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I am so nervous! I am thinking that I shouldn't check my email until 5PM today just to make sure I am mentally prepared.

For people's acceptance letters, did you get a handwritten note at the end too? Either Matt or someone else wrote something really sweet at the bottom of mine and it really made me feel like HKS really cares for their students. Also, one of my readers also sent me an email that had some personal touches on it that was great too. They are also providing a small travel stipend for some students to go to their New Admit Day. HKS is amazing!

You should start preparing for your interview now. Before I heard about the Payne I thought that I was just not going to get an interview so I didn't prepare as much, but then when I did hear back I was fervently reading and trying to remember things and it was a bit overwhelming. And no matter what the result, it won't go to waste! I understand the being busy with work also. Working 40 hours a week was really tough for me while spending another 20 hours preparing. And I work in 5+ different locations and I take the bus too so it's physically exhausting.

Do anyone have regrets about applying for MPP/MIA/MPA degrees instead of MBA programs? Even though public service leadership roles require different types of skills, it's also easily obtainable through MBA/LD programs, and those latter programs are much better at helping graduates secure higher paying jobs and it doesn't confine them as much to just one sector. And then because of the intense amount of loans for an MPP/MIA/MPA, it can be financial hell trying to control the $1,000+/month payments on the total of $80-$140,000 of student loans while trying to develop your career in a big city, raising a family, having kids, and other big life purchases and decisions. How are people feeling about their decisions as acceptances are out, and as people are starting/ending their programs?

Yes, I am finished with the interview! I am feeling really good about it. There were three parts (for the Payne, anyways): writing, group exercise, and structured interview with three panels. It lasted from around 8:00AM to 3:00PM with quite a bit of waiting in between, but you always have a chance to talk to the other finalists so it wasn't bad. We will hear back about results next Monday! *prays fervently*

I received an email yesterday saying that I didn't get into the International Fellows Program. I suspected as much since my essay was so rushed. I focused all my energy on the personal statements themselves versus the IFP essays. But good luck to others though. Did anyone get in?

Yes! I need all the prayer and advice I can get! And I'll be going to church (for work) today, so I'll be an official minister for the first day today. I'm very excited. Hopefully this will bring me closer to God and God'll send his grace my way? Haha.

Are people here going to go to the Admitted Students Day event?

Where you able to visit both campuses to get a feel of the programs? When I visited GSPP, the program was very small within a very large university, which wasn't really what I wanted. Also, GSPP is very, very quantitative heavy--is that something you prioritize? From my research, I found that HKS has a large number of high profile speakers due to its proximity to Washington D.C. and New York versus all the way out in California. Though I've seen that GSPP is much more intentional in trying to recruit and retain students of color. However, being in the Bay Area would be much better for opportunities (especially if it deals with tech or start-ups) versus in Cambridge. This is a great dilemma to have! Tell us what you decide.

Is everyone going to go if you didn't get funding? Or very little of it?

Thank you so much @ZebraFinch and @mrs12 for joining the Google Chat! After all the great advice, I am feeling really good about the process. Now, it's time to spend this fantastic Minnesotan day preparing for the Payne.

I also just clicked on the link again.

Try again? I changed the link.

This is the link for people who want to join: https://hangouts.google.com/call/f2b44og2zzaupeauct4mkpmsqye We'll be starting around 12:40PM. Everyone is welcome to join @jrdnmadrid, @mrs12, @chethedoctor, and @awayfromhere! It would be great to have a group to share tips and advice.

WHAAA!!! That is so crazy! There is so much good energy on this blog right now. Fulbright, CLS, Pickering, Rangel... I AM IN SHOCK at how many of us have been getting such good news lately. Wow. @awayfromhere you have got the next six years set. I am incredibly and truly happy for you. Your hard work has proven to be fruitful, and you have been so blessed. @ZebraFinch, I can indeed do 12PM CST. I've PM'd you my email, and I'll send you a link to join tomorrow. @awayfromhere, do you want to join too? I know you must be ecstatic. And @mrs12, you're welcome to join. I can send you a link too.

@ZebraFinch, are you free tomorrow at 11AM CST to do a Googe Hangout? I have so many questions and would love to get your advice and to know more about your experience.

No money signs over here for funding. At all.

I've been doing a lot of research with the security clearance, and the Payne's program officer said that they look at the person as a whole and not just one part of their life--however, we must be 100% truthful in our answers. I am planning to do just that because as young people who didn't grow up under a rock, I would imagine that they would expect us to have done things that may be "questionable."

@awayfromhere That is so cool! You are a superstar!!! What really surprised you about the fellow finalists? And could you tell us more about the process?

Yeah, that's what I want to know too.

Columbia SIPA would be for an MIA, and HKS would be for an MPP.

Haha. Oh no! Yeah, I remember that budget update email meaning basically either you got into the finals, or that you've received the scholarship/fellowship. They must've gotten so many emails and questions about the budget that they now know that we also know.

It's still up in the air for now, but I'm leaning towards HKS since they give an extra $5,000 stipend on top of the $15,000 that Payne provides. But I would love to live in NYC. I'm conflicted. What would you choose if you were in my position?

Congratulations again! That's going to be amazing! By the way, I got acceptances to both of the schools I applied to this year! I'm so excited!!! I also just got done with the interview informational webinar with Payne today. I think the process is very similar to Rangel because in one of the slides they forgot to delete the word "Rangel" on it.

Just out of curiosity, why do you want to go to a public policy school instead of going to law school? What position could you only get with an MPP that you couldn't with an LD?