RCtheSS

Well, I got into UCLA's MPP program last night... but I'm still waiting to hear back from the MSW, just like y'all. The MPP program gave me a small fellowship, and I doubt the MSW program will offer enough aid to justify the cost of moving to and living in LA.

Thanks! And yeah, same here. I'm meeting with my supervisor later this afternoon to go over a data project, but instead I keep on refreshing my damn email inbox. This entire process has consumed too much of my time over the last six months.

Nope. I check my app status every few days, but at this rate I'm holding out for an early March decision announcement.

For now, cost/financial aid is my number one deciding factor. I hope to visit every university that I can since I have never been to the locations I've applied to, so local environment and campus vibe will also play a role in making my decision.

I applied January 4. I'm not sure how they're going through this review and notification process at this point. Trickling out admissions decisions like this makes me so anxious.

The schools may send you confirmation via email once they've received your FAFSA application. From there, the schools will determine your eligibility for aid internally and will follow up with you directly about financial aid information. After you completed the FAFSA it should have told you whether you were eligible for some federal grants or (un)subsidized loans; the universities should also include this information (again, if you are eligible) when they follow up with you.

I applied and am still waiting to hear back. I saw that two acceptances with funding were logged into the Results Search in the last few days, so I've been refreshing my email like crazy ever since.

Just saw this one, made me chuckle a bit.

Congrats and welcome! My coworkers confirmed that Hyde Park is the place to live for graduate students. Here is a site with the available on-campus housing options: http://rp.uchicago.edu/graduate_housing/property_comparisons.shtml Some of the options are located super close to SSA.

Woohoo, go us!! I can't wait for March 1 to arrive!

Holy hell... so I get home from work, check my mailbox and see a letter from UT-Austin SSW! I open the letter with haste... and it's a generic letter confirming that they received my completed application, decisions go out 6-8 weeks after the deadline, yada yada. I'm sitting here wondering why they'd use snail mail to confirm something 1. I've known since January 15 and 2. I can check online. So for the hell of it, I decide to check my application status again--it's been what, 4 days since I last checked? And I see the words "Congratulations!" and "Admitted" in bold... I'm so confused. My demeanor just did a 180 completely and now I can't stop squealing!

Thanks for the tip, @kingslayer! Just texted in. ughhh another new results search post matching up with the program I mentioned earlier... both were acceptances with funding. The suspense!

Yay @Joy418!! Congrats! I'll be visiting SSA this upcoming weekend since I can't attend their official admitted students event.

What are your policy interests and career goals? Does your work experience align with those interests? From the information you provided, your biggest red flag may be your GPA--but many folks on this forum can attest to continuing their graduate education with sub-3.0 GPAs. I know this sub-forum can look somewhat daunting as applicants aim for top tier programs, but I'm sure you know that you don't need a Harvard Kennedy education to do what you want to do in public policy/administration. So long as your career goals are specific enough to explain to admissions' committees, and the programs you're researching are accredited, I don't think you're necessarily doomed!

That feel when you see the first decision of this app cycle from one of your programs posted on results search. "What's this, they were alerted via email? Time to refresh my inbox...and refresh...and refresh..."

Dang, they must have received a whole bunch of applications this cycle. I also applied to the UCLA MPP program so I wonder if I'll get a decision back from both at the same time.

I'm 95% sure I won't be hearing back from any programs today. Less time to whine, more time to wine? At least I got the FAFSA processed this week, and it looks like some programs have received it on their end as well.

I first received an email message from SSA admissions which said that the status of my application had changed. Be on the lookout for that, and best of luck!

You should have received at least one email from Michigan about setting up a U-M Friend account to create a log-in to use Wolverine Access. I'm going to PM you with the email instructions I received; I hope it helps you.

I have only applied to department and/or university fellowships which 1) I am clearly eligible for and 2) align with my research interests, regardless of whether I have been admitted. There were a couple diversity-oriented fellowships that I applied to because they were part of the initial application process. Since then, I've been invited to apply to fellowship opportunities by programs still reviewing my application and by programs that have already accepted me; however, the focus of the fellowships aren't directly related to my policy interests so I don't want to waste anyone's time by submitting an application just for a shot at additional funding.

Not yet! My application status reads, "AWAITING PROGRAM DECISION". I'm guessing we won't hear any news until early to mid March.

This is listed on their application instruction document: Application Deadlines: December 1, 2015 - Early Consideration Deadline (Students will receive an admission decision at the end of February) January 4, 2016 - Regular Consideration Deadline (Students will receive an admission decision at the end of March) I applied by the January deadline so I expect a longer wait, but hopefully you'll receive some news in the next 2-3 weeks!

Whoa, mid-late March? Didn't expect that kind of delay... oh well. Thanks for sharing, @kamber!

Absolutely! Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions you'd like answered from some UChicago grads.