SerenaF

I completed the MAPSS program several years ago, and would add that I think the program is perhaps helpful for those who have undergraduate degrees from universities outside of the United States and would like to pursue a PhD program in the United States. That said, I personally had a negative experience with the program and would caution others considering the program to think long and hard about their decision. Furthermore, even though the program does offer partial merit aid to many, it is still a pretty expensive program even with a tuition scholarship, not to mention the added expense of living in Chicago. Completing an MA through a doctoral program is free and comes with other forms of financial support through TA or RA work, which may be a better financial decision for many. While I enjoyed the opportunity to take a wide range of courses throughout the university, I felt that MAPSS students were sometimes disadvantaged due to lack of familiarity with the university. Truthfully, one year is an extremely short time to become accustomed to a new university setting, find an advisor, and complete a thesis. I felt that the MAPSS program advisors offered limited support (perhaps in part because they each advisor about 20 students), and it was difficult to connect with a faculty member who would advise me on the thesis in such a limited period of time. Furthermore, many faculty members are extremely busy, and unfortunately I felt that my thesis advisor's schedule (and perhaps lack of investment in building a solid working relationship with an MA student), made it difficult for me to complete the thesis in the allocated time. I struggled to complete the thesis in such a short period of time, and felt that my advisor was not particularly understanding of the difficulties of working on such a tight schedule. I ultimately pursued a doctoral degree after graduating from the MAPSS program, but I mainly relied on resources from my undergraduate professors and university, not the MAPSS program, when applying to doctoral programs. Though the MAPSS program does provide resources for those who are interested in applying to doctoral programs, it is important to realize that it is not easy to form great relationships with potential recommenders in such a short time. For me, I felt that my undergraduate experience was much more important and helpful when I applied to doctoral programs, and truthfully I regret my decision to participate in the MAPSS program.