Reapplying to a school whose offer you turned down

[looking_to_sea]

So for a number of personal reasons, I have decided that LBJ wouldn't be the most convenient thing at a time like this. Unfortunately for me, they do not to deferrals of admission, so I am stuck reapplying next cycle. I was unanimously recommended for acception by the grad committee and awarded full tuition fellowship which has got to count for something, but I am a little uneasy whether I will make it next year because I am unsure whether this was just a fluke or wherther I have almost nothing to worry about. A results search submission that stated that LBJ rejected a previously accepted individual after they took a year off to get more experience isn't helping to assuage concerns.

My stats:
I had a 2.6 gpa (yeah...) from a UT system school and horrendous GREs (think 1100 on the old scale) but had astounding recommenders with personal connections to LBJ and about 3 years doing quite notable and successful grassroots organizing, as well as solid campaign work with some of the most notable campaigns in the country...tons of leadership in those orgs as well as in academic extracirriculars...all that and my SOP probably saved me. I'm hoping another few months of work in the field, maybe some Calc classes and Linear Alg at a CC, and retaking the GRE will help serve as some application insurance?

Finally, I am trying to narrow a list of schools. It seems that most of the chatter here revolves around DC schools and like, Goldman etc. I wouldn't mind a city, but am open to more suburban and even rural expanses too. I think I have settled on LBJ, UT Dallas(?), and SPEA. Can anyone suggest a program (hoping to specialize in public management/finance) that isn't bottom-tier and that won't put me much too much further in debt? Oh, and that won't die from laughing once they see the GPA?

[JFactor]

That's tough that you have to turn down LBJ for personal reasons. I don't think you can get a better offer than that because it's a great school. Can't help you with listing other schools you should try (I'm more of an IR guy) but definitely taking the GRE again will help. Also, you should carefully explain to the people at LBJ why you have to turn them down. I'm quite confident you have a good chance of getting a similar offer next year if you can explain well the reason for declining this year and if you can use the same recommenders etc.

[ndeutsch77]

That was me. I had enrolled in LBJ then decided I was going to get some professional experience for a couple of years. I reapplied this year and was denied. 

[MPPgal]

Why don´t you call them up explain your situation and ask point blank about it, my experience with LBJ has been that they are very accomodating!

[campussartorialist]

If the personal reasons are medical or family related, perhaps you can look into options to enroll and take a leave of absence?

[CreamTea]

I've had this situation but with another school. I had a nice conversation with the admissions director and she was the one who recommended I decline their offer instead of defering (because I wasn't sure if I would go the next year and she did not want me to lose the deposit). Two years later, I was admitted again with the same scholarship 

[anaZep]

I would definitely contact someone in admissions, and/or the director of the program to inform them and discuss your situation.  Especially if you might reapply for the next cycle, you want to maintain good ties with the school as well as your recommenders who put themselves on the line to write letters in your favor.

 

And don't be so hard on yourself about your GPA.  I think your work history and experience is strong enough to overshadow your GPA, and strengthening your GRE might be enough to completely overcome it.  Don't sell yourself short and include a couple of "reach/dream schools" on your list.  You'll never know if you don't try, and you might be pleasantly surprised with the results!  (I also had a low undergrad GPA, and was VERY surprised by the results [i'm pursuing a MCP not MPP].)  Good luck!