Princeton SPIA MPA/MPP Fall 2022

[onvrra]

Hey all, starting this forum to share updates as we wait to hear from SPIA on/around March 15. Surprised that grad cafe has been very quiet this year for these Princeton programs! Prospective MPA applicant here

[Enkay]

The blog says we should expect feedback by the end of next week. 

[theory_philosophy]

The wait is excruciating!

Edited March 6, 2022 by natsecguy

[Enkay]

  On 3/6/2022 at 1:31 AM, natsecguy said:

The wait is excruciating!

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Tell me about it! I am also applying for the MPP. Very cold feet

[theory_philosophy]

  On 3/6/2022 at 11:42 AM, Enkay said:

Tell me about it! I am also applying for the MPP. Very cold feet

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Welcome to the club, haha! May I ask your background/stats?

 

  On 3/3/2022 at 7:43 PM, onvrra said:

Hey all, starting this forum to share updates as we wait to hear from SPIA on/around March 15. Surprised that grad cafe has been very quiet this year for these Princeton programs! Prospective MPA applicant here

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Good luck! I think your cohort size is ~70, right? 

My stats:

Undergrad: Top 3 US

Grad: Top 3 US (one-year 'academic' MA since I was sure I wanted to pursue a PhD); currently enrolled

Work/Leadership Experience: 7 years of work experience in government / government consulting in a dev nation (nat sec/intel/defense)

Undergrad GPA: 3.8 (final two years; I had extenuating circumstances in my first two years, and a letter from my Advising Dean accompanies my application)

Grad GPA: 3.9 (first semester; uploaded as 'Fall term grade report' in the portal; not as impressive as it seems since it's hard not to get at least an A-)

LORs: supervisor at work (mil officer); undergrad prof (she is very generous with praise); grad seminar prof (Nobel laureate); grad seminar prof (security studies specific)

Statement of Purpose: I think it was strong, and the narrative/story made sense to me. But you can never be sure!

Things that can go against me: they aren't into a security guy from X country this cohort; they already have more development-focused people from X region; poor quant prep (undergrad stats and calc; semester each; terrible economics grade in undergrad); terrible GPA first half of undergrad (literally flirting with probation!)

 

 

[Enkay]

  On 3/6/2022 at 3:44 PM, natsecguy said:

Welcome to the club, haha! May I ask your background/stats?

 

Good luck! I think your cohort size is ~70, right? 

My stats:

Undergrad: Top 3 US

Grad: Top 3 US (one-year 'academic' MA since I was sure I wanted to pursue a PhD); currently enrolled

Work/Leadership Experience: 7 years of work experience in government / government consulting in a dev nation (nat sec/intel/defense)

Undergrad GPA: 3.8 (final two years; I had extenuating circumstances in my first two years, and a letter from my Advising Dean accompanies my application)

Grad GPA: 3.9 (first semester; uploaded as 'Fall term grade report' in the portal; not as impressive as it seems since it's hard not to get at least an A-)

LORs: supervisor at work (mil officer); undergrad prof (she is very generous with praise); grad seminar prof (Nobel laureate); grad seminar prof (security studies specific)

Statement of Purpose: I think it was strong, and the narrative/story made sense to me. But you can never be sure!

Things that can go against me: they aren't into a security guy from X country this cohort; they already have more development-focused people from X region; poor quant prep (undergrad stats and calc; semester each; terrible economics grade in undergrad); terrible GPA first half of undergrad (literally flirting with probation!)

 

 

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The MPP is 20 students per class and that’s the course I applied to.

Undergrad: International Student

Grad: (MBA) International Student

Work/ Leadership experience: Over 9 years of experience across industries (public/private sector). Cofounder of a not-for-profit organisation that caters to the technology/ICT needs of students in developing countries.

Undergrad GPA: 4.5/5.0 (5 point scale)

Grad GPA: 4.38/5.0 (5 point scale)

LORs: Undergrad Professor, Team lead/ Professional supervisor; Team lead/ professional supervisor.

I am certain I did great with the Statement of Purpose and the other documents. However, my faith causes me to lean on God alone for help; by my own strength alone, I wouldn’t do great.

I also applied to Oxford MPP (was waitlisted last year).

[theory_philosophy]

  On 3/6/2022 at 4:16 PM, Enkay said:

The MPP is 20 students per class and that’s the course I applied to.

Undergrad: International Student

Grad: (MBA) International Student

Work/ Leadership experience: Over 9 years of experience across industries (public/private sector). Cofounder of a not-for-profit organisation that caters to the technology/ICT needs of students in developing countries.

Undergrad GPA: 4.5/5.0 (5 point scale)

Grad GPA: 4.38/5.0 (5 point scale)

LORs: Undergrad Professor, Team lead/ Professional supervisor; Team lead/ professional supervisor.

I am certain I did great with the Statement of Purpose and the other documents. However, my faith causes me to lean on God alone for help; by my own strength alone, I wouldn’t do great.

I also applied to Oxford MPP (was waitlisted last year).

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The cohort size question was for the MPA applicant who started this thread. I hope we have others join us (in anxiety!) as next week unfolds...

I share your faith-based approach. I've been praying! 

You sound like a very strong candidate. Hopefully we can all meet at Princeton if we all get in!!!

[Enkay]

  On 3/6/2022 at 4:26 PM, natsecguy said:

The cohort size question was for the MPA applicant who started this thread. I hope we have others join us (in anxiety!) as next week unfolds...

I share your faith-based approach. I've been praying! 

You sound like a very strong candidate. Hopefully we can all meet at Princeton if we all get in!!!

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I hope and pray so too! Your stats are very strong as well. My life was easier before they made the announcement on the blog. Now that they’ve done that, so many emotions hahahaha. 

[theory_philosophy]

  On 3/6/2022 at 4:29 PM, Enkay said:

I hope and pray so too! Your stats are very strong as well. My life was easier before they made the announcement on the blog. Now that they’ve done that, so many emotions hahahaha. 

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I haven't checked the blog in months! What did the announcement say?!

[Enkay]

  On 3/6/2022 at 4:31 PM, natsecguy said:

I haven't checked the blog in months! What did the announcement say?!

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https://spia.princeton.edu/blogs/sliding
 

 

[onvrra]

  On 3/6/2022 at 3:44 PM, natsecguy said:

Welcome to the club, haha! May I ask your background/stats?

 

Good luck! I think your cohort size is ~70, right? 

My stats:

Undergrad: Top 3 US

Grad: Top 3 US (one-year 'academic' MA since I was sure I wanted to pursue a PhD); currently enrolled

Work/Leadership Experience: 7 years of work experience in government / government consulting in a dev nation (nat sec/intel/defense)

Undergrad GPA: 3.8 (final two years; I had extenuating circumstances in my first two years, and a letter from my Advising Dean accompanies my application)

Grad GPA: 3.9 (first semester; uploaded as 'Fall term grade report' in the portal; not as impressive as it seems since it's hard not to get at least an A-)

LORs: supervisor at work (mil officer); undergrad prof (she is very generous with praise); grad seminar prof (Nobel laureate); grad seminar prof (security studies specific)

Statement of Purpose: I think it was strong, and the narrative/story made sense to me. But you can never be sure!

Things that can go against me: they aren't into a security guy from X country this cohort; they already have more development-focused people from X region; poor quant prep (undergrad stats and calc; semester each; terrible economics grade in undergrad); terrible GPA first half of undergrad (literally flirting with probation!)

 

 

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Nice! Yes, I think the MPA cohort is about 70 students. With a high yield, I think they only accept a few more than that. Maybe 100? I went to a top US undergrad (3.8 GPA) and have about five years of experience in development/humanitarian work both overseas and in the US. LORs and personal statement were as good as I could muster, so fingers crossed on the outcome! Have similar concerns about poor quant background/slightly lower quant GRE score, but only time will tell. Best of luck to you all! Hope we can meet on the other side. 

[mmzw]

i'm so happy you started this thread - i was also surprised no one had posted anything about SPIA this year! this is my second time applying to the MPA - i was waitlisted last year ?  

i'm guessing they'll release the emails thursday/friday.. let's see! good luck everyone :)

[isalilypeter]

Nice to also be waiting in anxiety with y’all haha! Not as certain that I’ll get in but applied anyways on a chance especially bc it was free application for me. Low gre is what I think hurts my application the most but hey it’s still worth a shot lol

[onvrra]

  On 3/7/2022 at 8:54 AM, mmzw said:

i'm so happy you started this thread - i was also surprised no one had posted anything about SPIA this year! this is my second time applying to the MPA - i was waitlisted last year ?  

i'm guessing they'll release the emails thursday/friday.. let's see! good luck everyone

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I’m in the same boat. The ultimate rejection email last year definitely seemed to encourage waitlisted folks to reapply, so hoping for a different outcome!

[mmzw]

@onvrrayeah right! where else did you apply/get in? i knew i wanted to take a year off so i deferred my second choice and knew i would reapply. i just hope that this year they don't bother with waitlisting me again - that would be cruel lol

[onvrra]

  On 3/7/2022 at 2:53 PM, mmzw said:

@onvrrayeah right! where else did you apply/get in? i knew i wanted to take a year off so i deferred my second choice and knew i would reapply. i just hope that this year they don't bother with waitlisting me again - that would be cruel lol

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Don’t wanna share too much info on here, but I did the same as you. Deferred my second choice so it’ll either be here or there. Both great options but I wanna know the outcome! Agreed, getting re-waitlisted would be cruel haha 

[lionking]

For those of you re-applying, do you know by any chance how many people were admitted off of the waitlist last year? I am a first time applicant and am hoping for at least a spot on the waitlist! Fingers crossed. 

[onvrra]

@lionking in previous years they seemed to take a handful of people off the waitlist according to these forms, though numbers varied. Last year, though, they didn’t take anyone off the waitlist. Maybe it was because of deferred acceptances from 2020 with COVID, but speculation on the whole process is never really conclusive!

[SHAN78]

  On 3/6/2022 at 3:44 PM, natsecguy said:

Welcome to the club, haha! May I ask your background/stats?

 

Good luck! I think your cohort size is ~70, right? 

My stats:

Undergrad: Top 3 US

Grad: Top 3 US (one-year 'academic' MA since I was sure I wanted to pursue a PhD); currently enrolled

Work/Leadership Experience: 7 years of work experience in government / government consulting in a dev nation (nat sec/intel/defense)

Undergrad GPA: 3.8 (final two years; I had extenuating circumstances in my first two years, and a letter from my Advising Dean accompanies my application)

Grad GPA: 3.9 (first semester; uploaded as 'Fall term grade report' in the portal; not as impressive as it seems since it's hard not to get at least an A-)

LORs: supervisor at work (mil officer); undergrad prof (she is very generous with praise); grad seminar prof (Nobel laureate); grad seminar prof (security studies specific)

Statement of Purpose: I think it was strong, and the narrative/story made sense to me. But you can never be sure!

Things that can go against me: they aren't into a security guy from X country this cohort; they already have more development-focused people from X region; poor quant prep (undergrad stats and calc; semester each; terrible economics grade in undergrad); terrible GPA first half of undergrad (literally flirting with probation!)

 

 

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Why do you say they aren't into security folks from X countries? What's the thought behind this??:(

[theory_philosophy]

  On 3/8/2022 at 4:55 PM, SHAN78 said:

Why do you say they aren't into security folks from X countries? What's the thought behind this??:(

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No thought. 

I'm just saying that in a small MPP cohort of ~20, it's quite likely that they would like to bring a number of different perspectives together. If they already have 1-2 brilliant national security people, they might be unlikely to add a third, and so on. Or if they have 1-2 amazing candidates from a specific developing country, it's extremely unlikely that they would admit a third (even a second is unlikely, but still possible).

[Enkay]

  On 3/9/2022 at 1:14 AM, natsecguy said:

No thought. 

I'm just saying that in a small MPP cohort of ~20, it's quite likely that they would like to bring a number of different perspectives together. If they already have 1-2 brilliant national security people, they might be unlikely to add a third, and so on. Or if they have 1-2 amazing candidates from a specific developing country, it's extremely unlikely that they would admit a third (even a second is unlikely, but still possible).

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Have faith. Going by your analogy, who knows? you could be the brilliant national security person or the only one, we never know. I understand the pressure and the need to over think things (I have been doing that lately; Infact I found myself going over my documents and it’s amazing how you’d suddenly find errors that you never spotted?). Let’s leave the rest to God knowing that we have done our best. How are you coping with the anxiety btw? The term ‘end of the week’ seem very loose and unspecific ?

[theory_philosophy]

  On 3/9/2022 at 10:27 AM, Enkay said:

Have faith. Going by your analogy, who knows? you could be the brilliant national security person or the only one, we never know. I understand the pressure and the need to over think things (I have been doing that lately; Infact I found myself going over my documents and it’s amazing how you’d suddenly find errors that you never spotted?). Let’s leave the rest to God knowing that we have done our best. How are you coping with the anxiety btw? The term ‘end of the week’ seem very loose and unspecific ?

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You're absolutely right. I didn't mean to be overly pessimistic. I just mentioned those things (mostly in passing) as things that might hold me back. On the other hand, I think my application has several strengths too. 

Anxiety wise --- just trying to keep myself busy. I am hopeful that 'end of the week' means by Friday. Just two days left!!!

[theory_philosophy]

  On 3/7/2022 at 10:23 PM, onvrra said:

@lionking in previous years they seemed to take a handful of people off the waitlist according to these forms, though numbers varied. Last year, though, they didn’t take anyone off the waitlist. Maybe it was because of deferred acceptances from 2020 with COVID, but speculation on the whole process is never really conclusive!

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Exactly! I think the SPIA MPP (which is essentially analogous to the MC/MPA at HKS and the MAS at Jackson) stands out because it's significantly more competitive than its 'peer' mid-career programs, especially because of the tiny cohort size and the $$$$ that accepted students get. I think it basically occupies a niche of its own!

[Enkay]

  On 3/9/2022 at 3:34 PM, natsecguy said:

Exactly! I think the SPIA MPP (which is essentially analogous to the MC/MPA at HKS and the MAS at Jackson) stands out because it's significantly more competitive than its 'peer' mid-career programs, especially because of the tiny cohort size and the $$$$ that accepted students get. I think it basically occupies a niche of its own!

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  On 3/7/2022 at 10:23 PM, onvrra said:

@lionking in previous years they seemed to take a handful of people off the waitlist according to these forms, though numbers varied. Last year, though, they didn’t take anyone off the waitlist. Maybe it was because of deferred acceptances from 2020 with COVID, but speculation on the whole process is never really conclusive!

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@onvrrayou mentioned you applied last year; if you don’t mind my asking, how do they announce the results? Do you have to check your portal or it comes in a mail? I’ve been refreshing mails and going to the portal ever since since I’m unsure how this information is usually passed?. 

[onvrra]

  On 3/9/2022 at 3:40 PM, Enkay said:

 

@onvrrayou mentioned you applied last year; if you don’t mind my asking, how do they announce the results? Do you have to check your portal or it comes in a mail? I’ve been refreshing mails and going to the portal ever since since I’m unsure how this information is usually passed?. 

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Last year it came through email - and it seems that pretty typical of previous years as well. I know the feeling of refreshing! The time is getting closer.