cannotdecide

this was great! i have been going back and forth between CIPA and SIPA but have always leaned towards cornell. i couldn't even visit the campus so this was great.

same here. I am in the same boat as many here. I am trying to decide between SIPA (huge loan/debt) and others. SIPA is definitely making this process much more difficult for me (and many here) to choose!

Wow I am in the exact dilemma between SIPA and CIPA! I also got 28k and no funding from SIPA and seriously considering CIPA....It is a thriving, growing program, and I feel that if you work hard enough and make connections, you can get the internships you want, and CIPA (unlike SIPA) seems to really try to help their students because they realize the distance and such could be an issue. And both schools don't have that much of a huge margin in terms or career placements, especially given CIPA is newer. I also got almost full ride at UMD and up for a fellowship, but biting and thinking of more known names...though I can't say UMD hasn't crossed my mind.

I would love to hear what people have to say on this regard... I am facing a similar situation. I would love to go to SIPA, but not funding, and thinking seriously about CIPA, which is a growing, rising program, and which has given me 70%! Both are Ivy names, but SIPA obviously ranked higher and in a better position location-wise, but the 100k loan/debt is freaking me out. Thinking that if I work hard enough, I can potentially get a similar job and opportunities from CIPA with less loan intake.

Given it seems many of us got into SIPA without funding, is it worth it to spend SO much money to go there and earn an MIA degree? I am extremely interested in SIPA, and the name of the school and the wide array of opportunities certainly help. However, I just don't know if spending so much money to go to Columbia is worth it if one has been accepted to other, very good institutions with some funding.Given the current economy and job potential after a two year master's...and I am not lucky enough to have a company sponsor me either. I mean, there is a saying that it's not the place you go to, but what you make of your experiences with the resources given. I have been hearing a lot about SIPA's 'impersonal' style, and how it is a place where you have to really work hard to be noticed, and the "cash cow" sentiment has certainly been emphasized. Furthermore, if you look at career placement statistics, it is not that drastically different from Tuft's or Chicago's numbers.... I am just not sure what to do at this point I guess (similar situation, where I am thinking about SIPA, Tufts, and CIPA as well....). Lots to think about!

they sent an email at 4 pm march 15....got 10k. given the cost is around 65k per year, not a lot

email sent at 8 am yesterday (march 14).

different one.. no idea about RF.

right? now I realized, uh oh.....i have to make a decision.

my fellowship information came with my acceptance letter, dated march 1....very generous offer and the admission people are SO kind in answering back all of my little questions.

SERIOUSLY! I was so thankful for that. and then when i opened the letter i closed my eyes waiting for the worst but i got IN! yay.

random in the sense that I knew the SOP/work experience matters, but until you go through the process, you really don't know. In my case, I think I had a very, very good SOP and I had the Fulbright, among other factors which helped, but my GREs were definitely not 'amazing', nor the quant background. Anyways, happy about this one!

good luck! anything can happen, i have been surprised at how for some schools the SOP/experience has mattered more than the numbers this year, etc., the opposite on others. At least in my perspective.

is this the only way to find out for now? hmm...

IN with $! Wow. grad school application process is SO random indeed.