canesfan2011

When I was at the open house student panel, all of the students (about 7 or 8) were from different concentrations but seemed to know each other and have inside jokes and a couple seemed to hang out together outside of school. They told us that it was a mix- some people were older or worked full time and came to class and went home, but a lot of them made an effort to get to know each other and form a community. So I think it's really a mix of both!

Hi guys, Just wanted to let you know that I was just offered and accepted the assistantship. My mother pointed out to me that I'm only 21 and don't need to work a 70 hour a week job my first year of grad school! I think this is going to be a good decision. Thanks for the input!

I'll be attending Trachtenberg at GW in the fall. To answer your questions- yes, the lobbying firms are in the area I plan on studying and no, I don't plan on going into PhD work. I've already registered for fall courses and will be taking all night courses so I can work full time. I have about 3 years of work experience in internships (Senate, White House, House, campaign). I have the opportunity to get an interest free loan so I would still be able to attend with just the half award, so as I'm thinking through this the jobs seem more and more appealing! This is a great dilemma to have, but still frustrating!

I just got word that there is a large possibility I will be offered a full assistantship that would pretty much make my MPA degree free. Full tuition for the first year + $16,000 stipend and 13 out of 20 credits of tuition for the second year with no stipend. (However, regardless of my acceptance of the assistantship I get the first year of tuition free.) The only thing causing me to hesitate is that I interviewed at two very big, well-known lobbying firms on Friday on my trip up to DC that have the possibility of $35-45k salaries and my interviews went fantastically. If I were to take the assistantship I would be working ten hours as a research assistant and ten hours in the alumni office. These two firms have huge networking potential as well... So do I take the one year free tuition and the great but very demanding job or the free master's degree and poverty level stipend? I CAN'T DECIDE!!!!! (For context I plan on going into public affairs/communication and have no interest in research or academic work). Please give me some insight!

(Almost) Same decision here, except I'm in for GWU's MPA rather than MPP. I'm going to GW b/c their program is much more flexible and less rigid. Also because of the cost, but because I don't want to do strictly policy analysis work, the HUGE quantitative/theory focus at GU just wasn't my thing. I also feel like GWU with their capstone exercise puts more emphasis on work experience/real world application. And I also heard from an unaffiliated third party that GU is in a state of transition and doing away with their tracks, so the transitional nature of the program made me skeptical... obviously I'm biased now b/c I loved the open house weekend at GW so much!!! And I'm sure anyone who's worked in DC will tell you no one really cares where you get your master's from as long as you stay within DC. If you go outside, I think that's the only situation where GU would have the advantage for name brand.

Honestly now that I've been thinking about it for a few days, I don't know if anything less than a full ride would even tempt me. I applied for a program other than the MPP at AU but still within SPA so that also made a difference. AU has a great program and I loved it when I went to visit, but I just loved GW more. It has the name value and the program is bigger so there's more of a network. Also I think the MPA degree I'd be getting holds more weight than the other one while still letting me incorporate things from the other program that I want. Just my two cents!

Just got back from accepted students day and I've made up my mind (barring a huge funding package from AU) that I'll be at GW next year!!!

Still no packet or funding offers for me either... UGHHHH!!!

Whew! I feel a lot better! I would just like to know about my financial aid status before I head up to the open house. Anyone else going?

Anyone not get their packet/financial aid offers yet? I know Bethany said they were "in the mail" but I just wanted to know if I was one of few or one of many!

I also JUST got my snail mail packet even though I was admitted Feb. 14... no info about financial aid at all... anyone else? Without aid looks like I'll be heading to GW!

I'm rejected too! Can't say I'm shocked... 21 year olds are not high on their want list! Honestly I'm pretty happy ending up in DC. 8)

I'm also second guessing myself because even though I'm minoring in economics I took all the upper level econ classes last semester and had to submit my transcript to them before final grades came out so it looks like I only took two econ classes... thankfully I had one of those econ professors write me a recommendation, so that could help it. I've got a feeling about hearing something today or tomorrow! But I've also only slept 3 of the last 48 hours and could just be hoping for a self-fulfilling prophecy... YAY DELIRIUM.

I wouldn't worry about it... I applied on Nov. 26 with stats way above the means and didn't hear back until last week... still haven't heard about financial aid.

I got my acceptance email on Feb. 14 and still haven't received my packet! It's been 3 weeks... I assume financial aid decisions are the culprit, but I wasn't asked to apply for scholarships, so it's need-based. Anyone else been waiting a ridiculously long time for their packet???

I just got a notification that my decision was available on the app site. No word about funding, but I'll be REALLY confused if I don't get any because my stats are wayyyy above their median and I attended their for a semester doing "study abroad." I'll let you guys know!

I found out via the application site. They sent me an email saying the decision was ready and had a scanned copy of the letter in pdf up there. It took about 2 weeks after that for them to send me the aid packet.

I'm about to graduate undergrad from comm studies at Miami if anyone has any questions about the school/professors! Side note: I just got my fin. aid offer from the media and public affairs program at GW... NOTHING. Full tuition at the better ranked public policy program... what gives????

I just got my offer packet! REALLY ridiculously generous offer that for me being out of state works out to almost full tuition... I was NOT expecting that!!!!!! I have a lot of thinking to do...

I spoke too soon, lol. Just got the acceptance email this morning!

I just got a copy of the same letter on the website. No packet...

I applied for the MA in political comm through the SPA but I haven't heard back yet... anyone else? I've already been accepted everywhere else, but I'm curious what happened to my application! It still says under review and I applied Nov. 26...

Program Applied To MPP/MPA (and 2 media/public affairs) Schools Applied To: HKS, GPPI, GW (MPA), GW (MMPA), UMD (MPP), AU (PolCom) Schools Admitted To: GPPI, GW, GW, UMD Schools Rejected From: none (yet) Still Waiting: HKS, AU Undergraduate institution: Top 50 US, Private Undergraduate GPA: projected 3.9 (3.87 currently) Last 60 hours of Undergraduate GPA (if applicable): 4.0 Undergraduate Major: Comm Studies/Poli Sci (minor economics) GRE Quantitative Score: 620 GRE Verbal Score: 680 GRE AW Score: 5.5 Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): 0 Years of Work Experience: 3 (internships, some full time some part time) Describe Relevant Work Experience: internships: house, senate, white house, us senate campaign Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): About my experiences teaching at risk middle schoolers competitive debate and how it helped me realize the deficiencies in the education system. I just went back and re-read and it's not my best work, but I guess generally it's fine. I wish I could go back and rewrite it. 6.5/10. Strength of LOR (be honest, describe the process, etc): 10/10. Two professors, one employer. All promised me "superior" recs.

Same thing happened to me! And on Valentines Day no less. Best valentine ever.

Hey guys, I know HKS places a heavy emphasis on work experience and say on the website very few people get in straight from undergrad. On top of that I'm graduating a year early so I'll be 21 when I enter grad school. I was wondering if you guys could tell me how little of a shot I actually have... I've already been accepted to GWU (both the media/public affairs and MPA programs), GPPI, and UMaryland. No word on funding yet. Now I'm just waiting on HKS to reject me via low quant scores and no "real" work experience! Help me obsess a little more while I wait? Undergrad: University of Miami BS Communication Studies/Political Science, Minor in Economics (expected May 2011) Current GPA: 3.9 Spent a semester doing the "semester in washington" program at American studying public policy and interning. stayed for the summer. GRE: V: 680, Q: 620 (I know, it's low...) My personal statement focused on my involvement with the urban debate league and how it helped me realize how dilapidated parts of the public education system are through personal experience. Work experience: Kendrick Meek for Florida- Senate Campaign (Press Intern) Aug. 2010 - Nov. 2010 (present) White House Internship Program (Speechwriting intern) Summer 2010 Office of Senator Bill Nelson (Press Intern) Jan. 2010 - May 2010 Office of Rep. Alan Grayson (Press Intern) Summer 2009 Recs: Have 2 professors and 1 former employer who have all promised me "superior" letters Honors/Activities: Hurricane Policy Debate Team (Co-Captain) Young and College Democrats (Secretary) President's 100 (student ambassadors) President's Honor Roll Girls Nation 2007 (President Pro Tempore of the Senate) Florida Girls' State 2007 (President of the Senate) High School- Varsity Travel Debate, Student Congress Captain (70 members) Forgot demos- female, 21, very white, from FL