Rose Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 Also, am I completely dense or does this not add up: Correct me if I'm wrong, but the admit letter says you need to make a decision about your admission offer by April 24th. The financial aid website says: "The deadline to accept or decline assistance is April 18th, 2009 for students admitted to two-year programs." ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emforpeace Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 WTF? This is the most confusing thing I've ever seen. If I'm interpreting this correctly, I think it says my "award" is some amount of unsubsidized loans, and then another (much larger) amount of loans that I may qualify for. This seems more like a not-very-helpful recommendation on how to pay for school than an award. And did anyone else read that part in the understanding your award document that said students generally can't apply for assistance in their second year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charleyj Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 "This seems more like a not-very-helpful recommendation on how to pay for school more than an award." That, unfortunately, is exactly what it is. I got all excited when I read the tab "Accept Award," thinking that Award meant Award. But when I read the details, I learned that Award meant private loans. My bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy1 Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 Thanks folks for the answers. My message tab says nothing yet...I live in hope...of loan advice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emforpeace Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 At least we're in good company. Thanks for confirming my reading Charley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fes_alum Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 i'm struggling to interpret my financial aid. what exactly is meant by "supplemental loan eligibility"? Supplemental loan eligibility also refers to Graduate PLUS Loans. Much better than private loans because Graduate PLUS loans would qualify for loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Private loans would not (unless guaranteed by the feds). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zourah Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 Supplemental loan eligibility also refers to Graduate PLUS Loans. Much better than private loans because Graduate PLUS loans would qualify for loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Private loans would not (unless guaranteed by the feds). Thanks for the confirmation - that's reassuring. Also, just got the welcome phone call! Aww... very nice touch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
undersec Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 Supplemental loan eligibility also refers to Graduate PLUS Loans. Much better than private loans because Graduate PLUS loans would qualify for loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Private loans would not (unless guaranteed by the feds). Do you know what the terms of these loans might be like? I received a small award from HKS and definitely still want to attend, but they are suggesting I take out $20,000 (subsidized and unsubsidized) of Stafford loans (the max) and then another $27,000 in Supplemental loans. How are these loans arranged and what kind of interest rates are available? Decision day just got a lot tougher! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sisepuede Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 Congrats to everyone who heard some good news today! Things just got way more difficult/interesting/heart-rending, right?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreams Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 Do you know what the terms of these loans might be like? I received a small award from HKS and definitely still want to attend, but they are suggesting I take out $20,000 (subsidized and unsubsidized) of Stafford loans (the max) and then another $27,000 in Supplemental loans. How are these loans arranged and what kind of interest rates are available? Decision day just got a lot tougher! Congrats on getting at least some funding from them! Stafford loans now have a fixed 6.8% interest rate. Be careful though because while interest on subsidized Stafford loans are paid by the government, interest on unsubsidized loans is not. So you will have the option to either pay the interest yourself or let it compound. The standard term of repayment is 10 years, though you can stretch it to 25 if need be. Grad PLUS loans have an 8.5% interest rate and also has a 10 year repayment rate. You may want to inquire whether HKS gives out Perkins loans. The interest rate on those is 5%, a bit cheaper than the other two. You will need to file appropriate paperwork through the school and sign a promissory note before the loans can be disbursed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linden Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 I am not even sure why I want to rehash this. But, reading again through HKS' documents, I now have the impression that most merit aid at HKS is also need-based. Is that correct? Or, is need divorced from the process? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
younglions Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 Linden - I'm pretty sure most of it is primarily merit based. After college, I was a Peace Corps volunteer, and since finishing with that I've been living off my readjustment allowance (about $200 for every month of P.C. service) down here in Mexico. I don't remember if Harvard requested parental financial info, but there's no way my mother earns enough to make a difference. If there's anybody who should qualify for need-based aid, it would be a PC volunteer. Thinking about it now though, maybe my HKS MPP scholarship is need-based, I don' really know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linden Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 younglions: Hmm. True, you would have qualified both on merit and need-based criteria. I was asking, though, because I read this snippet on one Student Financial Services' web pages earlier today. "The John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University's scholarships are based on financial need, as determined by the Student Financial Services Office. Students must complete the application for financial assistance process to determine eligibility." As far as I knew, only one of the fellowships/scholarships for which I applied specifically mentioned need as one of the criteria, besides merit. But, the statement above appears to indicate that scholarships require students to meet merit and need criteria. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCneelified06 Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 Just got my HKS "award" which was a complete joke. WWS here I come! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OD09 Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 HKS offered a tiny scholarship and a load of loans. I'll be going to Harris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy1 Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 I gotta say, my HKS experience has been dreadful. WWS sent a ton of stuff and a personalized note from the ass. dean. They sent two admissions emails. Their staff were friendly on the phone. HKS staff were friendly but not great. They organize one big admit day vs. the WWS personalized experience. I didn't even get an admissions call from HKS. And they gave me no money. I must say, apart from all that, and the money is the least offensive/surprising bit, their standard emails are a joke and the font size on their message page on the financial aid section is about font size 2. You have to wonder: if this is their way of treating people, what will it be like when you become a student there. I don't want to sound like a spoilt brat, but I just feel cold when I think of the HKS admissions experience start to finish. WWS here I come...even if I would have liked living in Boston town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26Baller Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 I was treated like peaches, but HKS and WWS are like apples and apples. Housing is the next hurdle... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
therunaround Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 I gotta say, my HKS experience has been dreadful. WWS sent a ton of stuff and a personalized note from the ass. dean. They sent two admissions emails. Their staff were friendly on the phone. HKS staff were friendly but not great. They organize one big admit day vs. the WWS personalized experience. I didn't even get an admissions call from HKS. And they gave me no money. I must say, apart from all that, and the money is the least offensive/surprising bit, their standard emails are a joke and the font size on their message page on the financial aid section is about font size 2. You have to wonder: if this is their way of treating people, what will it be like when you become a student there. I don't want to sound like a spoilt brat, but I just feel cold when I think of the HKS admissions experience start to finish. WWS here I come...even if I would have liked living in Boston town. If this is how you are supposed to make decisions, I would have ended up at a horrible undergrad university and we would all be working in the private sector. Choose for the academics and your peers, not the school's admissions staff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spitts77 Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 Do you know what the terms of these loans might be like? I received a small award from HKS and definitely still want to attend, but they are suggesting I take out $20,000 (subsidized and unsubsidized) of Stafford loans (the max) and then another $27,000 in Supplemental loans. How are these loans arranged and what kind of interest rates are available? Decision day just got a lot tougher! Am I the only person who got into HKS that didn't get any scholarship money? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pritinsp Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 me too! no money/financial assistance what so ever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fighter_2008 Posted April 23, 2009 Share Posted April 23, 2009 Anyone know what is the yield for HKS MPP class this year? I read that Woody Woo's is a whoppie-doo 78%! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
younglions Posted April 23, 2009 Share Posted April 23, 2009 HKS doesn't require responses until tomorrow... so it will be still be awhile until that information comes out, that is, if it does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anxiouslywaiting Posted April 23, 2009 Share Posted April 23, 2009 Well does anyone want to speculate as to how their yield compared? It seems to me a good number of people on this board alone turned down HKS, often because of the complete lack of funding. That may just be wishful thinking on my part, since I am hoping for a waitlist miracle still! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fighter_2008 Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 Well does anyone want to speculate as to how their yield compared? It seems to me a good number of people on this board alone turned down HKS, often because of the complete lack of funding. That may just be wishful thinking on my part, since I am hoping for a waitlist miracle still! anxiouslywaiting i think it might be just that... wishful thinking. my sense is this year's yield at HKS can't be that far off from that of Princeton. IMHO waitlisters like us will stand a chance only if the yield dips below 70% or even 65%. one thing i don't understand reading a separate woody woo thread on this forum is this: with a 78% and hence many more spaces opening up, how is it that no one got off the waitlist at Princeton? any adcoms here wld care to explain? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
younglions Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 They grant admission to more students than they have available seats. Most IR/Public Policy schools get away with tendering offers to in excess of two/three times the amount of students they expect to enroll. This is true for almost all programs except a small handful (WWS, HKS, and Georgetown MSFS being the most extreme examples that come to mind). It's just a calculation primarily based on historical trends. The HKS yield is going to be substantially lower than that of WWS. This isn't necessarily a reflection of WWS having a stronger program, but WWS having a much larger funding purse. If you count the people who decided on WWS but chose to defer for one-year, the MPA program had an 84% yield this year. That means a maximum of only 16% of those admitted decided to attend another school. According to Petersons, a recent Harvard MPP class had a 59.6% yield. With the poor economy, I imagine this rate will only drop as prospective students are likely warier of Harvard's massive price tag. I don't think you should give up on the HKS waitlist. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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