Planning Admissions 2023

[MRA]

1 hour ago, Vegetablecities said:

have money saved up from work for grad school and would only need about $40k in loans for Harvard, but is it really worth it? People are telling me the Harvard brand will take me far, but this is planning and that seems fishy.

NYU is still a fantastic school that will take you places - especially if the program checks all your boxes! If you want to work in research and academia, maybe Harvard will give you a leg up at the start of your career, but you'll quickly find many of your peers and superiors didn't go to ivies and aren't in as much debt. Save yourself the stress of debt. You'll feel so free once you're working and able to save for a house/go on fun trips/live it up at bars/go to Whole Foods or whatever other fancy grocery store rather than stress about money because you have $40k and compounding interest hanging over your head.

[Plannerlady]

Hello Everyone!

Does anyone know of MUP/MURP/MCRP programs that give full funding ? Specifically research ones. I'm looking for more research based programs. I already have a MURP but it was pretty technical, I want more theory based master's but I'm finding it quite difficult to diffrentiate between the 2. (I will apply to PhD programs but want to also have a backup plan too)

[BikeLanes]

Has anyone heard from MIT about an in-person open house event for admitted MCP students? Harvard is hosting one for MUP prospects on the 31st, and I wanted to see if I was missing something before contacting MIT admissions. Thanks!

[Μᾰθητής Πόλεως]

34 minutes ago, BikeLanes said:

Has anyone heard from MIT about an in-person open house event for admitted MCP students? Harvard is hosting one for MUP prospects on the 31st, and I wanted to see if I was missing something before contacting MIT admissions. Thanks!

The professor who called me mentioned an info session on April 7th but I believe he said it was virtual. I haven't received any confirmation / info about the info session besides him mentioning it though. 

 

Edit: I looked through the admissions letter and its mentioned in the first paragraph but I haven't heard anything further / gotten any links. 

Edited March 8, 2023 by Μᾰθητής Πόλεως

[BikeLanes]

52 minutes ago, Μᾰθητής Πόλεως said:

The professor who called me mentioned an info session on April 7th but I believe he said it was virtual. I haven't received any confirmation / info about the info session besides him mentioning it though. 

 

Edit: I looked through the admissions letter and its mentioned in the first paragraph but I haven't heard anything further / gotten any links. 

I see that now — thank you! 😊

[saladdayss]

Does anyone have insight on Harvard GSD vs Cornell AAP? Harvard would require over $100K in loans, and Cornell is giving me almost a full ride. However, I don't really know anything about Cornell's program and haven't been able to find anyone's experiences with the planning program.

[js2112]

Has anyone heard any updates on their McGill MUP application? I'm still waiting and not sure of the timeline.

[dejanaltz]

44 minutes ago, js2112 said:

Has anyone heard any updates on their McGill MUP application? I'm still waiting and not sure of the timeline.

Mine still says decision pending

[GMK]

8 hours ago, saladdayss said:

Does anyone have insight on Harvard GSD vs Cornell AAP? Harvard would require over $100K in loans, and Cornell is giving me almost a full ride. However, I don't really know anything about Cornell's program and haven't been able to find anyone's experiences with the planning program.

This is a no-brainer!  Follow the money!

[Vegetablecities]

18 hours ago, js2112 said:

Has anyone heard any updates on their McGill MUP application? I'm still waiting and not sure of the timeline.

I'm not sure why Canadian schools take so much longer than American ones

[MRA]

Rutgers MCRP is wrapping up decisions today/Monday. Funding coming March 15-30.

[TrinityIRL]

Columbia's decision is out in the portal. 

Accepted: MIT (80%), Columbia ($40k/year), Tufts (75%, interviewing for full funding fellowship), Penn (funding pending), Cornell ($13k/year). Waitlisted: Harvard. Pending: Rutgers. 

If anyone knows of prospective student group chats, please loop me in, thank you.

 

[js2112]

On 1/13/2023 at 4:13 PM, js2112 said:

Age/Gender/Citizenship

24/M/USA

Undergraduate degree/School/Year graduated 

BS in Public Policy / Big 10 University / 2021

GPA - GRE  - TOEFL (for Int'l students) 

3.68 cumulative, no GRE

Work Experience:

1 year at an economic development social services non-profit

1 year at a financial software firm

Letter of recommendations: (from whom)

2 from professors, 1 from supervisor

Schools applied to:  Columbia, Hunter, McGill, Penn

In: Columbia, Hunter

Out:

Wait-list:

Awaiting: McGill, Penn

Results:

Received an acceptance from Columbia-no word of funding, so I assume that means no aid. Bummer, but I still have another acceptance and a few more places to hear back from!

[Vegetablecities]

Got into Columbia! But no word on funding... I guess that means I won't be getting any. Who in their right mind would spend more than $200k (tuition, fees, living expenses) for a unfunded planning degree!!??

 

Starting to look like NYU makes the most sense. Any chance I could try to leverage full funding at NYU to get funding at Harvard? 

 

Accepted: NYU (50%, will interview for full funding fellowship), UCLA/Paris Sciences Po Dual Program (awaiting funding information), Harvard (no funding), Columbia (no funding). Pending: McGill, University of Toronto, University of British Columbia, Paris Sciences Po/London School Economics Dual Program. Rejected: MIT, Berkeley

[js2112]

On 1/13/2023 at 4:13 PM, js2112 said:

Age/Gender/Citizenship

24/M/USA

Undergraduate degree/School/Year graduated 

BS in Public Policy / Big 10 University / 2021

GPA - GRE  - TOEFL (for Int'l students) 

3.68 cumulative, no GRE

Work Experience:

1 year at an economic development social services non-profit

1 year at a financial software firm

Letter of recommendations: (from whom)

2 from professors, 1 from supervisor

Schools applied to:  Columbia, Hunter, McGill, Penn

In: Columbia, Hunter

Out:

Wait-list: Penn

Awaiting: McGill

Results:

Waitlisted at Penn. Just McGill left!

[HHSSHH]

Last year, I was only accepted to Columbia, but this year I received offers from Upenns and UCLA too. However, I am uncertain whether I will accept any of these offers. I plan to try negotiating with Upenn to see if I can receive more funding, but if that doesn't work out, I will either apply again next year or consider letting go of my dream.

 

Accepted: UCLA, Columbia, Upenn ($10k) Rejected: MIT, Berkeley, yale, Harvard

[Vegetablecities]

18 hours ago, HHSSHH said:

Last year, I was only accepted to Columbia, but this year I received offers from Upenns and UCLA too. However, I am uncertain whether I will accept any of these offers. I plan to try negotiating with Upenn to see if I can receive more funding, but if that doesn't work out, I will either apply again next year or consider letting go of my dream.

 

Accepted: UCLA, Columbia, Upenn ($10k) Rejected: MIT, Berkeley, yale, Harvard

You could consider applying to slightly less competitive programs that offer more merit aid.

[dejanaltz]

Has anyone heard back from Toronto Metropolitan University's MPl in Urban Development, University of Toronto's MSc Planning, or York's MES Planning? I have seen 1 person who heard back from UT on here. My York application says waitlisted and was updated like 10 days after I applied, the others I have heard nothing from.

[lobby1011]

On 3/16/2023 at 2:03 PM, dejanaltz said:

Has anyone heard back from Toronto Metropolitan University's MPl in Urban Development, University of Toronto's MSc Planning, or York's MES Planning? I have seen 1 person who heard back from UT on here. My York application says waitlisted and was updated like 10 days after I applied, the others I have heard nothing from.

Nothing from UofT or TMU either

[LKLK]

I just got accepted to the University of Toronto's MSc Planning program!! I'm super relieved as it's the only program I applied to. My status in the admissions portal still just says "submitted" and I haven't received the official letter yet, but my ACORN status changed to "invited" for the program. I also told my current supervisor (a prof in the program) and she confirmed that I got in. For those of you with an ACORN account, I would definitely check there! Otherwise I'm sure they'll send out the letters very soon.

[MRA]

I'm so nervous...still no word on my Rutgers MCRP application and I'm at the edge of my seat waiting to hear about financial aid from UT and Rutgers. Anyone else in the same boat?

[ChristineWang]

So I'm in a little bit of a dilemma and I'm hoping that you guys can help me out. Here's my situation. I was admitted to both USC and UMich. My focus will be in housing as my background is in nonprofit housing development and my aspiration is to work in housing development management in a leadership position. I'm a foreign national so I'll be an international student.

The locations of both programs appeal to me as Ann Arbor seems like the perfect little college town but no one can say no to LA. I went to UCLA for college so LA holds a special place in heart but I quite like the idea of moving to a new city, not to mention Ann Arbor which sounds absolutely lovely. I didn't receive funding from UMich and I'm waiting for funding information from USC. I'm not expecting any funding from USC either since my undergraduate GPA was below 3.0 due to my mental health at the time. I know that the general consensus is to choose the cheapest option but that probably won't be applicable in my case. I do plan to ask for funding from both schools but I doubt I'll be successful. I think I'm fine with working either in California or in the Midwest or Northeast so that won't be much of a contributing factor as well.

Both schools offer certificates in real estate development and seem to offer a significant number of classes in housing policy and development. I know that the USC MUP is known to have a focus on real estate development and I'm unsure about UMich. I guess my question is, which school has a greater focus on housing/real estate development and better career prospects in the field of housing/real estate development. I look forward to any advice. Please help me out!

Edited March 25, 2023 by ChristineWang

[lattesandlearning]

On 3/21/2023 at 5:47 PM, LKLK said:

I just got accepted to the University of Toronto's MSc Planning program!! I'm super relieved as it's the only program I applied to. My status in the admissions portal still just says "submitted" and I haven't received the official letter yet, but my ACORN status changed to "invited" for the program. I also told my current supervisor (a prof in the program) and she confirmed that I got in. For those of you with an ACORN account, I would definitely check there! Otherwise I'm sure they'll send out the letters very soon.

hey! is it possible you could go into your stats/notable achievements that helped you get in? I'm interested in applying at the end of this year

[LKLK]

9 minutes ago, lattesandlearning said:

hey! is it possible you could go into your stats/notable achievements that helped you get in? I'm interested in applying at the end of this year

Sure! I did my undergrad here in Human Geography (part-time if that’s relevant, in my 8th year right now 😅). I’m currently in my last semester with a 3.84 CGPA although it’s technically lower, I transferred schools midway through and my GPA got wiped, my transfer credits no longer have a grade associated with them. I also got a geography scholarship at one point. In terms of experience, I did an internship a few years ago doing research on gentrification and I’m currently working under a prof in the program as a research assistant for a project semi-related to planning. I’m also doing an independent study course right now which is sort of like an undergraduate thesis. 2 of my references were profs in the department, one of which definitely knows me better than the other but I think they were both fairly strong. The third was my internship supervisor so not an academic reference. Another thing that I think probably helped me was having a fairly specific planning-related interest in mind that I talked about in my personal statement, which I think made it less generic. Let me know if you have any questions, and good luck next year!

[Plannerlady]

A bit of a rant, but honestly universities who list "International Planning" as one of their specializations when they only work or do research in one other country and don't consider any other geographical location when admitting students shouldn't be having it as a specialization at all.

I applied to many universities who claim they do international planning only to be told "Sorry, we don't actually have experience in X region". Like if you only consider China and India to be your "international planning" say so before one wastes an application.

What's more frustrating is that I have previously talked to each of the universities to make sure they would be willing to work with me if I applied and I always got a positive response. They literally only cared about the application money and increasing the number of applicants.