MPP/MPA - waitlist? fellowship? loans?

[desigrrl]

Hi everyone,

I'm new on this site, joined with the hopes that you can give me some advice with my decision-making process, now that letters are in.

I was accepted to the following MPP/MPA programs:

Harvard Kennedy School (waiting on fellowship decisions)

NYU Wagner (waiting on fellowship decisions)

UCLA School of Public Affairs (awarded $10,000 for the first year)

Columbia SIPA (no fellowships)

UC Berkeley (no fellowships)

And I was waitlisted at Princeton Woodrow Wilson School (which offers full fellowship aid to most admitted students).

Some background on me:

I have a lot of credit card debt and undergrad loans and though I am paying it all down, I am not sure I want to take out more loans. I have been working full-time for 8 years and live in New York City. I have a good job working for the City, with great mentoring and definite room to move up. My entire career has been in the nonprofit and public sector...I do think about running for local office eventually, and realize that prestige is important in opening doors (though not the only factor). I went to Georgetown SFS for undergrad. I am also in a committed relationship, and my partner has decided not to move with me if I leave NYC. We could do long-distance NYC-Boston or NYC-NJ but I don't think we could survive NYC-CA for two years.

So here are my questions:

1. what do you think my chances are of getting into WWS off the wait list? it is my first choice, because of fellowship aid

2. if I don't get in to Princeton, and I don't get aid from Harvard, but I get a fellowship at NYU, should I go with the NYU fellowship, or take out loans to go to Harvard?

3. if I don't get in to Princeton, and I don't get aid from Harvard or NYU, is it worth it to take out loans to go to Harvard? or should I keep my job and go to NYU part-time?

4. if by some miracle I get into Princeton AND get funding from Harvard and NYU, what to do? Harvard is highest ranked in the areas I am interested in (urban policy and administration), and NYU is right up there too, but Princeton not so much.

Thanks so much for your advice. All the waiting on fellowship/wait list decisions is killing me!

[hambergrrr]

Wow, that's a rough situation, and it sounds like you have LOTS going for you! Congrats!

Also sounds like a lot is contingent upon fellowship awards... wish I could be in the same boat. When do you hear back from all the schools for fellowship awards? Seems like Berkeley & Columbia would be "no's," given that you have credit card debt & loans, but that's just my opinion.

[desigrrl]

hi, thanks. i feel very blessed, i must say. WWS says i will hear "within the next few weeks" about whether i'm off the wait list or not. KSG will notify $ by march 20 and Wagner by the end of march.

it seems so long to wait! i also need to talk to my boss if i'm going to leave, or if i'm going to go part-time...

in the mean time, i'm going to visit Wagner, UCLA and KSG's admitted student days. UCLA seems like a long shot now, since they gave some money but not enough, but they're paying for my flight and who knows, i may fall in love with the program. i just don't feel right saying no until i go and take a look for myself.

and yeah i agree, i'm not even considering SIPA or GSPP since they didn't offer any money.

thanks again, and good luck with your own process!

[ladyseacow]

Sorry to hear your predicament. I am sort of in the same boat. It sounds like you have ruled out the Cali schools and Columbia (I don't blame you!). I would probably push WWS for an answer and ask NYU to wait. Harvard is not known to be generous with its funding.

I got into:

KSG--no funding

CMU--$6000 a semester (in Pittsburgh and DC)

American--full scholarship

U Conn--full scholarship + stipend (sweet deal!)

Columbia--no funding

SAIS--waiting to hear on funding

I too don't anticipate a lucrative career, and may even be working outside the US. As an international student, I would really prefer not to accrue the debt. However, given my knowledge of the programs, I believe KSG would be the best fit. Also, the recognition that comes with the Harvard name will likely make it easier for me outside the US. Nonetheless, it is hard to turn down American--a pretty good program with full funding.

Thoughts?

[desigrrl]

you were offered a full fellowship - take it! especially if you want to do public service work. unless you can somehow stomach/pay back the 130K in loans you will need to attend KSG. for me, i'm still leaning towards NYU because i really can't see myself going corporate after graduation. but i'm attending the admitted student's weekend at KSG in two weeks (Wagner's was yesterday) to get a clear sense of the program before i make my final decision.

[hopeful grad]

Desi-

How was Wagner's admitted students day? I was unable to go.

[desigrrl]

left really liking Wagner and feeling like it was a good fit for me. especially excited about how connected they are to community and urban-level work, which are my interests. i get the sense that schools like KSG are stronger for federal and international though, if that's your interest.

also, a lot of students who showed up were on the younger side, but the director of admissions assured me that there were another 200 accepted students who were unable to make it yesterday, and that the average age of the new admits is 28. (i'm 29 so that was important to me).

hope that's helpful, let me know if you have other questions.

[kairamr]

Our son got admitted to Harvard Kennedy School of Government to do graduate studies in Public Policy. The cost is prohibitive there compared to Duke University(Durham, NC),University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI), Columbia University (New York, NY), University of Wisconsin (Madison. WI) and Rutgers (New Brunswick, NJ) where also he has been admitted.

The schools, Duke ($14K) and Univ. of Michigan($12K) are giving aid but nothing from KSG. Rutgers is giving ~$16K to cover tution for one semester + $7K as stipend. He did not get any reply from Columbia and University of Wisconsin regarding financial aid, yet.

He worked in Africa as a Peace Corps volunteer and later in a non-profit organization. He is concerned about the financial burden at KSG (~$130k as loans) and his ability to pay it off with the kind of salaries people in the public service are expected to earn after graduation.

I am wondering if any former KSG alumni or others who pursued MPP would advice us on the advantages of attending Harvard KSG (despite its high cost compared to others) and how to go about getting some financial aid.

Any advice will be very much appreciated.

Concerned Parent

[xnormajeanx]

Our son got admitted to Harvard Kennedy School of Government to do graduate studies in Public Policy. The cost is prohibitive there compared to Duke University(Durham, NC),University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI), Columbia University (New York, NY), University of Wisconsin (Madison. WI) and Rutgers (New Brunswick, NJ) where also he has been admitted.

The schools, Duke ($14K) and Univ. of Michigan($12K) are giving aid but nothing from KSG. Rutgers is giving ~$16K to cover tution for one semester + $7K as stipend. He did not get any reply from Columbia and University of Wisconsin regarding financial aid, yet.

He worked in Africa as a Peace Corps volunteer and later in a non-profit organization. He is concerned about the financial burden at KSG (~$130k as loans) and his ability to pay it off with the kind of salaries people in the public service are expected to earn after graduation.

I am wondering if any former KSG alumni or others who pursued MPP would advice us on the advantages of attending Harvard KSG (despite its high cost compared to others) and how to go about getting some financial aid.

Any advice will be very much appreciated.

Concerned Parent

i'm not a KSG student or anything, but from everything i've heard, the only "advantage" is that Harvard sends a huge number of people into the private sector.

[potstud]

desi,

in a similar bind. hks is one i want most, but got no $$$ from them... i guess they can afford to be the tightest

[desigrrl]

you know what? i got a 75% scholarship from Wagner and NOTHING from HKS! it means a lot when a school values work experience in the public sector so i'm going to Wagner. and i don't regret it, i really liked the profs i met there. good luck to all of you with your decision making process!

[ladyseacow]

Desi,

Congrats on your decision! I'm glad you are feeling good about Wagner. I went to visit American University, and am not sure it is the best fit for me. Their education school is not as strong and they are definitely not very quantitative in terms of the curriculum (at least, that's my impression). Also, their career services people service the whole school and not just the School of Public Affairs. They do not place as many people in the international sector, which is where I'd like to work. Now I'm really torn between American (full tuition) and Kennedy (nothing!). Am also waiting to hear back from SAIS. Have ruled most everyone else out.

Suddenly, I feel like I am rushing this decision and may even take a year out to work out some of these funding issues.

[fingerscrossed]

you know what? i got a 75% scholarship from Wagner and NOTHING from HKS! it means a lot when a school values work experience in the public sector so i'm going to Wagner. and i don't regret it, i really liked the profs i met there. good luck to all of you with your decision making process!

Desi,

I know you were debating it before, but will you be attending school full-time and work part-time, vice versa, or give up the job? I am trying to figure something similar out myself?

Thanks!

[desigrrl]

i'll be at Wagner full-time, and working part-time. with the scholarship, i can afford to go full-time, and working 20 hours a week will provide health insurance and rent money. good luck!