undergoat88

Good Luck! So glad that you got a great offer from Ford. I also had a tough luck negotiating but it was worth trying. 

Updated as of April 16!
Final decision: UM Ford MPP
Thoughts: This was SUCH a tough decision. In the end it came down to Ford vs. Batten. I was so impressed with the Batten admissions team. They were genuinely helpful and transparent. For a while I really thought I was going to UVA. I ended up getting a cool offer from Ford that I wasn't expecting. Despite how much I liked the Batten admissions team, there was no denying the simple fact that I would have more opportunity at Ford. Michigan's program is more established and, as someone who loves social policy, who would say no to the top social policy school? Not I. 
Having gotten into all of the programs I applied to with some funding, I am still a little surprised in that I didn't think I was that competitive. All of the schools mentioned in their webinars that their applications were up a crazy number this year, too, so it was a nice vote of confidence I suppose. I didn't apply to some ~top tier schools~ simply because I didn't take the GRE and they were still requiring the GRE during the pandemic (annoying).
That said, maybe I should have and maybe you should, too! Apply to whatever you think is not within your reach, because it probably is! Don't let impostor syndrome or reading posts on gradcafe get to you. This forum has been massively helpful over the last few months and, like so many others, I am indebted. Feel free to reach out if you need advice on application season!!! Side note - had absolutely zero luck negotiating, but glad I did it anyway.

Updated as of April 16!
Final decision: UM Ford MPP
Thoughts: This was SUCH a tough decision. In the end it came down to Ford vs. Batten. I was so impressed with the Batten admissions team. They were genuinely helpful and transparent. For a while I really thought I was going to UVA. I ended up getting a cool offer from Ford that I wasn't expecting. Despite how much I liked the Batten admissions team, there was no denying the simple fact that I would have more opportunity at Ford. Michigan's program is more established and, as someone who loves social policy, who would say no to the top social policy school? Not I. 
Having gotten into all of the programs I applied to with some funding, I am still a little surprised in that I didn't think I was that competitive. All of the schools mentioned in their webinars that their applications were up a crazy number this year, too, so it was a nice vote of confidence I suppose. I didn't apply to some ~top tier schools~ simply because I didn't take the GRE and they were still requiring the GRE during the pandemic (annoying).
That said, maybe I should have and maybe you should, too! Apply to whatever you think is not within your reach, because it probably is! Don't let impostor syndrome or reading posts on gradcafe get to you. This forum has been massively helpful over the last few months and, like so many others, I am indebted. Feel free to reach out if you need advice on application season!!! Side note - had absolutely zero luck negotiating, but glad I did it anyway.

askccas@gwu.edu

Was curious to know how common stipends are for these professional degrees, outside of programs like Princeton SPIA and Yale Jackson? Has anyone ever successfully negotiated a stipend?

Nope! Haven't heard back about mine either and they admitted me on 3/17 too

My personal conspiracy theory is that they pull merit funding from the Colombian college’s budget, not from the Trachtenberg school’s own budget, and they got decisions ready so late that there was basically no money left in CCAS. This is not at all substantiated, just my theory. 

So it sounds like you have a lot interests and each of them are best served by a different program / have different set of considerations. That being said, I think I should highlight MPP/MBA combo / comparison.
1. Nearly all MBA/MPP (MPA/MPH in that bucket list) took on jobs that really hinged on degree or the other. So basically, they could have easily gotten their job if they just single degreed rather than dual degreed and the other degree is just conversation fodder at parties. The only exceptions I know are people in certain healthcare and national security roles. I would say 70% of those I know stayed at the MBA side, and 30% went to the MPP/MPA/MPH side (which makes sense, because they pay as little as 50% of an MBA job). 
2. Nearly every person I know who was an MBA/MPP (or MPA/MPH) will say they enjoyed their MBA side better (in terms of experiences, quality of education, personalities and etc.). This is among ALL SCHOOLS. Even those who went towards an MPP/MPA/MPH hinged job will say the same. The only exceptions I ran into are those who parents made them get an MBA as a condition for paying their MBA (true story), so they had no interest in their MBA.
Based off of that, I recommend you think about what matters to you in terms of career destiny - do you want to focus on the range of finance, strategy, operations, marketing jobs - most commonly tied private sector (although increasingly welcome in government and non-profit)? Or would you rather focus on policy analysis and policy administration. When there is an intersection between the 2, usually the MBA degree will take precedence in terms of importance for hiring. 

For example, MBAs have a higher rate of acceptance into PMF than MPP/MPAs. I actually have a friend who is an MBA but his wife was an MPP and got an academic distinction award. He got the PMF and she did not (not sure how their marriage is going). 
3. Right now the easiest way to get into tech policy is to be a lawyer. There is simply isn't an established pathway to get into tech policy unless you come from a technical angle (technical program management stuff) or national security angle (and then do business integrity stuff). Ultimately, what I'm saying is that neither policy school or business school will give you a direct shot to the role.
4. Gender inequality jobs - that is very very popular area of interest in policy schools. So popular, that there are not enough jobs in the area for people to target. Most jobs are either advocacy, research, or non-profit oriented. You also don't need a degree for that. 
5. Anything with an international focus. All three schools you applied to are not strong in international (not counting international development which is its own category). Georgetown MSFS is amazing at international, but Georgetown McCourt is pretty weak at it. The US News higher ranking has to do with how McCourt sometimes shares professors or the halo effect. 
6. The MBA programs. All three of those MBA programs are very different in terms of regional strength, culture, and career matriculation. Even though Ross MBA is a top 15 ranked MBA program (depending on which ranking you are looking at), a disproportionate number of people end up in Industrials  + Chicago from from there. I can speak at length to the various programs.

Did they send you another email or just post an update in the portal? I was accepted 3/17 as well but have yet to receive any more info on my merit aid offer!

Those are strong programs, for sure, but their Ivy League status might as well be divorced from their graduate programs. That poster mentioned SIPA. And while Columbia is a great undergrad, SIPA doesn't place better than Georgetown MSFS or even Hopkins SAIS, neither of which are Ivy. I would also argue that HKS is a cash cow for Harvard proper. But in the end, all of these programs are cash cows to some extent and not worth sticker price.  

Just received my merit aid offer as well!

Just want to let everyone know, I received my merit aid offer via email this morning (admitted on 3/17). 

They just responded to my email: 
"It can take several business days for an award letter to be generated. Please note that the University was closed Thursday and Friday for Spring Break."

Has anyone submitted a scholarship reconsideration form to Harris yet? I just wanted to make sure that the extra aid I ask for is reasonable (in that form).

Did you know anyone who got a full scholarship (tuition + direct fees + stipend)?

I admit I got competitive offers from Harvard MPP and Yale Jackson's MA that offered way much more aid than Harris did. However, I'm still interested in the possibility of going to Booth/Harris if other MBA programs don't work out.
Someone else said "I have heard the max is $45k but that could be wrong."

not in comparison to a free ride!!!!!! don't let the name blind you (I have to remind myself of this regularly, so I'm truly not saying this from a high horse; debt is not worth a name) 

Did either of you end up at Ford? What are your thoughts after attending? 

~Fabulous~

Low-key cannot believe I am still waiting for this school because of financial aid

Just declined my offer. Good luck to those on the waitlist and to those fighting for more funding!

omg seriously!?!? they have to realize they are behind other schools right

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): MPP, MSCAPP, QMSS, MS, MPA, MA
Schools Applied To: I got fee waivers so I was a bit excessive. Stanford GSE (MS Education Data Science), Princeton SPIA (MPA), Yale Jackson (MA), Berkeley Goldman (MPP), Chicago Harris (MSCAPP), UCLA Luskin (MPP), UCSD GPS (MPP), USC Price/Viterbi (MS Public Policy & Data Science), Columbia GSAS (QMSS), Carnegie Mellon Heinz (MSPPM-DA), NYU Steinhardt (MS Applied Statistics for Social Science Research)
Schools Admitted To (ordered cheapest to most expensive): UCSD MPP (100% + stipend/health insurance), NYU MS Applied Stats (50%), Carnegie Mellon MSPPM-DA (60%), UCLA MPP (in-state), Berkeley MPP (in-state), Harris MSCAPP (30%), Columbia QMSS (0%), USC MSPP&DS (0%)
Schools Rejected From: Yale MA (Waitlist), Princeton MPA, Stanford MS
Still Waiting: n/a
Undergraduate Institution: A highly ranked U.S. public school 
Undergraduate GPA: 3.3
Undergraduate Major: basically Poli Sci. Took stat1, econ1 in college, took a couple computer sci courses post-college
GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores: 158Q, 164V, 5.5AW (took it in 2017)
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): ~5 years as of now
Years of Work Experience: ~5 years full time as of now
Describe Relevant Work Experience: 1.5 years tutoring at a small domestic nonprofit, 2.25 years in Peace Corps, 1 year in evaluation at a large domestic nonprofit
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): I had enough relevant work experience to tie my stated interests to professional anecdotes
Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc): I didn't read them. Peace Corps Post Senior Staff/Current Supervisor/Seminar Professor from undergrad
Other: I want to contribute my info for posterity, but with this post I'll add a note @ future applicants: please don't limit yourself based on what folks on this forum (including me) say. Take your time on your app process and aim higher than you think you should - there's always an element of randomness to this stuff.

I emailed asking about funding timelines and was told funding details email will go out 5-10 business days after an admission offer and that they are working hard to get the information out as soon as possible. Really hope it is not another week of this...

omg seriously!?!? they have to realize they are behind other schools right

I emailed this morning. Nothing yet! Stay tuned

I emailed this morning. Nothing yet! Stay tuned