fenderpete

I tend to run through the schools in the following order having asked myself: 1) What do I want to get out of an MPA program and how will it improve my career? If you can't answer this one, an MPA might not be the right decision right now. 2) What does the course focus on and how does this fit with 1)? What are the teaching methods and what is the balance between practical and theory? 3) Where is the school located and are there jobs/internships I can get while there? 4) Who are the faculty? 5) What are the funding options? If the answers to all of the above satisfied my criteria, I'll apply there. For me ranking and prestige don't really come into it.

If you can, you should try and pepper school specific info throughout your SOP. Obviously you'll probably have one or two block paragraphs that are just about that school, but if you can tie other bits of your SOP to the school in question it'll definitely help show fit.

If I don't get in, or don't get in with the funding I'd need I'm going to hold off a few years more, save some cash, get a bit more experience and then maybe look at mid-career one year programs instead of two year programs. Thanks a lot for the reassurance though, it sounds like following my heart/head on this one is the right thing to do, and as you say I don't want to take up adcomms time or take a place away from someone who really wants it if I got into somewhere that I wouldn't really be happy to go.

Hi all... When I started out planning to apply for grad school in Fall 2012 I was planning on applying to around 10 programs - as I understand how a lot of the process can be down to luck in terms of your perfect program not having space etc. I whittled that down to six, but the more I've researched schools and looked at POIs I've kind of discovered there are only really four schools I really want to go to (and one of them is a bit iffy). The programs all offer a brilliant balance of what I want (topic areas, management training and practical training) that I just don't see in some other programs which are either quite ivory tower or are in cities I don't want to live. Is it suicidal to apply to only four programs? I think I should hopefully be competitive at all of them (well, not Princeton... but who is) and they are also the only places that I know offer the kind of funding I'd need to be able to go in 2012... It'd be good to get some feedback on whether you think it's a bad idea, or whether the 'apply to lots of programs' rule doesn't apply to professional programs as much... Thanks!

Most will state what they want on their website and will usually ask for a mixture. For every program I've applied to I've done one professional and two academic.

One of the schools I'm applying to (American) asks for a scan of your unofficial GRE report. I'm happy to do that, but the score report itself shows the other schools I'm applying to (Johns Hopkins, Princeton, GWU). Do you think that'll negatively affect anything or is it not a big deal? I'm worried about the perception that by applying to other schools I'm less interested in American, which isn't the case. Would blocking out the names of the other schools seem paranoid?

I wanted to edit my 'Experience' section but don't seem able to. Anyhow, just to say I'll have an added ten months of experience by the time grad school starts as I've just landed a job overseas

Well, I just landed a job in Nepal that's going to last until June of next year that starts in four weeks. Source of motivation well and truly found!!

Figured I'd update this as it might help other people a bit . I finally managed to break my way out of the motivation logjam last week. It was kind of a combination of factors, but probably the main catalyst was the fact that I had a job interview for a job that would take me out of the country for ten months until June 2012 - i.e. right up until grad school would start. This gave me the chance to refocus with a bit of a deadline in mind (I'd leave early September if I got it). On top of that, it had also been around 3 weeks since I last looked at my SOP. This seemed to be the magic amount of time to gain perspective and also be ruthless enough to cut out swathes of stuff that had no business being in my SOP. I've now got to the point with my SOP that I'm not 100% happy with it, but it's 90% of the way there and I could submit it in an emergency, even though I'd like to tweak a bit (this is draft 3 btw, not including all the minor tweaks). I've gone chronological with it, and I think it works best to show why grad school fits in now. Took the weekend off after that and I've now launched into proper school research for my fit paragraphs. Reading through course descriptions is actually really firing me up more, and I'm going through one school at a time and trying to spend about 2-3 days writing a paragraph summing up all the things that appeal about courses. I think the main thing I've learned is that this is all about compartmentalizing the process - focus on one paragraph at a time and eventually you'll have a whole application

Fair enough. My comment was mainly because language learning is a lot easier when you're forced to use it every day - and I'm not sure that'd be the case in London or Israel.

Out of interest, why are you thinking Israel rather than somewhere in the Arabic-speaking world for learning Arabic? I've heard very good things about the American University in Beirut and Cairo. Unfortunately Syria is kind of off the table at the minute.

Thanks guys. Contact information would be the same anyway as he's got his own website email address, but good to know to put his current employer not past

Hey all, Very quick procedural question... Say I graduated from University X with Professor Smith as my dissertation supervisor. Since I graduated, Prof. Smith has moved to College B where he's got a different title. Should I list his position at the university I attended, or list his new info? Thanks

Again it's maybe a dumb suggestion, but have you tried a Facebook/Google+ search? Failing that, do all of the above for their former colleagues who were at the institutions at the time and may still be in touch with them. I feel for you on this one, as it's a nightmare trying to track people down when they've changed workplace.

Weirdly the board won't let me edit the original post... so I'll have to tag this on at the end here... Letters of Recommendation: Arguably another one of the biggest factors in your application that you can exert control over. For professional programs if you can add in a recommender with knowledge of your work history, who can state how excellent your research skills are then this is a huge boost to your application. This is a bit like your personal statement, where those academic and professional skills come together. If you can mix both in your LORs you should be in good shape. There is a fair bit of debate surrounding academic references - particularly in big name vs professors who aren't as well known. My take on this has always been that it's far better to use a professor who knows your work inside out, and will write you a glowing reference than someone who is a superstar professor, but has to write 30+ references. I fear that'll end up with a generic reference that won't pop out and differentiate you from the other applicants. If you can pick someone who'll say 'I always remember Mr Jones' contribution in seminars and his perceptive essay writing' you've got the right recommender. If you've been out of academia for a while it can be a lot tougher to line up a professor who'll rave about you (or remember you) and in this case you might need to approach a few people to figure out who will be best. I think it's not a bad idea to include a copy of past essays and your resumé - this not only refreshes recommenders' memory, but also gives them a chance to see what you've done since. As application season is such a tough time, and logistical nightmare, it's also not a bad idea to have a backup recommender - this way if one of your main recommenders flakes out you can quickly substitute them in and still be able to submit an application. In short, pick people who really know you and your work, and make sure you ask them for references with plenty of time before the application has to be submitted.

Definitely, it's really a case of showcasing 'potential' in your application, and good GRE quant seems to be used quite a lot by schools as a predictor of how you'll do in grad school (right or wrong, that's the deal). So showing you can apply yourself on the quant side of the GRE coupled with good work experience will be competitive. In terms of LORs, from what I've seen you should try and get at least one academic reference. Hopefully you'll be able to find one professor who remembers you enough to write something positive - if they don't remember you much then attach your resume and if possible an old essay or piece of work that they might remember. If your undergrad was a really really long time ago, try and get work references that'll focus on your research aptitude. I'll add a section on LORs tomorrow.

Thanks guys - feel free to either message me or add comments to this thread and I'll update the original post. Those were kind of my initial thoughts from what I've read/seen over the years but I'm by no means the expert If we can make this into one comprehensive post hopefully it'll be a useful resource for folks in the future.

There seem to be a lot of threads asking the same thing popping up lately and I figured it might make sense to make an overall guide thread and then those who feel their answers still haven’t been adequately answered can post below for an idea of what their chances are. Here is a brief rundown of factors affecting your likelihood of getting into top-tier and well respected programs. If you fall below par in any one of these factors you can bump it up by being stellar in one of the others. I'll add to this if others point out other things I've left out. School requirements: Your first stop should be the school admissions website – this will tell you what prerequisites you need, give you an idea of GRE and GPA requirements and what work experience is expected (if any) GPA: From what I’ve seen/read over the years any GPA over 3.4 and you should be competitive. That’s not to say if your GPA is lower than 3.4 you’ll have no chance, but if you have a GPA above 3.4 you should be in good shape. GRE score: GRE scores seem to be most important for schools with demanding quantitative programs and for securing the top financial aid. Most schools will state the average GRE scores for their incoming classes on their website – use these to see how competitive you are. By and large you should be competitive if you score over 650 on verbal and quantitative and over 4.0 on the AWA. For the top schools over 700 seems to be closer to the mark. Work experience: For most programs it will be expected that you have at least 1-2 years of relevant experience in your field. This can be lowered a little if you have other pseudo-relevant work experience (management in the for-profit sector etc.) but you should have shown some level of professional interest in the area you hope to study at grad school. Applicants coming straight out of undergrad may find it very hard to get into the programs aimed more at junior/mid-career professionals such as Johns Hopkins SAIS and Princeton’s WWS. Language skills: For a lot of programs being able to speak a second language is a must, while for others it is just a very good selling point. If you can show experience working in a foreign language this will show adaptability and will endear schools looking to enrol a diverse group of applicants. Quantitative requirements: A lot of schools will want you to show experience in micro/macroeconomics and some maths/statistics courses. You can fullfil these through undergrad classes or by taking courses at a community college/diploma program. Overseas experience (work, study and teaching): Work overseas and study abroad are also viewed extremely favourably by admissions committees and if you have taught English abroad, worked in the Peace Corps or otherwise gained experience living in a developing country this will really strengthen your application. It also shows you to be a go-getter, and that you can bring this outside experience to grad school study. Statement of Purpose: This is where it all comes together. This is your chance to impress the admission committee and show how your personal 'arc' has brought you to this point - being the perfect addition to their grad school. This more than any other part of your application will determine how admit committees view you as an applicant and it's also one of the only application variables that's completely under your control. Having a cohesive narrative that brings together life experience, past academic history and professional experience is a must. It also gives you a great chance to showcase your writing style - so make sure no grammar/spelling mistakes make it into your final revision. Great list of SOP pitfalls If your profile matches at least 3 or 4 of the criteria listed above then you are competitive to apply to an MPA/MPP/IR program. What is most important about any grad school application is showing fit – that is how your profile matches the speciality of that school and its program. If you can’t articulate compelling reasons why you are a good match for them and vice versa, question whether you should be applying to that program. A note on applying to top schools: It is worth noting that nobody here can tell you what your chances of getting into a top program (Harvard, Princeton, Georgetown etc.) because getting into a top program requires a certain amount of luck as well as a great profile. Some people get offers from Harvard with a 2.9 GPA, but also happen to have singlehandedly retaken an allied command post in the Korengal valley. It’s down to who reads your application and what they happen to be looking for with the current application cycle. Spend time improving the elements of your application that you can (GRE, work experience, languages) and don’t waste time freaking out about the things you can’t change (GPA). If you’ve read all of the above and really still can’t tell if your application is competitive, post your profile below.

From the Princeton MPA Admission FAQ: From GWU Elliott:

Have you taken the GRE? AFAIK not all schools will accept the GMAT as a substitute. Your profile looks competitive, but as jblsmith says it'd be good to know how an MPA ties in to your overall career goals BTW congrats on the full funding from LSE, from what I know of them that's pretty uncommon.

I think in this case you can make a pretty good argument for not having experience, as security studies isn't really the kind of thing you can just waltz into post-undergrad (unless you've got a connected family!). In your SOP I'd focus on why you're going to China (I'm assuming to get a chunk of experience in a country that looks set to dominate the next half-century of global affairs). I'd focus on how you want to pull this experience together for a career in security and ensuring American interests in your career. You can also give a bit of an idea of the kind of research you want to pursue in grad school as it sounds like you've got a fairly clear idea of your subject area. On the flip side, if you wanted to delay grad school a few years and get some military experience first it seems as if all the top schools absolutely love applicants with a service record Also, feel free to add your profile to the 2012 thread here:

There's nothing wrong with your quant score at all (speaking as someone who scored nearly a clear 100 less than you on quant and will also be applying to Princeton and GWU). What I think might hurt you is your lack of work experience. You're obviously a stellar academic performer, so that side of the app is covered. What concentration are you planning on applying to and what are your long term career goals? Getting into the top schools is all about a healthy dose of fit + luck. You need to show how you fit their program perfectly using examples of your life experience and then hope your application ends up on the right person's desk. You've definitely got an interesting profile (security, Russia, China) - it's just showing how that will translate into a career. Are you aiming to do something on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization?

Hey all, I figured this might be a good place to share tales of woe concerning getting the applications done. I've been picking away at mine for a few months now and I seem to be really struggling with self-motivation - particularly with the personal statements. Normally I'm pretty good at self-motivating in every other aspect of my life, but these applications just seem to be sucking my will to live. I really hate writing about myself, particularly in the cloying style of 'look how great I am' that seems favored by applications. At the minute I'm focusing on the other parts of the application like my policy memo, but I fear that procrastination can only go so far. How's everyone else going? Any tips for self-motivation? Pete

Can I ask you why you want to do an MPP/MBA? I think a lot of us applicants with a professional experience have taken a while to decide what we want to focus on, so it'd be good to hear what you're hoping to do and if you're sure it's what you want to spend your life doing

First off, welcome to the board. Second off - never count out our dream program! Loads of people on here have gotten into Princeton/Harvard/Stanford/Berkley/Columbia with what they considered to be 'regular' scores. If you don't apply it's 100% you won't get in, but if you don't apply you'll never know what your odds could have been. Your profile sounds good to me, and may in fact stick out because you've taken a slightly less traditional route towards MPP. You've got a great GRE quant score and obviously have real passion and good reasons to do the MPP - crafting a SOP that lets that shine through is the next step. I can't really comment on your GPA as I don't know how big a factor it'll be (and I'm not American ) but I think getting relevant work experience between now and grad school will really help your application. If you're not in a huge rush (other than the five year GRE cutoff) I would take a couple of years and try to get work experience with some other public health organisations. A couple of years of experience might also really narrow down where you want to study (or completely change your mind) and coming into grad school more focused can only be a good thing.