CowboyDan

It's a complicated, tough call. Here's my situation, which will hopefully be somewhat informative and useful. I've been working as a journalist (mostly opinion writing rather than reporting) since I graduated in '06, and have realized that the issues I care the most about all connect to poverty, inequality, and the wealth gap. I decided to take a crack at grad school with an eye toward becoming a much more informed, connected-to-policy-debates journalist. So I applied to HKS, WWS, and Goldman, and got into the latter two. (It looks like I'll be going to WWS.) I definitely had less policy background than almost anyone in my incoming class, and certainly couldn't say specifically what I wanted to study, but I made a conscious effort to tell a coherent, well-put-together story in my personal statements: I no longer want to just be another pundit who chimes in constantly and superficially; I want to actually contribute to the discussion about inequality in a careful, well-informed way. I made it clear that my interests were broad and I wanted to narrow them down, and listed some possible areas of focus (education, health care, criminal justice). I also talked about how lucky and privileged I have been growing up, and how I've come to realize just how much was given to me -- all of which is true, but also included to help make it clear to the adcom folks just how visceral an issue the wealth gap has become to me. As for the WWS policy memo, I made sure that my topic tied closely to inequality, and that every step of the way I evaluated the nuance and complexity of the issues I was discussing (don't quote me on this, but while the point of the policy memo is to suggest concrete solutions, I really do get the sense that they'd rather see a memo filled with caveats and "buts" and "on the other hands" than one that is too sure of itself -- it's not as though they expect you to actually solve the problem in question, so I think it's more of a matter of them getting a gauge for your talents as an analytical thinker who can evaluate various bits of potentially conflicting information). Oh, and I also told the people writing my letters what I wanted to focus on, which you should definitely do if you apply -- it helps bring the whole application package together. I feel very thrilled and lucky to have gotten into WWS (anyone who tells you there isn't luck involved is lying -- just look at the numbers), and I was able to do so without a hugely specific area of interest. A few caveats: I write for a living, so I was probably able to make up for my (numerous) other shortcomings as an applicant with a well-written policy memo and personal statement. I also had a very high GRE score, and happen to work for a publication most people have heard of. Plus I have heard that MPP/MPA folks like journalists. I also included a note about my weaknesses (some low early-college grades and a lack of econ/stats course experience), figuring it would be better to point them out and explain them rather than have the adcom people discuss them without me getting a word in -- no idea if this helped, but in the case of WWS it can't have hurt too badly (Goldman didn't have space for such a document, if memory serves, so I only submitted it to WWS and HKS). But while all the writing/GRE/career stuff might have helped, I do think what worked the most in my favor was the fact that I was able to give the schools a rather strong sense of who I am and what is driving me to study public policy. So in short, if you can put together an otherwise compelling application that can at least indicate some broad area of interest, I think you'll be in good shape. But I'd ask around and even email some admissions personnel (if you're paranoid such emails would hinder your chances -- though I don't think they would -- just send these emails to competitive programs to which you won't be applying). Hope this has been helpful, and let me know if you have further questions. I'm by no means an expert, but I did learn a lot from the application process.

I too am in the in-at-WWS, out-at-HKS boat. Totally fine with this outcome, as I wasn't going to go to HKS unless I got a very generous aid package anyway (which was unlikely, to say the least), but still a bit surprised. Generally speaking, WWS is supposed to be tougher to get into, right?

Was just accepted to WWS and am thrilled about it, but share many of the same questions as everyone else. I'll be entering as 27-year-old who is by no means a blackout partier, but who does enjoy raucous nights out at dive bars. I am very into low-key, non-pretentious fun. So I guess this all boils down to a few questions: 1) My stereotype of Princeton is that what snobbery there is (I assume it has gone down) is concentrated among undergrads, but that graduate students tend to be brilliant and down-to-earth. Is there some truth to this blatant overgeneralization? 2) I'm two months in, have met some good people, and want to be out with friends until 2:00. Will I always have at least a couple options, between D-Bars, parties, etc.? 3) How's the Annex for meeting other grad students? Is it easy to get a room there as a first-year Master's student?

I need to do something less stressful than obsessively eye my inbox. Gonna Netflix-stream a documentary about life in a Taliban-controlled region of Afghanistan. At least the acceptance rate to join the Taliban is higher than 10%!

I have no hard evidence, of course, but wouldn't it be safe to assume that the odds probably haven't gotten any better? It's not like there's been much of an uptick in the economy, and lots of people are thinking it's a good time to hide out in grad school for a couple years. Anyone know if there is any other MPP/MPA program with a sub-10% acceptance rate?

Ha, that's fair enough. But I figured it wouldn't be right not to share the info I had. This waiting has to end. Hope the guy was right.

Nothing yet. I was anxiously checking my email at midnight last night since that's when they sent out some of the notices last year. I appreciate all the information aggregated on this site, but I'm not sure TheGradCafe has actually increased my quality of life. It would probably be better not to know so much -- that way I'd be less obsessive and twitchy.

Applied for the MPA program and waiting is killing me, so I emailed someone I know at WWS to ask if he'd heard anything. He said that notifications for MPA are going out tomorrow, so hopefully the waiting is almost over. Don't sue me if this isn't true, but his response indicated certainty. Now if only the admit rate were higher than 9% or whatever it is...

Thanks for the info. Just got an email from TheWatcher@berkeley.edu. It simply read "Go outside." I did, and there was a wizened man in a druid's robe and a UC-Berkeley baseball cap waiting just outside my building's door. He had no nose and two mouths, one where his nose should have been. I wouldn't stake my life on this because the flowing robe made it hard to tell, but I could have sworn he was standing an inch or two off the ground. "Well, did I get in?" I asked him, shivering. The area around him was 10-15 degrees colder than it is in Boston today. "I don't know," said the top mouth. "Did you?" said the second mouth. Then there was a flash of blinding light and The Watcher became a flock of crows that quickly ascended and headed west -- toward Berkeley, I can only assume. When I got back to my computer there was another email from The Watcher, this one with a link to a Libyan website I had never heard of. When I went there there was a video of my family and myself (they looked normal but I, strangely enough, appeared to be 20 years older) feasting silently and voraciously on the innards of a flock of sparrows, some of which were still kicking and flapping what was left of their wings in futile, pathetic attempts to escape. We were doing this just outside what appeared to be an early-20th century textile mill. Patriots offensive lineman Logan Mankins, in full uniform and pads, stood in the distance, gazing upon the grotesque proceedings and nodding grimly but approvingly. So now I'm even more confused! Has anyone else encountered The Watcher? Of those who did and got in, did The Watcher notify you via email or in person? And does the video mean I am on the waiting list?

Oy. I told myself I'd try not to obsess about this, but here I am freaking out every time I have a new email. So, for the sake of possibly (temporarily) salving my nerves: to those lucky, talented folks who got in, did any of you living stateside get notified via email, or only via USPS? What I'm gleaning from this thread is that international applicants were accepted via email, but everyone who got an email in the US was either waitlisted or rejected. Is that true, or have there been exceptions?