IGA Program Harvard Kennedy School

[Sroek]

I just thought I'd start this new thread:

Hey guys! I applied to Harvard specifically for the IGA program because I want to focus on security. There is additional funding according to their brochure.

I applied to thirteen schools! HKS, SAIS, GTown MSFS and CPSS, Yale, Chicago CIR, WWS, GWU Elliot, American U. SIS, USC Annenberg, Josef Korbel, Tufts Fletcher, Columbia SIPA.

Accepted: Denver and Chicago

Rejected: Yale, Tufts, Columbia, Princeton,

Waiting: HKS, SAIS, MSFS and CPSS, GWU, SIS, USC

I'm hoping that the odds of getting accepted into Harvard increase a tad by opting for the IGA program and hopefully there weren't too many people applying for that particular program. I'm curious to know how many of you did apply for the program. I specifically mentioned that my academic focus and area of interest was IGA in relation to international security in my personal statement. In fact, my public policy essay was on gangs since it relates to national security. So I built my whole package to bank on the IGA program. Let me know your thoughts. Who is interested in security studies? Who applied specifically for the IGA program? And do you think the odds are slightly better if you did?

[zourah]

Because I didn't see any mention of program caps in anything I've seen on the HKS site, I have no reason to believe that program choice affects admissions odds. Does anyone else have evidence to the contrary?

That said, I also applied IGA - it looks just flexible enough to be really interesting without being so broad as to lose focus. I'm far more interested in the political side than in security, though.

[anxiouslywaiting]

I applied to IGA as well, although I was unaware of any additional funding associated with the concentration. I have insider info that Kennedy is trying to develop its image as a program that is also strong in IR rather than focused almost solely on the traditional (and more domestically-oriented) aspects of public policy. That it why they added the new concentration. It will only give applicants an edge in admissions if very few people indicated IGA was their preferred concentration, but given the number of people on this forum who seem to have selected it, it may not have much of an effect. Could someone explain what they heard about this additional funding?

[thewaitinggame09]

I applied for the IGA program track as well. The only additional funding that you are mentioning or that I am aware of was the harvard fellowship essay. I did apply for that though by the deadline.

As far as the application essays go, I talked about food security (since I worked at USDA for a few years) in relation to national and international security. I believe it is an important area of security that individuals don't really look into. If our overall food area is attacked, we are all screwed.

[riz1]

I applied for the IGA program track as well. The only additional funding that you are mentioning or that I am aware of was the harvard fellowship essay. I did apply for that though by the deadline.

As far as the application essays go, I talked about food security (since I worked at USDA for a few years) in relation to national and international security. I believe it is an important area of security that individuals don't really look into. If our overall food area is attacked, we are all screwed.

hm. never really thought about the security aspect of my daily nourishment. that's interesting!

IGA is a hot focus at HKS. multidisciplinary -- which is what i'm sure attracted a lot of us to IR in the first place -- and getting a lot of attention right now. there is also an internship program that offers funding exclusively for IGA concentrators through the Belfer Center at HKS (http://www.hks.harvard.edu/degrees/mast ... nternships).

[sgw]

There is an IGA-specific fellowship through the Belfer Center. It's listed on the Fellowships page -- http://www.hks.harvard.edu/degrees/sfs/ ... mestic/hks. You're automatically eligible for it if you marked IGA as your first choice concentration.

[anxiouslywaiting]

There is an IGA-specific fellowship through the Belfer Center. It's listed on the Fellowships page -- http://www.hks.harvard.edu/degrees/sfs/ ... mestic/hks. You're automatically eligible for it if you marked IGA as your first choice concentration.

Yeah the program sounds awesome, with the variety of classes, opportunities for research and special fellowships. Thinking about this sure does make me wish I had heard from HKS today though!

[thewaitinggame09]

hm. never really thought about the security aspect of my daily nourishment. that's interesting!

IGA is a hot focus at HKS. multidisciplinary -- which is what i'm sure attracted a lot of us to IR in the first place -- and getting a lot of attention right now. there is also an internship program that offers funding exclusively for IGA concentrators through the Belfer Center at HKS (http://www.hks.harvard.edu/degrees/mast ... nternships).

Thanks for the advice and for the info.

Yeah I am thinking I might only be one of a few people (or not many), who applied for the IGA that have an agriculture background, and want to do food security.

[riz1]

Thanks for the advice and for the info.

Yeah I am thinking I might only be one of a few people (or not many), who applied for the IGA that have an agriculture background, and want to do food security.

so how is HKS for food security? i'm familiar with the research centers at Kennedy, but i didn't know there was anything solid for agricultural-oriented studies there.

[thewaitinggame09]

so how is HKS for food security? i'm familiar with the research centers at Kennedy, but i didn't know there was anything solid for agricultural-oriented studies there.

Well I already have a ton of agricultural background but I want to tie that in with national and international security policies/affairs, whick HKS has.