aoko

I am also in the Bay Area and received an acceptance via snail mail today. It was postmarked March 2nd. No funding, but I'm very excited! Maybe my top choice.

Program Applied To(MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): MPP and MPA Schools Applied To: Berkeley's Goldman School of Public Policy, HKS, NYU Wagner, Columbia's SIPA Schools Admitted To: None yet Schools Rejected From: None yet Still Waiting: all of the above Undergraduate institution: Top ten LAC in Midwest Undergraduate GPA: 3.85 Last 60 hours of Undergraduate GPA (if applicable): 3.85 ? Undergraduate Major: English and Spanish literature GRE Quantitative Score: 700 (70%) GRE Verbal Score: 750 (99%) GRE AW Score: 5.5 (94%) Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): 5 by next September Years of Work Experience: 5 years by next September (4 years of relevant experience) Describe Relevant Work Experience: 1 year as an editorial assistant at a small magazine (unrelated to policy), 1 year teaching English in Spain, 1 year grant writing and 2 years case management working with homeless clients and helping them access food stamps and other benefits (which is what I want to study) Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): I hope it's strong. I have a clear area of interest and a lot of knowledge about it from the direct service work I do now. I hope to study domestic social welfare policy and end up working for a city human services agency. Strength of LOR (be honest, describe the process, etc): 2 academic references and 1 from my current supervisor. I know the academic ones are strong, but they are from an English and Spanish professor so I'm not sure how useful they will be to the admissions committee. My supervisor's is strong (I saw it) but is kind of brief...I don't think she has much experience writing these types of letters. I worry a little about using 2 academic references when I'm 5 years out of school. However, I'm still in touch with these professors and not really with the teachers I worked with in Spain or other people who might have been options. I noticed that HKS specifically asks for 2 work LOR and 1 academic one for someone with my length of work experience. I'm hoping this doesn't mean I won't be considered. My other major worry is my quant background. My quant GRE score is not great, and I only took stats in college. I did do well in that class. I just finished up macroeconomics at a community college (and got an A) and am registered for microeconomics for the spring. I'm hoping showing this initiative will help, but I know this may keep me out. If that happens I can apply again next year with the actual grades from these classes under my belt (and maybe try to take the GRE again or enroll in calculus as well). Good luck to everyone!

Thanks for the responses! I did take a stats and a (non calculus) math class in college. I also took a semester of chemistry, which was pretty quant based (or at least felt that way to me!). I'm taking macro econ at a community college now and plan to take micro in the spring. So by the time I actually start an MPP program, I will have taken stats and 2 semesters of econ. My grades in econ just won't be available by application due dates. I will have almost 6 years of work experience by the time I start a program, but math has never played too much of a role in my jobs. I do direct service work (case management) at a social services non profit. My quant GRE score was a 700 (71st percentile). I got a 750 in the verbal section (99th percentile). I wish the verbal score helped but it seems like quant is by far the score admissions cares more about. I could be wrong though. Thanks again for the advice and ideas. Good luck to everyone!

I'm applying for top MPP programs without a substantial number of undergrad classes in econ or math. At one open house I attended, the school said that they would expect the quant GRE score of similar applicants to "be strong" in order to show that the student would be able to handle quant classes. What do you think would be considered a "strong" quant score? MIne is exactly the average for last year's incoming class. I'm not sure if that means it's fine or if would need to be higher to off set my lack of math classes. Thanks for any advice.