2020 Results

[SketchesOfSpain]

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): Cal Berkeley MPP, UPenn MPA, NYU Wagner MPA, Michigan Ford MPP, UT MPA, Wisconsin La Follette MPA
Schools Admitted To:  All, with $$ from NYU and $ from UPenn
Schools Rejected From:  None
Still Waiting:  None
Undergraduate Institution: State school
Undergraduate GPA:   3.4 (3.8 in major)
Undergraduate Major:  Public Affairs
GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  159/164/5.0
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable):  5
Years of Work Experience:  4+
Describe Relevant Work Experience:  Work for a local government as a department head after starting in a low grade position
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc):  They're good, I have a passion for serving others with a background that let me interact with people across economic and racial spectrums and pretty clear vision for where I'm trying to go. I started early and read all the "About Us" sections on the school websites and larger university sites then tried to tie my application to themes or keywords. I've been told my writing sounds too much like a speech, so I guess watch for that.
Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc):  Great by average applicant standards, good by Gradcafe standards. I asked my City Manager, my HR Director and the VP of a regional economic development group. I knew the first two would write me good ones and I asked the last so I wouldn't look so insular.
Other: I had volunteering experience with a rising GPA as well that helped.

 

Having gone through the process last year gave me some good perspective and, as a former, I'll say this for the lurkers trying to gauge their chances. It's largely a crapshoot. Schools are looking for certain ranges of grades/scores/work experience sure but, there are so many variables from which reader gets your essays to funding available that you have no control over. I applied to Wisconsin because I truly believe in their mission and they gave lots of funding in the past, I got in with none. NYU apparently really loved my essays and background, you just don't know.

 

Also, don't get too wrapped up in Gradcafe, this is not a representative sample of your average applicant.

[bijinkei]

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): MPP
Schools Applied To:  University of Michigan, Georgetown, UCB, Mills, NYU (I didn't submit this one until early March)
Schools Admitted To:  University of Michigan ($), Georgetown ($), UCB
Schools Rejected From:  None yet
Still Waiting:  Mills, NYU (don't except to hear from NYU until much later)
Undergraduate Institution:  UCSD
Undergraduate GPA:   3.8
Undergraduate Major:  Management Science
GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  160 (73rd) / 158 (80th) / 3.0 (15th...oooooof)
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable):  8
Years of Work Experience:  6 (0 relevant -- I was a pastry cook and then I spent 1 year as an administrative analyst for a local company)
Describe Relevant Work Experience:  n/a
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc):  Strong. I worked with a writing coach on this because writing has never been my strong point. I honestly had no idea what to write and she asked me a lot of questions to point me in the right direction and help me organize my thoughts.
Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc):  Eh. I waived my right to read them, but I'm not sure they were particularly strong. I've spent the last 1.5 years re-taking courses at my local community college so I asked my professors from these classes and also a former pastry coworker. I sent them a document about why I wanted to go to graduate school and what I wanted to do with my career, but I'm not sure how much of that they included in their letters.
Other: I just wanted to share my results and experience to show that people who don't have any relevant experience can still have hope! I had many quantitative courses and high grades in undergrad so that along with my SOP probably helped my application quite a bit, since other aspects of my application were weak compared to many others here. I was hoping just to get accepted into one school and wasn't expecting to get into my top choice (UCB) at all, so I am extremely grateful and excited for that. If you have any questions or want to talk/connect, feel free to DM. Good luck and congrats to all current and future applicants!!

Edited March 12, 2020 by bijinkei

[sgr2020]

On 2/7/2020 at 11:12 AM, sgr2020 said:

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.):  MPP/MPA/MPAff/MA
Schools Applied To:  Brown Watson, Cornell CIPA, UT Austin LBJ, A&M Bush, Carnegie Heinz, Georgetown McCourt, Johns Hopkins SAIS
Schools Admitted To:  Brown ($), Cornell ($$$$), LBJ (In-State), Carnegie ($$), Bush ($$$$), Georgetown ($$)
Schools Rejected From:  SAIS (waitlisted)
Still Waiting: n/a
Undergraduate Institution:  Large flagship state university 
Undergraduate GPA: 3.8  
Undergraduate Major:  Political Science and Economics 
GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  157/168/4.5
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable):  n/a
Years of Work Experience:  3
Describe Relevant Work Experience: 3 years of research experience in international affairs/conflict, Dept. of Treasury internship, House campaign internship  
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc):  Strong, I had all of my statements reviewed by peers, mentors, and the university writing center.
Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc):  Strong, letters from an assistant secretary in the department I worked for, the professor I did research with, and the campaign manager I worked for. 
Other: Strong extra-curricular and volunteer work related to national affairs and human rights. Undergrad research developed strong quant skills (programming in R, STATA, and Python). 

Updated- I'm all done! Overall I did better than I thought I would, especially in terms of funding. The SAIS wait list was not surprising in the slightest as it was the only IA program I applied to and I really don't have much of a background in it. 

[ehallwyo]

 

On 2/26/2020 at 8:27 PM, ehallwyo said:

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): MPA
Schools Applied To:  Columbia (SIPA), American (SPA), George Washington (Trachtenberg), Cornell (CIPA)
Schools Admitted To:  American (40% of tuition covered, incl a part-time GAship), Cornell (73% of tuition covered), George Washington (26% of tuition covered), Columbia (no funding offered as  of now)
Schools Rejected From:  None
Undergraduate Institution:  Ivy
Undergraduate GPA:  3.66
Undergraduate Major:  Education Studies
GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  156/164/5
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable):  3.5
Years of Work Experience:  3.5
Describe Relevant Work Experience:  Two years in New Delhi doing large scale high-impact projects with an education-oriented foundation; currently at a state-run therapeutic/educational/residential program for teenage girls who have gotten into trouble with the law
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): I'm not sure how to assess this, but I felt confident about what I submitted. My essays were straightforward and discussed big-picture goals and ideals, how my prior experience has positioned me for success, and how an MPA will help me moving forward.
Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc):  Haven't read any of them, but I think strong. One from a prof that taught three of my undergrad classes (both lecture and seminar), one from the founder of the organization where I worked in Delhi, one from the superintendent of the residential program where I now work. They know me quite well.

Other: I loved the vibe of American best, but Cornell has offered me a better deal (not to mention a significantly lower cost of living). The flip side is, DC is DC. I am going to see if American is willing to increase their offer, given my offer from Cornell. I will be interested to see if either GW or Columbia come close in the funding department (my hopes aren't high for Columbia!). Big decisions ahead!

Updated to include new acceptances and a change in Cornell's funding offer! It's between American and Cornell for me. Does anyone have insights into their MPA programs that you think is worth considering? Cornell gave be a better aid offer, but the draw of DC is strong, and I am really attracted to American's program. Now that I have heard from all four programs, I am going to get in touch with the folks at American to see if I can negotiate for more aid.

 

Broadly, I am interested in social justice, human rights, and social policy. I am considering looking at juvenile justice reform as a potential focus, but I also have a lot of other different interest areas.

Edited March 13, 2020 by ehallwyo

[LazarusRises]

Updating with final decision and some funding info! Still waiting on Duke's financial offer, but I'm pretty set on Columbia at this point. Feeling extremely lucky right about now.

 

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): Duke Nicholas School Masters of Environmental Management, Columbia SIPA MPA, Berkeley MDP
Schools Admitted To:  Duke Nicholas, UC Berkeley, Columbia SIPA ($$)
Schools Rejected From:  None
Still Waiting:  None
Undergraduate Institution: UC Berkeley
Undergraduate GPA:   3.71
Undergraduate Major:  Environmental Policy
GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  160/168/6.0
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable):  4
Years of Work Experience:  4
Describe Relevant Work Experience:  Worked in nonprofit environmental conservation in college, AmeriCorps fellowship in local governance/energy efficiency policy after undergrad, currently working with a utility-scale solar & storage developer
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc):  I'm very passionate about my field & career, and I'm also an experienced writer (demonstrated in part by my verbal & AW GRE scores). I had several trusted friends and advisors read it over, including a couple of professional editors, and did several drafts to refine. I'm confident that it reads well and demonstrates my dedication to sustainable development & environmental stewardship.
Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc):  Current supervisor (Director-level), former supervisor at the same job who left (Executive-level), undergrad thesis advisor who is a Nobel laureate & author of the IPCC. All submitted their letters promptly and seemed very willing to write them. 
Other: Fulbright India 2016 semifinalist in Energy; discussed my desire to reapply for Fulbright after graduate school (or as part of the capstone project in the case of Columbia) in my essays. 

[jmc0902]

On 2/27/2020 at 10:28 PM, jmc0902 said:

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): MPP
Schools Applied To:  SAIS, ESIA
Schools Admitted To:  ESIA, SAIS
Schools Rejected From:  None
Still Waiting:  None
Undergraduate Institution:  University of Tampa
Undergraduate GPA:  3.14
Undergraduate Major:  Allied Health
GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  Not Required/Necessary
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable):  9
Years of Work Experience:  9
Describe Relevant Work Experience:  I have been in the Army a total of 15 years, six Enlisted and nine as an Officer. I have been an AD Civil Affairs Officer for the last four. I have three deployments to Africa as a CA Officer. I have been selected to become a Africa Foreign Area Officer which is why I am applying to Grad School
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): I think the path I have chosen in the military thus far has set me up to be a strong candidate based off of my experiences working in every level from tactical (Iraq/AFG) to strategic (USEMB Gabon).
Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc):  I used a current supervisor who is the BN Operations Officer and one from a person within the DAO who I worked with while deployed.

 

Updated for acceptance to SAIS MIPP.

[Kevin1990]

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): LSE (MSc. Regulation), King’s College London (International Political Economy MA), Georgetown (MFS), SAIS (Global Risk MA in Bologna), Sciences Po PSIA (Masters in International Energy), and Tufts Fletcher (Masters International Business (MIB) Schools Admitted To: LSE, KCL, Tufts ($$), and SAIS

Schools Rejected From:  Sciences Po PSIA, Georgetown Walsh School

Still Waiting:  None

Undergraduate Institution: Large Mid-Atlantic State University

Undergraduate GPA: 3.43

Undergraduate Major: History

GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  Did Not Take (need to at some point)

Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): 6 Years of

Work Experience: 6

Describe Relevant Work Experience:  Interned on Capitol Hill(both member office and a committee directly dealing with national security), also conducted research under a prominent scholar with a think tank as an undergrad, and outreach at a smaller think tank. After college, I worked on a Senate campaign, for a state party, and for a smaller public affairs firm in DC.

Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc.): Described how my interests combine political risk with interests in the energy industry and how it relates to emerging markets. Discussed how my previous experiences tied into this theme and how I wanted to work on energy issues and their impact in emerging market countries.

Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc.): Asked 2 of my LSE professors for a rec, and 2 previous supervisors whom I worked under.

Other: Previous master’s degree in international history from LSE

[x26558]

Schools Applied To:  John Glenn, Trachtenberg, Evans, CU Denver, Batten, CIPA, McCourt, Harris (and if I'd made the decision sooner, would have included HKS -_-)
Schools Admitted To:  Batten ($$), McCourt ($), CIPA ($$$$), Harris ($$$; submitted scholarship reconsideration for extra 10k)
Schools Rejected From:  Trachtenberg
Still Waiting: John Glenn, Evans, CU Denver (that weird extra writing requirement may prevent me from bothering to finish the application altogether)
Undergraduate Institution: "Public Ivy"
Undergraduate GPA: 3.3
Undergraduate Major:  U.S History w/Thesis
GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  155/163/4.5
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable):  8
Years of Work Experience:  7
Describe Relevant Work Experience:  Military officer, short deployment overseas, some time in an elite corporate sales position
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc):  Fairly strong across the board
Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc):  Very strong, all commanding officers with one being a general
 

Other: In a real quandary with my decision. Harris, CIPA, and Batten were my top three choices going in. Additionally, I'm not entirely clear of my career path which is admittedly a big reason I even decided to apply. Taking that into account, my calculus is as such: least amount of debt + school reputation for career flexibility/network strength + program flexibility, allowing for a potential pivot to PhD or augmented JD. Harris is costly even with some GI Bill and if they raise my overall scholarship to 30k (from 20k). The heavy quant curriculum/MPP designation makes me fearful of being pigeonholed into a number crunching analyst type of role-- which I DO NOT want. On the flip side, it is Chicago, so I almost feel that by name alone it might be foolish to turn down. The CIPA and Batten program reputations specifically is a little concerning just based on USNWR rankings, which are suspect to begin with. CIPA has been wonderful throughout the process, pride themselves on flexibility and additional opportunity, plus they really want me. I still worry about career opportunities from out in Ithaca. Batten probably offers the best experience, but its reputation is also not well established, and I think neither is UVA's outside the Mid-Atlantic. Bottom line, I'm leaning 1. CIPA 1a. Harris (pending more funding) 2. Batten... if you read this far, any thoughts?

[GradSchoolGrad]

6 hours ago, x26558 said:

Schools Applied To:  John Glenn, Trachtenberg, Evans, CU Denver, Batten, CIPA, McCourt, Harris (and if I'd made the decision sooner, would have included HKS -_-)
Schools Admitted To:  Batten ($$), McCourt ($), CIPA ($$$$), Harris ($$$; submitted scholarship reconsideration for extra 10k)
Schools Rejected From:  Trachtenberg
Still Waiting: John Glenn, Evans, CU Denver (that weird extra writing requirement may prevent me from bothering to finish the application altogether)
Undergraduate Institution: "Public Ivy"
Undergraduate GPA: 3.3
Undergraduate Major:  U.S History w/Thesis
GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  155/163/4.5
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable):  8
Years of Work Experience:  7
Describe Relevant Work Experience:  Military officer, short deployment overseas, some time in an elite corporate sales position
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc):  Fairly strong across the board
Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc):  Very strong, all commanding officers with one being a general
 

Other: In a real quandary with my decision. Harris, CIPA, and Batten were my top three choices going in. Additionally, I'm not entirely clear of my career path which is admittedly a big reason I even decided to apply. Taking that into account, my calculus is as such: least amount of debt + school reputation for career flexibility/network strength + program flexibility, allowing for a potential pivot to PhD or augmented JD. Harris is costly even with some GI Bill and if they raise my overall scholarship to 30k (from 20k). The heavy quant curriculum/MPP designation makes me fearful of being pigeonholed into a number crunching analyst type of role-- which I DO NOT want. On the flip side, it is Chicago, so I almost feel that by name alone it might be foolish to turn down. The CIPA and Batten program reputations specifically is a little concerning just based on USNWR rankings, which are suspect to begin with. CIPA has been wonderful throughout the process, pride themselves on flexibility and additional opportunity, plus they really want me. I still worry about career opportunities from out in Ithaca. Batten probably offers the best experience, but its reputation is also not well established, and I think neither is UVA's outside the Mid-Atlantic. Bottom line, I'm leaning 1. CIPA 1a. Harris (pending more funding) 2. Batten... if you read this far, any thoughts?

Instead of ranking them, I recommend you think about it based upon considerations.

1. How much quant do you want / handle? I personally didn't apply to Harris because I knew I did not want to do Calculus based statistics. If you are okay with that, then it should be an issue. Honestly, if you look at career outcomes, Harris people probably have the broadest range of career outcomes. Harris has the benefit of having the most diverse cohort (in terms of background) and wide age distribution.

2. I know the money from CIPA seems tempting, but honestly, being in upstate New York, away from society and probably the oldest person in your cohort (or more like top 5%) will be super annoying and drive you crazy. I can't speak to CIPA because I have never ever met a CIPA student or grad in my years of attending public policy competitions and events (that should give you a hint about how small their footprint / impact is). Good luck building your network from Cornell.

3. I recommend you see if you can boast your scholarship with Batten (just try). Here is the deal, most people in the real world have no idea what Batten is. They just see UVA and get excited. UVA also has an extraordinarily large network with DC, so that is something you can tap into. Do understand, you will still be the oldest 10% at Batten regardless.

4. Avoid McCourt if you care about being in a professional environment. 

Feel free to message me directly.

[ashroff30]

Hi,

I have been accepted to the MPA-DP program at SIPA and the MPA program at LSE. I am trying to decide between the two.  I really like the course structure of both these programs but SIPA gives me more options for electives. I have not received funding from both of these colleges and SIPA is very expensive. However, the cohort and the summer placement aspect of the MPA-DP programme is very attractive. I am really stressing out!!

Would love to hear some of your experiences so that I can make an informed decision. 

Thanks!  

[sgr2020]

On 2/7/2020 at 11:12 AM, sgr2020 said:

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.):  MPP/MPA/MPAff/MA
Schools Applied To:  Brown Watson, Cornell CIPA, UT Austin LBJ, A&M Bush, Carnegie Heinz, Georgetown McCourt, Johns Hopkins SAIS
Schools Admitted To:  Brown ($), Cornell ($$$)
Schools Rejected From:  n/a
Still Waiting:  UT, A&M, Carnegie, Georgetown, Hopkins 
Undergraduate Institution:  Large flagship state university 
Undergraduate GPA: 3.8  
Undergraduate Major:  Political Science and Economics 
GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  157/168/4.5
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable):  n/a
Years of Work Experience:  3
Describe Relevant Work Experience: 3 years of research experience in international affairs/conflict, Dept. of Treasury internship, House campaign internship  
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc):  Strong, I had all of my statements reviewed by peers, mentors, and the university writing center.
Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc):  Strong, letters from an assistant secretary in the department I worked for, the professor I did research with, and the campaign manager I worked for. 
Other: Strong extra-curricular and volunteer work related to national affairs and human rights. Undergrad research developed strong quant skills (programming in R, STATA, and Python). 

Right now I'm really struggling to choose a school. I have it narrowed down to McCourt and CIPA, I'm just trying to determine if McCourt's extra cost (and much higher living expenses) are worth it. For what its worth, I tend to prefer more rural/suburban areas and think that I would personally be happier in Ithaca than in DC. I did a summer internship in DC last year and really did not like the DC atmosphere. Because of that, I'm not even entirely sure I would want to work in DC after graduation. Cornell has much better placements outside of the DMV area. I guess my question is, is the Georgetown name/connections worth it (even outside of DC)? I know Cornell doesnt have the best name recognition, but they have given me my best offer by far and I remain hopeful that the rebranding to the Cornell School of Public Policy might help. Thoughts? 

[GradSchoolGrad]

1 hour ago, sgr2020 said:

Right now I'm really struggling to choose a school. I have it narrowed down to McCourt and CIPA, I'm just trying to determine if McCourt's extra cost (and much higher living expenses) are worth it. For what its worth, I tend to prefer more rural/suburban areas and think that I would personally be happier in Ithaca than in DC. I did a summer internship in DC last year and really did not like the DC atmosphere. Because of that, I'm not even entirely sure I would want to work in DC after graduation. Cornell has much better placements outside of the DMV area. I guess my question is, is the Georgetown name/connections worth it (even outside of DC)? I know Cornell doesnt have the best name recognition, but they have given me my best offer by far and I remain hopeful that the rebranding to the Cornell School of Public Policy might help. Thoughts? 

What are your other options? I am concerned with both options. CIPA is a school that is far away from the action is about to undergo an aggressive reorg (not a good thing to be part of in higher education most of the time). McCourt has lots of cultural and programming issues (happy to talk about it more in detail. Please message me). 

[ch442]

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): MPP, MPA, Master of Environmental Management (MEM)

Schools Applied To: Harvard Kennedy (MPP), Princeton WWS (MPA), Columbia SIPA (MPA), UC Berkeley Goldman (MPP), Yale F&ES (MEM), Duke Nicholas (MEM), UChicago Harris (MPP), UT Austin LBJ (MPAff-DC)

Schools Accepted To: HKS, SIPA ($$), Berkeley ($), Yale F&ES ($), Duke Nicholas ($$), Harris ($$), LBJ ($$$$)

Schools Waitlisted At: Princeton WWS

Schools Rejected From: None

Still Waiting:  None

Undergraduate Institution: Ivy

Undergraduate GPA: 3.46

Undergraduate Major: Environmental Engineering

GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  170/170/6.0

Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): 2

Work Experience: 2

Describe Relevant Work Experience: Worked at 2 non-profits, including one entry-level role in renewable energy advocacy, one conducting research related to electric utility regulation and electric vehicles. In college, I interned at the US State Department, a think tank, and a state legislature.

Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc.): Described how my technical background (in engineering and energy policy/regulation) made me well suited to work in federal energy policy. I also highlighted my longstanding passion for climate action and my leadership roles in undergrad related to environmental organizing.

Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc.): Asked my two most recent supervisors (could comment on my research reports and passion for energy policy) and a political science professor from college (who talked more about my interest in public service and undergrad leadership). I read one, which was good! The others were submitted in the week before my first deadline.

Other: I'm currently weighing a few programs. I'm tempted by HKS but unsure if it's worth the cost (no aid). My other top choice is probably the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. I'm still figuring out whether I should go the MPP or MEM route. I'm hoping to work after graduation for a federal agency or Congress on climate/clean energy policy. I'm going to try to talk Yale up from $14k/year. I haven't ruled out Duke, SIPA, or Berkeley either. I wish admitted student visits were still an option!

Edited March 22, 2020 by ch442

[Yass]

8 hours ago, ch442 said:

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): MPP, MPA, Master of Environmental Management (MEM)

Schools Applied To: Harvard Kennedy (MPP), Princeton WWS (MPA), Columbia SIPA (MPA), UC Berkeley Goldman (MPP), Yale F&ES (MEM), Duke Nicholas (MEM), UChicago Harris (MPP), UT Austin LBJ (MPAff-DC)

Schools Accepted To: HKS, SIPA ($$), Berkeley ($), Yale F&ES ($), Duke Nicholas ($$), Harris ($$), LBJ ($$$$)

Schools Waitlisted At: Princeton WWS

Schools Rejected From: None

Still Waiting:  None

Undergraduate Institution: Ivy

Undergraduate GPA: 3.46

Undergraduate Major: Environmental Engineering

GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  170/170/6.0

Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): 2

Work Experience: 2

Describe Relevant Work Experience: Worked at 2 non-profits, including one entry-level role in renewable energy advocacy, one conducting research related to electric utility regulation and electric vehicles. In college, I interned at the US State Department, a think tank, and a state legislature.

Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc.): Described how my technical background (in engineering and energy policy/regulation) made me well suited to work in federal energy policy. I also highlighted my longstanding passion for climate action and my leadership roles in undergrad related to environmental organizing.

Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc.): Asked my two most recent supervisors (could comment on my research reports and passion for energy policy) and a political science professor from college (who talked more about my interest in public service and undergrad leadership). I read one, which was good! The others were submitted in the week before my first deadline.

Other: I'm currently weighing a few programs. I'm tempted by HKS but unsure if it's worth the cost (no aid). My other top choice is probably the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. I'm still figuring out whether I should go the MPP or MEM route. I'm hoping to work after graduation for a federal agency or Congress on climate/clean energy policy. I'm going to try to talk Yale up from $14k/year. I haven't ruled out Duke, SIPA, or Berkeley either. I wish admitted student visits were still an option!

Curious about why you are not considering Harris.

[EspressoDoble]

Schools Applied To:  WWS (2yr MPA), HKS (MPA2), Yale (2yr MA), Tufts Fletcher (MALD), Chicago Harris (2yr MPP), and HGSE (3-year practitioner doctorate)
Schools Admitted To:  HKS, Tufts Fletcher (40k), Chicago Harris (38k) 
Schools Rejected From: HGSE (okay, 2.5% selectivity), WWS (sadface), Yale (WTF!) 
Still Waiting: None
Undergraduate Institution: Business undergrad from India. The program admitted only 1% of applicants, and was ranked the #1 in the country ?‍♂️ Strong extra-curriculars and team leadership. 
Undergraduate GPA: Piss-poor academic performance. 
Graduate Institution: East Coast MBA (nationally ranked #20 to #50). Received substantial scholarship. Leadership of one of the most competitive on-campus clubs. 
Graduate GPA: Piss-poor academic performance, again. I see a trend here. 
GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  169/162/5.5 
Years Out of Undergrad:  16
Years Out of Grad:  11 
Years of Work Experience: 10 (if you do the math, I've been unemployed for 4 years, all post-MBA).
Describe Relevant Work Experience:  Ed entrepreneurship in India (2 years); ESL teacher in North Africa (3 years); tech entrepreneurship in DC (2 years); Project Manager in charter school in NOLA (3 years). 
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc):  V strong. I started by writing a 3,000-page story of my life in March 2019, and got pilloried by friends. It was depressing. Started from scratch in July, and this was still depressing as fuck. Finally, started from scratch again in September, and this just came together beautifully. It was vulnerable and inspiring, and painted a vivid picture of who I was: how my past had shaped me, and brought me to this professional calling to do great things with my life. I know what I want, and either the school can help me get there in 5 years, or I'll get there on my own in 10-15 years. From that, depending on what each school asked for, and what their respective strengths were, I modified my essays a little bit, and sent them over. My weakest writing was for Tufts (early November); HKS, WWS, and Chicago got decent writings (Dec 1 deadline), HGSE and Yale got my best writing possible (late December). 
Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc): V strong. From three people, but none from my direct manager. (i) From my first manager in the US; someone I'd worked with in grad school in 2007, while she was an employee there. We had stayed in touch since, and she was now a mentor/friend. (ii) From a manager/mentor in North Africa. This was difficult, because I'd worked closely with two people, but both had seen different sides of me. Eventually, after extended phone calls and long emails, I finalized on one person to write the letter, but she also spoke with the other person to get a well-rounded perspective on me. (iii) From a friend who had seen me closely in my current role but had not actually managed me, and wasn't even employed at the school at the time she wrote the letter. This was a difficult choice because though my manager would have been able to write a far stronger LOR, but I wasn't sure she would. I wasn't 100% confident that she wanted the best for me. Yeah, I know, fucked up situation. In addition, I also volunteered in non-profit consulting roles over the past 2 years, to ensure I had back-up LOR writers. 

In general, if you're older (and have been out of school longer), then GPA doesn't matter as much as your GRE scores (shows I can still be a disciplined student) and LORs (shows I am valued as a professional, and not unproven). In addition, all of my recommenders knew me very well, and would have been able to speak not just to my work abilities, but also to my character and personality. I sent them my second draft of the essays (July 2019 version), and a one-page doc on why I was attracted to each program I was applying to. 

All said, I'm relieved and grateful to be admitted to HKS. No one in my family even has a passport, and yet here, I am at the doors of the Big H. It's unnerving, and while a part of me had faith I'd get here, I was also aware of how those 4 years of unemployment could tank my candidacy. I'm 100% devoted to my work in education and public service, and I'm very thankful for having gotten here. Looking forward to how things shape up next. 

 

[polapp20]

Schools Applied To:  HKS (MPP), WWS (MPA), Duke Sanford (MPP), Columbia SIPA (MPA-DP), USC Price (MPP), NYU Wagner (MPA), UPenn (MA in Nonprofit Management), Oxford, Cambridge, Yale Jackson
Schools Admitted To:  HKS ($$), Duke ($$$) , Columbia SIPA , UPenn ($), USC ($$$) , NYU ($$$) 
Schools Rejected From: WWS, Yale 
Schools Waitlisted: Oxford 
Still Waiting: Cambridge MPhil
Undergraduate Institution: New York University
Undergraduate GPA: 3.93
Graduate Institution: N/a
Graduate GPA: N/a
GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  160/163/5
Years Out of Undergrad: 2
Years Out of Grad:  N/a 
Years of Work Experience: 4 (2 full time, 4 part time) 
Describe Relevant Work Experience:  Founder an CEO of an education nonprofit in India, International volunteer fellowship in India at an education nonnprofit, work with a plaintiffs rights civil law firm in New York 
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc):  Strong. Started with an individual story of a person frrom teh community I was serving in sophomore year. Tied that to my journey of founding and leading a nonprofit in India whose purpose directly addressed the issues raised by the individual mentioned before. Elaborated on my experience in the education policy/public service sphere through college and after. Clearly identified gaps in my knowledge and the challenges faced due to those in my professional life. Mentioned specific courses at colleges that would help me fill those gaps. 
Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc): Strong. 1 academic recommendarion from college policy class professor who is also a WWS alum. 1 rec from my direct supervisor at the law firm who is a Harvard Law alum. 1 rec from the head of HR at my own company. I believe the strength in my LOR's came from the diversity of prrofessional backgrounds of my recommenders. I also asked them to be specific and give examples throughout the rec. 

As of now I am trying to pick between Harvard and Duke. Duke has given me a 75% scholarship whereas HKS is at 40%. However, HKS has more flexibility in its program and it has been a dream school. Given the scholarship offer by Duke, it will be hard to turn that down. Still in the process of deciding. FYI I am an international student. 

[prokem]

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): MPP, MES, MS, and MEM

Schools Applied To: Yale F&ES (MEM), Harvard Kennedy (MPP), Michigan Ford (MPP), Michigan SEAS (MS), UPenn LPS (MES)

Schools Admitted To: Yale, Ford, SEAS ($$), UPenn      

Schools Rejected From: Harvard

Still Waiting: N/A

Undergraduate Institution: Top 40 liberal arts college 

Undergraduate GPA: 3.89

Undergraduate Major: dual, public policy and environmental analysis

GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores: 151 (yikes!)/162/6

Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): 0

Years of Work Experience: ~2-3 while in school

Describe Relevant Work Experience: internships with local representative, city climate agency, and climate policy think tank. Worked at on-campus environmental research institute for 3 years. TA’d for policy class where we work with DC think tanks (Brookings, BPC, etc). Wrote policy for a 2020 presidential candidate. Lobbied for climate leg in NY, oversaw student organizing. Led campus political org and held leadership in state youth party’s environmental caucus.

Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): Varied by school. I tried really hard to make each specific to the school. Broadly, I talked about my personal experience with my policy issue of interest, detailed the steps I’d taken and experiences I’d had related to it that helped me figure out a specific career path/goal, and then talked about how each of the schools would help me get there. I cited specific classes, profs, institutes, etc. Penn and HKS were probably my weakest: Penn because they didn’t have very specific prompts, and HKS because it was the first one due. Yale and UM were definitely my strongest, in no small part because I had more time to write them. Their prompts also gave me more room to showcase my personality, personal experiences, and values, and connect them to each school. My Yale and UM ones took about a month to refine, but it was hard because I was writing thesis and taking classes. I’d really recommend budgeting a good amount of time to write SOPs when your life isn’t hectic. 

Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc): They did the trick so they must’ve been strong enough! One from an environmental policy prof who I’ve taken 3 classes with and was my thesis advisor, one from a public policy prof who I’ve taken a class with, TA’d for, and who also was a thesis advisor, and one from an internship supervisor who essentially has the job that I’m aiming for. I think it helped that two of my recommenders have known me pretty well for years, and have seen me in a variety of roles: as a student, as an employee/TA, and as a thesis advisee. I also knew beforehand that they thought highly of me. I haven’t seen the one my internship supervisor wrote but she was working in the specific policy area that I’m interested in, so I think that helped.

Other: At the outset of applications, I was definitely worried about my chances of getting into top programs due to lack of work experience and not-so-great GRE scores. However, I think my profile is a testament to mitigating perceived weaknesses through relevant coursework (I’ve only taken ~3 quant classes, but have done well in all) and non-full time work experiences. If you have concerns about your weaknesses, it’s really important to highlight your strengths and make them seem unique throughout your essays, resume, and other aspects of your profile. I hope that people reading this in future application seasons can find some hope-- don’t count yourself out! Also, I didn’t submit my GRE scores to Yale. I would also say I was helped by being a somewhat linear candidate in that the work experience I do have is directly related to what I want to study and my future career goals.

Edited March 28, 2020 by prokem
added funding

[GradSchoolGrad]

7 hours ago, prokem said:

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): MPP, MES, MS, and MEM

Schools Applied To: Yale F&ES (MEM), Harvard Kennedy (MPP), Michigan Ford (MPP), Michigan SEAS (MS), UPenn LPS (MES)

Schools Admitted To: Yale, Ford, SEAS ($$), UPenn      

Schools Rejected From: Harvard

Still Waiting: N/A

Undergraduate Institution: Top 40 liberal arts college 

Undergraduate GPA: 3.89

Undergraduate Major: dual, public policy and environmental analysis

GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores: 151 (yikes!)/162/6

Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): 0

Years of Work Experience: ~2-3 while in school

Describe Relevant Work Experience: internships with local representative, city climate agency, and climate policy think tank. Worked at on-campus environmental research institute for 3 years. TA’d for policy class where we work with DC think tanks (Brookings, BPC, etc). Wrote policy for a 2020 presidential candidate. Lobbied for climate leg in NY, oversaw student organizing. Led campus political org and held leadership in state youth party’s environmental caucus.

Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): Varied by school. I tried really hard to make each specific to the school. Broadly, I talked about my personal experience with my policy issue of interest, detailed the steps I’d taken and experiences I’d had related to it that helped me figure out a specific career path/goal, and then talked about how each of the schools would help me get there. I cited specific classes, profs, institutes, etc. Penn and HKS were probably my weakest: Penn because they didn’t have very specific prompts, and HKS because it was the first one due. Yale and UM were definitely my strongest, in no small part because I had more time to write them. Their prompts also gave me more room to showcase my personality, personal experiences, and values, and connect them to each school. My Yale and UM ones took about a month to refine, but it was hard because I was writing thesis and taking classes. I’d really recommend budgeting a good amount of time to write SOPs when your life isn’t hectic. 

Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc): They did the trick so they must’ve been strong enough! One from an environmental policy prof who I’ve taken 3 classes with and was my thesis advisor, one from a public policy prof who I’ve taken a class with, TA’d for, and who also was a thesis advisor, and one from an internship supervisor who essentially has the job that I’m aiming for. I think it helped that two of my recommenders have known me pretty well for years, and have seen me in a variety of roles: as a student, as an employee/TA, and as a thesis advisee. I also knew beforehand that they thought highly of me. I haven’t seen the one my internship supervisor wrote but she was working in the specific policy area that I’m interested in, so I think that helped.

Other: At the outset of applications, I was definitely worried about my chances of getting into top programs due to lack of work experience and not-so-great GRE scores. However, I think my profile is a testament to mitigating perceived weaknesses through relevant coursework (I’ve only taken ~3 quant classes, but have done well in all) and non-full time work experiences. If you have concerns about your weaknesses, it’s really important to highlight your strengths and make them seem unique throughout your essays, resume, and other aspects of your profile. I hope that people reading this in future application seasons can find some hope-- don’t count yourself out! Also, I didn’t submit my GRE scores to Yale. I would also say I was helped by being a somewhat linear candidate in that the work experience I do have is directly related to what I want to study and my future career goals.

Ever thought about dual degreeing Michigan Ford + SEAS? Not right for everyone, but something to think about. If you can negotiate enough scholarship from both, it might actually help to ride out the upcoming recession. 

I know Yale Forestry sounds tempting because you get the Yale brand... but from a practical career outcomes perspective, it is not as a straightforward of a way to get back into public policy / politics.

[tacos95]

Program Applied To: MPP, MA
Schools Applied To:  Johns Hopkins SAIS MA, Georgetown McCourt MPP, GWU Trachtenberg MPP, American MPP, Carnegie Mellon Heinz MPP,  George Mason MA in Econ 
Schools Admitted To: SAIS (initially 50%, ultimately 77%), McCourt (33%), GW (0%), American (47%), CMU Heinz (55%), GMU w. Mercatus Fellowship (100% + stipend)
Schools Rejected From:  
Schools Waitlisted: 
Undergraduate Institution: tiny liberal arts college, not top 150
Undergraduate GPA: 3.5
Undergraduate Major: Economics (English minor)
GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  160/170/5
Years Out of Undergrad: 3
Years of Work Experience: 2.5
Describe Relevant Work Experience:  Data analyst at "boutique" consulting firm (startup, not impressive name), plenty of technical work but also client-facing
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc):  Pretty strong. I can communicate well, and I'm (perhaps obviously) super interested in policy. I leveraged my quantitative work experience into a relevant qualification, discussed international travel (for SAIS anyway), focused on reasons why each school was right for me, offered ethical/big picture reasons for wanting to study policy. 
Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc): One from chair of undergrad department, one from founder/CEO of my consulting firm, one from executive methodology type at consulting job. Fairly certain all were positive, could speak to academic, technical, leadership and communication skills. 

Notes for others (probably future rounds of applicants):
1) Play to your strengths, even if they don't apply directly to your top choice. This definitely helped me: I was very familiar with Austrian and public choice economics, which are basically the foundation of GMU Econ and Mercatus. So I had a kickass application for the Mercatus MA Fellowship and received the offer. Though it was tempting to be paid on net, I wanted to go to SAIS. And then SAIS ended up giving me a much better award than their initial offer, at least partially due to the Mercatus offer. If some school has a center or feature with which you are extremely familiar, even if you have 0 intent of attending there, submit a baller application that employs your existing knowledge. Also, specifically within the MPP world, Heinz doesn't even have an app fee, so if you already have all your stuff together for your other applications, slap in that app to CMU (a highly ranked school) and see what comes out. Worst case you don't mention it to other schools, but Heinz may happen to like you, and you can use that as leverage with schools you actually do like. I got 55% funding from them, and though I had no intent of attending, that could've been really useful in haggling with McCourt.

2) Beefing up your GRE can be big. You can see from my profile that I didn't have anything super prestigious -- I'm almost positive most admissions officers haven't even heard of my undergrad institution -- and my employer was a 20 person company, not at all related to policy. And you can improve here. Math is practice. Just do it a million times. I got PrepScholar, which was super cheap, and improved significantly. If you're serious about getting into an elite school and with getting good funding, this is the most obvious way to spiff up your profile in a shortish time. I didn't love those 2 hours studying every weeknight for a couple months, but I feel like it really made a difference to have 5-6 more points, particularly on quant.

[ILAR]

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): MPP

Schools Applied To:  Georgia State University (Andrew Young), University of Texas (LBJ School), and University of Minnesota (Humphrey School)

Schools Admitted To:  Georgia State (Invited to Interview for Full Tuition and $10,000 stipend - Did not Receive), University of Texas (In-State Tuition and 75% Tuition Reduction), University of Minnesota (In-State Tuition and 50% Tuition Reduction)

Schools Rejected From:  None

Still Waiting:  None

Undergraduate Institution:  Small, Liberal Arts College in the South

Undergraduate GPA:   3.64 out of 4.0

Undergraduate Major:  Politics, Philosophy, and Economics (PPE)

GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  Q: 156  V: 160  AW: 5.5

Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable):  Three

Years of Work Experience:  Three, plus internships that probably boosted resume by another year.

Describe Relevant Work Experience:  Worked for a research organization straight out of college, then went to work in local government at both a city agency and then city council. 

Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc):  I think my experience in both research and applied policymaking allowed me to describe my professional interests while conveying what originally got me involved in public service. I lucked out because two of my three programs allowed extensive SOPs of two pages or more, so I didn’t feel constrained by any page limit. After writing solid drafts, I had to wean it down to 500 words for the Humphrey School, which was challenging. 

Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc):  I had two professors from undergrad write letters, and both of them knew me very well because I had four classes with each of them. One understood my desire to learn more quantitative skills and improve my research abilities, while the other could attest to my leadership. Both also focused on my personality and passion for the subject matter as well. The third recommender was a former supervisor from an internship from college, and she spoke to my passion for public service. Very blessed to have stayed in contact with all three individuals over the years!

Other: I didn’t just want to find a graduate program, as I have moved around a lot in my life (Illinois to Arkansas to Washington DC to New York). My goal was to find a place where I could not only receive a stellar education, but have career opportunities after I graduated in a place where I could be happy in my personal life. All of this was being balanced with a significant other who is graduating law school next month, so we had to balance both our interests. In the end, the Humphrey School and Minneapolis offered that equilibrium. The institution originally gave me an in-state tuition reduction, but after negotiating with other offers, I was able to receive a $10k award (50% of a year’s tuition) on top of that, making it affordable based on my personal financial attitudes/constraints about paying for graduate school.

[HopefulMPA]

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): Columbia SIPA MPA, Cornell CIPA MPA, Harvard Kennedy MPP,  NYU Wagner MPA, Princeton WWS, Yale Jackson Institute MPP Global Affairs
Schools Admitted To: Columbia ($$$), Cornell ($$$), Harvard, NYU ($$), Princeton ($$$$), Yale ($$$$)
Schools Rejected From:  None
Still Waiting:  None
Undergraduate Institution: small, fairly competitive liberal arts college
Undergraduate GPA: 3.85
Undergraduate Majors:  Political Science/International Affairs
GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  163/167/5.5
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable):  3
Years of Work Experience:  3+
Describe Relevant Work Experience:  government/NGO internships, Peace Corps
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc):  Strong. It took a lot of time, but I wrote a different SOP for every single school to make sure I aligned with the type of candidate they were looking for. In each, I told a story and made my drive to continue working in public service clear.
Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc):  Very strong: 2 professors/mentors from college who I did substantial work with and my Country Director who knows me incredibly well.
Other: Despite taking limited quantitative courses in college, I used my quantitative resumes, SOP, and optional statements to make my quantitative abilities clear.

For future applicants: it is worth taking the time in the fall to write separate essays for each school and submit them at the earliest deadline (by December for most). I think that helped me get acceptances and funding. And aim high! You are more competitive than you think you are. Good luck  

Edited April 17, 2020 by HopefulMPA

[j2020ir]

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.):  Georgetown SSP, Harvard Kennedy MPP,  Princeton WWS, Yale Jackson, UT Austin LBJ, Johns Hopkins SAIS
Schools Admitted To: Georgetown (25% tuition), Harvard (no aid), Yale Jackson (50% tuition), UT Austin (full tuition plus $10k/year stipend), SAIS ($20k/year)
Schools Rejected From: WWS (Waitlisted and chose not to remain)
Still Waiting:  None

Undergraduate institution: Top 10 LAC 
Undergraduate GPA: 3.89
Undergraduate Major: Religion; Arab Studies minor
GRE Quantitative Score: 168
GRE Verbal Score: 170
GRE AW Score: 5.0 
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): 3
Years of Work Experience: 4 (counting internships)
Describe Relevant Work Experience:                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Internship/contracting with international humanitarian/development org. (both domestic and in Mid. East). Independent, grant funded research in Mid. East during undergrad (nothing published). Short term position (3 months) in refugee resettlement. 1 year nonprofit journalism fellowship, including articles published on Mid. East politics and conflict. 2 years at national nonprofit focused on domestic policy issue. Critical language skill (low-mid intermediate) from 3 years of undergraduate study, semester abroad in Mid. East, and semester of language class post-grad 

Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): 

Strong; I provided a cohesive story about moving from general humanitarian/international interest, to regional specialty, and then to a particular type of peacebuilding/conflict resolution work. I address particular career paths that fit well with this journey, and particular classes/professors that would prepare me to get there. Wrote fairly unique SOP for each school.
 

Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc): 
Strong LOR from undergrad advisors (2). Hopefully fairly strong LOR from supervisor(s) at past 2 positions, though not in area of interest. 

 

Other:

Very thankful for this site and all its members. I ended up choosing Yale Jackson for its flexibility and the ability to work closely with faculty and fellows. A couple things that helped me in the application process:

-Talking extensively with current and former students, faculty, and practitioners in my area of interest. I was able to weigh different schools' reputations, career prospects, course offerings, student experience, and more. This site is helpful, but the anonymity means you can't take everyone's opinion as gospel. Going to people who have career trajectories you'd like to emulate, or who can give you unfiltered truth about these programs can make a world of difference.

-I think many people emphasize this, but if you have time really write your SOPs specifically for the program you're applying to. I worked with current and former students of some of the programs to refine mine and speak specifically about what the school could offer me in my development as a scholar and practitioner.

-Taking time to plan specifics about attending the school. For me, it was helpful to look at specific course offerings and chart out my degree path, or plan out my budget based on what the school was offering in aid. These plans helped me see what my life would be like for the next 2 years, and allowed me to make decisions.

[Itallworksout]

Sorry for all the bolding, the button is stuck ?

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): MA IR, MA Political Science (MA PS)
Schools Applied To:  UChicago CIR(MAIR), JHU SAIS (MAIR), NYU GSAS(MA PS), Columbia GSAS (MA PS), AMERICAN SIS(MAIR)
Schools Admitted To:  UChicago ($$$), JHU($$), NYU(no $$ offered for academic masters programs), Columbia (no $$ offered for academic masters programs), American ($$$)
Schools Rejected From:  
Still Waiting: 
Undergraduate Institution:  University of Washington branch campus (think top 300-400 state school)
Undergraduate GPA:   3.62
Undergraduate Major:  Pre-law, Econ/Public policy, finance (undergrad was 5 years)
GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  157/167/5, 160/161/5.5, sent both hoping for superscore, I don't know if it helped
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable):  0
Years of Work Experience:  ~1.5
Describe Relevant Work Experience: 
-internship local senate 
-internship at a medium sized think-tank public policy where I published an article
-did market research into international nonprofits for B2B SAAS firm where I learned some R
-undergraduate public policy research for 2 years, I didn't do much more than data cleaning but it looked better on resume.

Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): I had to write pretty different things for the academic MAs vs the professional ones. I don't remember them well but I think they were above average. I described my journey through undergrad and professional work to realizing I wanted to take a more academic MA path. I discussed the various fields I had experience in, and why I had experience in them. I didn't want schools thinking I was just fumbling around. I tried hard to create a narrative that made my profile seem cohesive and functional, even though it was a bit all over the place. I think this was crucial to my acceptances.

Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc):  Philosophy professor who I took 4 classes with, he's a really nice guy and I think he attested to my writing skills well, but likely pretty average. Boss from think-tank with PHD from famous faculty at UChicago, so probably very strong for that institution (but less so for others), I also helped him with various books and stuff so I imagine that letter was strong and covered research skills and how I am as a peer/colleague. Undergrad research PI wrote my last letter, which I think was the weakest, but it focused on my data skills. I don't think any one of my letters were very strong individually, but they covered data skills, writing skills, and research skills, covering a wide and important set of abilities making me seem well rounded. All were written by PHDs I have known for at least 6 months.

Other: Immigrant, U.S. Citizen, I speak a few other languages, but nothing super special when compared to other MAIR hopefuls. I did a tad of volunteering but again, nothing too special.

Start looking at schools early. I started the process wanting a public policy degree, soon after I pivoted to wanting a professional IR degree, until I realized I truly wanted a PHD in the long run, so I decided to apply to academic MAs. I wasn't even aware of all the choices I had until months of looking, and the soul searching required to narrow down the programs really helped me figure out what I want from my life. I ended up accepting UChicago as it is my dream school, and the best for PHD placement among IR schools  Aim high and apply ED, your chances are better than you think as long as you tailor your SOPS to the schools you want to get into. When I started looking I had 20 or so schools I was curious about, the 5 I ended up applying to were all ones that were my top choice at one point or another, so I spent a lot of time on my SOP for each. I think that was a big factor.

Also this website was a godsend throughout the process. Thank you all!

 

Edited May 2, 2020 by Itallworksout

[ampp2020]

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): MPP, MPA, MPAff
Schools Applied To:  Harris, HKS, WWS, UT Austin
Schools Admitted To:  Harris (50% tuition), HKS, UT Austin (full scholarship) 
Schools Rejected From:  WWS
Still Waiting:  
Undergraduate Institution:  large state school 
Undergraduate GPA:   3.5
Undergraduate Major:  communication 
GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  155/158/4.5
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable):  3
Years of Work Experience:  3, 4 with internships
Describe Relevant Work Experience:  internship with a federal agency, tfa 
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc):  I thought about these for 6-8 months before apps were due. I organized my thoughts and put them on paper pretty close to the deadlines, but it was helpful that I had thought through what I wanted to say. The hks blogs were really helpful in planning how to craft my sop. 
Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc):  I reached out to 2 formers bosses and a professor. I hadn't finished my sops but I gave them a general rundown of why I was going back to school and what I hope to accomplish in the future. 
Other:

Don't count yourself out! My stats are not amazing but I am so glad I put myself out there. I also had a typo in my hks sop and thought it ruined my small chance of getting in. Reread your personal statement and let other people read it so that doesnt happen to you..but if it does, know that one typo is not the end of the world. If you can't really articulate why you want to be a part of these programs, you should probably reconsider applying. Harris gave me 50% and I could have used my UT offer to negotiate more,  but I chose not to. HKS interviewed me for a CPL fellowship. Don't make yourself believe the answer is no unless the admissions committee has told you no! Grad Cafe is a super helpful tool, but don't be discouraged by some of the stats you see on here.