zpal91 Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 Well put. SIPA was also one of my top schools when I was applying and I was very surprised about the negative impressions here. But when I went beyond gradcafe it was clear that SIPA is very competitive in terms of career/earning potential, academics, and even financial aid with other top IR programs. I got waitlisted at SIPA so it doesn't matter to me personally anymore, but it's a good point you're making. It's true that even though this forum can be very useful, it often offers only one point of view that is obviously skewed based on the interests and impressions of people who post here. That's just life. Good luck with SIPA, hopefully you'll figure things out. I don't think anyone argued the fact that SIPA isn't a good school. It's just lacking in certain aspects, but what school isn't? Also, I wouldn't be so quick to say that this forum offers one point of view. There have been people on both sides of debate and from the inside of SIPA and outside. In general, the forum is good for gaining insight on schools, but ultimately first hand research of the school is probably the best the most trustable source. You can't just let people make your decisions for you. Personally, I talked to a SIPA representitive at a grad school fair and he bluntly told me that SIPA expects it's first year students to pay the vast majority of the attendence costs for the first year. He said that 5% of students receive aid ranging from 5,000 to full tuition for their first year and that people would eligible for some aid for their second year contingent on a really high GPA. Pretty scary to know as a prospie. He didn't even attempt to dampen the my shock by informing me of fellowship opportunities. Even if it's highly reputable for whatever reason (location, association with Columbia, etc) I didn't feel like paying $60,000 and then competing with super talented students for a chance to receive some kind of funding when there are peer schools that are more generous with their merit aid.
WakeMeUpB4UGoGo Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 is anyone besides myself still waiting for a response? on one hand ive already started looking into housing for syracuse but on the other i really want closure with all my applications
alf10087 Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 is anyone besides myself still waiting for a response? on one hand ive already started looking into housing for syracuse but on the other i really want closure with all my applications Before your post, I thought I was the only person left in the planet without a notification from SIPA.
WakeMeUpB4UGoGo Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 Before your post, I thought I was the only person left in the planet without a notification from SIPA. haha, i saw your post from earlier as well and thats exactly what i am going through, wondering if SIPA ever even recieved my application. hope is a hard thing to kill though, so fingers crossed for the both of us!
newdisplayname Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 haha, i saw your post from earlier as well and thats exactly what i am going through, wondering if SIPA ever even recieved my application. hope is a hard thing to kill though, so fingers crossed for the both of us! Make it three! But I´m pretty certain I´ll hear until friday or monday next week, judging by last year´s notification dates for the MPA-DP program... I am very tired of waiting, I can´t concentrate on my work!
Pinkman Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 Add me to that list. really annoyed by the delay now!
JFactor Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 I don't think anyone argued the fact that SIPA isn't a good school. It's just lacking in certain aspects, but what school isn't? Also, I wouldn't be so quick to say that this forum offers one point of view. There have been people on both sides of debate and from the inside of SIPA and outside. In general, the forum is good for gaining insight on schools, but ultimately first hand research of the school is probably the best the most trustable source. You can't just let people make your decisions for you. Personally, I talked to a SIPA representitive at a grad school fair and he bluntly told me that SIPA expects it's first year students to pay the vast majority of the attendence costs for the first year. He said that 5% of students receive aid ranging from 5,000 to full tuition for their first year and that people would eligible for some aid for their second year contingent on a really high GPA. Pretty scary to know as a prospie. He didn't even attempt to dampen the my shock by informing me of fellowship opportunities. Even if it's highly reputable for whatever reason (location, association with Columbia, etc) I didn't feel like paying $60,000 and then competing with super talented students for a chance to receive some kind of funding when there are peer schools that are more generous with their merit aid. Fair enough. Didn't mean to come across as saying that the forum has been completely biased or anything like that. Sometimes some voices are more prominent than others but you're completely right, this is a very good added resource but obviously not the only one people should use. And yeah, SIPA's cost is really high and it's rightly criticized for its stingy financial offerings. I'm actually quite shocked how they can get away with that. Must be the NYC experience and the Columbia name.
newdisplayname Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 Just got my MPA-DP acceptance Me too. I cried a little. This is unbelievable. I`m just a random dude from Mexico that works with grassroots organizations. Two years ago this whole thing was just a crazy dream. Ok, enough cheesiness. Did you get offered any money? JFactor 1
soaps Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 (edited) Fair enough. Didn't mean to come across as saying that the forum has been completely biased or anything like that. Sometimes some voices are more prominent than others but you're completely right, this is a very good added resource but obviously not the only one people should use. And yeah, SIPA's cost is really high and it's rightly criticized for its stingy financial offerings. I'm actually quite shocked how they can get away with that. Must be the NYC experience and the Columbia name. Although it's poor consolation, HKS is even worse. I think SIPA is trying to correct this problem, though. SIPA completely separated from GSAS only a few years ago I think, which means its funds/endowment are no longer pooled. It also started the new loan forgiveness program that, while its eligibility is strict (10 years full-time, consecutive public service), is something. For those like me who plan to spend around that much time in government service, it's not insignificant. Bollinger has really emphasized the importance of SIPA for Columbia's future global brand, and he also wants a new SIPA building/campus in the next 10 years or so (although that's not helping any of us). It could all be hot air but overall I think the value of a SIPA degree will increase over the years if the current administration's vision has anything to do with it. Also, isn't average debt for SIPA students comparable to other programs? I thought it was around $65,000, with 29% looking at $100,000 or more in debt, and 15% with no debt. That seems pretty standard for public policy programs but I could be wrong. If you guys hadn't read this yet, this is an interesting (if slightly frivolous) look at SIPA life: http://www.themorningsidepost.com/2010/09/07/this-will-be-your-life-at-sipa/ Edited March 19, 2013 by soapwater
Tupacalypse Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 Me too. I cried a little. This is unbelievable. I`m just a random dude from Mexico that works with grassroots organizations. Two years ago this whole thing was just a crazy dream. Ok, enough cheesiness. Did you get offered any money? Congratulations! newdisplayname 1
soaps Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 Im in at SIPA as well as Columbia Journalism school. Going to be a tougher choice than I thought...deciding between joint Journalism/SIPA program and MSFS--attracted to the program size and where I can work at number of DC publications. As a political journalist, I expect to be in DC at some point, and have no connections there right now. I agree as well that SIPA gets an unnecessarily bad rap on here. I'm from NYC and I don't mind the "no hand holding" of career services, etc. but I also went to a huge university for undergrad, and the small size of MSFS seems appealing. Didn't see this but this deserves a "congrats" as well. I'm surprised you'd consider GTown over Columbia if journalism is your thing, though. Isn't Columbia the most well-regarded journalism school?
soaps Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 Regarding not applying to fellowships, I unfortunately didn't apply to any of the essay ones, short of applying to IFP. I regret that decision but honestly I didn't have the time. Aside from applying to grad schools, I am a teacher and work ridiculously long hours. So I would say one thing that I am (maybe wishfully counting on) when I attend SIPA is applying to those fellowships for the 2nd year. While SIPA is a big financial committment, I think getting some sort of funding in the 2nd year if you put in the work to your grades + actually apply to all fellowships is almost a guarantee and will offset your debt in a big way. So basically soapwater don't give up. If you decide to attend SIPA, I think there is still an opportunity to really make it work financially with the 2nd year offsetting the first. At the end of the day, I remember what a college advisor told me (and I think this would apply to more to grad school). The money's secondary. Eventually, one way or another, it will get paid, you will make it work and the loans would get paid. I've seen people make such a big deal about how they would never get into debt for a grad school, but honestly, I come from a low-income family and I'm a first generation American. Education is really the only way I'm going to continue to push myself further, so I think taking on the debt is worth it in the long run as it really is the only way I can get to where I want to be. (I also don't know your personal situation, how much you would have to take out, etc. I've been working for three years as a teacher, and I have managed to save enough + will most definitely work throughout grad school - I'm used to taking 5 classes, having a work study position, and an unpaid internship during my undergrad career- in order to cover my living expenses so I don't have to take out that money in my first year). All I'm saying is don't give up! I almost started to think I wouldn't accept SIPA either, but it really does have an amazing program that you can really tailor to your interests! If you decide to go to SIPA, or want to discuss it more, you can always PM me. I will be there Fall 2013! Thanks! I'm pretty confident I can get funding my second year so long as the quant. courses don't trip me up. I'm lucky to have no undergrad debt because I attended a state school, which was a deliberate choice knowing I would likely accrue grad. school debt. I've been asking my professors and former colleagues/supervisors who've gone to SIPA and they've all had great things to say. Have any of you been invited to the Google group the admissions page mentions, by the way?
rz922 Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 Didn't see this but this deserves a "congrats" as well. I'm surprised you'd consider GTown over Columbia if journalism is your thing, though. Isn't Columbia the most well-regarded journalism school? Thanks, soapwater. It is! But the value of a j-school degree is constantly debated in the industry which is why I focused my apps more on int'l affairs programs to round out my expertise. I think the dual program might be the answer but since my experience is mostly in journalism, i also feel like Gtown might help set me apart and id still be able to get the type of job i want when im done with school, especially if I can work at Foreign Policy, CFR etc while im there...will see how the admit days go/talking with grads of each! maybe i will see you at SIPA. When do you hear from Oxford?
soaps Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 (edited) Thanks, soapwater. It is! But the value of a j-school degree is constantly debated in the industry which is why I focused my apps more on int'l affairs programs to round out my expertise. I think the dual program might be the answer but since my experience is mostly in journalism, i also feel like Gtown might help set me apart and id still be able to get the type of job i want when im done with school, especially if I can work at Foreign Policy, CFR etc while im there...will see how the admit days go/talking with grads of each! maybe i will see you at SIPA. When do you hear from Oxford? I did today! Rejected, haha. It was totally expected, though, so I'm not really disappointed. The MPhil is about as competitive as most doctoral programs (around 5-6% acceptance if I'm not mistaken). I also found out I attached the wrong version of my resume to my application. Are you saying you're at CFR now or want to be? I'm a CFR alum but have since taken a non-linear path (to say the least). It's a great place to work depending on the department, though, and super accommodating toward students for programs that allow you to attend part-time (SIPA obviously not being one). If you mean post-grad. school, I don't think SFS would make you stand out any more than SIPA, especially since HQ (as well as Foreign Affairs and cfr.org) are in NYC and the connection to SIPA is probably stronger. In general I think both SFS and SIPA grads could aspire to greater heights than an entry-level position at CFR, but Foreign Affairs has a higher experience threshold (not to mention an amazing reputation) so it'd be awesome to work there. For the broader organization, though, CFR has a pretty solid commitment to recent college grads because of their professional development program. Most other think tanks hire a bunch more people with MAs, especially when the economy tanked, so it's a credit to CFR that it's not filled with overqualified junior staff with master's degrees. Edited March 19, 2013 by soapwater
WakeMeUpB4UGoGo Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 so i can add SIPA to my rejection list. sigh... for everyone who put in for MIA and havent heard back, it may be because you were on the bubble like myself. ive taken all my rejections so far in stride as i had zero expectations when i started applying to schools, but this one really unexpectedly crushed me. the rejection letter was personalized and basically spelled out my terrible quant was the reason i didnt make it and even though i knew that my math was bad, for some reason being told that straight up in a rejection letter makes me feel extra bad. congrats to everyone who made it in!
Kadisha Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 so i can add SIPA to my rejection list. sigh... for everyone who put in for MIA and havent heard back, it may be because you were on the bubble like myself. ive taken all my rejections so far in stride as i had zero expectations when i started applying to schools, but this one really unexpectedly crushed me. the rejection letter was personalized and basically spelled out my terrible quant was the reason i didnt make it and even though i knew that my math was bad, for some reason being told that straight up in a rejection letter makes me feel extra bad. congrats to everyone who made it in! Cheer up man. At least you got in somewhere. Would it be possible for you to defer with Syracuse and try to get a better quant score and reapply? Don't even know if that's an option, but at least it's something to think about. WakeMeUpB4UGoGo 1
WakeMeUpB4UGoGo Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 Cheer up man. At least you got in somewhere. Would it be possible for you to defer with Syracuse and try to get a better quant score and reapply? Don't even know if that's an option, but at least it's something to think about. deferring and retaking the GRE was exactly what i was thinking as well. i was originally going to retake the GRE anyway because my Q score was so bad but i got sent to JRTC at the last minute and that ruined all my plans. im going to take the rest of the day to feel sorry for myself but tomorrow i will reread the rejection letter, formulate a plan to be better, and things will be fine Kadisha and MollyB 2
soaps Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 so i can add SIPA to my rejection list. sigh... for everyone who put in for MIA and havent heard back, it may be because you were on the bubble like myself. ive taken all my rejections so far in stride as i had zero expectations when i started applying to schools, but this one really unexpectedly crushed me. the rejection letter was personalized and basically spelled out my terrible quant was the reason i didnt make it and even though i knew that my math was bad, for some reason being told that straight up in a rejection letter makes me feel extra bad. congrats to everyone who made it in! Well, on the plus side, the letter diagnoses specifically what might be holding you back if you want to reapply. I delayed even applying to grad. programs until I had the time to take some econ classes, which I only did last fall. If you got that letter, I'm sure it means you're well qualified except for that one area. Kadisha 1
alf10087 Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 I hope they are writing me a letter so thorough that it justifies the whole agony waiting. Goose1459 1
Pinkman Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 I hope they are writing me a letter so thorough that it justifies the whole agony waiting. Yeah me too.
Kadisha Posted March 20, 2013 Posted March 20, 2013 deferring and retaking the GRE was exactly what i was thinking as well. i was originally going to retake the GRE anyway because my Q score was so bad but i got sent to JRTC at the last minute and that ruined all my plans. im going to take the rest of the day to feel sorry for myself but tomorrow i will reread the rejection letter, formulate a plan to be better, and things will be fine Exactly! You're a soldier (or were one) treat it like a war, and this is just a lost battle. Refit and go back out when you're ready. You even have time to take those Kaplan classes if you really want to. Sometimes being set back is worth it. It's only what you make of that time that matters.
lemony Posted March 20, 2013 Posted March 20, 2013 (edited) Congrats to all who were admitted, and good luck to those still waiting. After having mentally processed the waitlist letter I received yesterday (I was extremely nervous and anxious haha), I noticed that the letter seemed impersonal/generic and even contained a few spelling/grammar errors. It didn't even list further instructions for submitting requests to be kept or removed on/from the waitlist. However, it did assign me a Columbia University ID (different from the application PIN). Anyone have any theories as to why that is? It could just me getting hopeful but I'm a little confused and curious. Once again, congrats to those admitted and good luck to everyone! Edited March 20, 2013 by lemony
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