fes_alum

Yes, you will be required to submit a final transcript once you've graduated. The graduate school your applying to will need to confirm that a bachelor's degree was actually awarded. While I've never heard of a graduate school rescinding an offer of admission based on your performance in your final year, they will rescind their offer if you don't graduate. Also, if you've gone from receiving steady A's and B's in your sophmore and junior years to C's and D's in your final year, they may question your ability to complete advanced coursework...but like I said I have never heard of a graduate school rescinding an offer based on someone's final grades. I have, however, heard of graduate programs requesting transcripts after grades for fall term have been posted on a transcript before making an admission decision. I know "senioritis" can sometime affect someone's performance in their last semester of undergrad, but don't think it's is something that you can blow off either. It could bite you in butt in the future when applying for PhD programs, fellowships, internships, etc.

FYI- Went from a third-tier state school to a master's degree at Yale. Now, I'm off to Harvard. For me, it's not about prestige but which program is best suited for my long-term career goals.

I would recommend applying to a graduate program as a NON-DEGREE student. Once you have successfully completed 2-3 courses in your intended field, you should then apply for regular status. Many programs will admit you if you've demonstrated that you can handle graduate-level work. You should also speak with the admissions officer at the graduate school you're interested in attending--they will provide the best advice.

This year I only applied to two programs and knew that there was a possibility of not receiving a scholarship from either. So in some sense, my decision was already made when I applied...money would not factor into my decision. However having been admitted into both programs, I plan to turn down the offer of admission from my second choice school because they didn't offer a scholarship. I'm not sure if I would have accepted their offer anyway had they given me a scholarship. I just needed a program to fall-back on in case I didn't get into my first choice school this year.

Linden--letters/emails (re: public service fellowships) is just a hunch. Also, the reason I asked about checking messages at MYFINAID is because I had a message that was posted last Friday stating, "The scholarship you received is for the current academic term only... and so on." As of this morning, the message has been removed. I just hope it isn't some sort of sick joke on behalf of the financial aid office.

Another thing to consider about Yale is that traditional letter grades are not assigned at the graduate level (you receive a pass, high pass, or honors). This is done to prevent competition among student and to promote a environment of scholarly learning. Graduate students at Yale seem to be much more supportive of each other than at other schools. At my current school (or the one I just resigned from), there is no "graduate community" and the graduate students seem to be less supportive of each other, especially outside of their own labs/program. Personally, I think graduate school should be about sharing interests, learning from each others' experience, and fostering an environment conducive to learning. Yale's graduate program definitely achieves this ideal. As for New Haven, it may not be as nice as the Bay area but it definitely grows on you. Plus, you're only an hour and 40 minutes by train from Grand Central Station in New York, which allows for frequent day trips to the Big Apple very possible. Good luck making your decision!

My guess is that recipients of a public service fellowship will receive a personalized letter in the next couple of days. All others will have to log into the MYFINAID site to find out their status on Friday. I'm betting that information will be available after 7:00 pm on Thursday. Otherwise, the financial aid office is going to be bombarded with phone calls from admitted students on Friday morning asking them about the status of financial aid awards. By chance, has anyone logged into their MYFINAID account the last couple of days and checked their messages?

Hi Policy_Applicant, I received it via email this afternoon at 5:09 pm my time (Mountain). Hopefully you will get better news than I did! Best of luck!

Cah101--I've decided to turn down NYU Wagner because they didn't offer any funding. I'll be going to HKS instead (with or without funding). Best of luck with Wagner!

Good news for those who got waitlisted at NYU Wagner--I received my scholarship letter this afternoon via email. Wagner wasn't able to offer me a scholarship this year, so I will be turning them down. Looks like I will be accepting Harvard Kennedy School's offer even if I don't get a fellowship. If I am going to pay a 110K+ for an MPP/MPA degree, it may as well as be from Harvard. Good luck!

bbq555 - This is a point a disagree with here. Undoubtedly top tier schools are competitive, but they aren't looking to train a bunch of clones either. What's important in the application process is how well you can sell yourself. Ask yourself: "What do you bring to program that sets you apart from the rest and how is a particular program going to help you achieve your career goals?" This should be reflected in your statement of purpose/letter of intent. My recommendation would be to highlight those accomplishments that make you unique. For example, as president of your fraternity did you organize community charity events? If so, emphasize your role in that event and the benefits it had in the community. Schools including Harvard Kennedy School, NYU Wagner, etc. are looking for a diverse group of individuals and if you choose to apply to any of the school on your list, just be sure to let them know how you'll contribute to the overall diversity of their program.

Sorry to hear that it didn't work out for you. I had a friend in a similar situation who had a professor backing him for admission into a PhD program. My friend worked for the professor as a research tech for a couple of years, took classes at the U. while working, and was encouraged to apply to the PhD program. Even though he had the backing from the professor, he didn't meet the minimum GRE scores required for admission and was rejected from the program. He has since decided not to pursue a PhD.

Hi Firled: My question to you is, "why haven't you applied for a fellowship through the SSHRC in Canada?" As long as you received a previous degree from a Canadian University, you are eligible to apply for the SSHRC fellowship.

I don't think it's unethical to wait to hear back from one university despite accepting an offer from another. You paid the application fee so you have the right to find out if you meet their admission standards. Despite the potential of being given preference over another student, it doesn't really matter--that's why universities maintain waitlists. In the letter of acceptances I received, the only condition that was stipulated was that "you can only accept ONE offer of admission." I think the real dilemma would be if you accepted an offer from in-state university 'A' and later rescinded your acceptance because school 'B' gave you a better offer. At the PhD level, however, if you do accept an offer of admission from one school and decide to go somewhere else, you need to get that school to "release you' before you can accept another offer. If they don't, then you're pretty much committed to that school, or you'd have to wait a year before reapplying to graduate programs.

Just spoke with someone in admissions and she told me that their office will not be inputting information for fall 2009 admits into the system until next week sometime. Until then, you can't get financial aid information, netID's, etc. because as of yet, you don't exist.

Has anyone has received their official letter of acceptance yet. If so, was financial aid information included with your letter? Three years ago when I was admitted into the Kennedy School, financial aid information was included with your admission packet. Has this changed? Is financial aid information ONLY available online now?

For a master's program it's nearly impossible to get schools to "bid" against each other, especially if it's professional degree program. Master degree students are a dime-a-dozen and there are many talented students who would be willing to pay full-price for a degree from a top tier school. However, if it's a program that requires faculty sponsorship, you can always contact your sponsoring professor to let them know that you can't attend their school unless you get more money. Often times they have some authority or sway to get your financial aid package increased. The sponsoring professor for my master's program was able to get me an additional $10K. PhD programs on the other hand are quite different. If a professor wants you as his or her student, they can be very creative in finding you additional money. In addition to the standard tuition waiver and stipend, I was offered substantial scholarships by two different programs. I should also note that both PhD programs were in the sciences where there tends to be more funding available. However, as a couple of folks indicated in this forum, some school simply can't compete because of limited funding. Then you have to ask yourself, "if they can't afford to offer you more money, do they have the resources to support your research?" P.S. I should note that even with the substantial support I received, I've withdrawn from my PhD program and have opted to pursue another master's degree. While I anticipate receiving some fellowship support, I'm expecting to bear a significant portion of the program costs because it is a professional degree.

Hey there flyinglion- As a PhD student who had to decide between several programs and working with some very prestigious faculty, I know how hard it can be to let a school and professor know that you've chosen another program, especially when a professor often "has to go to bat" for you to get you admitted. However, all professors know that most students have applied to and are considering other offers. All they can do is hope that their college offers you the best package to attract you to their program. In many cases, universities/programs may "sweeten" the deal to get you to accept their offer. I had two programs in a "bidding war" to get me to accept their offers of admission and I ended up with a package unheard of in most PhD programs. That said, the best anyone can do is to let each professor know why you chose school 'A' over their program. It's important to upfront and honest. Most professors are understanding and in some instances, may still be willing to mentor you by serving on your committee. Best of luck!

Hi CanadianGirl, I can definitely relate to your dilemma. When choosing a PhD program, I was in the frame of mind that the school which could best support my research interests, had a great faculty, and was highly ranked in my field was the school of choice for me...despite its location. Now several months into my program I totally regret moving here and, as of two days ago, withdrew from the PhD program. Thankfully, I have been admitted into programs at Harvard and NYU so I can return to a city that is a lot more vibrant and culturally diverse than where I am currently living. My decision to drop-out of my program wasn't solely based on a desire to live in "vibrant and culturally diverse" cities though. Other things I considered were: social & professional networking opportunities; centers, programs, and resources that could support my research such as libraries; volunteer, internships, or part-time job opportunities in my field; and access to job markets after completion of my program. Where I currently live these resources and opportunities just don't exist. I don't know if I've given you any valuable advice/information, but I think it's important to think beyond the scope of what a particular school or program offers (i.e. faculty, money, etc.). It's also important to think about what DOESN'T exist at a particular school or in the community in which it exists. Best of luck making your decision!

Hey Linden, congrats on your acceptance! I didn't expect to hear a decision until the end of this week (I'm in too!). As for your question about whether or not HKS is worth the debt, I guess the answer depends on what you want to do with your Kennedy degree. If you're planning for a career in public service, the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 (or more specifically, the Loan Forgiveness for Public Service Employees) will cancel the remaining balance on your federal student loans after 10 years of public service. So borrowing the maximum amount of federal loans needed might be worth it. Just be advised that loans from private lenders do not qualify under this program unless they are guaranteed by the government. Fore more information about this program, check out: http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/attac ... arch18.pdf Again, congrats!

I called Wagner admissions yesterday, and they told me that financial aid letters will be sent out near the end of March.

Hey Fighter- I completed my undergrad at a state college and applied to several graduate programs including the MPP at Harvard. To my surprise, not only was admitted into Kennedy School but I was admitted into all the other graduate programs I applied to as well. In the end I choose to attend Yale for funding reasons (full tuition). Now, I've only applied to two programs (Harvard and NYU) and it's hard to say if I'll be admitted into the Kennedy School this time around. After talking with the admissions staff and faculty on the admissions committee at Yale, what I can tell you is that 'adcoms' are looking for depth and experience. I know some very talented students (4.0 GPA, 1500+ GRE scores) who were turned away from Yale because they lacked "depth." Professional schools at places like Yale and Harvard are looking to train "the leaders of tomorrow" and as such, weigh heavily on your accomplishments and experience. It is my personal opinion that "book smart" people often lack the basic social skills needed in public service or similar careers and this is often reflected in their C.V.'s or essays. The better the package you present to an admissions committee, the better your chances of getting into an Ivy professional school (different scenario for PhD programs). Good luck!

I think you're correct in saying that most internship application deadlines for internships have passed...at least for paid internships. If you're looking to get experience in D.C., you can always apply for the Washington Center summer internship program. They are accepting applications until April 3, 2009. Unfortunately, the cost of the postgraduate professional development program for the summer is around $6300. They may have some financial aid still available though. But if you're like many of us and need to make money for the fall semester, waiting tables probably isn't a bad decision, especially if you move to a resort town for the summer.

AUGH!!! My "source" who told me about a supposed "phone-a-thon" this week was apparently misinformed. She has no idea when if it's happening this week or not. My guess is that decisions won't be out anytime soon. Since HKS has sent out their decisions on a Friday in the past, I'm assuming they'll send them out on a Friday again this year. Just got to focus on what's important and accept that HKS will send out decisions when they've been made.

I don't expect to hear from HKS until next week (or the week after that if rejected). I've already been admitted into my "top choice school" anyway, so I don't know why I'm sweating this one. I guess I'm just curious to see if I will get admitted this time around and if HKS will actually offer me some $$.