HKS MPP Admissions Stats

[bluberries]

No, Open Houses are designed by the respective schools to showcase what they have to offer, with the aim to increase the likelihood that admitted students will attend (i.e. to increase their yield). It's their last chance to "sell" the school, not a required event.

Thanks. That's what I thought too. probably similar to those they had in the fall and winter before the deadline. argh it's been a loooooong wait. so nervous!

[JBrodsky]

You're probably right about the 9th for open house then. I vaguely remember it being April something, and I thought I had heard 5th.

Good luck everyone! For those of you who applied for the Dubin fellowship, it seems like you may get to find out tomorrow whether you made it to the interviews according to the website http://content.ksg.h...=613&Itemid=162

Hmm, it says "after" the 17th. Wouldn't it be a bid odd for them to notify people before official acceptance from Harvard goes out? Then again, I've had that happen during a fellowship that I applied to, so I suppose it isn't unheard of.

Good luck to all.

[sliced cheesecake]

Why are you sliced cheesecake? I am trying to figure out your nickname’s relationship with your education and life aspirations… but I can’t. Please enlighten us.

hehehe. i like cheesecake. my aspiration is to be able to eat at least 100 different kinds of cheesecake by the time I am 100. =D

[IR Dude]

Man... come on. I checked this thread again because I thought you guys were announcing that Harvard got their results out.

[econister]

Man... come on. I checked this thread again because I thought you guys were announcing that Harvard got their results out.

Come on, IR Dude, I just checked this thread because I thought you were announcing that you got your results

[tds140]

Last year most HKS MPP decisions were sent March 22. Good luck!

[sliced cheesecake]

Come on, IR Dude, I just checked this thread because I thought you were announcing that you got your results

I am posting to announce that I am eating cheesecake right now, and it is delicious.

[berkeleybear06]

I am posting to announce that I am eating cheesecake right now, and it is delicious.

Is it at least green?? PS Where else did ya apply???

Edited March 17, 2010 by berkeleybear06

[aren]

Just got my email (10:28 am eastern). Waitlisted.

[Texas]

For those applicants who were admitted, care to enlighten us on what you think made you stand out?

[nycmpp]

For those applicants who were admitted, care to enlighten us on what you think made you stand out?

Hi Texas,

I'm not sure if it was any one thing. My stats: top ten liberal arts, GPA 3.9, GRE 800V/730Q. I'm in my fourth year of professional experience since college and have worked in a couple nonprofit settings (advocacy and policy analysis) as well as city government. I did the Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs, which was a great experience that let me pivot professionally and perhaps gave a leadership gloss to my application. Visited campus and classes prior to application and poured a lot of time and care into my essays.

[Eleanor Abernathy]

Hi all,

not to freak anyone out, but I got my decision about an hour ago...

anyone else?

[intelman3130]

Hi all,

not to freak anyone out, but I got my decision about an hour ago...

anyone else?

Just got my decision. Accepted! I think I got into probably due to the fact that I started a local nonprofit organization based upon some research I did concerning Latino political participation. I have OK GRE scores (610 V, 630 Q) and some government internships and involvement with school govt. But probably it was the nonprofit that got me in.

Edited March 18, 2010 by intelman3130

[Eleanor Abernathy]

Just got my decision. Accepted! I think I got into probably due to the fact that I started a local nonprofit organization based upon some research I did concerning Latino political participation. I have OK GRE scores (610 V, 630 Q) and some government internships and involvement with school govt. But probably it was the nonprofit that got me in.

Congrats! I got in as well, with ok scores (540V 760Q) but I am in international student (female) with military experience and some cool stories

Good luck to all!

[jndaven]

*tear* Waitlisted. I have bombed this year. Four schools and only Chicago Harris accepted me! Honestly the only one I really wanted to go to was KSG, so I didn't apply to enough schools. I guess I'll attend the Harris open house and then see if I want to go there or wait another year and try again...Waitlist seems impossible.

EDIT - I'll post in that other thread, but my stats were 680 on V and Q, 3.5 Econ GPA. Mediocre at best. Time to study

Edited March 18, 2010 by jndaven

[cally]

Harvard is known for giving out money to those that have financial need. They don't want to lose quality students because they can't afford it. As far as fellowships go, I think they have a fixed number. You had to apply for most of them, they were listed on their scholarships/financial aid website. The deadline is passed if you have not already done it.

You can't be serious. Harvard undergrad might be known for giving out money for those with financial need, but graduate programs have specific endowments with their own restrictions. It should be noted, however, that the allocation for HKS's expenses could be re-appropriated.

[ As a caveat, I work for a nonprofit in Boston that does a lot of public policy and advocacy work on behalf of the entire nonprofit sector. Half my board members went to the Kennedy School. My ED went to the Kennedy school. I've worked with Kennedy students through their city-fair summer internship programs, and I live about a half a mile from Harvard. The overwhelming consensus is that underfunding abounds: HKS doesn't really attempt to provide meaningful financial aid to those in need. This was the one reason I did not apply to Harvard (besides the fact that they did not waive their $100 app fee for entrants with below-poverty level wages). I also have other gripes for laying off over 300 employees after their endowment dropped by 30% (yet it's interesting how the globe and major news sources often failed to mention WHAT it dropped to... still hovering around $26billion), while the school also allowed this huge science-center construction project in Allston to be held in abeyance, thus leaving an unsightly hole in the ground because they "ran out of money." I only mention this because I often find myself defending this sector from negative imagery associated with what many would deem heedless decisions by opulent nonprofits that do not in any way bolster the common good. ]

The school doesn't try to hide this either... they make it very clear on their website: http://www.hks.harva...-aid-philosophy. Although, from my experience, I find most of this rather suspect. They claim they have a limited endowment. I've heard specifically for HKS, it is over $1billion. In contrast, how many public affairs programs have these resources? They claim their school is relatively nascent without "long histories." It was established in 1938.

Woody Woo values public service to the extent that they provide a full ride and stipend for anyone admitted. You would think the second-largest nonprofit in the world would do the same, and it's no wonder that such a large cohort (35% ... though down from over 40%) choose to enter the private sector upon graduation. I found it somewhat befuddling that the school spent more money on "supplies" than what I would argue is their most valuable resource... their students.

And I digress. Please keep in mind that I am in no way bashing HKS on its academic merit or ability to produce effective leaders. It left a sour taste in my mouth (based upon my own values), so I'll be attending a top 10 MPP program (with arguably a pittance of an endowment) that offered me significant financial aid.

But I will not deny HKS will open doors and provide unfettered opportunities to those that attend; the Harvard name is unmatched, and no one can argue that. I've worked with their office of career advancement, and those folks definitely know what they're doing. And there are (limited) fellowships available to top applicants... Suffice it to say, I've even met someone who received (almost) a full ride. Recent legislation has also made it easier to curtail debt over time for those entering and then choosing to work in the nonprofit/governmental sector for 10 years. So it is possible. But on the aggregate, I would not stand by the notion that Harvard "doesn't want to lose quality students because they [i'm assuming the students] can't afford it." Not so much. Admitted students will pay for the Harvard name, and if not, that's what waiting lists are for.

Nonetheless, congratulations to those accepted. It isn't an easy feat.

Edited March 19, 2010 by cally

[JBrodsky]

You can't be serious. Harvard undergrad might be known for giving out money for those with financial need, but graduate programs have specific endowments with their own restrictions. It should be noted, however, that the allocation for HKS's expenses could be re-appropriated.

[ As a caveat, I work for a nonprofit in Boston that does a lot of public policy and advocacy work on behalf of the entire nonprofit sector. Half my board members went to the Kennedy School. My ED went to the Kennedy school. I've worked with Kennedy students through their city-fair summer internship programs, and I live about a half a mile from Harvard. The overwhelming consensus is that underfunding abounds: HKS doesn't really attempt to provide meaningful financial aid to those in need. This was the one reason I did not apply to Harvard (besides the fact that they did not waive their $100 app fee for entrants with below-poverty level wages). I also have other gripes for laying off over 300 employees after their endowment dropped by 30% (yet it's interesting how the globe and major news sources often failed to mention WHAT it dropped to... still hovering around $26billion), while the school also allowed this huge science-center construction project in Allston to be held in abeyance, thus leaving an unsightly hole in the ground because they "ran out of money." I only mention this because I often find myself defending this sector from negative imagery associated with what many would deem heedless decisions by opulent nonprofits that do not in any way bolster the common good. ]

The school doesn't try to hide this either... they make it very clear on their website: http://www.hks.harva...-aid-philosophy. Although, from my experience, I find most of this rather suspect. They claim they have a limited endowment. I've heard specifically for HKS, it is over $1billion. In contrast, how many public affairs programs have these resources? They claim their school is relatively nascent without "long histories." It was established in 1938.

Woody Woo values public service to the extent that they provide a full ride and stipend for anyone admitted. You would think the second-largest nonprofit in the world would do the same, and it's no wonder that such a large cohort (35% ... though down from over 40%) choose to enter the private sector upon graduation. I found it somewhat befuddling that the school spent more money on "supplies" than what I would argue is their most valuable resource... their students.

And I digress. Please keep in mind that I am in no way bashing HKS on its academic merit or ability to produce effective leaders. It left a sour taste in my mouth (based upon my own values), so I'll be attending a top 10 MPP program (with arguably a pittance of an endowment) that offered me significant financial aid.

But I will not deny HKS will open doors and provide unfettered opportunities to those that attend; the Harvard name is unmatched, and no one can argue that. I've worked with their office of career advancement, and those folks definitely know what they're doing. And there are (limited) fellowships available to top applicants... Suffice it to say, I've even met someone who received (almost) a full ride. Recent legislation has also made it easier to curtail debt over time for those entering and then choosing to work in the nonprofit/governmental sector for 10 years. So it is possible. But on the aggregate, I would not stand by the notion that Harvard "doesn't want to lose quality students because they [i'm assuming the students] can't afford it." Not so much. Admitted students will pay for the Harvard name, and if not, that's what waiting lists are for.

Nonetheless, congratulations to those accepted. It isn't an easy feat.

I feel what you're saying, but with all of the Presidential Scholarships and other named scholarships and fellowships that Harvard gives out, I bet that they give substantial aid to at least 50-60 people. It's a big program though, so the majority go unfunded. But the funded minority could well be close to that of Princeton in number. To look at the situation from the other side, there are probably some independently wealthy people (and a lot of people with outside fellowships or government/corporate sponsorship) who can afford to pay more and will still go into public service. So putting out a larger number of motivated and highly-trained people does seem to bode well for social impact, etc. The downside of Woody Woo, and one of the main reasons that its alumni aren't as well known as that of the Kennedy School, is that it puts out so much fewer of them. I'm totally a fan of Woody Woo, but it might be a matter of different strategies, different strokes.

That might be an overly-rosy picture in some ways, but it's worth thinking about.

[International_Relations]

Waitlisted at KSG MPA/ID.

Now the waters turn murky.

I feel what you're saying, but with all of the Presidential Scholarships and other named scholarships and fellowships that Harvard gives out, I bet that they give substantial aid to at least 50-60 people. It's a big program though, so the majority go unfunded. But the funded minority could well be close to that of Princeton in number. To look at the situation from the other side, there are probably some independently wealthy people (and a lot of people with outside fellowships or government/corporate sponsorship) who can afford to pay more and will still go into public service. So putting out a larger number of motivated and highly-trained people does seem to bode well for social impact, etc. The downside of Woody Woo, and one of the main reasons that its alumni aren't as well known as that of the Kennedy School, is that it puts out so much fewer of them. I'm totally a fan of Woody Woo, but it might be a matter of different strategies, different strokes.

That might be an overly-rosy picture in some ways, but it's worth thinking about.

[Minerva473]

You can't be serious. Harvard undergrad might be known for giving out money for those with financial need, but graduate programs have specific endowments with their own restrictions. It should be noted, however, that the allocation for HKS's expenses could be re-appropriated.

[ As a caveat, I work for a nonprofit in Boston that does a lot of public policy and advocacy work on behalf of the entire nonprofit sector. Half my board members went to the Kennedy School. My ED went to the Kennedy school. I've worked with Kennedy students through their city-fair summer internship programs, and I live about a half a mile from Harvard. The overwhelming consensus is that underfunding abounds: HKS doesn't really attempt to provide meaningful financial aid to those in need. This was the one reason I did not apply to Harvard (besides the fact that they did not waive their $100 app fee for entrants with below-poverty level wages). I also have other gripes for laying off over 300 employees after their endowment dropped by 30% (yet it's interesting how the globe and major news sources often failed to mention WHAT it dropped to... still hovering around $26billion), while the school also allowed this huge science-center construction project in Allston to be held in abeyance, thus leaving an unsightly hole in the ground because they "ran out of money." I only mention this because I often find myself defending this sector from negative imagery associated with what many would deem heedless decisions by opulent nonprofits that do not in any way bolster the common good. ]

The school doesn't try to hide this either... they make it very clear on their website: http://www.hks.harva...-aid-philosophy. Although, from my experience, I find most of this rather suspect. They claim they have a limited endowment. I've heard specifically for HKS, it is over $1billion. In contrast, how many public affairs programs have these resources? They claim their school is relatively nascent without "long histories." It was established in 1938.

Woody Woo values public service to the extent that they provide a full ride and stipend for anyone admitted. You would think the second-largest nonprofit in the world would do the same, and it's no wonder that such a large cohort (35% ... though down from over 40%) choose to enter the private sector upon graduation. I found it somewhat befuddling that the school spent more money on "supplies" than what I would argue is their most valuable resource... their students.

And I digress. Please keep in mind that I am in no way bashing HKS on its academic merit or ability to produce effective leaders. It left a sour taste in my mouth (based upon my own values), so I'll be attending a top 10 MPP program (with arguably a pittance of an endowment) that offered me significant financial aid.

But I will not deny HKS will open doors and provide unfettered opportunities to those that attend; the Harvard name is unmatched, and no one can argue that. I've worked with their office of career advancement, and those folks definitely know what they're doing. And there are (limited) fellowships available to top applicants... Suffice it to say, I've even met someone who received (almost) a full ride. Recent legislation has also made it easier to curtail debt over time for those entering and then choosing to work in the nonprofit/governmental sector for 10 years. So it is possible. But on the aggregate, I would not stand by the notion that Harvard "doesn't want to lose quality students because they [i'm assuming the students] can't afford it." Not so much. Admitted students will pay for the Harvard name, and if not, that's what waiting lists are for.

Nonetheless, congratulations to those accepted. It isn't an easy feat.

I agree with a lot of this and have a real problem with the cost of the HKS education. But I don't know that the comparison with Woody Woo is entirely fair. If someone gave HKS a ton of money restricted to fully funding all students, I'm sure they would do it too. I don't know that Woody Woo itself can really take the credit for the rules imposed by their donors.

[sliced cheesecake]

<br />Now back to the HKS topic… I think the MPA/ID decision will be out by Friday and the MPP will be out by next Monday. What do you guys say?<br /><br /> I am waiting for the MPA/ID email…  I also applied for the Dubin Fellowship, the Reynolds Fellowship, and the Joint Japan/World Bank Scholarship. Do you know when those decisions will be out? Also, does anyone know how many students are chosen for each of those fellowships? <br /><br /><br />

<br /><br /><br />

I just received a notice from Reynolds saying that I was not selected, so the decisions should all be out (soon if not already).

[edpolicy2010]

Did anyone who was accepted to HKS' MPP program reapply after being previously rejected? I was rejected from HKS this year, and I'm trying to decide if reapplying is worth the hassle/pain/uncertainty. I called the admissions office to see if I could get a little advice, but they said they don't provide feedback on individual applications (of course).

To give you a little background: I also applied to WWS, GSPP, and GPPI, and was only admitted to GPPI (but with $$ - yay!). My stats are 740 V, 760 Q, 5 W, 3.89 GPA from UCLA, four years work experience in fundraising/communications for an education non-profit. In retrospect, I think I may have been lacking the leadership experience HKS is looking for.

Anyway, any advice you all can offer would be much appreciated!

[zourah]

Did anyone who was accepted to HKS' MPP program reapply after being previously rejected? I was rejected from HKS this year, and I'm trying to decide if reapplying is worth the hassle/pain/uncertainty. I called the admissions office to see if I could get a little advice, but they said they don't provide feedback on individual applications (of course).

To give you a little background: I also applied to WWS, GSPP, and GPPI, and was only admitted to GPPI (but with $$ - yay!). My stats are 740 V, 760 Q, 5 W, 3.89 GPA from UCLA, four years work experience in fundraising/communications for an education non-profit. In retrospect, I think I may have been lacking the leadership experience HKS is looking for.

Anyway, any advice you all can offer would be much appreciated!

I was rejected in 2007 and accepted in 2009. Your GRE scores are a good deal like mine and so from the rest of your information I don't really have any insight on what admissions did or didn't like. For me, that first application round was my first year out of undergrad, and looking back I realize I lacked both focus and practical experience. If you're heart-set on the K school, try again - they don't hold it against you. Otherwise, GPPI could be exactly right for you, and I can't really speak to that either. Anyway, reapplicants do get in, so that's a possibility if you want to consider it.

[sliced cheesecake]

<br />I was rejected in 2007 and accepted in 2009. Your GRE scores are a good deal like mine <a href=' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow'>(available here)</a>, and so from the rest of your information I don't really have any insight on what admissions did or didn't like. For me, that first application round was my first year out of undergrad, and looking back I realize I lacked both focus and practical experience. If you're heart-set on the K school, try again - they don't hold it against you. Otherwise, GPPI could be exactly right for you, and I can't really speak to that either. Anyway, reapplicants do get in, so that's a possibility if you want to consider it.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Yes, I know a few who have. As long as you can show improvement and continued dedication, that will improve your chances. Feel free to contact Alexandra Martinez or another admissions rep directly (not the generic email or number) after a few months to ask for feedback so you know better how to tailor your next application.

Edited April 1, 2010 by sliced cheesecake

[edpolicy2010]

Thanks, Zourah and Sliced Cheesecake, for the advice! Much appreciated.

[Bastille]

For the benefit of future applicants (and stats geeks), the admissions materials handed out on the visitation day indicated roughly 1770 applicants to the MPP, and an admit rate of precisely 20% (something like 350). The mid-career MPA had an admit rate of 50%. MPA-ID materials were not distributed (separate session).

HKS has an MPP class size of ~220. This indicates an expected yield of 220/350 = ~63%.

Of course, for your career, this is all fairly meaningless!