Hearing from the Kennedy School?

[younglions]

Also, I didn't see anything in MYFAID about any scholarships received. However, I never check the messages tab. I've been waiting for a "your awards' tab to pop up.

[Dreams]

I think my relatively high GRE scores played an important role in getting me into WWS and getting a big scholarship from Chicago, but I obviously didn't include my scores on my resume or in my essays. I no longer have that important "distinguishing factor" working for me.

younglions, you have such an amazing story and experience that I think any school would be a fool not to admit you. Those top schools fortunately look past gpa and gre combos, otherwise many people I know would not have been admitted.

linden, have you and others thought about contacting other departments, or even some professors at HKS to see if they were looking for research, teaching, or program assistants? Hell, even a work study library paging job would help cut that hefty bill you are facing.

[linden]

younglions, you have such an amazing story and experience that I think any school would be a fool not to admit you. Those top schools fortunately look past gpa and gre combos, otherwise I and 4 other people I know would not have been admitted.

linden, have you and others thought about contacting other departments, or even some professors at HKS to see if they were looking for research, teaching, or program assistants? Hell, even a work study library paging job would help cut that hefty bill you are facing.

FSIA:

Thanks for the ideas. And, to think that back in October I thought that the scary part was waiting for an admission decision...

[therunaround]

Yeah, I've been considering it but I think it's better to wait until:

a) we've visited via an open house or the satellite receptions

we're accepted

If I were a professor, I probably would only take the time to consider people who were enrolled, not "I might enroll if I can find a research position" types.

I'm kicking myself for not bothering with any of the essay fellowships. I didn't feel like any of them fit my interests though... I looked through my application again and, while I'm not expecting aid, I don't think I could have done any more to better tailor my application to appeal for aid. I discussed international environmental policy (specifically mentioning the IGA concentration), which HOPEFULLY will help me be eligible for the IGA fellowship and the environmental economics fellowship. I also emailed my financial representative and verified that I would be considered for the very limited need-based fellowship funds. Again, I am not expecting aid but who knows, right? Miracles do happen.

[sisepuede]

i've been stalking the boards lately waiting for someone to post their unbelievable hks scholarship ahead of the deadline....haven't seen it, so i guess i'll join the bets for this friday, starting at 1030aPST. if it's all on the myfaid, i would guess everyone's status won't change at exactly the same time. not anticipating a game-changer finaid offer from hks either, but still checking all the time anyway...i just haven't heard anything encouraging unless you're a ppia fellow (did anyone else completely miss the boat on that in undergrad? sheesh.)

btw, after reading through the "mountain of debt" thread with great interest, i did an informal survey to see which of my three faves (hks, wws, berkeley) got better name recognition in a few non-academic world venues. here are my results from the last week, anyone have any other interesting reactions while we wait for aid offers?

-classroom of 10th graders: impressed with harvard and berkeley, asked what a princeton was

-parents: "which one is paying for everything? why would the other two matter?"

-hair stylist: "wow, you hear that people go to princeton, but i've never cut their hair!" (my favorite, we were rolling on the floor laughing at the absurdity of this whole thing)

-group of grandmas sitting around a nursing home: "harvard! ay dios mio!"

-auntie whose expectations will never be met: "why didn't you apply to stanford?" :roll:

[zourah]

btw, after reading through the "mountain of debt" thread with great interest, i did an informal survey to see which of my three faves (hks, wws, berkeley) got better name recognition in a few non-academic world venues. here are my results from the last week, anyone have any other interesting reactions while we wait for aid offers?

-classroom of 10th graders: impressed with harvard and berkeley, asked what a princeton was

-parents: "which one is paying for everything? why would the other two matter?"

-hair stylist: "wow, you hear that people go to princeton, but i've never cut their hair!" (my favorite, we were rolling on the floor laughing at the absurdity of this whole thing)

-group of grandmas sitting around a nursing home: "harvard! ay dios mio!"

-auntie whose expectations will never be met: "why didn't you apply to stanford?" :roll:

That's the best laugh I've gotten in a long time. A couple of my own:

-Dad: "SAIS is which one again?"

-Soup-kitchen volunteers: "OMG, Harvard!"

-Director at work: "What did you screw up with Georgetown?"

[therunaround]

haha. awesome responses!

I got a call from a student ambassador from HKS today who called to respond to questions i might have. A couple things I learned:

1. For those interested in the PMF program, HKS automatically nominates all those who request because they consider all their students to be qualified. You still have to pass the gov't exam but it's a start, right?

2. The IGA concentration gets good reviews from current students.

3. Take a class or two at HBS or HKS

4. Try and pass out of the core econ courses or at least take the A section if you have any intermediate econ background with at least one stats and calc course.

Anyone else receive a similar call? Any other advice?

[ekann]

Has anyone here heard from HKS about the MC/MPA program and/or does anyone have any insight to the timeline for admissions/rejections? I originally applied to the MPP program, and then transferred my application to the MC/MPA program after a suggestion from an admissions officer at HKS, and am hoping to hear from them soon because I think that I would prefer the HKS 1 year program to the 2 year programs to which I have already been accepted.

Thanks -- and congratulations to everyone here who has been accepted to various grad schools thus far.

[linden]

i've been stalking the boards lately waiting for someone to post their unbelievable hks scholarship ahead of the deadline....haven't seen it, so i guess i'll join the bets for this friday, starting at 1030aPST. if it's all on the myfaid, i would guess everyone's status won't change at exactly the same time. not anticipating a game-changer finaid offer from hks either, but still checking all the time anyway...i just haven't heard anything encouraging unless you're a ppia fellow (did anyone else completely miss the boat on that in undergrad? sheesh.)

btw, after reading through the "mountain of debt" thread with great interest, i did an informal survey to see which of my three faves (hks, wws, berkeley) got better name recognition in a few non-academic world venues. here are my results from the last week, anyone have any other interesting reactions while we wait for aid offers?

-classroom of 10th graders: impressed with harvard and berkeley, asked what a princeton was

-parents: "which one is paying for everything? why would the other two matter?"

-hair stylist: "wow, you hear that people go to princeton, but i've never cut their hair!" (my favorite, we were rolling on the floor laughing at the absurdity of this whole thing)

-group of grandmas sitting around a nursing home: "harvard! ay dios mio!"

-auntie whose expectations will never be met: "why didn't you apply to stanford?" :roll:

A co-worker began congratulating me on getting accepted at Harvard and began praising all my accomplishments at the tender age of 24. I then corrected her and informed her that I was not 24; I am actually significantly older. Her praises then stopped. I guess getting into Harvard when you are much older is not as impressive! I've also decided I should go to Harvard because my family, most of which lives overseas, is unable to distinguish between George Washington and Georgetown, and if I attend one or the other now, it will be too confusing for them.

On other news, was any one else excited to finally receive the phone-a-thon admit call? I was thrilled. I must admit, I've been looking forward to that call for two years.

[charleyj]

i also got a call last night from a current hks student. a couple of things i learned:

1. hks, despite what some might say, is a pretty close-knit community. it's not at all competitive--though if you like that sort of atmosphere, feel free to take some courses at HBS or the Sloan School.

2. while graduate research assistantships (either at a research center or for a professor) are competitive, they are not terribly difficult to obtain. the person i spoke with already completed one research assistantship, and will be a teaching fellow fall semester.

3. if you come from an economics background, try to test out of the core econ courses. and from what i hear, it doesn't sound too tricky to take economic courses from the graduate department/more quant intensive HKS courses as a supplement (should you want a quantitatively rigorous curriculum)

by the by, anyone going to the DC reception tonight?

[linden]

Is anyone else also showing info under the Accept Awards tab?

[fes_alum]

Is anyone else also showing info under the Accept Awards tab?

Yes. Received half-tuition scholarship plus loans. Kind of scary that I'm going to need to borrow almost $50K/year for my HKS degree. But, it's better than a poke-in-the-eye.

[younglions]

Looks like my info has been posted... and the offer is completely underwhelming. Seems like I'll be sending in my acceptance elsewhere.

[Billy1]

Hey, I'm hearing nothing where is the awards tab????

All I have is documents, apply online, documents, messages, and forms...Arghhh

[charleyj]

i'm struggling to interpret my financial aid. what exactly is meant by "supplemental loan eligibility"?

[thehusband]

Could they have made this any more confusing? For people who did get fellowships, can you confirm that there is in fact like a box at the bottom with the fellowship amount that you either accept or decline? I have that for loans, but not for fellowships, so I assume no fellowships were offered.

[Billy1]

hey charley, did the awards tab come up for you recently or was it always there after login...sorry i can't comment on your question

[zourah]

Loans, loans and loans. No surprise, but disappointment still.

[linden]

Billy1: The awards tab was not there before 11:27 for me.

Charleyj: I believe that's the amount of private loans for which you are eligible.

Well, this is where the dream dies. GPPI, here I come.

[charleyj]

just recently an "accept awards" tab popped up.

[younglions]

thehusband -

Yes, I have a row that lists my scholarship (it's quite small). Also, on the messages tab it says that all decisions have been made and if nothing is listed, you're out of luck. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I know you have some other great offers out there from great schools. Good luck on your decision, and good luck to everybody else with Harvard.

[linden]

In case anyone is interested, I called HKS to find out if this info was final. They had originally announced decisions would be up on April 3, and thus I wanted to make sure no additional information was still forthcoming. HKS confirmed that the information posted is final. Nothing else remains to be added.

[thehusband]

The new "Accept Awards" tab pops up between "Apply Online" and "Documents." That tab came up after I logged out and logged back in.

[thehusband]

Thanks younglions. I owe you a PM too, which is coming presently.

[Rose]

In response to the question about fellowships, the message tab says this:

Message

If you applied for a fellowship and were selected as a recipient, the fellowship will be reflected on the MYFAID awards tab. All fellowship decisions have been made. Therefore, if you do not see a fellowship on the awards tab you were not selected as a recipient.