LadyinWaiting

Personally, I'm excited to move, but I've lived on 3 continents in the past 4 years so I don't have much in the way of furniture/housewares. Certain parts of moving are definitely a pain in the ass (or costly), but I'd try to think of the hassle as part of the big investment you're making in your future by furthering your education. Do you have a friend who can accompany you at least part of the way? Long distance trips can be a lot more fun and manageable when you have company.

I would definitely choose Chicago as well. Oxford is a wonderful place, but you can always go there for a Dphil or work. Also, the fact that CIR was so generous with you lets you know that they really want you there!

I appreciate your input; however, I don't think it's necessary to imply that I'm incapable of leveraging resources or that I "lack perspective." If I'm just misreading your tone and you didn't mean that personally, no worries.

Many thanks, everyone, for your thoughts. As a last ditch, what-the-hell effort, I sent a polite email to my Harvard finaid counselor explaining my situation and mentioning that I had some very generous offers from other top programs. I've never heard of them matching bids, however, so... At this point I'm leaning towards Duke. While being able to drop the H-bomb would undoubtedly open some doors for me, the Sanford School certainly won't close any. Although I would like to work in DC or overseas, I don't know what opportunities will come up in the future, and having comparatively little debt will give me more freedom to pursue work for NGOs or in developing countries where the pay is lower but the work is rewarding, if I so choose. I also have to be more confident, and trust that the strength of my work experience to date and my course work in grad school will speak for me, and not just the name on my diploma or alumni connections. I'm sure that I would have had an AMAZING time at Harvard, but I know that when I get to Durham and start taking classes and having fun, I won't be able to imagine being anywhere else (this would probably be true of anywhere I pick).

Thanks, guys, for your responses. If it were Harvard Law, Business, or Medical, it would be a no-brainer for me--however, even with an HKS degree I can't count on making that much money right after I graduate. According to their Career Center's latest figures, median salaries for new MPPs range from around $60K (NGOs/federal government) to $100K (private sector), which is great, but at the lower end not enough to alleviate my debt anxiety. I don't think that an HKS degree will necessarily give me enough of an income boost to economically justify the huge loans; however, the network there might be able to fast-track me into the type of career or org that would be truly great for me--these are benefits that are less tangible. On the other hand, it is a scary, scary amount of debt for someone who's not going into business, law or medicine. So I'm trying to weigh it all out. Again, thanks.

[Also posted over in the govt affairs forum] I was accepted to the Harvard Kennedy School for a Masters of Public Policy, but discounted it as a serious option almost immediately after receiving no financial aid. However, since then I've been talking to a number of older relatives, mentors and supervisors--really intelligent, accomplished, educated and non-crazy people--whose judgment I respect tremendously. And they've all urged me to consider going the Harvard route--particularly a few HKS alums who've told me that they still benefit a lot from their connections/experiences 15+ years after receiving their degrees, and that there's "no substitute" for the name recognition (though of course they'd say this, wouldn't they?) Thing is, I also have two fairly great packages lined up--Duke has offered me about 70% tuition both years, and my state school (a well respected regional program) has given me more or less a full ride. When I've given the numbers to my mentors, the response has been, "These are all great options, BUT if you choose HKS it'll be SO worth it and you'll figure out how to make the money work even if you're not making bank right after your graduation." The fam is willing to help out but I would feel pretty bad taking a lot of their money since they already supported me through undergrad and aren't, you know, wealthy. HKS would almost certainly mean a six-figure loan and fairly substantial payments even if I take advantage of IBR/PSLF (Income Based Repayment/Public Service Loan Forgiveness), and yet my thoughts are drifting more and more towards Cambridge again as I've gotten all this assurance/encouragement. Am I completely batsh*t insane for even considering HKS at this point? Anyone else thinking of biting a similar bullet? (If it helps, my intended field is international economic development policy) Thanks!

Thanks guys, you've definitely given me more points to consider. Also I don't feel quite as batsh*t insane. Always a plus!

Hey all, So I thought I had bowed out of this whole HKS thing after receiving nothing but loans (thanks! ) However, since then I've been talking to a number of older relatives, mentors and supervisors--really intelligent, accomplished, educated and non-crazy people--whose judgment I respect tremendously. And they've all urged me to consider going the Harvard route--particularly a few HKS alums who've told me that they still benefit a lot from their connections/experiences 15+ years after receiving their degrees, and that there's "no substitute" for the name recognition (though of course they'd say this, wouldn't they?) Thing is, I also have two fairly great packages lined up--Duke has offered me about 70% tuition both years, and my state school (a well respected regional program) has given me more or less a full ride. When I've given the numbers to my mentors, the response has been, "These are all great options, BUT if you choose HKS it'll be SO worth it and you'll figure out how to make the money work even if you're not making bank right after your graduation." The fam is willing to help out but I would feel pretty bad taking a lot of their money since they already supported me through undergrad and aren't, you know, wealthy. HKS would almost certainly mean a six-figure loan and fairly substantial payments even if I take advantage of IBR/PSLF, and yet my thoughts are drifting more and more towards Cambridge again as I've gotten all this assurance/encouragement. Am I completely batsh*t insane for even considering HKS at this point? Anyone else thinking of biting a similar bullet? (If it helps, my intended field is international economic development policy) Thanks!

I would think that any leadership/organizational skills would be helpful on your SoP, provided you can clearly link them to your career goals and/or if these experiences influenced your decision to pursue an MPA in the first place. If you graduated less than one year ago, you could probably stress them heavily; if you have over one year of relevant work experience, probably not as much. Just my 0.02--hope it helps!

Previous posters have already given great advice. Without knowing anything else I would definitely recommend doing at least one year of work experience. That said, it might also depends on your financial situation. If your schools have offered you amazing aid packages that you can't defer for the following year, I would consider going right to the MA. Chances are, you'll be an even greater asset to these programs with added work experience, and you might even get more aid. However, you never know what admissions will look like year to year and you might also risk losing some or all of your money. Definitely worth a chat with a finaid officer to see what s/he recommends and if there are many students in your situation. Best of luck!

YAY!! Way to go!!

Yeah, really! Rangel's was a lot more gracious, with info on applying to the foreign service and other stuff. Not that it matters since in the end I'm still not a finalist for either...

Congrats!! Guess if I haven't heard anything by now I can assume I wasn't picked...

Thanks, mppm. I know that the delays are in no way a reflection of Harris's profs, curriculum or students--or even the good intentions of the admissions staff. I think most admits realize this too, but I do wonder if they lost some potential students due to the lateness of their decisions. For what it's worth, Chicago is off my list not because of the admissions process but because of financial reasons; if I could afford them they'd still be in the running.

Awesome! Congrats!! I just got a bunch of loans. Meh--time to let go of this particular dream. Best of luck to everyone!