Columbia SIPA 2021

[ya711]

4 minutes ago, Gloria1005 said:

Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I haven't been living in US before so actually I have little knowledge about the living cost. Do you think the living expense in NYC is much much higher than that in Chicago? It's really a kind of problem haha. 

I haven't lived in Chicago but was recently looking up rent prices by the UChi campus -- seems more affordable than Manhattan! Not sure about other types of expenses though, maybe someone else on the forum can give some insight on that!

[Gloria1005]

3 minutes ago, ya711 said:

I haven't lived in Chicago but was recently looking up rent prices by the UChi campus -- seems more affordable than Manhattan! Not sure about other types of expenses though, maybe someone else on the forum can give some insight on that!

Thank you so much!?

[gemx93]

20 hours ago, SimeonB said:

And yes, does anyone have any information on the result of International Fellows Program? I applied to this program, but no news on the decision so far (also got no information on the funding ?). Is that possible that they will release the IFP decision separately? I'm pretty curious on this and planning to email the IFP coordinator if there is no update within these two days ✌️

AHH I AM ALSO ON THIS BOAT, no news from the International Fellows Program.... MPA-DP accepted, here.

Also, have all the accepted MPA-DPs NOT heard of funding yet?

I also applied to the Obama Scholars Program but have no idea when will I hear about that. 

 

 

[Highteawithbatman]

3 minutes ago, gemx93 said:

AHH I AM ALSO ON THIS BOAT, no news from the International Fellows Program.... MPA-DP accepted, here.

Also, have all the accepted MPA-DPs NOT heard of funding yet?

I also applied to the Obama Scholars Program but have no idea when will I hear about that. 

 

 

From this thread, it really seems that the accepted MPA-DPs haven't heard of any funding. The office of financial aid though says all funding decisions have gone out. Bad luck I guess

[gemx93]

14 hours ago, g_9525 said:

Hi SimeonB, all my letter says is "accredited academic institution" so I believe you just have to find an institution that offers credit that can transfer. I'm a domestic student but if I take this offer, I would likely be finding a course at a local technical college to save $$$ and double-check with SIPA that the credit will transfer (I'm 99% sure it'll be fine). All of the courses I found were online. I'm not entirely sure how it works for int'l students, but if you can find an institution near you with good transfer courses *or* if you can take an online course from, say, a NY-based technical college before the term starts, that might work/be a bit cheaper? It's tough though, I'm not yet sure I could make it work myself.

Hi, I am also wondering which accredited academic institutions they're talking about. I am emailing them today, hopefully to be redirected to a SIPA summer session on Calculus (I think that's more efficient than doing two econ courses). 

I'm an international student, so if y'all hear about a moderately priced option that can transfer credits to SIPA, I'd be grateful. Also, scoring a B+ sounds terrifying.

[gemx93]

2 minutes ago, Highteawithbatman said:

From this thread, it really seems that the accepted MPA-DPs haven't heard of any funding. The office of financial aid though says all funding decisions have gone out. Bad luck I guess

Sucks. 

SIPA is my top choice but I'd be more inclined to attend if I'd get some financial aid.

I'm on the final round for the Chevening scholarship in Mexico, and have been previously admitted to the MPhil in Public Policy @ Cambridge. So I hope having a potential full ride in the UK could work as leverage and help me negotiate with SIPA, but if not, I'll have to choose the UK. 

[PartTimeStresser]

Hi, does it seem like SIPA has allocated funding to a very small number of applicants this year? Feels like more number of applicants on previous years' threads received some form of aid.

Would it help if one waited it out and negotiated for funding with the AdCom in a couple of weeks after some admitted folks turn down their offers?

[Aveces]

8 hours ago, academiaenthusiast said:

Have any of you heard back from the International Fellows Program, the Dasturdaza Doctor Jal Pavry Award for International Peace and Understanding, and the Most Honorable Bapsy Marchioness of Winchester Award in Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms?

 

Great question... I thought the funding that came along with the decisions had to do with the scholarships/fellowships you mentioned. But it doesn't clearly indicate if that's really the case...

[sd9000]

7 hours ago, Gloria1005 said:

Wow Congrats! Do you think that living in New York is much much more expensive than Chicago? I'm a little worried about that. BTW, hope that you can be accepted to HKS! Good Luck!

Let me be the first to tell you, it is absolutely more expensive in every way. That being said, NYC is an incredible place to both study and live. There is a feeling and spirit to the city that is incomparable with any other. Amazing place...but very expensive. 

[BurnaBoysBiggestFan]

I was admitted ED in December to MPA-DP. Didn’t recieve any funding in the initial letter so I am hoping to recieve somethinggggg now that all admission decision are out. 
 

I did reach out to financial aid and they said “You will be receiving more information about financial aid from our office in the coming days, thank you for your patience.” So fingers crossed?

 

[frncis]

14 hours ago, EC1225 said:

I’m still holding out funding hope as long as not a single MPA DP student has reported funding. It doesn’t make sense! 

that makes both of us! I just got so upset to be honest

[frncis]

10 minutes ago, BurnaBoysBiggestFan said:

I was admitted ED in December to MPA-DP. Didn’t recieve any funding in the initial letter so I am hoping to recieve somethinggggg now that all admission decision are out. 
 

I did reach out to financial aid and they said “You will be receiving more information about financial aid from our office in the coming days, thank you for your patience.” So fingers crossed?

 

oh gosh, I hope so!

[IDstudent]

12 hours ago, Gloria1005 said:

Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I haven't been living in US before so actually I have little knowledge about the living cost. Do you think the living expense in NYC is much much higher than that in Chicago? It's really a kind of problem haha. 

Hi! I used to live in Chicago and I definitely think it's more affordable than NYC. It's not super cheap, but it's better and you usually get more space for what you pay.

[kickmewhenurdone]

Is anyone applying to the MPA-ESP program and haven't heard back>?

[Highteawithbatman]

4 hours ago, BurnaBoysBiggestFan said:

I was admitted ED in December to MPA-DP. Didn’t recieve any funding in the initial letter so I am hoping to recieve somethinggggg now that all admission decision are out. 
 

I did reach out to financial aid and they said “You will be receiving more information about financial aid from our office in the coming days, thank you for your patience.” So fingers crossed?

 

Are you sure they didn't just mean the work study and other loan options. I wrote to them again asking if MPA-DP funding had gone out and this was the response. I have no hope left from Columbia, even though I might try and appeal fin aid. Good luck to you guys, hope you get something!

[IR Policy Nerd]

10 hours ago, Aveces said:

Great question... I thought the funding that came along with the decisions had to do with the scholarships/fellowships you mentioned. But it doesn't clearly indicate if that's really the case...

I emailed the International Fellow Program program assistant to find out if decisions were linked to admissions letters and received this message: 

"Accepted students were notified in their SIPA admissions letters. Unfortunately you were not accepted into the Fellowship this year. If you decide to enroll at SIPA, we invite you to apply again during your first year for potential placement in your second year."

Womp.

[Daouid]

Since it looks like I'm officially getting no funding from SIPA (MPA-DP) I'm now facing the possibility of taking out close to the full amount in loans. SIPA estimates 190K, including tuition and cost of living for the two years. I have some savings and can possibly work part time when I'm there, which will cut down that amount a little bit.

 

Is it common for people to go without funding? It's a great school but the price just seems insane.
 

[Ajo1797]

Is there anyone who will be declining the Georgetown MSFS offer here. I am curious!

[gemx93]

2 hours ago, Daouid said:

Since it looks like I'm officially getting no funding from SIPA (MPA-DP) I'm now facing the possibility of taking out close to the full amount in loans. SIPA estimates 190K, including tuition and cost of living for the two years. I have some savings and can possibly work part time when I'm there, which will cut down that amount a little bit.

 

Is it common for people to go without funding? It's a great school but the price just seems insane.
 

I’m also thinking of going without funding, family has some savings, would be interested in learning loan options for international students... Altho USD-MXN exchange rate is a bust. 

[gemx93]

5 hours ago, Highteawithbatman said:

Are you sure they didn't just mean the work study and other loan options. I wrote to them again asking if MPA-DP funding had gone out and this was the response. I have no hope left from Columbia, even though I might try and appeal fin aid. Good luck to you guys, hope you get something!

What is an appeal? Like you appeal the financial aid decision and they look into your case specifically?

[gemx93]

Would it be possible that as some people decline their offers with funding, then that money be redirected to other students who applied for financial aid and did accept their offer?

[mppaspiring]

Curious to see if anyone is also caught between Georgetown MSFS and SIPA MIA. Are these programs similarly regarded? How do the network and job opportunities compare? 

I realize how lucky I am to be in this position, but I'm super new to this grad school thing so I'd appreciate any sense of strengths and weaknesses.

[tan1023]

12 hours ago, BurnaBoysBiggestFan said:

I was admitted ED in December to MPA-DP. Didn’t recieve any funding in the initial letter so I am hoping to recieve somethinggggg now that all admission decision are out. 
 

I did reach out to financial aid and they said “You will be receiving more information about financial aid from our office in the coming days, thank you for your patience.” So fingers crossed?

 

Really, a bunch of other MPA-DP candidates also emailed them and they said all funding has been released? But who knows maybe we wait until the end of march

[GradProsMPP]

51 minutes ago, mppaspiring said:

Curious to see if anyone is also caught between Georgetown MSFS and SIPA MIA. Are these programs similarly regarded? How do the network and job opportunities compare? 

I realize how lucky I am to be in this position, but I'm super new to this grad school thing so I'd appreciate any sense of strengths and weaknesses.

Seconded. Wondering how folks rate the two programs. I am an international applicant looking to stay back in the US for a few years (ideally at a multilateral agency working on the intersection of conflict prevention and development). Funding from both institutions has been similar.

[gradcafe2021]

6 hours ago, Daouid said:

Since it looks like I'm officially getting no funding from SIPA (MPA-DP) I'm now facing the possibility of taking out close to the full amount in loans. SIPA estimates 190K, including tuition and cost of living for the two years. I have some savings and can possibly work part time when I'm there, which will cut down that amount a little bit.

 

Is it common for people to go without funding? It's a great school but the price just seems insane.
 

I am also wondering the same thing. SIPA is my first choice, but I am still thinking if SIPA would be worth that much. How are really the job prospects for graduates? Can they really get into well-paid jobs in the U.S? I'm an international.