Ford School (Michigan)

[Dushtu]

Thanks for the optimism, State_school - And congrats on your 7/7!

[TypeA]

Is anyone planning to go to the Spring Preview weekend?

[BD123]

Ford was my last school and I am in! So thrilled and surprised!

[eigenvector]

Did anyone receive any notification about the funding status? I received an email from Rakham listing the documents required to secure admission, yet no mention of funding / no funding.

[TypeA]

Hmm. I didn't receive anything from Rackham (maybe because I'm alum and they already have whatever they need?) but I know from communicating with some of the staff that funding decisions should be released "early this week." However, I don't know if emails are sent out to people who don't receive funding. I haven't heard anything yet, but am keeping my eyes on this thread and the results survey--surely some GCers will be on the receiving end of those funding emails.

[eigenvector]

That could be possibly because you applied to a different program. Mine is a regular MPP, whereas you've been accepted for a dual degree program. Good luck, nevertheless.

[state_school'12]

I just got an email with a funding award. $5000/semester. Does anyone know how hard it is to get residency for the second year?

[method]

I just got an email with a funding award. $5000/semester. Does anyone know how hard it is to get residency for the second year?

I don't know the answer to your question, but I'll commence refreshing my email every 10 seconds hahaha

[TypeA]

Congrats on the funding award. As to your question, I only know the "official" university answer on the matter... I don't personally know anyone from out-of-state who managed to get residency. I do know that they're extraordinarily strict about it--I was flagged as a possible nonresident this cycle by Rackham because I spent four months in England in 2010 (study abroad), even though I paid in-state tuition to UMich for a full two semesters afterward.

Anyone want to claim the full ride in the results survey?

[state_school'12]

Arrrg, that's pretty much what I've learned as well. Not sure how CA is able to be so generous with in-state status when their budget problems appear to much more troubling. I'm thinking Michigan may be out of the running for me...

[method]

Anyone want to claim the full ride in the results survey?

Oh, I want to claim it, but it's not mine!

[12WardP]

Wow. Full tuition + fees. I am floored. It's between Michigan and Harvard (waiting on $). I'm rooting for everyone on this forum (you all have helped me a lot throughout this process). I hope everyone gets similar news!

[shqiperiatilmay]

I also received full tuition and fees, plus a stipend. I am completely amazed at how basically the same application to the eight schools I applied to has managed to give me a funding range of none at all (Harris) to this full ride.....so strange. It really does seem like a crapshoot.

[state_school'12]

Nice job guys!

[MRM0605]

Do you think more offers will go out tomorrow? Or is this it ...

[AndreaAce]

I hope so, if I don't get funding I don't think I can make this work.

[TypeA]

My fingers are still crossed for tomorrow. Seems Ford likes to send emails out after 4pm.

But congratulations to everyone who got good news today! I just RSVP'd for the admitted students day... it was a bit odd, they ask you to provide a brief (3-4 sentences) bio in the third person.

[TypeA]

No funding here, official word just came through: Unfortunately, because our fellowship funds are limited, we are unable to offer you fellowship support at this time. If we do find that some additional funding becomes available as we move through the admissions process, we will be in touch with you immediately.

Bummer. Ah well, still waiting to hear on a few GSI applications.

Edited March 20, 2012 by TypeA

[method]

No funding here, official word just came through: Unfortunately, because our fellowship funds are limited, we are unable to offer you fellowship support at this time. If we do find that some additional funding becomes available as we move through the admissions process, we will be in touch with you immediately.

Bummer. Ah well, still waiting to hear on a few GSI applications.

Hmmmm, I still have no email for fin aid. My decision link has been posted to the website, but no email for that either. I'm thinking that I'm in the same boat as you though, TypeA.

[method]

So..... I'm totally blown away right now. My funding email was stuck in spam of all places.

I received a full tuition + fees scholarship + $18k/year stipend for two years. It was already official, but I now owe the rest of my life to the University of Michigan. I have full rides on both the MBA and MPP side, and I would have attended with $0 from either.

I gotta sit down and find a beer.

[TypeA]

I'm not even going to try pretending not to be jealous. Seriously though, congratulations! Good to know for posterity that super important things like that can get caught in the spam folder.

[12WardP]

Congratulations Method. That's a tremendously impressive stipend.

[method]

Thank you guys, congratulations again to both of you. I'm super excited to meet everyone and hopefully count you as friends and contacts for life! I won't be making the MPP admit weekend, but will be in town for the MBA one. I think I'm starting at the business school, but will try to pop my head into some student life activities at Ford.

Edited March 20, 2012 by method

[eigenvector]

Bummer. Ah well, still waiting to hear on a few GSI applications.

Could you tell me a bit about the GSI applications? Since you're already there, how many current MPP students are working as GSI's? Also, does being a GSI mean full tuition assistance?

[TypeA]

I'm not actually already there--I went there for undergrad and graduated last April, but am not currently in Ann Arbor. The way the "dual degree" works is that I applied independently to Ford and the School of Public Health, and now that I've been separately admitted to both, they'll allow me to combine the curriculum such that I can graduate in three years with both degrees instead of four. But! I will answer your questions as best I can:

I applied for GSI positions once I got my acceptance to the School of Public Health, which was about a month ago. There's a listserv you can sign up for, and you'll get emails every time a department posts new availabilities. I don't know what proportion of MPP students take on GSI positions; I actually asked this at a prospective students day and didn't get a satisfactory answer. The GSI positions I applied to were through the psych department, which is where I did my undergrad. However, in pretty much all departments, MA/MS/PhD students are given preference over students outside the department, which puts students in the professional schools at a distinct disadvantage for securing GSI positions. Ford does have an undergraduate department, and Ford grad students often fill the GSI positions for those classes, as well as some first year grad classes (you'll see those listed in the listserv), but they're positions almost exclusively second-year students--this was something they did mention at the prospective students day.

As far as compensation, I'm not 100% positive, but I think that all 0.5 FTE positions that are set at GEO (the grad student union) rates include a tuition waiver, stipend, and health insurance.