50% at MAPSS Chicago

[purpleatheart1994]

Hello friends. I recently got an acceptance from UChicago's MAPSS program. I was wondering if getting 50% funding is a big deal or if its very common to receive? If the award is not very competitive to receive, I'm thinking I should wait it out and try again next year for better funding. I just graduated from a foreign Bachelors in Social Sciences and have a 3.5/4 CGPA and decent GRE score. I've done two research assistant jobs but not directly in anthropology. 

Also, can anyone share there experience at MAPSS? I've received such mixed responses. 

[slouching]

The MAPSS site offers information on financial aid packages:

"MAPSS offers merit-based tuition scholarships (partial and full) on a highly competitive basis at the time of admission.

97% of our incoming cohort received substantial merit aid, with most students receiving one-third or one-half tuition. Our most competitive candidates received two-thirds or full tuition packages.

Most incoming students also applied for additional funding, from their undergraduate colleges or their home countries."

Personally, I would not pay for a master's degree in my field or a related one--it just doesn't make sense financially--and so I applied to programs that offer full funding. Whether or not it makes sense for you to pay (at least in part) for MAPSS will depend on your own financial situation and your intended career path. But I would also suggest that you consider what you want to get out of a master's program, and whether or not that's possible with MAPSS. Consider the things that make the program stand out (the opportunities for interdisciplinary work, the one-year timeframe) and whether or not that will help you. 

[purpleatheart1994]

Thanks for responding! I suppose its a good idea to wait a year. I'm having a hard time finding terminal masters programs that provide decent funding. I'm American but I studied abroad and don't know about grad school dynamics here. Back at my undergrad school, I was always told that American citizens don't get funding for their masters in the United States.