locura81

University of Georgia, Master of Public Administration

Diver, Congrats on the TA'ship / decision. I, too, will be at UGA in the fall. I had the same experience - the faculty,student community (I was lucky enough to have Pace serve as my tour guide:), etc. made such an impression, I just couldn't go anywhere else. PM me - it'd be cool to hear what you're interested in studying/pursuing career-wise. Plus, the more "familiar faces" in a soon-to-be new place, the better!

Britt, I don't know much about geography, but overall I've been pretty impressed with UGA. I hope your program turns out to be a solid one. I've been trying to figure out the living situation thing too. Seems to me your best be is to try and get in contact with current students and get their advice - the ones I've been able to talk to have been most helpful.

a guest, sounds good to me! i lead a pretty simple lifestyle as it is, so i figured that that sort of money would go a good long way. gotta love those cheap cost-of-living locations

Britt, it ends up at like $16,600, though that is for an entire year (you get paid during the summer in between your first and second years). Still, it comes out to (before taxes) just under $1390/month. I knew it was a really nice award, but the more I've been able to hear what other schools offer, the more I realize how amazing it is. i.e., I know here in Phoenix that the typical TAship for PhDs at Arizona State is like 12 or 13K. To know I'm getting quite a bit more than that as a masters student makes me feel like I'm a thief

Sorry to pour salt in the wound, but...although departmental TA'ships get 9 - 10K at University of Georgia (I think), the graduate school offers one worth 16.5K. And, much to my good fortune, I received one of those. So, I cannot comiserate, but I will definitely cross my fingers for extra bits of funding for you all!

Perrelli and Britt, I'll be attending UGA in the fall for my MPA - Master of Public Administration. I'm super excited about the program AND life in Athens! Hope your decision processes are going along nicely:)

Shelly...CONGRATULATIONS! That is amazing news; couldn't be any happier for you! Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

Yeah, Yin!!!!! That's fabulous, incredible, amazing, fantastic, absolutely and utterly splendid news! I'm so very happy for you; you've definitely, definitely earned it. So, CELEBRATE! Your efforts have not been in vain!

Klf, awesome news! NYC does seem a little intimidating, huh? I didn't know that the program was so large either. Still, that's an awesome bit of information to stick in your back pocket - if you decide against UChicago, GPPI, etc., choosing NYU wouldn't be picking from the bottom of the barrel. Decisions, decisions indeed...but kind of a nice spot to be in!

Eek, quite the dilemma there, klf! The good news (or bad news, depending on your perspective:) is that you have another month or so to make the decision. Some of these schools, though, don't seem to be in any hurry to get fin. aid info out - don't they know how that complicates things for us?! I've never lived or studied in Chicago, but as a visitor I was pretty taken with the city. Not more than I was with some other places (i.e., San Francisco - I nearly applied to Berkeley, despite it being a complete ill fit for me, just so I could be near SF), but still, it was very nice. All that talk about large class sizes, though, would give me pause too. In general, it's such a large department...I went to a big state school and actually enjoyed it very much, but the more I consider, the more I think I'd like to be in a smaller environment. So when the heck is the usnews board going to open back up? They had said that by the end of the week we'd get the info via email, but nothing yet. Argh!

Meridion, Congratulations!!! Was that full tuition plus stipend? Geez, you've got UNC on a leash! That's truly fantastic news. Though it'd be sweet to see you at UGA (if I end up there), I can't argue with going to UNC. The program, the funding, the environment - you've done awfully well for yourself. So, enjoy! Oh, and KLF, if you're reading, I'm so bummed our beloved usnews board is out of commission right now. I saw on autoadmit that you got into UChicago w/ a schollie! Congratulations! That's such fantastic news. You've got a veritable trove of schools to choose from now - which one will it be? I know you really liked GPPI, but suppose that a darkhorse came out and offered you big cash (like NYU or American) - would that change anything? Regardless, I'm so happy for you. Celebrate!

I definitely don't think that it would be improper to write a nice thank you email - professors are ever aware of the fact that we students (or students-to-be, as it were) aren't rich. As I'd said, I'm going to go with the small gift thing simply because I've had such good fortune. But sincere words probably speak more than trinkets, so I don't think you can really go wrong.

David, Let me hazard a few answers to your questions. Re: American-ness. Without lapsing into a rant about what exactly constitutes the American spirit, I would say that you'll find Tucson to be very American. In a way, it's more American than you'd find in major cities - there are more independtly-owned establishments. That means Wednesday nights at Lucky Strike bowling alley (does it get any more American than that?) or stopping in March to enjoy Rodeo Week (four days of rodeo, my friend - it's a sight to behold). Are there pockets of non-English speakers? Definitely. Welcome to living an hour and a half from Mexico. But that's part of what makes Tucson so endearing. Moreover, I'd temper comparing whatever experiences you have with Spain to those with Mexico/Mexicans. Those are two entirely different places, and though they share a common language (albeit different dialect...of course, within Mexico there are a number of dialects), their cultures are very distinct. Re: Cultural atmosphere. A nice mix. The campus has outspoken members of both sides, as does the community, though I'd say that, once outside the university-area, it grows a little more conservative. You definitely won't be scoffed at for attending church (I never was), but there isn't much scoffing at the liberal groups/demonstrations within the city either. Whatever your persuasion, you'll find like-minded people here. Re: Transportation. Like any place, it's a mix of cars. On-campus, you'll see a surprisingly high number of luxury-type cars. You can thank Arizona's low out-of-state tuition and our close proximity to California for that. A Mustang or pick-up, though, would definitely be the ideal way to slip unnoticed into the fabric of society. Please, if you go Mustang, at least go for an older one. Same can be said of the pickup. Tucson can be a little dusty, Western-y, so the more you feel comfortable with that vibe the better. Once again, I cannot voice loudly enough my support of attending the UA/living in Tucson. She may not be that blonde bombshell like Boston or DC, but she's definitely the kind of girl you want to spend the rest of your life with, if you catch my drift...

I've been waiting to do "real" thank yous. Like you, guest, after initially receiving the copies of their letters for mailing, I sent them all notes of thanks. I've been thinking of doing something along the lines of the following - once I decide where I'll be attending, I'm going to try and select some little gift that is related to that school. Maybe a coffee mug with that school's logo or just something creative-like. I figure that it would be a nice personal touch in addition to the standard formal letter of thanks. I've been lucky to receive some great financial aid offers, so I figure the least I can do is get my writers a parting gift!

Guest (lovesick?), rock on for SPPD! I'd be pursuing an MPA, and it sounds like I got the same offer - 12K tuition/yr + 5K stipend. However, Univ. of Georgia has offered me full tuition + 16K stipend and GW implies they'll offer similarly, so I don't think I'll end up at 'SC. I do, however, want to check it out - did you see how they're willing to subsidize up to $200 of travel expenses? That convinced me to at least trip out there and see how it feels. I definitely heard the same thing as you - USC is awfully generous with funding. Did you get into UW-Mil, UMich, and Ohio State? If so, how do they compare for you w/ USC? Best of luck with the remaining schools!

Hey lovesick, I'm entertaining the idea of attending USC next fall, though I'll likely end up elsewhere. May I ask, is your scholarship reception for SPPD? If so, what degree are you seeking (and did USC really hook you up with $?) What other schools, programs are you applying to? Either way, if you end up choosing 'SC, you can't go wrong at all - sunny California, the beach, top-notch academics...sounds like a winner.

Pace, I defer to your expertise on the UGA progam. Meridion, CONGRATS!!! Not one reject - you really hit one out of the park! Perhaps UT will even be so kind as to offer you a hefty sum?! Even still, it's definitely worth a night of celebration. The GREs can kiss my...well, anyway...

tdv, check out the usnews.com message board. there's a public policy/public admin. thread going there with a couple of folks who have been admitted to brown (you might also try the livejournal community - who_got_in). from what i've heard them say, this is what i know about the program: - the low ranking can be attributed to the youth of the program. at best, it's a few years old, though i've read some accounts of it being just one year old. with no history, few alumni contacts, etc., it just doesn't have the recognition that other, more established programs have. - perhaps because it's youth, there's very little financial aid available. in fact, as you'll see in the results here on gradcafe, nearly all admits got messages in the acceptance letters saying they had better look into stafford loans. i do know of one person who was awarded aid, but it was minimal...especially when compared with what other programs are able to offer. - all that said, the consensus seems to be that brown's program is a good one. it's an ivy league education which means...well, that depends on your school of thought. at the very least, it means name-recognition, which can be quite the advantage. the program is part of the alfred taubmann gov't center, so my guess is that the quality of the program is at least decent. - overall, i wouldn't avoid applying to brown. however, if you have the ability to attend other, prestigious programs, i might pursue those options. if you're interested in ivy league education, you obv. know about the KSG school as well as the Wilson school at Princeton. Extremely competitive, very policy-analysis oriented, but the kind of degree that will get you in the door anywhere. Also, Penn has a master of gov't admin degree that is well thought of. - if you're looking for the connections/hookups that ivy league can offer, there are other non-ivies that can do that as well. for policy, think Berkeley, Michigan, Duke, Georgetown, etc. for admin, think georgia, indiana, unc, etc. for both, think Syracuse - the Maxwell school is the oldest mpa program, great alumni/career connections, etc. of course, any mpa program can allow a concentration in policy. so, forgive the long-windedness of this post, but hopefully it's of some aid. enjoy!

Smithigan (and guests), Thanks for the insight. By all accounts, Athens is a great place to live/study. I was especially pleased by your report on the UGA library. As a history undergrad (along with spanish and secondary education...and now a master of public admin...go figure), one of my favorite things in the world was to explore the depths of the Univ. of Arizona library. So to know that UGA's is top-notch is quite the perk! Equally exciting is the seemingly bustling cultural scene - I'm especially glad to know the music scene is solid - I feared that bands might avoid Athens in favor of Atlanta (but if Wilco is any indication, I'll be right happy) As Britt said, what about housing - did you ever live off campus, and if so, was it cheap? From all the research I've been able to do, it appears as if the cost of living in Athens is fairly low, especially compared to a few other cities I could end up in like LA or DC. Yikes! Again, thanks to all for the info thus far! And, please feel free to continue sharing

Hey Guest, Thanks for the offer about upstate NY. As it stands, UGA has offered me a tidy sum, and it will be awfully hard to turn down, unless Syracuse matches (GW has, more or less, matched, but I'm just not sure about their program). Just today, here in Phoenix, it rained for the first time in 143 days. Now this isn't natural - although a desert, we do get some rain! And as I've taken great pleasure in the weather today, I already caught myself thinking, "Wow, it's a bit cold out." It's 45 degrees outside. Syracuse and I would likely not get along well with each other...but it's only a one year program anyway. Re: Bar Scenes. My fav. is a dive-ish bar on Broadway and Craycroft or so. It's called Kon-Tiki and makes a decent attempt at a tropical theme. But, the drinks are strong (and "diverse" - that is, there are probably 25 different concoctions they makes (in addition to you call its), all of which taste similarly) and the scene is varied - a good mix of upperclassmen/grad students, random locals, etc. Definitely better than braving the meat-market known as Maloney's or Dirtbag's. Re: Transportation. Welcome to the Southwest; now get a car. Okay, maybe that was dramatic. But in all honesty, you'll probably find that you really, really want a car. It's not a must, but it will make things much easier (especially if you want to sample the abundant culture of Tucson - the city, as most Western cities do, sprawls out quite a bit). Still, with a bicycle and lodging near enough to campus, you would be just fine. Re: Housing. Depends what you're looking for. I know that the U. just built some new grad housing. Drawbacks? a) it's still, despite all attempts at avoiding the term, a "dorm" it's located across from Coronado Hall, king of crazy, freshman dorms at UA - otherwise known as Score-o-nado. The good news is that housing nearby is really, really cheap. I lived 3 miles from campus (I did have a car) and paid $600/mo. for a nice two-bedroom apt. (thus I paid only $300). There's always houses to rent as well, and the area surrounding the university is good and safe. Any more Q's, just ask. Oh, and I second your affirmation that independent eateries ought to be an important factor in choosing a school And if that's the case, a choice for UA would be a wise one!

Master of Public Administration - I'm in w/ a generous assistantship offer. I was just wondering about your impression of the town - what's the atmosphere/vibe there like? What's the student body like? Pluses and minuses of living in Athens? That sort of thing...

Although Athens, Greece would be nice as well, the reality is that Athens, GA could be my home for the next few years. Anyone with any insight into the area?

Amigo, I can offer a good bit of insight as I grew up (and currently live) in Phoenix, but I went to school in Tucson at the UA. I myself am off for an MPA in the fall (I'm down to 3 schools). Let's begin. First, let me preface my comments with the following admission: I love Arizona. Although I'm leaving for grad school, I have every intention of coming back. The culture, the weather, the people - it's utterly fantastic. Phoenix: - BIG city. It just surpassed Philadelphia as the 6th largest city in the country. - Therefore, a wide variety of cultural offerings. As I'll mention in a moment, Tuscon's offerings are little more...organic. Phoenix has that, too, but also offers a lot more urban, hip attractions. - Major sports teams in every sport, plus Spring Training for baseball (Tucson has a few teams for this as well, and nothing beats an afternoon in the outfield grass - cheap tickets, cold beer, and all the glorious sunshine you could desire). - Lots of different vibes - there's Scottsdale if you're into the glitzy, meat-market sort of thing. Tempe for Mill Ave. and the college vibe. Downtown Phoenix for the urban, artsy crowd. Phoenix really does offer it all. - Take note, Phoenix is a two hour drive from Tucson. So, with a car, it's easy to take weekend trips there, but just keep in mind that it's not like they're next door neighbors or anything. Tucson: - Amazing food. Tucson is the king of independent eateries - sure you'll find chain restaurants, but the real jewels are all the mom and pops places. Make sure you get your Mexican food on at El Guero Canelo (the "redhead" translated loosely), BBQ at Mr. K's, pizza at No Anchovies. Also pretty cool, on campus the Jewish student center has a little cafe with all sorts of cool vegetarian fare. - Amazing weather. It gets nice and chilly in the winter (50's) for a change of pace, but the real draw is the abundance of sunshine. Which results in a few things - great chances to explore the outdoors as well as an oveflow of attractive, tanned coeds. Nothing wrong with a little eye candy on the way to class... - Very community-oriented. Because Tucson revolves around the university, there's a real connection between the town and the university. Whereas ASU (the other, inferior university to the north) feels like the ugly product of urban sprawl, UA feels like a true community. - Similarly, the campus is very nice. It's compact, has an amazing new student union, and is perfect for taking a nice walk or bike ride. I never had any problem making it to classes on time, even if it involved needing to walk across campus from one class to another. - Lots of cultural experiences - the Latino influence is undeniable and adds much to the vitality of the city, there are a good number of clubs to see good, quality indie rock at, and the bar scene is surprisingly palatable (i'm not one for the sorority/frat orgy bar, and there are definitely a few of those, but there are many other good ones). - The atmosphere there is just very relaxed. I spent a semester "abroad" at the University of Maryland during my undergrad, and I was amazed at how palpable the difference was in atmosphere there. At UA, you'll find a place dedicated to scholarship but not to the point of being overdriven. People accuse West Coast schools of being apathetic, but I think that's misleading. The vibe is definitely different, much less fast-paced, but that doesn't mean that your fellow students will be slackers. Well, that's all I can think of for now. Please, ask any more questions you may have! And enjoy!

Great news today - Professor Jeff Wenger from UGA called to tell me I'd be selected for a Grad School assistantship. Full tuition, $16,000+ stipend, health benefits. I'm utterly ecstatic. Still waiting on Syracuse financial aid offer, as well as whether GW will award me a fellowship, but UGA is going to be very, very hard to beat!!!