Aliwaba

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): MPA/MPP depending on the school Schools Applied To: Univ. of Washington - Evans, Berkeley - GSPP, Texas - LBJ, Michigan - Ford, Chicago - Harris, Georgetown - GPPI, American - SPA, GW - Trachtenberg, NYU - Wagner Schools Admitted To: American (MPA), GW (MPP) Schools Rejected From: 0 Still Waiting: 7 Undergraduate institution: University of Oregon Undergraduate GPA: 3.3 Last 60 hours of Undergraduate GPA (if applicable): 3.5 Undergraduate Major(s): Political Science Undergraduate Minor(s): Business Administration, Nonprofit Administration GRE Quantitative Score: 151 GRE Verbal Score: 158 GRE AW Score: 4 Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): almost 4 Years of Work Experience: 4.5 Describe Relevant Work Experience: During the 2008 presidential election cycle, I was a community organizer at a nonprofit that engaged young people in the political process. Since January 2009, I've been employed at a community foundation. I began in programs and am now in development/fundraising. Also, I've done a good amount of volunteer work in my community as chair of a local young philanthropist board and working with other young professionals to engage young people in local issues/government. Languages: English - Native, Spanish - Conversational (studied abroad in Argentina) Quant: I took a few econ/stats classes through my poli sci major and business minor. This is certainly not a strength of my academic background. Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): I wrote about my experience in the nonprofit sector and passion about education reform in the United States. I wish I would have started earlier on this process (especially for the Goldman application!) but I did have friends and family review and let me know their thoughts which was extremely helpful. Looking back on it, I wish I would have been more selective on which people I asked to help me- I might have had too many people giving me their thoughts/advice. Strength of LOR (be honest, describe the process, etc): I think/hope my letters were strong, although they were all from people that know me professionally (my boss, a former board member, mpp grad from georgetown in high level job in my area and local elected official). Since I went to a big state school, was in a large major and didn't have particularly close relationships with professors, I didn't feel comofortable with the potential quality of a recommendation from a professor. This does concern me but fingers crossed my professional experience will be good for my application. Is anyone else concerned with this or did most of y'all use at least one former professor? Other: I've been looking through this thread for months and I have yet to see (although I could have missed a post) anyone applying to Evans at University of Washington. I am curious as to why that's the case. Does anyone have any thoughts? It's ranked high, U-Dub is a well-regarded institution (although I'll always be a Duck fan at heart!) and I've heard positive reviews from the few students I know attending the program. Advice for Future Applicants: I really wish I had started the whole process earlier (studying for the GREs, preparing SOPs, etc.) although I ended up feeling fairly confident about my applications that were due in Jan./Feb. Even though I haven't heard back from the schools heavy in quant, I have a feeling I might not be admitted to those programs. If I could go back one year, I would have taken a few stats/econ classes at the local community college.