2023 Results - MPA, MPP

[RiverKO]

How's it hanging, y'all? Hope everyone is doing okay. I wish y'all well!

Curious and wanted to get the 2023 thread started. How's your application season been? How's it looking? Don't forget to take care of yourself in these sometimes hectic times. ❤️

Here's the usual format, but also feel free to write how you're feeling about things or what you're thinking.

Thanks! Appreciate y'all!

 

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): 
Schools Applied To:  
Schools Admitted To:  
Schools Rejected From:  
Still Waiting:  
Undergraduate Institution:  
Undergraduate GPA:   
Undergraduate Major:  
GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable):  
Years of Work Experience:  
Describe Relevant Work Experience:  
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc):  
Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc):  
Other:

Edited February 22, 2023 by RiverKO
Just changing spacing

[grad2022gh]

Hi all, happy to make my first post! Coming out of an MPP and applied to a wide-range of IR programs. Unfortunately started the process late and did not have time to take the GRE - limiting me on where I could apply. 

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): Mainly IR
Schools Applied To:  NYU, Columbia, Georgetown, JHU SAIS, GW, Tufts, Sciences Po, LSE, IHEID
Schools Admitted To:  NYU
Schools Rejected From: 
Still Waiting: Waiting to hear from the rest!
Undergraduate Institution: Mid-level state school in Texas
Undergraduate GPA: 3.97 (4.00 Graduate GPA)
Undergraduate Major: Economics and Political Science
GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  Waived
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable):  1.5
Years of Work Experience: 0.3 (one substantial internship)
Describe Relevant Work Experience:  -
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): Very strong and clear "why" for pursing a professional IR master's. Ran it by my two recommenders who agreed. 
Other: I was a 4-year student-athlete, which I am hoping works in my favour and (somewhat) negates my lack of work experience!

[G42]

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): MPP, MPA
Schools Applied To:  Harris (MPP), HKS (MPP), Princeton SPIA (MPA)
Schools Admitted To:  Harris (20K/yr)
Schools Rejected From:  
Still Waiting:  HKS, SPIA
Undergraduate Institution:  An engineering school in India
Undergraduate GPA:   6.5/10 (Major), 9/10 (Minor)
Undergraduate Major/Minor:  Electronics & Communication / Finance & Management

Graduate Institution: UCLA (Anderson)

Graduate GPA: 3.84

Graduate Major: Financial Engineering
GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  168/160/4
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable):  5
Years of Work Experience:  3.5 (by time of enrolment)
Describe Relevant Work Experience:  ~2 years Investment Banking at large US Bank, ~1.5 years  financial & economic research at Columbia
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc):  Average probably? Spent maybe around 2-3 weeks on & off. Strongest essays were probably for SPIA
Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc):  Above average. 2 from profs at UCLA Anderson I did research under, 1 from my research supervisor at Columbia
Other: FRM Charterholder, Around 1.5 yrs of volunteering, 

Edited February 28, 2023 by G42

[solarpunk]

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): MPP, MPA, MEM, MENV
Schools Applied To:  Duke (Sanford and Nicholas), UMich SEAS, CU Boulder, CU Denver, UVA Batten, UW Evans
Schools Admitted To:  UMich SEAS (no merit funding), CU Boulder (no merit funding), UVA Batten ($12.5K/year)
Schools Rejected From:  
Still Waiting:  Duke (Sanford and Nicholas), CU Denver, UW Evans
Undergraduate Institution:  public Ivy in Eastern US
Undergraduate GPA:   3.55
Undergraduate Major:  Government/Environmental Policy
GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  did not take
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable):  1
Years of Work Experience:  1
Describe Relevant Work Experience:  3 month internship at environmental nonprofit, 3 months with school's sustainability office, 1 year AmeriCorps term doing environmental work
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc):  I consider verbal/writing to be my strong suit, so I felt I was able to tailor my SOPs nicely and substantially hit every point I was aiming for within the word limit. Duke Sanford and CU Boulder had video essays attached, Duke's I felt I flubbed-- it was just not my comfort zone, but Boulder's was much smoother and I was happy with the end result.
Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc):  Everyone I asked was happy to write for me, and I chose people who knew me well enough to attach concrete results and examples to the name.
Other: Technically as of applying, I only had a few months of work experience outside undergrad, but by the time I matriculate anywhere it will have been a year, not including the work experience gained during undergrad. I also have a lot of volunteer experience in my local community so I'm hoping that counts for something. I'm hoping Duke pulls through on the funding, especially since they are pretty generous for AmeriCorps alums. My assumption is that need-based aid is sent down the line, as opposed to the merit scholarships which appear to generally be sent with the offer of admission.

 

 

[publicpolicyphdsos]

Has anyone heard back from Evans?

[isitimportant]

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): MPP
Schools Applied To:  CMU Heinz (MSPPM-DA), Columbia TC (Economics and Education — EdM), Duke Sanford (MPP), UC Berkeley Goldman (MPP), UC San Diego GPS (MPP), UChicago Harris (1st MSCAPP 2nd MPP), UMichigan Ford (MPP), UMinnesota Humphrey (MPP), Vanderbilt Peabody (MPP)
Schools Admitted To:  Duke Sanford, UC San Diego GPS, UChicago Harris (MSCAPP waitlist, MPP admitted), UMichigan Ford, UMinnesota Humphrey, Vanderbilt Peabody
Schools Rejected From:  -
Still Waiting:  CMU Heinz, Columbia TC, UC Berkeley Goldman
Undergraduate Institution:  an unknown university internationally...
Undergraduate GPA:   3.05 / 4.00
Undergraduate Major:  Accounting
GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  did not take GRE
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable):  6
Years of Work Experience:  6
Describe Relevant Work Experience:  development economics research in one of the most prestigious research institution, technology start-up, and government-technology in a government body
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc):  I would say my SOP was good but other opinions said they did not like it except one of my recommenders. I conducted several sessions with an education consultant and they did not like my SoP. One of my friends said that it was not too dramatic. I was pessimistic but went anyway
Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc):  Strong. 1 from Econ associate professor in the US, 2 from direct supervisors in workplace
Other: Currently waiting for a state-funded scholarship. As an international student, I'm seeking for a fully funded scheme.  Currently, UMichigan Ford offers the biggest funding (a fellowship with half tuition), but it still doesn't cover my need.  Sanford Duke, UMinnesota Humphrey and Vanderbilty Peabody also offer some percentage of funding

[Dill72]

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): Mainly IR, with a focus on security studies
Schools Applied To:  Cambridge, Denver Korbel, GW Elliott, Georgetown Walsh, Oxford, Pitt GSPIA, Texas A&M Bush
Schools Admitted To:  Denver Korbel ($$), GW Elliott ($), Georgetown Walsh (no funding),  Pitt GSPIA (TBD), Texas A&M Bush ($$)
Schools Rejected From:  Cambridge and Oxford 
Still Waiting:  None
Undergraduate Institution: Liberal arts college in northeast US
Undergraduate GPA: 3.86
Undergraduate Major:  Economics, Political Science 
GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  Did not take
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable):  0 (I applied straight from undergrad)
Years of Work Experience:  0?
Describe Relevant Work Experience: 3 month internship at a congressional district office, around 2 years doing research with a professor (if these are considered work experience, which I don't know if I do)
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): Relatively strong. I knew that (most of) these programs were more professional programs so my SOPs focused on what I wanted to do, why I needed to go to their school now, and why I would be a good fit. 
Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc):  Strong. The first was from my current thesis advisor, the second was from the professor I did research with for two years, and the third was from a professor I had for three classes who knows me very well. 
Other: Overall I am pleasantly surprised that I did this well, considering my lack of work experience and the fact that I did not take the GRE. During college, I did a lot of extracurriculars which I think made up for my lack of work experience. I won't know Pitts's funding until the end of March but I'm hoping it will be as generous as Denver's was. Right now I am torn, Georgetown is definitely the best school for security studies but it would cost a lot. Is it worth the extra debt compared to the other schools I got into? 

Edited March 20, 2023 by Dill72