HKS Waitlist 2020

[Jenjenlx]

Hi there! Didn't see a thread for HKS waitlist this year, starting one right here. 

I got waitlisted for MPP. I was expecting a rejection, so this is a pleasant surprise. I didn't know I was this close. Maybe I should reapply next year if I don't get in?

[Anathema]

Some of those who got offers for the HKS MPP might also have applied for the MPA at the WWS which is a far more generous program in terms of FinAid. Besides yields are supposed to be lower this time so hang tight; you might still receive an offer from HKS.

[MPAdreams2020]

3 hours ago, Anathema said:

Some of those who got offers for the HKS MPP might also have applied for the MPA at the WWS which is a far more generous program in terms of FinAid. Besides yields are supposed to be lower this time so hang tight; you might still receive an offer from HKS.

Hi! MC/MPA waitlisted here. Would love to know more about what y'all are hearing about yields this year. I've been wondering if HKS decisions were delayed in part because adcomms shifted yields to account for potentially more deferrals or more people declining offer altogether this year.

[MPANerd]

Hi everyone! MC/MPA waitlisted here as well! Does anyone know what the rate is for people coming off the waitlist in the past? I know this year is going to be a particularly strange one with everything going on, but would be interesting to know.  Good luck!

[WorldChanger]

I'm on the MPA2 waitlist. Fingers crossed so hard. I have a generous offer from Fletcher's - but want to know what the probability of this is going to be. 

[MPAdreams2020]

19 minutes ago, WorldChanger said:

I'm on the MPA2 waitlist. Fingers crossed so hard. I have a generous offer from Fletcher's - but want to know what the probability of this is going to be. 

Sorry I didn't see your post on the main HKS thread but glad you found this thread!

[WorldChanger]

Haha thats ok - thank you!! Any other MPA2 waitlisters? I think it's a small cohort - so have been struggling to find another person on the same boat!

[Jenjenlx]

Sending good vibes to everybody. Good luck! 

I was pretty much going to settle on my offer to UChicago Harris (25k per year, going to argue for more). But now this waitlisting from HKS changes a lot of perspectives. I am thinking to ask Harris for an extension for acceptance of admission, since I am waiting for Tufts as well. I submitted everything kind of late. 

Does anyone know how financial aids work for people who get off the waitlist?

8 hours ago, MPANerd said:

Hi everyone! MC/MPA waitlisted here as well! Does anyone know what the rate is for people coming off the waitlist in the past? I know this year is going to be a particularly strange one with everything going on, but would be interesting to know.  Good luck!

Based on what I saw on this forum and HKS' admission blog, the situation really varies each year. Like @Anathema said, some people prob have better offers from Princeton WWS; plus, the yield might be lower this year. There is basically nothing we can do now. Let's keep the good vibe, and hope for the best!

[WorldChanger]

Also, anyone else confused on the dates? The decision letter reads ' We'll have a better sense of your prospects end of March/early April' - but every course has it's acceptance deadline on April 30th.

[Jenjenlx]

9 hours ago, WorldChanger said:

Also, anyone else confused on the dates? The decision letter reads ' We'll have a better sense of your prospects end of March/early April' - but every course has it's acceptance deadline on April 30th.

Yeah, maybe some people will reject their offers earlier. 

[MPAdreams2020]

 

44 minutes ago, Jenjenlx said:

Yeah, maybe some people will reject their offers earlier. 

That's my take as well. If I was certain in my decision I would let schools know right away so that I could begin planning and (finally) allow myself to be excited!

[Yass]

If not HKS, which uni/program would you guys attend instead?

[MPAdreams2020]

4 hours ago, Yass said:

If not HKS, which uni/program would you guys attend instead?

Definitely Goldman. The program (and Berkeley) hit all the marks for me. I would be really happy to go there. 

[Jenjenlx]

13 hours ago, Yass said:

If not HKS, which uni/program would you guys attend instead?

I'm prob going ot to UChicago Harris with scholarship 25k per year, or SIPA (with nothing), can't decide, but leaning towards Harris for sure! 

It looks like you've got some great option. Where would you go?

[Yass]

11 hours ago, Jenjenlx said:

I'm prob going ot to UChicago Harris with scholarship 25k per year, or SIPA (with nothing), can't decide, but leaning towards Harris for sure! 

It looks like you've got some great option. Where would you go?

Nice, congrats on your offers! I'm debating between SAIS (20k per year) or SIPA (nothing) and also whether I should still apply to Harris... Have you asked them to reconsider your financial aid decision? 

[WorldChanger]

I'm mostly going to be at Fletcher if the waitlist doesn't move. I can't find data anywhere on average improvement. I dug really deep and saw that a lot of people had gotten off the waitlist in 2012 /2013 I forget which - in the gradcafe thread. But no data of any year after. 

[MPAdreams2020]

3 hours ago, WorldChanger said:

I'm mostly going to be at Fletcher if the waitlist doesn't move. I can't find data anywhere on average improvement. I dug really deep and saw that a lot of people had gotten off the waitlist in 2012 /2013 I forget which - in the gradcafe thread. But no data of any year after. 

Same... I also looked through past threads and did see any evidence of folks getting off the wait list. Feel like it's a real long shot. 

[EspressoDoble]

17 hours ago, MPAdreams2020 said:

Same... I also looked through past threads and did see any evidence of folks getting off the wait list. Feel like it's a real long shot. 

I wouldn't lose hope yet. It's likely that with the Covid-19 issue, international students from countries with better public health systems (mainly in SE Asia), may not want to move to the US. They may all apply for a deferment, especially since studying online during Fall 2020 (a likely possibility) is not what anyone signed up for.  

[Boolakanaka]

5 minutes ago, EspressoDoble said:

I wouldn't lose hope yet. It's likely that with the Covid-19 issue, international students from countries with better public health systems (mainly in SE Asia), may not want to move to the US. They may all apply for a deferment, especially since studying online during Fall 2020 (a likely possibility) is not what anyone signed up for.  

On the other hand, if we go into a recession, and that’s highly likely, grad schools are thought of a safe haven and folks tend to not give up their admissions...

[EspressoDoble]

Just now, Boolakanaka said:

grad schools are thought of a safe haven and folks tend to not give up their admissions...

True that US students won't give up their admissions. But international ones from SE Asia, on the other hand, might not want to travel to the US. 

[MPAdreams2020]

3 hours ago, EspressoDoble said:

I wouldn't lose hope yet. It's likely that with the Covid-19 issue, international students from countries with better public health systems (mainly in SE Asia), may not want to move to the US. They may all apply for a deferment, especially since studying online during Fall 2020 (a likely possibility) is not what anyone signed up for.  

I so appreciate your positive outlook! Maybe there will be some deferrals that will make a little room for waitlist folks. (Fingers crossed!)

[EspressoDoble]

1 hour ago, MPAdreams2020 said:

I so appreciate your positive outlook! Maybe there will be some deferrals that will make a little room for waitlist folks. (Fingers crossed!)

Well, if you held a few Corona parties and spread the love and more people got sick in the US....then more international students are likely to defer their offers ?

Spread the love, amigo. Spread the love!!! 

[MPAdreams2020]

21 minutes ago, EspressoDoble said:

Well, if you held a few Corona parties and spread the love and more people got sick in the US....then more international students are likely to defer their offers ?

Spread the love, amigo. Spread the love!!! 

lololol as it turns out, we don't need to have a party to botch containment. U.S. officially has more known cases than any other country. Uh oh.

[Jenjenlx]

On 3/25/2020 at 9:58 PM, Yass said:

Nice, congrats on your offers! I'm debating between SAIS (20k per year) or SIPA (nothing) and also whether I should still apply to Harris... Have you asked them to reconsider your financial aid decision? 

Yeah I did! They have a scholarship reconsideration form everyone can fill out, so I did that, but not sure what's gonna happen. Hoping for the best. I think Harris is pretty generous in terms of scholarship, but they are already at Round 3, not sure how much funding is left at this point though.

[Jenjenlx]

I just heard back from HKS today, and I am admitted! But no scholarship though. I was already mentally prepared to go to Harris (they raised my scholarship to $30k per year).

I am super excited, but don't know what to choose. I am from China, so the Harvard brand is worth way too much than everything. Any thoughts?

Good luck to everyone! Look forward to hearing some good news.