Harvard Kennedy MPP 2020

[mc/mpa_hopeful]

"We are fully engaged in finalizing decisions and setting up our systems and hope to inform applicants sometime next week"

[indianIRguy]

2 minutes ago, mc/mpa_hopeful said:

"We are fully engaged in finalizing decisions and setting up our systems and hope to inform applicants sometime next week"

thank you for the information....I feel so let down

[Stonecold07]

Damnn!!!

[indianIRguy]

I never understood how is it too much to ask for a timeline, some certain point in time, even if a month away...

[justaname]

6 minutes ago, indianIRguy said:

I never understood how is it too much to ask for a timeline, some certain point in time, even if a month away...

Harvard Law School does a rather good job by posting key dates of the application cycle. https://hls.harvard.edu/2020-vision-announcing-dates-for-the-upcoming-cycle/

Edited March 13, 2020 by justaname

[mc/mpa_hopeful]

While this is frustrating and annoying, I do think we have to cut the admissions office some slack. As probably most of everybody on this forum have seen in their own jobs, the COVID-19 epidemic has caused a lot of unexpected work for almost all organizations. I work at a consultancy and almost all our clients are experiencing different degrees of chaos right now.

[Anathema]

1 hour ago, indianIRguy said:

I'm waiting for you @Anathema !!! so you can't go silent after hinting at stuff like that...I'm dying to know what they said!

They said, "login credentials are changed for security reasons".

?

[Oba2020]

8 minutes ago, mc/mpa_hopeful said:

While this is frustrating and annoying, I do think we have to cut the admissions office some slack. As probably most of everybody on this forum have seen in their own jobs, the COVID-19 epidemic has caused a lot of unexpected work for almost all organizations. I work at a consultancy and almost all our clients are experiencing different degrees of chaos right now.

I agree with you. But at the same time I can't deny the frustration I'm feeling..

"Sometime next week", what does this even mean? early, mid, late? 

[polapp20]

3 minutes ago, Oba2020 said:

I agree with you. But at the same time I can't deny the frustration I'm feeling..

"Sometime next week", what does this even mean? early, mid, late? 

Same. All I’m looking for is some clarity. This is frustrating. 

[indianIRguy]

Well a week has just 5 days. If they need an entire week just in case, let them say Friday evening. I have absolutely no problem waiting. But it seems ridiculous to get stuck to this forum starting Monday morning and no end in sight...

[Scully&Pegasus]

Hey guys,

By now the entire Harvard system is moving online due to COVID-19 contingency and students are asked to leave dorms by Sunday. For the record HKS is working as a pivot to coordinate and navigate amid all these mess since this kind of pandemic is basically a duty of public healthcare and public administration to fulfill, which falls exactly into HKS’s work expertise. So we can imagine how crazily busy all the HKS offices could be at this point. Remember that Graduate Admission is only a part of their collective routine duty as they have to care for a way bigger picture at this near-catastrophic moment facing all human kind. 

So, please give them some time and allow all parties more cushion to multi-tasking and powering through this difficult era. This is not easy for EVERYBODY, I mean everybody, including the whole admissions committee at HKS and all other personnels and departments co-working with them.

And guys, for the record, what we want to be is future leaders in public administration/policy-making, that’s why we are here, that’s why we are all aiming to HKS. Stay in mental serenity when there is chaos, keep organized and functional when there is mayhem, remain calm and endurable when there is ordeal. We are incredibly powerful HKS applicants with mind of steel and heart of sunshine, we can deal with this ONE MORE WEEK all together. 

We are just gonna have more fun, chat, communications, and joys here. At the same time let’s stay indoor and contribute our part to preventing further spread-out of COVID-19 in the world. Beautiful things happen when you stay positive and open-minded. Like my dad cancelled my spring break flight to L.A. a couple of days ago, yet in ruins of my devastated hope for all amazing cuisines, cultures, sceneries, and entertainments in L.A., instead I found YOU, ALL OF YOU on this awesome forum while staying put in Boston. What a great alternative that totally beats an outdoor spring break! 

Edited March 13, 2020 by Pegasuslaunching

[ab1987]

So the delay is mostly due to Coronavirus-related issues. They want to make sure that all virtual information systems are firmly in place and it also seems that they are not finished with compilation of the results. So few more stressful days ahead. 

[spnfiim]

Do we also have common applicants of WWS? It seems that WWS has sent accepted, waitlisted and rejected emails by now. Any one of you heard back? Just confirming!!

[CoronaTime]

Hey folks, 

As we anxiously wait for until next week for decisions to roll out, can we talk about the potential recursions of this pandemic in terms of your graduate school plans? More specifically, is anyone seriously considering staying put (if that's an option) at their current job/profession for at least another year because of the Covid-19 scare? I'm a full time teacher and I can easily just come back to my school for another year and continue my work. I understand some of you may not have an alternative plan other than graduate school, but for me, I'm actually already very nervous about this pandemic. If the entire summer ends up getting disrupted I don't know if I will be mentally ready to start grad school in the fall, even if this pendemic subsides considerably by then. If the economy continues to fall at this rapid pace and millions of lives are either temporarily or permanently disrupted, I wonder if our commitments to grad school are going to look silly even before we start in the fall. What are y'all's thoughts on this? 

[thediesel]

Just now, CoronaTime said:

Hey folks, 

As we anxiously wait for until next week for decisions to roll out, can we talk about the potential recursions of this pandemic in terms of your graduate school plans? More specifically, is anyone seriously considering staying put (if that's an option) at their current job/profession for at least another year because of the Covid-19 scare? I'm a full time teacher and I can easily just come back to my school for another year and continue my work. I understand some of you may not have an alternative plan other than graduate school, but for me, I'm actually already very nervous about this pandemic. If the entire summer ends up getting disrupted I don't know if I will be mentally ready to start grad school in the fall, even if this pendemic subsides considerably by then. If the economy continues to fall at this rapid pace and millions of lives are either temporarily or permanently disrupted, I wonder if our commitments to grad school are going to look silly even before we start in the fall. What are y'all's thoughts on this? 

Yes, I am definitely considering it. I have a stable job at a university and may try to defer admission if things don't settle down by the fall. Every hour brings new updates, so I don't know when I'd make a decision.

[MPAdreams2020]

I know this seems counterintuitive but I felt somewhat relieved when I saw the blogpost this morning. A few days of not frantically checking emails lol. It must be really chaotic at the school right now. Wishing all of the HKS folks and you guys well during this wild time. I'm going to keep myself busy by working on a homeschool plan for my kids. Oy.

[2020666]

24 minutes ago, spnfiim said:

Do we also have common applicants of WWS? It seems that WWS has sent accepted, waitlisted and rejected emails by now. Any one of you heard back? Just confirming!!

Yes. I just received WWS rejection:)  Not surprised.

 

[polapp20]

Just now, CrouchingTigerHiddenDragon said:

Yes. I just received WWS rejection:)  Not surprised.

 

Same

[2020666]

Just now, polapp20 said:

Same

Pat pat. I become numb now.

[Stonecold07]

Received WWS rejection.

[spnfiim]

The silence on this group is killing me!! Soon, SIPA thread will overtake this one. Activities on this group assisted all of us to cope up with the wait-anxiety.. We still need this for a few more days!! 

[graduate2020]

I’ve been trying to distract myself with things instead of worrying about HKS too much, but it’s SO hard! I hope it’s out early next week! 

[CoronaTime]

1 hour ago, graduate2020 said:

I’ve been trying to distract myself with things instead of worrying about HKS too much, but it’s SO hard! I hope it’s out early next week! 

I hope so too, but I don't think it will come out until later in the week - I bet they are trying to buy as much as as possible and want to wait until they have more clarity on COVID-19. 

[Spunkydudette]

Yup, still in the same boat as all of you ... obviously... ?I just realized it is Sunday night and there is a chance of receiving news tomorrow -- so naturally decided to check the thread! Still here lurking around on gradcafe, happy to chat via DM about weighing options or just keep each other sane ?Don't have too much else to do as I work at a school, and all schools in my state have been cancelled for the forseeable future ?

[polapp20]

Haha bets on when they’re gonna release ?