HGSE 2020

[IngridandSnorri]

13 hours ago, JConan said:

Is there anyone who applied for part-time SSP who got accepted? Or because SSP won't be running again - did they just decide it would be hard to have stragglers around and therefore did not accept anyone part-time for SSP?

I got waitlisted for part- time SSP. Kind of bummed about it- I feel like I was so close!

[Dreamy]

3 hours ago, Jimmy54 said:

I can imagine since why bother accepting part timers and linger for 2 years as they will hear complaints from the students on ending the SSP. Rather have a clean slate so they can get more applicants for the new programs. It will be interesting how they will restructure. I would be cautious reapplying so quickly this fall until they get their act together regards to online and the new program. They could have just allowed "full time only" for SSP this year. I also think going full time will be better even if it's online with the right FA. Get it over with. I also do hope they can reduce the tuition by then.   

I suspect that for all the programs, they preferred full-timers over part-timers. This gives them a guaranteed tuition stream for 20/21, and it avoids the hassle of organizing online courses for part-timers lingering into 21/22. I bet they want to get this online year quickly out of the way, and get back to normal f2f teaching for 21/22 onward. But they did make a hard sell to get applicants for the online 20/21 degree, almost verging on desperation. In one of their webinars, they directly state that if you are working full-time, then pursue the degree part-time. But on one of their FAQ pages, they say choosing full-time or part-time is a personal decision. Lol. They have an almost 400-year brand on their side, that's what you are mostly paying (a lot) for.

Edited August 1, 2020 by Dreamy

[TheJourneyContinues]

10 hours ago, eternal1178 said:

Would you mind sharing your background?

Sure, but it might not be super helpful. I’ve been out of school for a LONG time. 

B.A., Psychology, minor in socio-cultural anthropology from UCLA. 3.1 gpa. 3.3 in major. Focus in college was adolescent developmental psych, did a lot of work with organizations related to juvenile justice. No GRE.
 

Taught / admin for 7 years, principal for 8, just finished year 1 of founding a new school. Several leadership fellowships somewhere in there. 
 

My SOP spoke about my journey through education and some very specific challenges I’m still grappling with that line up very closely to the work of several faculty members. Their research led me to apply in the first place. I didn’t apply anywhere else and could only apply this year because of the online set up as full time and in person would never be an option for me. 
 

Hope that helps

 

 

[Silver12]

On 7/31/2020 at 5:04 PM, taylored said:

@Silver12 Would you mind sharing your stats? I got rejected from AIE, and I'm just curious where I could improve for next year.

Hey -- I really think for me, it came down to fit. I have had two friends go through the AIE program, so I've seen exactly what it entails, and knew exactly how that program would apply to what I'm currently doing. I used most of my SOP to really articulate my need to be in this program at this time in my life, why AIE, and how I planned to take advantage of the entrepreneurial spirit of the program. My resume backed up everything that I had to say in my SOP, but I did not re-state anything on my resume in my SOP, if you catch my drift. 

My GRE was literally on the mark of what they consider "average" on their website, my GPA is below average, and I went to a no-name undergraduate program in the South. I applied for the part-time track and intend to continue to work in my current role for the duration of the program. I currently work in an executive role in the arts, have 3 years of full-time experience, and have a very long track record of extensive volunteer work specifically in my field and in the interests I outlined in my SOP. So essentially, what I think made me a successful applicant was: 1) 100% authenticity and self-awareness, acknowledging my mistakes, what I lack, and what I need to grow, 2) tremendous consistency in what I stated as my goals as backed up by my career and volunteer work, and 3) clearly articulating that I knew exactly how the program was going to assist me in getting to where I needed to be (and where that is!). I've applied to quite a few other master's programs in the past couple of years, but I often found myself trying to prove to the admissions committee why I was a good fit for their program: all of those attempts ended in rejection. I finally realized that I needed to be so much more honest (Veritas!!) about what I needed, what I lacked, and how I was aware of my deficiencies. That's what grad school is about: growth. 

I truly, truly believe that admissions at HGSE are holistic, and they are looking to admit individuals that need to be at HGSE, and not TC, Penn, or Stanford GSE. It's a super unique program, and using every single inch of your application to show why HGSE is the only logical place for you is key. 

 Best of luck to you, and honestly--if you end up at HGSE during a time in which you can actually live on/near campus, you are going to walk away with the better deal! I grew up in the shadow of Harvard, just a short drive away, and I have been searching for every excuse in the world to move back "home"! So sad that this won't be that moment for me. 

P.S. The 2021 master's redesign in still up in the air. I have seen many posts on here outlining that the 2021 admits wont have the same options as previous tracks, but from every conversation that I have had with HGSE faculty, there is absolutely no finalized plan to do away with the 12 tracks in the fall of 2021. The redesign might wait until 2022, only time will tell. So AIE just might be on the menu for another year, who knows. 

[Jimmy54]

16 hours ago, Silver12 said:

Hey -- I really think for me, it came down to fit. I have had two friends go through the AIE program, so I've seen exactly what it entails, and knew exactly how that program would apply to what I'm currently doing. I used most of my SOP to really articulate my need to be in this program at this time in my life, why AIE, and how I planned to take advantage of the entrepreneurial spirit of the program. My resume backed up everything that I had to say in my SOP, but I did not re-state anything on my resume in my SOP, if you catch my drift. 

My GRE was literally on the mark of what they consider "average" on their website, my GPA is below average, and I went to a no-name undergraduate program in the South. I applied for the part-time track and intend to continue to work in my current role for the duration of the program. I currently work in an executive role in the arts, have 3 years of full-time experience, and have a very long track record of extensive volunteer work specifically in my field and in the interests I outlined in my SOP. So essentially, what I think made me a successful applicant was: 1) 100% authenticity and self-awareness, acknowledging my mistakes, what I lack, and what I need to grow, 2) tremendous consistency in what I stated as my goals as backed up by my career and volunteer work, and 3) clearly articulating that I knew exactly how the program was going to assist me in getting to where I needed to be (and where that is!). I've applied to quite a few other master's programs in the past couple of years, but I often found myself trying to prove to the admissions committee why I was a good fit for their program: all of those attempts ended in rejection. I finally realized that I needed to be so much more honest (Veritas!!) about what I needed, what I lacked, and how I was aware of my deficiencies. That's what grad school is about: growth. 

I truly, truly believe that admissions at HGSE are holistic, and they are looking to admit individuals that need to be at HGSE, and not TC, Penn, or Stanford GSE. It's a super unique program, and using every single inch of your application to show why HGSE is the only logical place for you is key. 

 Best of luck to you, and honestly--if you end up at HGSE during a time in which you can actually live on/near campus, you are going to walk away with the better deal! I grew up in the shadow of Harvard, just a short drive away, and I have been searching for every excuse in the world to move back "home"! So sad that this won't be that moment for me. 

P.S. The 2021 master's redesign in still up in the air. I have seen many posts on here outlining that the 2021 admits wont have the same options as previous tracks, but from every conversation that I have had with HGSE faculty, there is absolutely no finalized plan to do away with the 12 tracks in the fall of 2021. The redesign might wait until 2022, only time will tell. So AIE just might be on the menu for another year, who knows. 

Thanks for this information. Hope you can enlighten us once you enroll. It will interesting on how they will make the next move.

[CherieC.]

On 7/31/2020 at 11:59 PM, Dreamy said:

Congrats! Would love to know about any stats/background

My story is definitely of an underdog. I graduated with a 2.7 GPA from a state school with a STEM background. I explained that as I was juggling my years of undergrad, I was also working 2 part time jobs to support my mom who's a single parent. 

I'm happy to breakdown my application:

No GREs. 

Work Experience: I've been out of school for 6 years. I've worked at a non-profit serving low-income students before getting noticed by and transitioned to Yale. My work experience is all in secondary and higher ed. I'm currently in a managerial position, and is the youngest one out of my team and the only one with a bachelors (everyone else on the leadership team has a double Masters or a PhD). I think it helped that I was already in a university setting since I was applying to the Higher Education Program (HEP), and with my promotion to Program Manager it made sense that the next step was to get a Masters to better serve students. 

Volunteering Experience: I volunteer extensively and it's all geared towards serving disadvantaged students in the higher ed space (which was my case for going to HGSE). My resume was carefully crafted to supplement my SoP. 

SoP: Authenticity really is the key here. I spoke about my story of growing up homeless, being the first in my family to go to college, and how it aligned with my goals at HGSE. My intentions for going to HGSE were carefully laid out, in addition to what made their HEP program so special. I did extensive research by speaking to HGSE alumni and dug deep into their website. 

LoRs: I asked people who worked with me on a daily basis for 4 years (with the exception of my current Executive Director who I've known for two years). This included someone I supervised, a colleague who saw me transition from my old job to my current one, my current ED. Make sure you ask people who TRULY know you and have worked with you closely who can attest to your strengths and faults. As someone who's also in admissions, besides your SoP, LoRs are the only other way we get to see other facets of the applicant so choose wisely.

I hope this helps! Happy to answer any questions. 

[Clay Woody]

I am just now finding this site & forum, but glad to find it. I was waitlisted for the higher ed concentration.

If anyone else here on the waitlist hears additional information, will you let the group know? I can't imagine they will need many from their waitlist to make their class.

Impressed by all the hard work represented by each applicant's effort on this thread!

Anyone on the denial or waitlist group looking at a Plan B? If so, what programs/schools?

[Clay Woody]

FYI - I was released from the waitlist today with no opportunity for admission this term - encouraged to watch the sight for an expedited application for next year's cohort.

[Dreamy]

10 hours ago, Clay Woody said:

FYI - I was released from the waitlist today with no opportunity for admission this term - encouraged to watch the sight for an expedited application for next year's cohort.

Thanks for update. Re: watching the site for expedited application, sounds like the standard line. At the very least, they want to keep making money off the application fee (and people's insecurities/hunger). $58k+ for tuition is seriously a lot of money. The course content is like at any other place (and you can read it yourself). But you get the name brand, though I'm not sure how much that helps in a field like education. Capitalism at its finest. 

[xyzxyz123]

Hello everyone!

I am sharing my stats with you guys. If you are alum of HGSE please offer me your thoughts if my stats may or may not help me gain acceptance to HGSE; if you are applicants as I am, let’s all pray for the best. 

Application Cycle: Fall 2021
 

Program applied: I applied for the Ed.M in Education Policy & Analysis (EPA) program ( I have heard that this program attracts many students with relatively low educational experiences including myself?)

Domestic/International: International

Undergrad: attended several colleges in the US. Freshman year: top 100 nationally ranked institution GPA: 3.412/4.0; Sophomore year: Top 60 2.839/4.0 (I know it is quite low and it was majorly because of a D that I received); summer session (1 class, 4.0/4.0); last two years at a Top 30 nationally ranked institution, junior year 3.78, senior year 3.5 (last two years combined is 3.65).
 

Grad: I’m a current master’s candidate at a top 10 nationally ranked university (Ivy League). Fall 2020 was my first semester - I took three courses, and 3.5/4.0 GPA.

Experience: two top-tier consulting internships, one banking internship, one technology internship. 

Education-related Volunteering: two teaching/mentoring experiences to students in high school and elementary school. I’m also on one of the committees of my university’s University Secretary for the year of 2020-2021.

Statement of Purpose: I believe it should be a competitive one as I have let several of my professors and HGSE alums read my sop and they said it was well-written. However, it is Harvard, so I believe there are many people who can write a good sop. I mentioned that I would like to become a policy consultant to address and solve problems in education, including education inequality. I also mentioned that my experiences (international, cross-cultural learning environment) and volunteering experiences have led me to be able to realize the importance of education, and there still are a lot of people waiting for the chance to be in classroom and learn. I also talked about my current master’s experience to address the question “how do you value a graduate program”, and I also stated that the graduate program with my prior internship experiences in consulting would be helpful for me to become a comprehensive consultant in the future.... lastly, I talked about the curriculum (interdisciplinary and sophisticated, four foundational courses), how Harvard at large can benefit me, and my general qualifications (perseverance, learning curiosity, and dedication to the improvement of education. 

Recommendations: none of my recommendations came from professors teach in the field of education nor in professional practices but some of my professional had industry experiences (non-education). They are business school professors all from my undergrad degree-granting institution, and the business school is ranked very top in the nation.

I am still kind of worried that my low gpa in the sophomore year as well as lack in professional experiences in education may be a concern for the admissions committee when they are reviewing my application. Would you guys mind giving your thoughts on my stats?

Thanks!

[xyzxyz123]

@PENNYLIUPPPPPi understand it’s a late reply but I think I should answer this question for other people to know although I’m also an applicant and I’m applying for Fall 2021 admissions. 4% should be either for the Ed.D. program or the Ed.L.D. program. Accordingly to Peterson.com and HGSE alums, HGSE has an acceptance rate of 50% or above (Peterson indicates that as 53% for Ed.M.). 4% should mostly never be a thing for master’s in education. If it was the case, it makes HGSE even much harder to get in than Harvard Business School and Harvard Law School?? but the 50% rate should be an overall acceptance rate, and the real one should be varied by different programs.

[xyzxyz123]

On 7/14/2020 at 2:09 PM, Oden said:

Ashley,

Your stats are fine. None of the items you mention will keep you from being admitted to HGSE.  That said, everyone being seriously considered by the HGSE will have great stats.  What really separates the candidates is a combination of volunteer/public service, great essays, and recommenders that cite examples of their experiences with you that align with experiences listed in your resume (Harvard loves verification of applicant’s claims through triangulated sources).  Also, it greatly matters how many are competing against you within your demographic  - if your demographic is a small group of applicants, that further increases your chances of being accepted.

Unfortunately, because this is a one-off admission cycle, there are no past stats on the number of applications vs the number admitted.  For instance, the regular winter application has about a 36% admission rate. My guess is that the number admitted this summer cycle will be significantly less, because the HGSE is using summer admission to replace those admitted last winter that are choosing not to attend online this fall, including existing part-time students that also will not return until onsite classes resume.

In any event, we’ll know in a few weeks!

Warm regards,

Oden

Hi Oden, 

i think most of the info you provided was accurate, except the admissions rate. The 36% admissions rate includes master’s as well as doctoral programs. For Ed.M. only, the admissions rate is 54%. This is a public record according to Peterson’s.

[pickmepickme]

On 2/2/2020 at 1:14 AM, Zoya95 said:

Hi, I had applied to EdM in School leadership and got this mail today. Did anyone else who has applied for Masters get an invite as well?

Dear ____,

The admissions committee has expressed interest in your application for graduate study at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. We would like to speak with you via video call to learn more about you and to get a better understanding of your communication skills.

Please signup for a session to speak with a representative from the Admissions Office. Please note that you will need your application login information. These sessions will be held between Wednesday, February 5, 2020 and Tuesday, February 11, 2020 and you should register for only one. The conversation will last approximately 10-15 minutes.

In preparation for the video call, please download software from Skype.com and set up an account, if you do not have one already. Skype-to-Skype calls are free and should not cost you anything. You will need to include your Skype username in your registration. The Admissions Office representative will contact you through Skype on the day and time for which you register.

In addition, you will need a headset (or built-in computer microphone and speakers) as well as a webcam for face-to-face conversation. Once you have enabled Skype, we strongly recommend that you test the process with another person.

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

HGSE Admissions

 

HI Zoya,

Hopefully, you could still get notification from this thread. 

I am applying to academic year 2023-2024 and I was also invited for the video call this month. 

Would you like to share your outcome of the application in 2020? 

Thank you and wish you good luck in your career:)