSCAPP and MSPPM-DA can be encompass more city planning courses (demand modeling, spatial analysis) which is interesting to me. I was considering programs like Upenn MUSA and Northeastern/NYU Urban Informatics, but I'd rather attend a program that contains those planning elements as well as some more research/quant-heavy coursework.
Any thoughts? Mainly, do you all agree that QMSS and MACSS are better suited for those looking for a PHD eventually? Thank you in advance
UChicago Harris 2021
in Government Affairs Forum
Posted
Nope not yet