xnormajeanx Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Hey all, I used this forum when I was applying to schools and it was a great help to me last year. Now that I am at the Harris School (University of Chicago) as a first year MPP student, I'd be happy to answer anybody's questions about the school (or even just being an MPP student). In general I am happy with my choice but I am not drinking the Kool-Aid by any means -- I'll give you as honest an answer as I can. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
younglions Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Harris School is one of my top choices. I remember from last year that you received some money from Harris. Can you shed any light on the approximate percentage of students receiving funding, and at what levels? What sort of background did you come from? How was your economics and math preparation? Are the quantitative courses actually challenging, or is that more self-hype among MPP schools? A big reason I'm attracted to Harris is because of its strong emphasis on the quantitative. Am I going to be disappointed considering my undergraduate degree is in economics? Where in Chicago are you living? Do many (any?) students live in Woodlawn, or do they stay further north? Thanks for coming back to answer questions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
policy_applicant Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 hi there. thanks for coming back! i remember your sig from when i was browsing here early in the process. even though i didn't apply to harris, i would also be interested to know about the quant courses and if they match the hype. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xnormajeanx Posted February 5, 2009 Author Share Posted February 5, 2009 Harris School is one of my top choices. I remember from last year that you received some money from Harris. Can you shed any light on the approximate percentage of students receiving funding, and at what levels? What sort of background did you come from? How was your economics and math preparation? Are the quantitative courses actually challenging, or is that more self-hype among MPP schools? A big reason I'm attracted to Harris is because of its strong emphasis on the quantitative. Am I going to be disappointed considering my undergraduate degree is in economics? Where in Chicago are you living? Do many (any?) students live in Woodlawn, or do they stay further north? Thanks for coming back to answer questions! Yes, I got half tuition, and my impression is that the vast majority of students have aid, including a few of my friends with full aid and stipend. That said, Harris has a lot less money this year because of the market -- I was talking to our admissions director and she said aid would be guaranteed for current students at last year's levels but for those entering in fall 2009 it will definitely be tougher. I did not have a formal quantitative background (journalism and poli sci major in undergrad) but have always been a naturally quantitative person. I think the quant courses are actually very challenging, and this isn't hype. You have the option of taking a less quantitative track and a more quantitative track. I'm on the more math-heavy course. The folks in this track have backgrounds in things like microfinance, economic analysis, banking, etc., and trust me, it is challenging for all of us--even a few students who already had MBAs or masters in economics. I don't see *anybody* getting through classes easily, and we all rely on each other to work together on things like problem sets. I know that most schools say they are quant heavy but I really doubt you can get more quant heavy than the university of Chicago. This is not always a good thing, but it sounds like what you are looking for. As an econ major you won't be required to take Micro I or II, and you can take more interesting classes in public finance, program evaluation, etc. I live downtown in the loop, and many students do live up north. But I'd say 2/3 live in Hyde Park.Hope that helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
younglions Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Thanks for the response xnormajeanx... It's good to hear about the rigorous coursework, but not so good to hear about the funding cutbacks. I guess only time will tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
policy_applicant Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 xnormajeanx, I noticed in another post that you are considering pursuing your PhD after the MPP and are ultimately considering a consulting/policy research (please correct me if any of this is wrong). I've been considering this path recently, and I'm wondering if anything has changed during the first year of the program, or what you have been able to do to make that option feasible in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xnormajeanx Posted February 7, 2009 Author Share Posted February 7, 2009 xnormajeanx, I noticed in another post that you are considering pursuing your PhD after the MPP and are ultimately considering a consulting/policy research (please correct me if any of this is wrong). I've been considering this path recently, and I'm wondering if anything has changed during the first year of the program, or what you have been able to do to make that option feasible in the future. Yes, I am still thinking about a PhD but not immediately following the MPP program. One thing about Harris is it is much more theoretical, "scholarly" and academically rigorous than other MPP programs. This can be either good or bad. I find it good if you are planning to pursue a PhD - it has a great reputation in academia (this is what my undergraduate profs told me - assured me that Harris was a better school in this regard than HKS, a school I was bummed I did not get into). The negative side is that there is less "practical" work - sometimes leaving us students losing sight of what we're here to accomplish. (We recently put on a sketch comedy show to raise money for a conference fund, and one of the punch lines was - what does all this math homework have to do with saving the world!?) Another fact to consider is that if you plan to enter a PhD program directly after the MPP, it can be very difficult to do at Harris because there are somewhat limited opportunities to do research or get published in your first year. You might think, oh, I can use my thesis as my writing sample - but then remember you won't finish your thesis until much later in the school year and you'll be applying in the fall. Also, all first-year students must take the core, and these classes can be large - which means limited ability to develop relationships with faculty. Of course,this depends on your background. If you have a strong econ and poli sci background, there are opportunities to opt out of the core classes and take other classes in which you're doing more research and working closer with faculty. I dont know if this is similar to other schools - it's possible that you can start doing research earlier elsewhere, but I'm not sure. For me, I knew I wasn't going to be able to put together a competitive application after only one year here. So I plan to wait. Plus I decided I'd love to work for a while first! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
policy_applicant Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Thanks! That's really helpful, and it's on the same line I was thinking as well. I've been really regretting not applying to Harris since the deadlines passed, but hindsight is 20/20. Like you said, it seems like it would be pretty tough to pull together a convincing PhD application after the first year if you didn't already have the research experience/publications going in. If I go for it, I was thinking of trying to land a think tank or policy research job before applying for PhD programs, so I'll be able to use my thesis as a writing sample and won't get too far off the research track. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpp2011 Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Normajean, Thanks for coming back and answering our questions - I've appreciated your answers. I also applied to Harris and have a few questions. - Are job prospects in DC favorable for graduates? Are students graduating this spring having much success finding work? - You mentioned going on for your Ph.D., and Harris being excellent preparation for that. Would you recommend Harris for someone who probably won't go on for a Ph.D., and plans to enter the workforce after earning the MPP? - How demanding is the program? Is there time for a part-time job? - Is the faculty and student body conservative, moderate, or liberal? Does Friedman still heavily influence the school's economists? - Which schools did you choose between and why did you choose Harris? - Do you know anyone pursuing a joint law degree? Would first-year MPP students have a leg up in law school admissions? - And finally, any insight on when we can expect an admission decision? Thanks again!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xnormajeanx Posted February 13, 2009 Author Share Posted February 13, 2009 - Are job prospects in DC favorable for graduates? Are students graduating this spring having much success finding work? Have to admit that most graduates of Harris stay in the Chicago area - some do go to DC, but I'm sure not as many as the schools on the east coast. In general, job prospects are not great this year, with those who locked in job offers after internships being the only ones stress-free. I'm sure you'll find that at most other schools. - You mentioned going on for your Ph.D., and Harris being excellent preparation for that. Would you recommend Harris for someone who probably won't go on for a Ph.D., and plans to enter the workforce after earning the MPP? Absolutely! Most of us aren't getting Ph.D.s. Career services is quite strong, I feel, in comparison to other schools, with strong connections to alumni, mentorship opportunities, and actual on-campus recruiting. (This last part seems rarer at other schools, where employers might come for info sessions but might not conduct interviews.) - How demanding is the program? Is there time for a part-time job? They recommend you do not take a part-time job in the first quarter, but most students do by the second quarter and almost all second year students that I've talked to have a part-time job, often working for whoever they did their internship with in the summer. - Is the faculty and student body conservative, moderate, or liberal? Does Friedman still heavily influence the school's economists? Good question. In general, the curriculum is probably "libertarian" with respect to economics - and "conservative" with respect to international relations. Friedman is not the only influence - after all the poli sci department is the home of political realism! We spend a lot of time talking about how cash transfers are better than food stamps, how regulation leads to regulatory capture, how foreign aid is self-interested and doesn't work, etc. Sometimes it gets to you - for a while I actually began to think that encouraging kids to stay in school was a bad idea, because they are self-optimizers and if they choose to drop out it must be because they do better after dropping out than if they stay in school. This, from my stats class. On the other hand, most profs (with some exceptions) are not necessarily as conservative as what they teach - they want you to consider the theory but don't necessarily believe it's true in real life. It can depend on who you take. On the other hand, most profs do overtly support Obama, for obvious reasons. (Side note: I'm in a leadership class in which we bring in prominent leaders in Chicago to speak every week, but this year almost half our list canceled because they are all in DC working for Obama, including Valerie Jarrett and Arne Duncan.) Our dean made anti-Palin jokes repeatedly during the fall quarter. And the students are, like at most schools, liberal in general, but there are a number who are drawn to Harris because of its more conservative reputation. - Which schools did you choose between and why did you choose Harris? I was choosing between Georgetown, Berkeley and U of C. I ruled out Berkeley because they gave no aid. I struggled with the decision between GPPI and Harris. In the end I chose Harris because I felt that I would get a better education overall and because I felt the school seemed to have closer ties to alumni and regional employers. I am not necessarily interested in working in DC, so the Georgetown location was not a huge draw for me when it came to future employment considerations - only for the excitement/quality of life consideration. Do you know anyone pursuing a joint law degree? Would first-year MPP students have a leg up in law school admissions? Unfortunately I don't think anyone in my class is doing the MPP/JD. So I can't tell you more, sorry! - And finally, any insight on when we can expect an admission decision? Last year, I got the e-mail on March 12! Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wabbitt09 Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Hey there, Thanks for offering your advice on Harris. First, a simple question: when did you hear back? Second: what's the average age of student there? I'm slightly older (28). No matter where I end up, I'm hoping that the student body has had some real world experience... Finally, I've applied specifically to the environmental/energy policy track. do you know anyone in that particular program? What has their experience been like? thanks much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xnormajeanx Posted February 16, 2009 Author Share Posted February 16, 2009 First, a simple question: when did you hear back? March 12 Second: what's the average age of student there? I'm slightly older (28). No matter where I end up, I'm hoping that the student body has had some real world experience... I'm not absolutely sure, but I would guesstimate around 26-27. There is a contingent of younger students (straight from undergrad to two years of work experience) but also plenty of older students. Most of my friends are around 25-30. There's also some 40 year-olds, and even a few 50+! From what I saw from other schools, Harris is a bit older than schools like GPPI, Ford, LBJ, etc. but similar to HKS or WWS in age. Finally, I've applied specifically to the environmental/energy policy track. do you know anyone in that particular program? What has their experience been like? Are you referring to the MSESP program? (Master of Science in Environmental Science and Policy)? Unlike a lot of schools, Harris is very generalist - you are not required to declare a track and many classes are very general -program eval, analysis of microeconomic data, cost-benefit analysis, etc. The folks I know in MSESP have to heavily design their own curriculum. There isn't an easy set track, and you have to take a lot of classes outside of Harris (usually in the Physical Sciences as well as the B-School). Harris itself only offers a few environment/energy policy courses. It's sort of all about how you want to shape your degree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xnormajeanx Posted March 10, 2009 Author Share Posted March 10, 2009 Good luck everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllOverthePlace Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Does everyone find out in one day or do they do several waves-- one Wed, one Thurs? Do you know if rejections are all on a different date? Thanks xnormajeanx! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
younglions Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 According to gradcafe results from last year, positive decisions came over the course of SIX days. I guess if we see some positive results pop up in the next couple days, and don't hear anything ourselves, we shouldn't lose hope. Good luck to all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllOverthePlace Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 omg. Six days! :!: ....good luck to everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpp2011 Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Who's the lucky person who got into Harris today? Did they say anything about funding? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
younglions Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Only one Harris post yesterday, and none so far today. Since Harris has a large cohort, I think we can expect to see loads of results posted once the flow picks up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllOverthePlace Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 So people have started to find out about acceptances/ rejections? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagger Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 So people have started to find out about acceptances/ rejections? It would appear so, but only one acceptance has been posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllOverthePlace Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Where was it posted? was it via email? or snail mail? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
younglions Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 New post on the results forum, not an admit or a rejection, but interesting nonetheless: "All admits will hear by tomorrow, rejections on Friday." - via phone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllOverthePlace Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Hi Younglions, did you hear from UChicago today? their website says the following: Master's candidates - January 3 Priority deadline. All application materials for admission and scholarship must be postmarked by January 3. We will announce admission and scholarship decisions by March 15. ...and it makes me nervous... if people started finding out on Tuesday the 10th, then the sixth business day is Tuesday, the 17th... but otherwise, the 15th is the 6th day... doesn't look so good for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
younglions Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 No, I didn't hear from Chicago today. Also, on the results board another message was posted that says admits on Friday and rejects on Saturday--not Thursday and Friday. I'm having a hard time believing the admit that was posted on 3/10... maybe they contacted a professor directly and their status came up in conversation, but I would be surprised if it came from the admissions staff. Also, last year Chicago seemed to notify their applicants very late in the evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
number35 Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 Just looking through the results from last year. 1 person from gradcafe was waitlisted, everyone else was accepted into the MPP program. Is that strange? Also, this means we don't really know when the "denied" email will go out. I'm betting on we hear late tonight. But then again, I'm grasping at straws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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