PlanneDesign

If anybody is still reading this (and for future applicants' sake) - I just received an acceptance off of Columbia's waitlist. On August 26. A week and a half before their classes start. Hope everyone is doing well!

Thank you!! I'm glad to hear they're at least moving on the process - so hopefully I should hear back a definite answer soon. If you don't mind me asking, did they offer any funding? I've been holding out for Columbia, but only because of the *very* minimal chance in my head that they may both (1) accept me AND (2) offer funding.

Has anybody on the waitlist for either UWashington or Columbia heard anything yet? Washington said the latest would be mid-June, but I'm not sure if anyone's heard back yet.

May be an unpopular opinion, but $10k in the long run is not something that should keep you from going to a place you really want - especially if it's your top choice and/or there's a big difference in quality between the other school and your top choice. $10k is still a lot of money, but in terms of ROI and other tangible/intangible benefits gained from that $10k, it isn't much over a period of time. Now obviously there are different factors that may make the $10k difference generally unappealing. It all depends on what your set of preferences for grad school are. But if I were deciding between my top choice and anything else, I absolutely would choose to take on an extra $10k for the 'better' choice.

I know this is probably a shot in the dark...but has ANYONE heard back from UT Austin's MS Urban Design program?!? I have yet to hear anything and am waiting on their decision to figure out what I'm doing for next fall...

I talked to an architecture professor at USC when I was deciding where to apply, and he mentioned that UCLA is definitely more of a place to go if you are interested in the intersection between planning/design (although I know USC offers the Design of the Built Environment concentration). UT Austin's CRP program doesn't have an urban design concentration, nor are they ranked in Planetizen's Guide regarding urban design. They have an entirely different urban design MS. However, the program chair for the MSUD program at UT Austin mentioned that you can apply for the program after your first year as a CRP student and pursue the dual degree program. Hope any of that helps!

Waitlisted at Columbia! Quite surprised - was totally expecting an outright rejection. Still waiting on UT's Urban Design program.

Anybody have an idea about when Columbia might release their decisions?

In at Liverpool's Town and Regional Planning M/CD, out at UPenn

Have been lurking for quite a while, and now that we're getting close to the end of decision season I'd thought I'd add in. Not confident about UPenn or Columbia coming back positive for me, so starting to think about all the different things that would go into moving to the UK! Hopeful for a UT Austin or UW acceptance off of the waitlist, but we'll see! Age/Gender/Citizenship 24/M/US Undergraduate degree/School/Year graduated BA Urban Planning; BA International Studies / southern state school / 2021 GPA - GRE - TOEFL (for Int'l students) 3.65 (4.0 last 60hr) - 158V / 155Q / 4.5AW Work Experience: 1yr as research assistant; 3yrs as part-time graphic artist/website designer; 3yrs as HS teacher Letter of recommendations: (from whom) 2 from undergraduate professors; 1 from work supervisor Schools applied to: Harvard, UC Berkeley, UPenn, Columbia, UT Austin (MSCRP/MSUD), University of Washington, UCL (MSc Urban Design & City Planning), TU Delft (Urbanism), Liverpool In: UCL Out: Harvard, UC Berkeley, TU Delft Wait-list: UT Austin (MSCRP), University of Washington Awaiting: UPenn, Columbia, UT Austin (MSUD), Liverpool

Hey! I am pretty much in the same boat as you. Trying to decide between UK/US programs. Would love to see what everyone else has to say. Haven't actually completed a MSc overseas, so take the following with a grain of salt. The way I see it (and from what I've learned so far), a UK planning degree - especially from a school like Sheffield - would certainly still make you competitive in the US. I know the planning systems are pretty different from one another, but for the most part, I think plenty of people have success in finding jobs in either the UK or US with a planning degree from a competitive UK planning program. A UK MSc would certainly open up avenues not just in the UK, but also across Europe, Asia, and the rest of the world (if you are looking for that). Lastly, if grad school isn't the best time to step outside your comfort zone and live somewhere else, then what is?!