Harvard Kennedy MPP 2020

[GradSchoolGrad]

6 minutes ago, Grad-2020 said:

Accepted off the WL today.  Don't know about Aid.  Undergrad Ivy class of 20.  Experience limited to 2 State Dept internships during undergrad.

wow... that was next to unheard of prior to this application cycle... (as in straight from undergrad going to HKS). 

[Boolakanaka]

On 4/30/2020 at 6:28 AM, Mppirgradschool said:

You're definitely not alone in this decision (the correct one), as many of you have rejected offers from stingy programs in favor of those with funding. This is exemplified by HKS having to create a second waitlist due to low yield rates. As you mention, the likely recession and possibility of online classes makes the choice that much easier.

Yup. Harvard has over marketed itself, and thus programs like HKS are now going to be in an acute financial situation for at least the next 2-3 years. The programs that are more nimble and have existing resources will now claim those pieces in which HKS was dominant. Make no mistake about it, HKS is sort of already heavily leveraged, and it’s not like we are talking about a grad operation with well a balanced and deep endowment, e.g. for instance like Yale Law School , many do not realize YLS has a distinct  endowment that supports under 700 students in a school year, the amount of this endowment, over a billion , yes, over a billion supporting just 650 students or so....sheeeesh!

[Mppirgradschool]

10 minutes ago, GradSchoolGrad said:

wow... that was next to unheard of prior to this application cycle... (as in straight from undergrad going to HKS). 

I think policy schools are beginning to resemble law schools, in that GPA and GRE are quickly becoming the most important factors.

It's a shame, as classes benefit from the diverse perspectives individuals bring from the workplace and from leading in ambiguous situations/environments. You only really start getting that with ~3 years of experience.

[GradSchoolGrad]

Just now, Mppirgradschool said:

I think policy schools are beginning to resemble law schools, in that GPA and GRE are quickly becoming the most important factors.

It's a shame, as classes benefit from the diverse perspectives individuals bring from the workplace and from leading in ambiguous situations/environments. You only really start getting that with ~3 years of experience.

I definitely think there is a race to the bottom of getting more straight from undergrads across the board. From a business side that is smart because you are increasing demand and thereby expanding the market.

However, from an education quality side, in my opinion it is watering down the education experience of policy schools. Don't get me wrong, some of my favorite people from grad school are straight from undergrads and they definitely actually perform better on average academically from what I have seen. 

However, their population forces the career services and other resources are catering experiences, resources, and etc. towards the lower end of the job market (entry level) rather than the higher ends.

It used to be that HKS wasn't going to the straight from undergrad pool except for exceptional circumstances (i.e. prodigies with start ups / non-profits in college, certain special Federal fellowships/scholarship that support special government sponsored development programs). 

 

 

[Grad-2020]

30 minutes ago, GradSchoolGrad said:

wow... that was next to unheard of prior to this application cycle... (as in straight from undergrad going to HKS). 

Concur.  However, my understanding is that HKS accepts a great deal of foreign students.  None of them are coming to town.  Embassies and Consulates are closed.  And when they do finally open it won't be to issue any type of VISAS.  COVID-19 caused financial problems all around and that took yet another chunk of qualified students.  So, in this new world we are living in, the inexperienced 21 years olds of the Class of 2020 are going to invade Cambridge.

[GradSchoolGrad]

Interesting read here about HKS that I stumbled upon.

Haven't given it much thought to coherently respond... but thought it was interesting.

https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2017/01/22/harvard-kennedy-school-america/2/

[Spiderman]

Is anyone here a lawyer? I have some questions I'd like to ask.

What are the chances of getting in with a legal background in the federal public service?

[Boolakanaka]

On 6/1/2020 at 3:50 PM, Spiderman said:

Is anyone here a lawyer? I have some questions I'd like to ask.

What are the chances of getting in with a legal background in the federal public service?

You can pm me.

[iessat]

Hello everyone. Did those of you on the waitlist recently receive an email from Matt, asking whether you wanted to remain on the waiting list? If so where are you from and what did you decide to do?

[WhoaThereWombat]

On 6/15/2020 at 2:50 PM, iessat said:

Hello everyone. Did those of you on the waitlist recently receive an email from Matt, asking whether you wanted to remain on the waiting list? If so where are you from and what did you decide to do?

Yup. I asked to be taken off the waitlist. I’m from CA and will be doing an MPP at USC with a full tuition scholarship, so it was pretty much a no brainer at this point. 

[sal_ali]

Hey guys, I am trying to start my MPP at HKS in 2021 but have been deferred to 2022. If someone is interested in swapping places for 2021 with me. Please shoot me an email at: salman9299@gmail.com