HDPFDan

I didn't apply for a fellowship/ask for funding, thinking that it might approve my chances of admission. At the very least, I highly doubt I'd be considered for any first year funding since it is a limited amount and I did not have a stellar undergrad GPA (my work/quant experience since undergrad is the strength of my application, which is why I've been upbeat.) So I have no idea at this point. I feel a waitlist coming.

Sorry to the recently rejected. hudwa, your profile and rejection worry me, as we have a similar profile. My undergraduate gpa, while a little higher, is definitely my weak point. But I do have some more quantitative experience (those 2 points aren't to put u down, since I think your app looks great, just trying to convince myself I still have a chance at SIPA!) Kudos on the attitude as well; I hope I can be as positive if I don't make the cut.

Submitted Date: 12/20/2011 5:21:00 PM EST

This.

I'm pretty ticked off that I have to go into this weekend without knowing.

lol, my stress or SIPA's schedule for release?

Just went and double-checked, got my "application complete" email on January 16th. This is really the wrong week for this decision to happen. It coincides with my 2 main projects at work coming to a head and causing a ridiculous amount of rushing/stress/grunt work; the kind of week I haven't experienced in nearly a year, workload-wise. And it's reminding me of the 3 1/2 years I've put in here (and a year suffering at a big law firm before that) just to get to the point where I could say I earned the right to pursue a grad degree, and that I soo badly want the moment of YES I'M IN that will make all of this time and effort worth it. Not getting the decision is compounding all of the work stress. I'll be in a pretty bad place if I am rejected after this. I need a stiff drink.

I'm trying to hang onto the "no news is good news" outlook, but it's tough...

Didn't apply to the IFP and have not yet heard. Assuming I get in and attend I was thinking about applying while in school.

OK, good to know! Thanks for looking into it!

I'm sympathetic to the fact that it is a large program with a lot of applicants and so they're probably very busy, but couldn't they just say April 1st or April 7th and release all decisions at the same time, thus sparing us this headache? Or perhaps they feel pressure to start releasing decisions, given how many of the other comparable programs already have.

You'd think so but I guess their process is different. Since they do state that funding for first years is pretty limited, maybe they create a separate pool of applicants who they think ought to receive funding. Then, after they've made the rest of the decisions, sit down and determine the funding allocations, then notify those recipients of the admissions decision and funding all at once.

My girlfriend was actually just up in the Columbia area for work, dropped by campus and took a few photos which she sent me on my phone, along with positive vibes for getting in. I should ask her to drop in on the admissions office and tell them to get it together!

Someone mentioned yesterday that they submitted very close to the deadline but received a decision yesterday. So it appears that when you submitted your application has no bearing on when you receive a decision. I'm also clinging to the hope that those who haven't heard back are being considered for $$$... based on reading survey responses from previous years, it does appear that SIPA provides your funding information when you receive a decision. Can anyone verify that this has been the case in years past?

Only school I applied to! I live and work in NYC so I'm trying to continue working part-time while in school, plus when I first learned of SIPA I knew it was what I wanted. So much negative talk about it on this forum, which I find funny.

Still nothing for me either. Man that Khaled Hosseini quote they have up on the blog is the TROOF!

Certainly gives me some hope! I have good-to-excellent work experience (SIPA has taken people with my exact position from my firm before, and we also employ several SIPA grads in more senior positions.) My GPA was god-awful, but much much better in the second 2 years of college. I was also able to effectively work the GPA improvement and professional experience into a cohesive narrative in the SOP.

Haha, I wish! Edit: Should I assume that if I haven't heard today, it will be coming another day? In other words, they've released all the decisions that they're going to on the 14th, and will release another batch on another day? I'd prefer to stop checking my email every 10 minutes today, got a busy afternoon ahead of me at work.

I didn't apply for fellowships/ask for funding so I find that unlikely, but who knows! Paranoia is now kicking in and I am thinking that I'll be rejected. But there's no basis for thinking that (uh, I hope) Congrats to you and others who are admitted, too.

No email or decision on the app yet... this is one of those days when I hate this forum, so jealous of those of you who know! But I didn't submit my application until 12/20/2011 so perhaps I'll be one of the later decisions.

Yeah, just this one. I had been planning on waiting another year, but around August of last year it occurred to me that I had built up solid experience, had a better idea of what I'd like to do with the degree, etc, and it made sense to apply. I figured that if I didn't get in, it would indicate that I needed to add some more experience/courses, which I'll work to do and then apply to many more programs this fall. So my thinking was that if I didn't get in, no sweat, I'd figure it out. And naturally now it feels like everything in my life depends on getting into this one program, hahaha. But a number of my superiors, including the guy who wrote my best LOR, said they only applied to one program when they knew it was the one they wanted, and it obviously worked out for them. Fingers crossed.

Appreciate the response (and it's the internet - intended and perceived tone are often not the same ). Your points are all again quite valid. I'll admit that the name is a big part of the attraction (partly based off of family history with the school). I am also planning to continue working while in school, so I would need to stay in NYC - that would also hopefully offset a little of the cost. I also have to believe that, at least a certain extent, the name and resources of a big program like SIPA count for something. Maybe I'm setting myself up for disappointment, but I'm trying to be realistic about the work/challenges that it entails, and be upbeat and motivated.

Well, being disturbed by my position is your problem, not mine. Your points are all valid, but you ought to check the tone of that last post. I already acknowledged your points about the odds against it "just working out." I have no illusions, but I believe in approaching things with a positive outlook. And I'm not counting on consulting as a lifeline, it's just something I'm looking into and possibly going to work towards. That's why I used the word "considering." There are several avenues I'm open to, which is one aspect that I like about the program I'm also not incurring the debt "just because of optimism." As I clearly outlined, at my current position and with similar employers, there is no way up without an advanced degree. I also tried the job market in a range of industries about half a year ago, as well as looking at fellowships. The responses I received all advised pursuing a degree. You yourself said half a page up that "you pursue a professional degree for career advancement". At no point did I compare an MD/MPH to the MIA. Just explaining that the attitude towards educational debt is based off the experience of someone who has been through the experience, and I provided the context. Nice critical reading skills you have there. I think measured expectations, understanding the debt burden and odds against you are all very important considerations, which is why I've weighed this against other avenues. I think this is the best path for me at this time.

All the points arguing against taking on that level of debt are well-made, but I'll throw in my 2 cents arguing the other side. Right now I'm in the SIPA MIA or nothing mentality, and I didn't ask for funding from the school because I've been hoping that it would increase my chances of admission. Also, given the makeup of the student body there, I don't think they reserve much funding for white American men (not a complaint at all.) I'm hoping to get much more for the 2nd year - hopefully an assistantship. But I'm pretty resigned to the idea of graduating with 6 figures of debt. I'm OK with it for a few reasons. First, I do not see many advancement opportunities without an elite graduate degree from where I am. I've spent 3 years working as a research assistant at a fairly prominent think tank in NYC, which has been a great experience, but there are really no doors open to me from here without a graduate degree. And I'm not interested in an MBA, JD or PhD - those feel more restriciting in a way, and the education itself doesn't exite me the way the MIA program does. Second is simply mentality, but my dad (who borrowed and worked off debt for both his MD and MPH) is the one who got me into this line of thinking. Debt for graduate school, or education in general, isn't simply debt. It is an investment in yourself. I hate the idea of living with all that money to pay off, but again, I think so many more doors will be open to me with a graduate degree (call me an optimist) that it is worthwhile. Part of it is long-term. The jobs and salaries right out of grad school might not be ideal, but it's putting myself on a trajectory for greater success and earnings in the future. I know that my organization, and just about all similar ones, wouldn't dream of hiring and/or promoting anyone past my level without some sort of advanced degree. That said, I am considering pursuing consulting out of school, which is a more lucrative path (and I am well aware of how competitive it is; it won't just happen. But I'm going to make it work. Again, optimist.) Based on the work I've done in the past 3 years, my natural abilities and skill set, and the nature of the industry, it seems like a good direction. Finally, although MYRNIST made a very astute point about one's "wants" not necessarily being an adult/wise basis for making major decisions, when I first learned about the MIA program a few years back, it just immediately clicked in my head that it is the one for me, and that never changed despite learning all about all of the other top/simliar programs. It just feels right, and I can see several paths forward that will work for me. So consider this the dreaming optimist post of the thread

Panama Red