Liquid Kitty

As a current first-year Harris student, I figured I'd give my two cents. To letsjustgo: 1) I don't know of anyone who works full-time while in the Harris MPP program. There simply wouldn't be enough time (at least not for us mere mortals. perhaps it's been done, but I haven't heard of it). Part-time jobs are common, however, particularly after the first couple of quarters. 2) I'd estimate that about 2/3 of the students live in Hyde Park, while the rest live mostly near downtown or on the north side. Keep in mind that unless you have a car (and most students do not), commuting from the north side is quite time consuming. I live downtown (in the South Loop), and my commute by bus is quite reasonable (under 1/2 hour). 3) I think the program is relatively in line with my expectations, so this doesn't apply to me so well. However, I'd say that in general it's important that you enjoy thinking. I hear complaints from time to time regarding the "theoretical" nature of the Harris program. Yes, most of the first two quarters is focused on theory, but if you don't understand basic economic and statistical theory, how on earth do you expect to rigorously analyze policy? The standard core sequences are certainly not unreasonably demanding, so don't let this dissuade you from coming to Harris. If you enjoy theory, and want to stretch yourself mathematically (and have the background to do so), then you can take the advanced econ or statistics sequences. Certainly, these classes are more theoretical, but if that bothers you, don't take them. That's one of the things that I enjoy about Harris; I know that there are advanced classes that I could take (whether at Harris, or the Econ department, etc.) that would never fail to challenge me. It's simply a matter of how technically-minded you are, and how much you can handle. How challenging the program becomes for you is completely within your control, since the curriculum is so flexible after the first two quarters. To enofotan: Yes, MPP students can take Ph.D level classes at Harris, and some do. As I mentioned above, it's often a matter of whether your math background is strong enough to allow you to get the most out of these classes. The 441/442 micro sequence assumes familiarity with multivariate calculus and linear algebra, so if you've only taken math through calc 1, I would not recommend taking these classes (started in this sequence, but dropped it since I didn't have a background in linear algebra, and didn't want to overload myself since I was taking the advanced stats sequence). The 312/313 advanced stats sequence (or "math stats" as it is generally called) assumes familiarity with differential and integral calculus, sometimes in multivariate settings. However, the amount of integrals that you'll have to crunch through by hand is pretty limited; you need to understand them, but you're not wasting all of your time doing these calculations. Experience with linear algebra is not presumed with this sequence. If you'd like something more advanced than this, you can take classes in the statistics department that would better prepare you for the Ph.D level econometrics courses. But again, these require more of a math background. The majority of students (2/3 to 3/4) don't take either of these advanced sequences, so don't feel compelled to do so. It's more important to make sure that you're placed into classes where you can understand the material without constantly struggling with the math involved. Hope this helps!

OP, s33's description of Harris awards is consistent with my experience. I applied this year, and was awarded full tuition at Harris (and received similar packages at USC and GWU). My GPA was comparable to yours (~3.8 cumulative, ~3.9 Jr/Sr), and my GREs were 670V 800Q. I have three years of work experience in the financial sector (so your work experience is likely more directly pertinent than mine). Like s33 said, the Q score is likely more important than the verbal, especially at Harris. A verbal score in the 600s probably wouldn't present any problems (when I took the exam, a 670V was in the 95th percentile), but a quant score in the 600s might (generally in the 50s to 60s, percentile-wise). If you're doing quantitative research (i.e., you have the math skills), then I imagine with some practice, you could increase your quant score pretty significantly. Also, if you plan on reapplying, that will give you time to work on fine-tuning your SOP, and ensuring that your LOR are strong. However, if you're confident in both of these, then just focus on studying for the GRE (especially the quant section).

I received my admission via email about an hour ago. I received a full-tuition offer, which is extremely exciting for me, as Harris was my first choice, and I otherwise would not have been able to justify the expense of attending.

Stewster... I'm in the same boat. I haven't heard back from UCLA yet, but I got a full tuition scholarship from USC SPPD. I kind of doubt that multiple full-scholarship winners at USC would fail gain admission to UCLA, so my guess is that not all acceptances have been sent out yet.

I received my acceptance to the MPP program in the mail today as well. I received two packets: one from USC Graduate Admission, and one from USC SPPD. The one from Graduate Admission contained an acceptance letter and a standard welcome package. The one from USC SPPD contained an admissions letter and notification that I had received a Dean's Merit Scholarship (full tuition). This is the first program that I applied to which has sent me funding information; I wasn't really expecting to hear this early. I'm both excited and relieved!