Guest Posted February 25, 2006 Share Posted February 25, 2006 I am the one who just posted w/all the Qs for RAND applicants. I just saw that someone posted a while back requesting info on those accepted there. To be quite honest, I was surprised that I got accepted. I'm not quite 2 years out of undergrad, and I have no publications or particularly fantastic work experience. Must've been that creativity thing they say they're looking for. *GRE: 740Q/560V/5.5A *GPA: 4.0 in MPA coursework (at a top-rated MPA school), 3.85 undergrad from a Public Ivy (Econ/Public Admin) *In addition to regular MPA coursework, I've taken a few doctoral courses: Math for Economists, 2 semesters of econometrics, and 1st semester micro theory *Research: RA for 2 years, mostly policy-relevant labor economics *Work: a couple of internships doing policy in the fed gov't (NIH, FTC), also time doing local gov't stuff & non-profit stuff. If I had to guess, I'd say my acceptance was a result of my essays & recs. In particular, the rec from the professor I do research for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tina Posted February 25, 2006 Share Posted February 25, 2006 I noticed that there was a UMich policy/econ acceptance today. Was that for the guest above who was waiting? Is that guest above the same as guest who got into Rand? Maybe those posting under guest only could at least add a number to keep track of which one they are if they don't want to use a name. This is nerve-wracking! The info on the UMich website says that only 2 offers were made for econ/policy in 2004 (6 in 2003). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 25, 2006 Share Posted February 25, 2006 Okay I now have a name. My messages were the one asking all the questions to those who have been accepted to RAND, and the follow-up about my applicant profile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pace327 Posted February 25, 2006 Share Posted February 25, 2006 Hopefully 2nd time is a charm. I can get accepted to PhD programs, but I can't figure out how to get my member name to show up on these posts...hmm... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anxious Posted February 25, 2006 Author Share Posted February 25, 2006 Got a letter of acceptance from Indiana Univ. Bloomington today but no financial aid. It says I am on their list for additional consideration if their budget situation improves. It also says that they are willing to assist me in applying for external fellowships or scholarships and to let them know if they can provide a letter of support for me. I had applied there really late, almost after a month from the deadline. Would that be a reason why I didn't get aid? Any ideas as to whether or not there is any possibility of getting aid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anxious Posted February 25, 2006 Author Share Posted February 25, 2006 Btw, the acceptance from IUB was for PhD in public affairs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tina Posted February 25, 2006 Share Posted February 25, 2006 Congrats to anxious on the acceptance!! By the way, to those of you who want to post but not register, you can just type in some name where it says username and use that. That is what I have been doing. This waiting is killing me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Guest/pace, I am the other Guest with the MPP and political background. In addition to what I have already posted, I also applied to law schools, Public Policy programs, and a smattering of schools abroad. But RAND was always my first choice, everything else was in case I didn't get in. RAND is my first choice because my dream job pretty much forever has been to be a researcher at RAND. Not a professor, not anything else. I just want to do applied policy research. RAND sets the international standard in this area. I already have a career, and now I just want to work for RAND or someplace similar like Analytica. I might consider the private sector due to my specific research interest (terrorism risk insurance.) We'll see what happens. As for you, I suggest you go out to RAND before their official visit date. Call them and I bet they will let you change your plans and fly you out earlier. If not, you should consider going yourself and visiting with students and instructors in your field. You will get a gut feeling after visitng both places, you should go with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anxious Posted February 27, 2006 Author Share Posted February 27, 2006 Tina, where did you see UMich policy/econ acceptance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meridionale Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Btw, the acceptance from IUB was for PhD in public affairs. Are you invited to their meet up at the end of March? I've been up there once to meet the department before I was accepted, but I'd like to go again to see the other people admitted to the program. I'm still not sure where I want to go yet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anxious Posted February 27, 2006 Author Share Posted February 27, 2006 I recently received the acceptance and since the financial aid is not guaranteed yet, I'm not too excited about it. Are you in for public affairs too? which other schools have you applied to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tina Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Anxious - The Michigan policy/econ acceptance is (currently) on page 2 if you order it by date (look at it by date added or hit reset and then click all). You can use control F to search for Michigan. Here it is: University Of Michigan-Ann Arbor Public Policy And Economics PhD Accepted 2006-02-24 (E-mail) 2006-02-24 A So you say you received the acceptance, but I am confused as to which! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 Tina, I got acceptance letter from Indiana univ. but no aid as of now..so nothing exciting. So, it seems like UMich might have given the acceptances already. Have you heard from any schools at all? This whole process is freaking me out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anxious Posted February 28, 2006 Author Share Posted February 28, 2006 The previous posting as Guest was mine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tina Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 I have not heard from any policy schools yet. Word from my friend at Woodrow Wilson is that they are one of the last to send out decision letters. Not sure what to think of Michigan - I would not rule it out entirely until the Michigan economics decisions are made. Since the econ dept has to admit anyone admitted to policy/econ, they will probably coincide. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bruno Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 ack! i applied there a month before you did, and i still haven't heard anything! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 Even though RAND is my dream job, I am going a little nuts waiting to hear from Chicago (just in case). I submitted my apps about a month before the deadline! It doesn't look like anyone has heard from Chicago at either the master's or PhD level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pace327 Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 When I got into Chicago/MPP for Fall 2004, I heard via email in mid-March. So maybe that's the time table they run on... good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shootermcgavin Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 Got my rejection from RAND today. As I mentioned earlier, it wasn't entirely unexpected. I plan on taking the next two years to grab a masters and some graduate level math classes; then reapplying - my GREs are great and they wont' have expired by then. Maybe I'll see you guys Fall 2008. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pace327 Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 Shooter- sorry to hear it. Given the applicant profiles on RAND's website, it looks like almost no one gets in w/o a master's (or MD or whatever) so getting one is definitely a good course of action. My math/econ background is fairly strong but not fantastic. So that (and my GRE Q being only a 740) leads me to believe that RAND places a strong emphasis on SOP and/or LOR (and maybe research experience?). But, that's just a guess... Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 Darn, shooter, I'm sorry. I agree with pace, do some publishing and advanced math courses while you're working on your master's and hopefully we'll see you soon. I kind of wonder about LORs - I've been out of school for a long time and only one of mine was from a professor - and not a superstar-type. The others were very positive, from high-level public official types. I think my SOP was stronger in my case, I have used RAND research so much on the job, I feel pretty in tune with what they do and where I can fit in, and I said so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shootermcgavin Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 No worries - as I mentioned earlier I had pegged it as a long shot. I think I can make myself into quite an attractive candidate over the next two years, though. Good luck and maybe I'll be out there while you're still screwing around with your Quals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
showness Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 Tina, have you heard from Michigan GRF yet? I have got MPP from U of Minnesota and Brown, but dying to hear from others...waiting to hear WWS and UChicago and praying...If WWS decides to reject me, just let me die earlier... Anyone that has heard from UChicago, Ph.D, Public Policy? and What about UC Berkeley, MPP? Going more and more anxious... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 Showness, I have also applied to UMich, UChicago and WWS for phd in public policy. no word from any schools so far. Do let us know if you hear anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tina Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 Showness, I have heard only from Harvard Health Policy (rejection). Still waiting for Michigan (they are on spring break this week - maybe next week), WWS, NYU, Carnegie Mellon and a couple other (non public policy) programs. Good luck to everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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