Goldman School MPP 2013

[zparo]

Still waiting to hear back, as well! Fingers crossed. Congrats to all who have heard good news today!

[alf10087]

If you check the results for the past years, they usually send out notifications between a span of 3-4 days. Additionally, they don't send a wave for acceptances and a wave for rejections, they are mixed.

[GradSchoolAlibi]

There's no "secret formula" for the ordering of admissions responses, although people pop up with them every year, looking at the first letter of your name, the date you applied, etc. Stop pattern-hunting and accept the unknowable -- it's your only choice! Anyone looking for a career in policy analysis should know not to accept the first theory with two data points, and anyone looking to into a career in administration should know how detrimental that theory would be to morale.

[lacanadiense]

Well I'm out. Congrats to those who made it.

[Pinaman]

I got the reject today. Not really surprised as my academic recommender did not send in his recommendation.

[pete-mc]

I got the reject today. Not really surprised as my academic recommender did not send in his recommendation.

 

Did you check with him why he didn't? It would have been helpful to have a backup just for this kind of case.

[Pinaman]

I did. He said he couldn't find the email with the link. He was actually my backup. It's sad but where I come from, getting such reco's is not the norm. It was purely an issue of doing me a favour.

[socal_kid]

got waitlisted.  can't say i'm not disappointed, but i am curious to know more about what in particular held me back.  

 

anyone know what the protocol is on waitlist stuff for grad school?  can i email the admissions people and ask what else i can do?  or send them a blurb about why they should reconsider?

[GradSchoolAlibi]

Congrats, Jesus. Even Goldman's waitlist is exclusive

Edited March 2, 2013 by GradSchoolAlibi

[dessert_indulgence]

i'm bummed... i got wait listed. i thought i had a good chance, but i wonder if being an out-of-state student put me at a disadvantage. also, it looks like people there are usually older with at least 4 years of work experience. i haven't reached my second year mark yet with my first full-time position, so maybe that has something to do with this as well. but, congrats to those who got in.

[Pinaman]

Do you mind sharing with us your background and which programs you applied to?

 

I have a friend who is also from Singapore and went to the military before coming to college and grad school in the US.

 

Is it true that you have to return to Singapore after graduation?

 

You can check out my profile

 

I'm not Singaporean but the answer to your last question is no. Singapore has a compulsory 2yr national military service for all males aged 18 and above. After you complete yours, you are free to live in whatever country you like. It is an offence if you dont complete it and you leave the country with the intention not to. 

[mde22]

Are any dual-degree applicants still waiting to hear? I'm wondering if we're on a different timeline.

[state_school'12]

State_School,

I am wondering too how you're finding Goldman.  It looks like by your stats that you had a lot of different options to choose from.  What made you choose Goldman and do you regret it in any way?

 

I'm also wondering how the financial aid situation at the school works and if there is a pretty heavy quant focus.

 

Goldman's fantastic; I'm very happy with my decision. It was an easy choice, because a. it was the most prestigous, b. located on the coast that I want to settle on, c. matched my interests in domestic policy, specifically education / social policy. Of all the programs I looked at, I think it does the best job training generalists, which is really the right way to go (confirmed in many informational interviews I've done, and alumni panels, etc). Also the people (i.e. my peers) are amazing, and I absolutely love every single one of them. We're a pretty small program <90 per class, and our location in a former fraternity makes for an intimate atmosphere. Faculty are very accessible, and suprisingly humble. It's easy to take classes from the law, planning, and business schools. The weather isn't bad either

 

Although Cal didn't offer me any funding, it was by far the most affordable option. In-state tuition is standard after the first year, and GSI (teaching) positions are plentiful. If you work more than 10 hours per week, you get tuition remission for all of the UC tuition in-state tuition, and if you work 20 hours per week, you get $1700/moth stipend as well. I think about 1/3 of my class GSI'd first semester, and probabily 2/3s are doing it this semester. I projected the net costs of all of my options, and Berkeley ended up way below the rest. My second year is basically free.

 

I don't know much about the waitlist, getting off it, etc. I think it's all pretty random, especially becuase GSPP seems to value diversity more than other policy schools. So the composition of the application pool drives the competition. One of my classmates with fantastic experience in the Senate was originally waitlisted. So don't take it personally, I think whatever method the Adcoms use, you'd be silly to think it's perfect.

 

Weakness include not enough faculty working on international issues, and a smaller alumni network than Harvard (they crank 'em out a lot faster than we do).

 

If people have specific questions, I'll do my best to answer them. Overall, it's a killer program.

Edited March 4, 2013 by state_school'12

[alf10087]

Amazing information stateschool. My love for Berkeley is growing exponentially by the minute.

 

I'm so excited to go there now, that I think only a full ride from HKS would change my mind.

Edited March 4, 2013 by alf10087

[nason]

All - any idea how highly regarded the new MDP program is at Berkeley?  I realize it's not in the Goldman School (so possibly wrong thread to post this), but rather in the College of Natural Resources...does it carry the same weight with the Berkeley name?  Or not as strong as, say, the MPP since not within Goldman?

[socal_kid]

Thanks state_school.  That was really informative.  You made me want to get off the waitlist, so I can only hope.  Cheers.  

[egarza]

Wait listed, what are my chances of getting admitted?

[Reasonablyterrified]

Congrats, Jesus. Even Goldman's waitlist is exclusive

I agree, Goldman was my #1, and I would have happily taken a wait list.

[mary.from.maryland]

I'm on the waitlist too..... anyone out there not going to GSPP?? I guess us wait-listers will have to hang tight.  

[eslee04]

I went to Cal as an undergrad and worked at GSPP in the Admissions/Student Affairs office, and I loved it there! I know I can't contribute anything about the grad school experience, but atmosphere/environment-wise, I observed that the grad students were well taken care of compared to undergrad bc nobody cares about undergrad students in general, esp at a large state school. I did take a public policy class with Prof Reich (who is an amazing lecturer btw), and my GSI (TA) was a GSPP student who enjoyed his time there. It's a good program with amazing faculty & staff, great location, so many opportunities to take advantage of everything offered on campus whether it be classes, research, fooood ... And as an undergrad, I remember thinking that I wanted to go there, but alas, I'm taking a different path. 

 

Sorry that this post isn't really that relevant, and I'm just raving about Cal... but good luck to everyone. Go Bears! 

[socal_kid]

Just out of curiosity to those also on the waitlist:  did you get an email confirmation when you emailed the lady (I think her name was Apryl) accepting a spot on the waitlist?  I emailed her to confirm my spot and did not hear anything back.  

[hopeful88]

I'm also on the waitlist, and I did not receive a response.

[mary.from.maryland]

Just out of curiosity to those also on the waitlist:  did you get an email confirmation when you emailed the lady (I think her name was Apryl) accepting a spot on the waitlist?  I emailed her to confirm my spot and did not hear anything back.  

 

Jesus I did not get confirmation from Apryl either... 

[socal_kid]

Jesus I did not get confirmation from Apryl either... 

 

Ah ok.  Guess they are not the type to reach out unless you are in.  

[Anshuman]

I have been accepted to the MPP program for this fall and feel quite excited about it. Working out the financial side right now.

Unlike state_school and many others at Goldman I guess, I am an international student and hope to work internationally (focused on India) after graduation. Perhaps the only thing I could find worrying to me about Goldman was its lack of an international focus. By all accounts, it is an amazing school. The GSI positions are great to keep costs down and I can take courses practically anywhere, something I look forward too. But the job stats don't look so great for internationals. Does that in any way reflect on a lack of focused attention when it comes to intl students? Or not enough alums working internationally? I know I am probably being harsh on the career services here but I would like to hear any informed opinions around here before I commit.