12WardP

Sure. I mean, this is a very holistic application. They're going to be looking at you from a number of lenses. I just looked at the conversions - (156 V = 550) (144 Q = 520). I would study over the summer (look at books by Princeton Review, Kaplan, etc) and retake the test. You can get higher results with more preparation.

I think it depends on you. If you think you prepared your best for the quant and 650 was where you immagined yourself scoring, you should keep your scores. Keep in mind, your verbal and writing are impressive (way higher than mine). However, I do feel like most programs focus on the quant. It sounds like you're on track to being an elite candidate. You could take the time and focus on your SoP...you could split the difference and study a bit more for quant and crack the 75th percentile...you could do a number of other things. The scores won't disqualify you, but if you think you could get the quant higher, it's really easy to do (and it's early in the application season). You'll have to think about it and make a choice.

To SwedeinKorea - You have time. The quant section rewards hard work in preparation. Everything on it can be mastered.

Somerville is a pretty cost-saving place to rent near Cambridge. That's probably where I'll look.

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Char, I wouldn't waste your time retaking the GRE unless you are sure you'll crush it a second time. Make that SOP compelling to read and you'll be fine. Maybe apply to a few more competitive programs - you might be selling yourself short. Advocate for yourself throughout the application process and highlight concrete results and achievements you generated while in the corps. How does a degree in policy build or further develop your expertise? Do you have unanswered questions from your experience you'd like to explore? For each school, what do you uniquely contribute to the community? Just some thoughts to consider.

Previous Schools (Name, type, or tier): Top 20 university Previous Degrees and GPAs: B.A. International Studies, Italian Studies 3.7 GRE Scores (Verbal/Quantitative/Analytical Writing): 590/730/4.0 Previous Work Experience (Years, Type): 4, teacher and school leader, TFA Math/Econ Background: Statistics (A) Micro and Macro (B, B-) Intended Field of Study in Grad School: Social and Urban Policy Long Term Professional Goals: Found group in New Orleans advocating for policy solutions to youth in the criminal justice system Schools Applied to & Results: Accepted- HKS, Michigan (full tuition), Chicago (10k), Duke (22k), Syracuse (26k), NYU (22k), CMU - DC (24k) Ultimate Decision & Why: HKS. I tried hard to shoot down HKS without funding given the generous funding i reveived from most other programs. In the end, I want to learn from the considerable depth of the K school peer community and take the experience with me for the rest of my life. I also visited Michigan and didn't believe it was a fit. Advice for Future Applicants: Focus on a compelling narrative. As you can see, my scores are nothing to call home about, but I knew exactly the kind of expertise I could bring to the table. My statement made a pretty direct link between my experiences and the assets I would bring to a policy program. If your statement doesn't come off like you passionately care, why should admissions passionately care? Spend time perfecting this.

Michigan (full tuition) or Harvard (no money)? I want to PMF with a social services agency / Department post-grad, then move back to New Orleans a few years later.

To anyone still deliberating, I found this new message on the bottom of the financial aid page interesting: Changes to the Income Based Repayment Plan (IBR) Due to a recent executive order, changes have been made to the Income Based Repayment Plan (IBR). For loan borrowers who have no outstanding loans borrowed prior to July 1, 2008 and who borrow a new loan in the 2012/13 academic year and after, the formula for calculating required monthly payments is changing to 10% of the amount a borrower's Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) exceeds 150% of the federal poverty level. For borrowers with currently outstanding loans borrowed prior to July 1, 2008, the IBR plan retains the previous repayment amount of 15% of the amount a borrower's AGI exceeds 150% of the federal poverty level. This means that a singler borrower earning 60000 would pay back $376/month. After 120 payments, you would be clear of debt. This is hurting my brain.

I'm getting in late Friday night and will spend Saturday and Sunday in Ann Arbor! I'm excited.

To those trying to weigh the value of the HKS MPP without money, a friend of mine who is currently pursuing a Master of Education degree at the HGSE had these words for me that might be valuable to others: "I applied to a number of MPP programs but in the end decided to pursue a one year degree at the Ed school here mainly for financial reasons. Honestly, it's going to be an experience that can't be passed up at both schools. Harvard is a brand and the Kennedy school has made quite the name for itself. However, I think there's been so much steam blown up around HKS that, some overlook the pitfalls in the culture at the school and the kind of people that are there. I'd like to put you in touch with friends there who can speak more about this and give you a better idea of the pros and cons. However, I would also suggest taking a step back and making some very practical decisions. I'm vying for many of the same employment ops as graduates from HKS. If you go into public service or non-profits, you're looking to make an average of 75K + after graduation - in this economy that's alright. I know some HKS grads, however, who are going corporate after and looking something closer to the 85k+. But, that's also with an ass-load of debt. You can get as strong of an education at Mich with NO debt and still get to similar job markets post-graduation. It's a touch decision to make, but I would also push you to think about what the outcomes of going to each school are. What will life beyond Mich or beyond HKS look like? "

I just talked to a HKS alum this weekend and really tried to put the spin on me to take the debt plunge. I have full tuition from Ford and nothing for HKS. I can use an Americorps grant, but that's a drop in the bucket. There's part of my gut that says the experience everyone I know talks about is something I would regret passing up for the rest of my life. It's just a gut feeling. I'm wondering if anyone else is grappling with the tough choice as well....

No $ at Kennedy. I think this will be my home.

No $. Ford, here I come

Got funding for a "half-time tuition assistantship" + a Teach for America fellowship, which comes to 1/2 tuition. Will be declining it, so that should go back in the pot for everyone. Good luck guys!

Hi rwest. I did not apply to Berkeley or Gtown. I got solid funding from Duke, but the free ride from a reputable MPP program like Ford's makes this a no-brainer for me. My only curveball is that I haven't heard back from HKS about funding (Friday is the day). If it becomes clear on Friday that HKS is unaffordable, my choice will be Ford and I will look to make the trip up to Ann Arbor for the Saturday of its open house.

Anxious to hear about aid on Friday! So, from previous years it looks like HKS will send an email out asking us to check our SPARKS account, where our aid will be listed? Can someone with more of an understanding walk me through the logistics of checking for an award?

$21K per year I will be declining it so that can go back in the pot for everyone. Good luck to all.

First, congratulations! I'm weighing a similar offer from Michigan as well and it is a very exciting one to receive. Michigan is home to the National Poverty Center and houses many researchers who study urban and educational policy. Just look at their Faculty Directory and sort by interest. http://fordschool.umich.edu/faculty/ While rankings are imperfect, Ford is tied with Harvard's Kennedy School for the top program in Social Policy. I think opportunities to research at the National Poverty Center and a high concentration of faculty who work in social policy, poverty, and education speak to its strong reputation. This is the first time I am hearing Harris would have an advantage over Ford regarding urban policy. I think both are fine schools with strong track records. Again, congratulations and good luck with your decision.

Congratulations Method. That's a tremendously impressive stipend.

Wow. Full tuition + fees. I am floored. It's between Michigan and Harvard (waiting on $). I'm rooting for everyone on this forum (you all have helped me a lot throughout this process). I hope everyone gets similar news!

Congrats, everyone!

Yes. Thank you for sharing that with us.

So this may be too premature to discuss, with aid and funding decisions still outstanding, but I'd like to start the cost vs. degree value conversation a bit early. Beyond the very practical expertise in policy analysis a student can develop at HKS, it seems to me the MPP from Harvard could be transferable across a number of disciplines and sectors throughout one's life. I imagine there is a "prestige" factor all admitees consider as they weigh other, more affordable options along side HKS. Is this the kind of degree / life opportunity worth taking its necessary debt? Or, is HKS out of its mind thinking unsuspecting professionals and young people will shell out the $ for a degree with a strong brand name and less generous funding than comparable programs? I'd love to hear a few personal anecdotes, whether they are personal, from friends, or culled from last year's blog posts that I'm too lazy to mine. I'm sure I'm not the only with this question weighing on them. Right?

In at Ford too. I am convinced it is either very easy to get into policy programs, or everyone on this forum represents the most high-strung, impressive, on-steroids applicants for degree programs for the 2012 school year. I'm rooting for the latter.