LBJ in admissions thread

[jtow]

It was pretty great, despite the rude international guy sitting behind me during the panels. The constant talking at full volume kinda put me in a bad mood at the end of an otherwise interesting and promising day.

[Miskina]

Why do you need to point out that he is international? That information is useless.

[jtow]

It was useful in describing who I was talking about, but I see your point that it didn't come across well. My apologies

[MPPgal]

Thanks Miskina, because of course Americans can never be rude or speak in loud voices when others are speaking, I hope this is not the general attitude towards internationals, LBJ is my first choice and I do not want to spend two years with people who discriminate you on the basis of having an accent. Can someone give actual specifics about how it was great? What was discussed, what where people´s impressions other than the fact that one guy with an accent (who might have been American by the way) was rude?

[whatwhatinthe]

I was there as well, and I thought it was great. I'm not sure what there is to say - it was an open house. You either saw a lecture, toured the campus, and that's about it.

 

But I do have to say, that international applicant WAS very annoying and frustrating, and I have to say: if that is the type of person who is going to LBJ (rude, arrogant, etc) then I may just have to re-think my decision to go to UT. I don't want to be surrounded by people (international or not) that only care about themselves. This is a PUBLIC policy program, not a SELFISH policy program.

[MPPgal]

I guess my specific questions are, when I toured professors where very open and approachable, students seemed highly accomplished, busy but approachable and nice. Was this the impression you got? Was it an international friendly school? Despite annoying person with an accent (again international student is a status where you need to be not a permanent resident or a citizen and has nothing to do with how you speak English). Sorry I freaked out, I had a very bad experience during my undergrad in a school with very few internationals where the administration was flat out racist (sent us emails about how to shower properly because apparently our lack of  an American passport prevents us from knowing how to do this) so I really just don´t want to be on a school like that ever again and it does worry me that LBJ has a lower proportion of internationals than other places (10% vs 31 % in GPPI for example). But anyways, how did the networking seem, etc?

[whatwhatinthe]

Yes, staff seemed nice and approachable - Pat Wong especially. Though I guess they wouldn't show their douchebag professors at the Open House if they are there!

 

Students seemed diverse and accomplished, as well.

 

Austin is a fairly liberal city in general, with a lot of people from various places. Texas has a lot of immigrated Central Americans, so I would say international students are accepted. Obviously can't say for sure, but UT is liberal and Austin is liberal, so I doubt if many racists go there.

 

Connections seem good. Obviously very good in Texas, and DC seems to be growing as well. They mentioned something of trying to start a satellite campus of some sort in DC in the coming future - so you know that UT is very determined to improve its ranking as well as placement in DC...especially so because they are in Texas and not on East Coast.

 

So as long as it's not arrogant and rude people like the guy yesterday, I am sure it will be good.

[jct329]

Just wondering, as someone who is going to be applying next year, could some of you guys share numbers, WE, and funding?  I know there's the results database, but it seems very limiting in the amount of information.

[onedayslp]

I just received my financial aid award from UT yesterday and to my great surprise, I received two grants totaling $3000 (University Tuition Grant and Texas Public Education Grant) for the first year. As someone who did not receive merit funding and thought that grad students could only qualify for loans through the FAFSA, I am super stoked. Did anyone else receive these or other grants through the FAFSA? I'm interested to know if this is the cap or if it's possible to receive more ...

[MPPgal]

Sure, 3.4 GPA from top 40 LAC in New England, econ anthro double major International student from Latin America GRE: 160V 165 Q 4.5 2+ yrs work experience at think tank in my country Good LOR, two from thesis advisors, 1 from my boss International experience 2 yrs in South Asia, 4 yrs in the US plus being international Leaded international students asossiation in college, quite a few social service and being an active member of 2 NGOs Got full tuition and 14k for living expenses per yr plus possible RA opportunity in my chosen field

[Kitten]

I confirmed my intention to enroll at LBJ this fall.

Has anyone else confirmed recently?

Join the facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/593380364015310/

[bilphilking]

@ MPPgal - relax. It's just a couple of knuckle heads that's still doesn't know how to play nice with others talking. LBJ is a very collegial environment, despite the immaturity of some of the students it admits. Hope you are not one of them. 

 

@jtow & @whatwhatinthe you may think the anonymity of the Internet allows you to say anything you pls, but I wonder if you would say that directly to "the international guy" in person or the guy he was talking to then when you were being "annoyed"? I bet you it's because you might get come off as "not-so-nice" for saying stuff like that that you didn't, right? And what if the international guy is on this forum and he might know who you are? Opppps. Cat's out of the bag now...

 

For your information: I was the other guy the "international guy" was talking to and I thought he wasn't bad at all. If fact, I like the guy. I hope he comes to LBJ. I thought he was considerate and nice. We were chatting about this forum and glad to finally get to meet each other. And the info being put out wasn't going to end your world if you missed anything (was it?) Sure we were rude for talking during the presentation, I will give you that. For that I apologize for both of us. But did it turned you off that much to you had to bad mouth a future classmate on here? And how will that look to future applicants? And @whatwhatinthe let's not fool ourselves with your talk of selflessness in public policy pursuits. We are all selfish in one manner or another. Let's not use that to "attack" another person anonymously. I end with this thought: Everybody is held accountable for what they say in the public realm, so pls don't think you can hide behind this veil of anonymity. 

 

I'm Allan Aw, MGPS in the Fall of 2013. You got a problem, then come discuss it with me (or whoever you got a problem with) and resolve it together. No need to be mean-spirited. Don't embarrass your school, or yourself. Be cool. We are here to support each other. 

Edited April 12, 2013 by bilphilking

[MPPgal]

Agreed! I am almost sure I am attending!

[Miskina]

Not even classmates yet and already fighting : D

[MPPgal]

Hehehehe or lets stop it, I have met 4 people attending LBJ in the last three days at other open houses, all of them including one who self refered as the annoying international student seemed really nice and highly accomplished, so I at least are happy to declare I have decided to attend and hope all the awesome people I have met also come!