Ed_Doc

Hi all! I’m a double HGSE alumnus (masters mid 2000s and doctorate mid 2010s), and just wanted to wish everyone luck! I am a professor at a large state university now, but I very vividly remember checking these boards once upon an application season. I also wanted to encourage you all to diversify your application portfolio as much as possible. I obviously think HGSE is amazing, and I enjoyed my time as a student and adjunct there...but it’s not for everyone. The pace is fast and the pressure can be quite intense! You’ll find the right fit somewhere. Good luck!

I'm just curious, but why is there a critical consensus that decisions will go out today? (I don't have any insight as to if they will or not...but I can't seem to identify why people are so certain it's today...)

The size and selectivity of admissions varies by program. Some of the larger (L&T or TIE for example) have upwards of 40+, whereas the administration and leadership based programs have tended to be smaller in years past. Similarly, some programs (especially those that are more narrow in their focus) have historically had lower acceptance rates. It's very difficult to make comparisons across EdM programs for this reason.

I see a lot of advice here about gathering "research experience", but I question the efficacy of doing so if you are pursuing a Masters in Higher Education, especially given your geographic restrictions. The three big questions to address in your SOP are: 1) How do your strenghts line up with those of the program to which you are applying? (Be explicit! Mention possible advisors by name...do your homework!) 2) How will your experiences contribute to the learning community? (Again, be explicit!) 3) How will you use your degree in, say, five to ten years? (If it's mostly administrative, then research experience won't really be applicable.) Be safe, and good luck!

Good luck, everyone. Don't forget to be clear in your SOP about which faculty member's you'd like to work with and why!

Time to completion is definitely a big bonus, if you take the full-time-route. I'd say apply, at least, and see what FA package they offer!

"Fit" is the order of the day, I agree. It sounds like you're a strong candidate, overall, and I'm sure you'll have no problem finding a department that will help you develop methodological skills and explore your areas of interest!

At what level, Masters or Doctorate? At some schools, the difference is quite pronounced. Are you interested in learning more about the topic in general, and how to apply the concepts...or are you more interested in doing independent research in that field?

I can't speak for Columbia or Stanford, but the EdD at Harvard is a pure research degree. I only mention this because I know that Stanford and Columbia offer PhDs in education that are more research focused. That being said, what is your goal post-doctorate? Are you looking for more of a leadership and management based degree? Though the average years worked for this year's HGSE EdD cohort is 5.0, there is a wide range: http://www.gse.harvard.edu/admissions/live/class_profile.html Your GRE pre-test scores also seem to fall into the range. Good luck!

My two copper pieces: Apply to Harvard's TIE program. I, too, was income-restricted, and found that Harvard offers fairly substantial need-based aid. It sounds like your background and past academic performance might also qualify you for other grants, scholarships, and/or fellowships. In addition, you can always apply as a part-time student (a rare, but not unheard-of option) and work full time in the Boston area, which would allow you to basically "pay as you go" while you work for two years and complete the program. Prioritize finding a program that is the best fit, then find ways to make it work. I "lived like a student" for the 9 months it took to complete the EdM full time (lots of Ramen noodles!), which, along with need and merit-based aid, helped to cut costs drastically. Good luck!

It is very difficult to predict admissions for TIE (a program of which I'm an alumnus), as well as all of the other EdM programs at HGSE. The application process is highly qualitative, with emphasis on developing a strong cohort comprised of people with complementary talents. That being said, I can offer some feedback: 1) Your GRE scores are way over the "average" admitted EdM from the past few years' cohorts, so I wouldn't worry about those. (see here: http://www.gse.harvard.edu/admissions/live/class_profile.html ) 2) Don't sweat the gap in your resume. They are not uncommon in these turbulent economic times. You're not applying for a job, you're applying to be a member of a learning community. Instead, focus your Statement of Purpose (SOP) on the things you're passionate about. 3) Be sure to identify the professors in the TIE program that might best fit your learning needs, and mention them, and their work, directly in your SOP. Best of luck!

I'm a little sensitive about the PhD/EdD debate, since I'm a student at HGSE, where the EdD was founded as a research degree on par with PhDs from other schools. The Department of Education and National Science Foundation consider the EdD to be a terminal degree on par with the PhD, in general (i.e. you can apply for grants from those institutions with an EdD). That being said, the quality and focus of EdDs vary wildly from school to school (much to my dismay, I should add). If your goal is to run a start-up that competes for grant money, then an EdD is a valid choice. Good luck!

The Ed.L.D. program (HGSE's equivalent to the Ed.D. elsewhere) does not require much or even any research experience. It's a practitioner's degree. (The Ed.D. is the research degree at HGSE.) Your work experience falls below that of last year's EdLD range (and the year before, if I remember correctly), however: http://www.gse.harvard.edu/admissions/live/class_profile.html That might be a deal-breaker for the HGSE program. I don't know about other schools.

Err...yes. You could also ignore my first hand observations and follow this advice...

Eric, Hi! I'm a TIE alumnus and current EdD student at HGSE. Your interests are a little loosely defined here, but it sounds like you'd mesh very well with the TIE program. Joe Blatt (the department head) is still directly connected to the education (and non-education) media community, and many of the faculty members consult with broadcast and media producers. Good luck with your applications!

The catch here is, of course, that you can't apply to the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) and state that you want to work with Professor Mazur in your statement of purpose, because he's not on the faculty of that particular graduate school. To do so, you'd have to apply directly to the physics PhD program at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS). As a current HGSE EdD student whose research focuses on cognitive science and science education (I likely work with both of the professors you alluded to), I can say that HGSE has a great need for more science education faculty. However, the school itself is trending more towards Economists, Quantitative Methodologists, and Policy Analysts.

I tend to agree. Your degree choice should be a function of your friend's career goals. Research and large-scale leadership roles generally require a Doctorate (unless you're the Secretary of Education, apparently...). I know it's splitting hairs, but I would like to point out that not all EdD programs are "sub-research". HGSE's EdD is a Tier 1 research degree, for example.

The $62k cost of attendance includes *estimated* costs for lodging, food, and recreation, no? I am a HGSE EdM alumn (07) and finishing my second year of the EdD program there, and it's my opinion that the cost-of-living estimates they give are quite conservative. You can find housing and control your food and recreations budgets in such a way to cut it drastically. I did much the same my EdM year...I lived in a small shared apartment in Alston, just over the river, and I can't tell you how many nights I ate ramen noodles and/or hot dogs for dinner. It was all worth it, in the end, as I didn't have to take out any extra loans. The admissions Dean will tell you early and often: live like a student. As long as Harvard's package covers tuition and fees, I would be inclined to say "tighten your belt and go for it."

Great idea for a thread! Practically all GSEs have a stated mission of addressing the research/practice or research/policy action gaps. To the best of my knowledge, none (including my own alma mater: HGSE) do it exceptionally well. PM me if you'd like a more directed critique. That being said, the gap between academic research and practice exists in virtually every field. For example, highly technical actuarial theories and models hardly ever have a direct effect on the day-to-day financial dealings of most companies because they're too specific and complex to use on the fly. In short-we aren't alone in this problem.

For the last two years HGSE's acceptance rate for the EdD program has been around 7%. The EdLD program was probably closer to 1% (this year is the inaugural year). Admissions rates vary by program for the EdM, but my guess is they generally fall between 25 and 40%.

The Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) currently (1) offers FULL funding through five years for EdD candidates. The 1,3,5 numbers you saw were for a specific fellowship, most likely. All students accepted for HGSE EdD candidacy have their full tuition, fees, and medical costs covered for years 1-5. In addition, they are given a stipend the first year to help aid the transition. A similar benefit package exists for the Ed.L.D. (3 year professional doctorate) program, but they get the stipend all 3 years, because they are generally unable to be employed as Teaching Fellows or Graduate Researchers due to time constraints. Hope this helps, Tut (1) The funding package changes from year to year, so this may not always be the case for every incoming cohort.

Doesn't the PSP degree lead to a type of certification that the HDP does not?

You hit the nail on the head. The PSP program is counseling and practice based, whereas the HDP program is more grounded in theory and research (though there are overlaps between the two).

From my understanding, HGSE accepted *very* few students on a "year in advance" basis, anyway. Why is early admissions a critical point for you?

I'd start by looking at the work of Richard (Dick) Murnane: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Murnane (list of publications at the bottom)