MEM 2012 applicants

[MCRM]

Only $10k for one year from FES, no way! Guess Nic School now comes back into the picture for me.

Also I presume everyone else has heard back from SNRE one way or the other? Guess I got the so called "silent rejection"

Sorry to hear that! I'm surprise you haven't hear from SNRE but look at the bright side, their tuition is even more expensive than Yale and they don't give any financial aid. For me even being accepted that's a breaking deal.

Does someone know which city is more expensive between Durham and New Haven?

[cunninlynguist]

Does someone know which city is more expensive between Durham and New Haven?

According to the Cost of Living Comparison spreadsheet provided in the Duke acceptance letter, New Haven is 6% more expensive. Utilities are 40% higher in New Haven and that comprises most of the difference. Either way, it's not a major gap.

[MCRM]

According to the Cost of Living Comparison spreadsheet provided in the Duke acceptance letter, New Haven is 6% more expensive. Utilities are 40% higher in New Haven and that comprises most of the difference. Either way, it's not a major gap.

Thank you! I have read the info that the universities provide, however, for past experience I've found that sometimes these costs are overestimated, and in the end you can manage to live with less money. Anyway, it seems like I'll be going to Duke, unless Yale offers me a place with a larger fin aid package.

[vanillasoylatte]

To those who are going to the Duke visit day next week- where are you staying?

[jbr00ks9]

Any thoughts on the actual costs of Duke and Yale? If you look at the "cost of attendance" estimates that they both provide, Duke estimates more for books and health insurance, while also considering transportation costs (and perhaps other). I am wondering if Yale is underestimating and/or Duke is overestimating. I'm sure Yale doesn't want to go much over $50k. For those visiting next week - can you add this to your list of questions to ask to current students?

[One love]

Anybody else still waiting to hear back from SIPA for the ESP program? Any ideas as to when I should be expecting a reply back regarding the wait list?

Yep, since November...I do not know how I have survived. Should be any day now though (that's what I've been telling myself for months)

[tiredwaiting]

Hey does any one have any pre requisite subjects..?? I have 2 : Ecology and Environmental policy for SUNY ESF. Any one's got any suggestions on where I can do them at cheap rates..?? Plus should I finish them before I go, or do them along my normal grad courses..??

[artemis]

Hey does any one have any pre requisite subjects..?? I have 2 : Ecology and Environmental policy for SUNY ESF. Any one's got any suggestions on where I can do them at cheap rates..?? Plus should I finish them before I go, or do them along my normal grad courses..??

Hey tired waiting, Yale does mention some prerequisites too.

http://environment.yale.edu/admissions/masters/apply/preparing-for-admission

But when I checked with the adcom, they said theyre not mandatory. But they did mention that one should do it from an accredited college for "credit". I find the subjects of interest so I want to do the courses. In search of courses myself. Will post if I find any...

[tiredwaiting]

Thanks Artemis. I guess if I don't find any good options online, I'll do them on the campus itself.

[cunninlynguist]

Duke accepts prerequisites completed from GraduateSchool.edu -- the other schools probably do as well. Plenty of online courses available and their prices appear reasonable.

[tiredwaiting]

Thanks Cunninlynguist

[puddin]

Driving to U-M tomorrow. Let me know if you have particular questions you want answered.

How was the visit? Anything to report? I'm heading out to visit next week for a few days.

[curlie-sue]

SNRE report back:

• faculty was great. Almost all faculty was available to meet with prospectives, and everyone got to meet their adviser (if they were there). Super well rounded faculty in comparison to my impression of other schools I'm looking at, especially when it comes to the social sciences.
  
• Many people do multiple concentration areas, does not add too much course work
  
• Ability to take classes in other schools on campus is apparently easiest here of all other enviro unis.
  
• Funding: best funding is probably GSIs, which people ususally apply for in 2nd year (you usually have to take the course 1st). Some research assistantships also possible for those that seek them out.
  

[puddin]

SNRE report back:

• faculty was great. Almost all faculty was available to meet with prospectives, and everyone got to meet their adviser (if they were there). Super well rounded faculty in comparison to my impression of other schools I'm looking at, especially when it comes to the social sciences.
  
• Many people do multiple concentration areas, does not add too much course work
  
• Ability to take classes in other schools on campus is apparently easiest here of all other enviro unis.
  
• Funding: best funding is probably GSIs, which people ususally apply for in 2nd year (you usually have to take the course 1st). Some research assistantships also possible for those that seek them out.
  

Thanks for the report! Did you get a sense for how competitive the GSI positions are? I spoke with a few students a couple weeks ago that had all done GSI and research assistant positions several times over, so it's tough to tell whether they are relatively accessible positions or if the top students just get them over and over again.

[MCRM]

Thanks for the info curlie sue!

To those admitted to Yale any of you has made a final desicion yet? When is the deadline to reply admission? April 1st or 15th?

Thanks!

[Vader Was Framed]

great thread and congrats to those who got accepted to their top schools.

anyone know of the PhD equivalent of this thread? I have not skimmed the entire thread but I didn't catch any PhD-speak. Same major programs, Yale FES, Duke, Arizona SOS, Bren ...

any of you MEMers planning on staying for a PhD?

[jbr00ks9]

Thanks for the info curlie sue!

To those admitted to Yale any of you has made a final desicion yet? When is the deadline to reply admission? April 1st or 15th?

Thanks!

Nope. I suspect many won't make their decision until after this Friday, the visit. I'm waiting to hear back from the FLAS award at Yale and Duke to also study Kiswahili before I make my final decision. I likely won't be able to decide until the 6th, possibly a bit later. 15th is the deadline.

Edited March 27, 2012 by jbr00ks9

[MCRM]

Nope. I suspect many won't make their decision until after this Friday, the visit. I'm waiting to hear back from the FLAS award at Yale and Duke to also study Kiswahili before I make my final decision. I likely won't be able to decide until the 6th, possibly a bit later. 15th is the deadline.

Thanks! Hope everything works out! Do you plan to work with African communities? That's very cool! Good luck!

[chailatte44]

AHH I'm still waiting from Bren in the Conservation Planning Area. I've gotten into Duke, and Univ of Michigan, but the in state fees for UCSB are really attractive. I got the same message

"Your application to the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management is very competitive and currently is under consideration by the admissions committee. Thank you for your patience as the committee completes its deliberations in the coming weeks. We appreciate your interest in the Bren School and will be in touch with you soon!"

I'm going crazy waiting...and logging in to "Check the Status of My Application" When was the most recent notifications for Bren?

[cam_12]

If it helps, MCRM, I turned down Yale the other week--maybe that spot is now open just for you.

[biggytre]

Anyone heard from SPEA or Bren about finances/scholarships?

[MCRM]

If it helps, MCRM, I turned down Yale the other week--maybe that spot is now open just for you.

Aw! I really hope so Cam_12! Thank you so much for letting me know!

Just out of curiosity what's your background? I know they will call people from the wait list depending on what they are looking for i.e internationals, work experience, Ms students etc,

Again thank you so much!

Edited March 28, 2012 by MCRM

[jhuffine]

I'm going crazy waiting...and logging in to "Check the Status of My Application" When was the most recent notifications for Bren?

Tell me about it, I check the website compulsively... congrats on Duke and Michigan though. I imagine they would have to send out the rest of the decisions by the end of this week if not early next week, since it will be April and all by then. They only take about 75 new students each year, correct?

[Jaworhalo]

I'm really struggling with choosing a program for sustainable energy. I'm still waiting for Bren and Indiana, but I was fortunate enough to receive some funding for Duke ($) and Michigan($). Outside of these environmental programs, I'm also seriously considering Carnegie's MPP, environmental policy concentration ($$), Columbia SIPA's MPA, energy and environment concentration, and Johns Hopkins SAIS IR, energy resources and environment concentration (no funding for these expensive programs). I've looked at the curriculums, talked to professors, administrators, students, etc., but it hasn't made it much easier to choose between these great programs. I will study sustainable energy, probably from international and quantitative perspectives, and may eventually transition to a PhD program. If you have any advice, particularly which programs you think are particularly strong or weak in energy and sustainability, as well as your rationales, I'd greatly appreciate it. I hope you're having an easier time with the end of the admissions process than me! Best of luck to everyone here.

Edited March 29, 2012 by Jaworhalo

[mjlloyd86]

Decided on the Duke EE program, so headed to Durham this fall! Pretty excited. Declined spots at Bren and CU Boulder - so that should hopefully open up some spots. Just for future reference to anyone interested in MEM-style programs related to energy, and only because these programs haven't received much attention on this forum, the programs at UC-Berkeley and UT-Austin are also seemingly very good, and worth considering. Good luck to everyone awaiting decisions and to those trying to finally decide. See some of you in Durham this fall.

On a side note, I'm headed out to Durham in two weeks to check out the school and housing, since I won't be able to make it to the Admitted students weekend. They informed me that as long as you check out the school before May 1, you can still apply for the $200 travel reimbursement. Also, I noticed this on here earlier, I received a $14k scholarship, and was told that it would carry into the next year, so hopefully that answers someone's questions, as I only briefly perused the forum.