GOVERNMENTandPOLICY

Hi. So I applied to HKS MPP last year (unsucessfully) with only about 6 months of work experience after graduating. I was never confident that i would get accepted since I only had a meager work experience then at best. However, I cannot say that I wasn't disappointed when I was outright rejected from HKS, since I was somewhat confident about my numbers and LoRs. I was expecting that i at least get waitlisted. Now it's been almost a year since I applied and I have joined the Marine Corps in South Korea and been serving since. Unlike last year, which I applied only to HKS MPP (more as a trial), I'll be applying to multiple MPP programs and I really wish the outcomes are better this time. I'll be applying to HKS MPP, SIPA MPA, WWS, Goldman, etc.. I was wondering what you think my chances would be for upcoming cycle. My stats are as follow: Undergrad: Ivy Poli-Sci Major GPA: 3.83 Summa Cum Laude GRE: 800Q 780V 4.5 AW Yrs out of undergrad: 1.5 yr Work Experience: 1.5 yr Langauge: English and Korean (Fluent), Spanish (Basic) -Have been serving a year in the Marine Corps (Republic of Korea), currently Corporal, and is planned to be discharged on July 2013. My specialty is counter-intelligence and intelligence gathering, and most of my work is related to interpretating and integrating intelligence regarding N. Korean activities. -Worked 6 months at Public Prosecutor's office as an administrative intern -Awarded a National Award(US) by Brookings Institute and Heritage Foundation for a political science project conducted during undergrad years. I know last cycle my biggest weaknesses were weak Work Experience and vague Statement of Purpose (i would like to think so). Now a year after I feel more ready to compose a better focused Statement of Purpose, but I'm still unsure how much of difference that a extra year of work experience can make for my application to HKS, SIPA, Goldman and WWS. I know its always a question without a definite answer, but how would my chances improve compared to last year? any advice or opinions are welcome! Thanks!

Hi. So I was browsing for an academic path after graduating with a BA degree in political science. While i was looking through poli-sci related programs I found that Harvard has a PhD program in Government aside from Harvard Kennedy School's government-related programs. I know that HKS is a professional school and accepts candidates with substantial work exp (which I don't have)... So I was wondering if anyone knows what this PhD in Government is all about and how difficult it is to get into the program (in terms of Numbers and WE)? thanks!

Hi. I'm pretty new to the forum, and so far the info here have been very helpful. I wish I discovered this forum a bit earlier I graduated from college this year in May, and been started working at a local government full-time for about two months. I'm planning to apply to MPP/MPA programs (HKS, WWS, Goldman,,, you name it) and my concern is that I graduated early (in three years) and have relatively weak WE since I spent one of the summers taking classes at school. In terms of numbers I'm pretty comfortable but I'm worried that they might consider me too "green" ...well I must admit I am College/GPA: Ivy 3.83/4.00 Political Science GRE: 780V 800Q 4.5 AW Applying to: MPP WE: Summer intern at Congress (2 months summer) Intern at DA's office (2 months ongoing) So if I apply this fall and enroll next fall I would have 1 yr of full-time WE by the time I matriculate. personally I wanna go back to school next year, but I can't seem to decide if it would be wiser for me to wait and apply next fall. I really wanna know what u guys think! Thanks!