Harvard Kennedy School 2014

[Gov2School]

You should email the admissions office or read the post on the HKS admissions blog about the Wait List. 

[azuljen88]

Anyone else definitely going for MPP? I'm pretty much set on going unless somebody makes a really strong argument otherwise in the next few days. I think the course offerings, plus ability to attend courses at the Ed and Public Health schools, plus ability to take classes at Fletcher, plus community of international students, world-class speakers and professors, alumni network, and job opportunities post-graduation, will be well worth the cost (and therefore loans!) of attendance.

[Gov2School]

Just flag, though I'm sure you also know this, Fletcher students can also take classes at Harvard, just as HKS students can take classes at Fletcher. 

[Kaneisha]

To Abdel regarding deferments after being admitted from the waitlist:

 

Gov2School is right. The #1 thing to do is call the admissions office and ask about this if you are admitted off of the waitlist.

 

My input is that you should know that waitlisted candidates are not a special status or second-class citizen status of applicant. Just like all applicants have the right to request a deferment, waitlisted candidates who are admitted from the waitlist can request a deferment. Now, that doesn't mean the school is going to give you any more special consideration than any other candidate would. Having little notice of your admission before the school year begins is one of the risks you take when accepting a place on the waitlist.

 

In short, yes, you can request a deferral, but don't count on getting it.

 

Best of luck in fighting/willing/wishing your way off the waitlist. It is a challenging waiting game.

[Kaneisha]

Housing costs in Cambridge / near HKS:

 

Hey guys, I wonder if someone can live in Cambridge (somewhere near HKS, off campus or on campus housing) with $15,000 stipend without incurring any more debt?

 

Hi Duct, I lived with 3 other HKS students in a 4 bedroom 2 bathroom house, and my rent was something like $650 a month (not including utilities). If you've been granted a $15,000 stipend (congratulations!), that more than covers your rent and utilities if you're willing to live with roommates. I lived in Porter Square and loved it. It was a 20-minute walk to school or just two stops on the red line. I also recommend Davis Square and of course Harvard Square. I remember some other "squares" being more expensive or hard to get to campus. If you have a car, you can live in a fancy, newer house for the same price in Brighton.

 

Best of luck in figuring out housing and budgeting!

[Kaneisha]

Ooh, I've never heard of this for professional school! (I experienced a lot of this for college.) I love this idea, and congratulations to you!

 

Tufts has given me a $400 grant to attend their open day (I'm from UK so this covers about 65% of ticket), which is great.  Their open day is 6th April, so I'll be able to go to the MPA/ID open day on 7th April too.  Two birds with one stone!

 

I emailed Harvard to ask if they had any funding for helping people attend the open day (to see if I could get the remaining third of my flight paid for...) and they said they don't have any money for that.  Worth asking though!

[chocolatecheesecake]

Hi KMH,

 

Sorry for the delayed reply. I haven't figured out how to tell when someone has replied to you on here (help please!). No, I do not think the hurdle is just as high for a previously waitlisted student as a rejected student who is reapplying. I think it is imperative that the waitlisted student reach out to the admissions office and request feedback on their application to see what needs to be changed/improved in order to be more competitive. Secondly, I do not think that schools create courtesy waitlist spots to say, "We like you, but no." What I do believe happens, however, is that most people on the waitlist don't end up getting a spot in the class. I have no idea how the schools choose the order in which to admit people from the waitlist. I would hazard that it is based on which applicants keep in touch the most throughout the process with meaningfully important updates (even for the schools that say they don't want additional information from you).

 

I hope that your application results turned out better this time around!

 

Kaneisha

 

My two cents about the waitlist, having worked in admissions at an educational program: a waitlist pool can help the admissions team craft their ideal class to be diverse and robust. They can use the waitlist to fill the areas in which they would like more representation, be it men, women, a certain age group, work experience, background, etc. I would venture a guess that it largely depends on who doesn't end up accepting their offers. That said, it does not hurt to keep in touch and show how good of a fit you are!

[sklorange]

I have been admitted into the MPP program, but I received no funding. For the first year, they expect me to take out about $74,000 in loans. Is everyone else with no fellowship taking out this amount.

 

I'm a "worst case scenario" kind of thinker, so if I don't get a TA or assistantship for the second year (and also no other fellowship funding), I am looking at some VERY steep 6-digit debt, which I don't think is really worth a public service-oriented degree. 

 

I'm honored to have been accepted, but I applied to SO many of the fellowships, that I was sadly confident that I would at least get one. It's kind of a bummer. I got a full ride from Madison. Might have to end up going there...but I really would have loved if HKS would have been a more financially viable option. 

Congrats to everyone else who got admitted! 

[bktz]

I have been admitted into the MPP program, but I received no funding. For the first year, they expect me to take out about $74,000 in loans. Is everyone else with no fellowship taking out this amount.

 

I'm a "worst case scenario" kind of thinker, so if I don't get a TA or assistantship for the second year (and also no other fellowship funding), I am looking at some VERY steep 6-digit debt, which I don't think is really worth a public service-oriented degree. 

 

I'm honored to have been accepted, but I applied to SO many of the fellowships, that I was sadly confident that I would at least get one. It's kind of a bummer. I got a full ride from Madison. Might have to end up going there...but I really would have loved if HKS would have been a more financially viable option. 

Congrats to everyone else who got admitted! 

 

I'm in the same boat - super exciting to be admitted, but no fellowship funding makes it seem just a little crazy to go, especially when I've got good fellowship offers elsewhere. I've had a tough time deciding though, because it does seem like a great program. 

[sklorange]

I'm in the same boat - super exciting to be admitted, but no fellowship funding makes it seem just a little crazy to go, especially when I've got good fellowship offers elsewhere. I've had a tough time deciding though, because it does seem like a great program. 

 

As of now, what do you personally assess your likelihood of going to HKS? Also, what are your other offers in terms of other schools and fellowships? 

HKS was sort of off the list already because of the unreasonably high amount of expected student debt; however, today, my boss made an announcement at this big collaborative meeting we had at work. Everyone was encouraging me to go for the HKS option (including a guy from my work collab team that just got admitted into a Harvard PhD program that is related to the HKS), but the PhD guy got a full-ride. He did tell me that going to HKS for a public service-oriented degree with no fellowship or guaranteed funding sources is kind of dangerous. So as of right now, my ranking in terms of what I'm likely to accept is: (1) UW-Madison (because of funding, well-ranked and has a very reputable ed program and it's very affordable to live in that area anyway), (2) UCLA (also funding options), (3) Berkeley (no fellowship, but I hope I can work out an arrangement to make it more viable), (4) HKS (no way I can accept 6-digit debt, but the Harvard name can really get you places), and (5) USC (a Dean's Merit Scholarship covers half of tuition, but for a private program like the Price School, that's not really much). The Ford School is out of the question since I would have to pay out-of-state tuition and only received a $10k fellowship. 

[OCD or Perfection?]

Jordan and I are two, recently introduced, incoming HGSE students, super excited to make the most out of our short time at HGSE. We’re seeking 3-4 roommates who are just as pumped.

We’d like to find a big house where we can live together, community-style, among folks who enjoy deep conversation about educational equity, social entrepreneurship and other creative outlets to get the most out of our collective experience.

Hopefully, by the end of the year we’ll discover/develop some type of social project that resonates with each of our passions. If not, that’s cool too. More importantly, our home will be a place of friendship, collaboration, critical thinking, awesomeness, and challenging/provocative (yet meaningful) conversations.

This is going to be fun. It will be an inclusive space for all those who want it. Even if we’re not roommates, I’m sure we’ll spend a few late nights brainstorming in the house soon!

If you’re interested in these ideas, and want to be a roommate shoot me or Jordan a message and we can chat more from there!!

Looking for (in a roommate):
You’re open-minded, sociable, well-traveled (or just have plenty of stories to share), and motivated most by your surroundings. You also have some experience with, or curiosity in, tech/entrepreneurship/nonprofits/media/business. All genders are welcome, and maybe even a cute couple or dog (though it might strain the housing search).

Looking for (in a house):
The house will be a hub for creativity and intellectual growth. Costs (rent+utilities) will ideally be under $1000/person, and location will be within 20 minutes of Harvard by public transport. We have shortlisted some gorgeous houses and could use some help from other roommates to choose the spot. 5/10 of the houses we're looking at are within 6 minute walk of campus.

Again - If you’re interested in these ideas, and want to be a roommate shoot me or Jordan a message on facebook and we can chat more from there!!

 

Ali: https://www.facebook.com/nomanimali

Jordan: https://www.facebook.com/jordan.magid?fref=ts 

[columbiaapp]

Hi everyone!

 

Anyone knows if there are candidates off the waitlist? I know they stated the timeline until mid or late may, however, I have seen threads where they did a similar statement and admitted students a week after the response deadline (I think it was the 2011 thread and the 2013 thread),

 

Best,

[hmmmmmmmm]

I'm waitlisted too and haven't heard anything. Since they let people in previous years off the waitlist at an earlier point in the year than where we are now, I think it's safe to assume we aren't getting off.

[columbiaapp]

I already saw some people got off the waitlist for the MPP, I am an MPA2 applicant, however, I guess they sent out offers for all programs at the same time

 

Best

[hmmmmmmmm]

Good to know! I was waiting for a decision on my MPP application so now I know not to keep checking my email. Good luck to you!

[Kaneisha]

Don't assume that you aren't getting off the waitlist. I know someone who just got off yesterday—same day as your post. Keep the hope alive!

 

in reply to:

 

I'm waitlisted too and haven't heard anything. Since they let people in previous years off the waitlist at an earlier point in the year than where we are now, I think it's safe to assume we aren't getting off.

[hmmmmmmmm]

I actually ended up getting off the waitlist on May 13, 2014! It's been a while but I thought I'd post it to let people in the future know that waitlist acceptances can happen well into May. Good luck!

[ajak568]

Hello, everybody!

Quick question about submitting GRE Scores. Read this from HKS's admissions page and tell me what you think it means:

All applicants to the following programs are required to submit scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), even if an advanced degree has been earned.  GRE or GMAT scores must be less than five years old as of the admission application deadline.  We do not accept/require GRE subject tests, we only review the general test.

    Master in Public Policy (MPP)
    Master in Public Administration/International Development (MPA/ID)
    Master in Public Administration (MPA2)
    Mid-Career Master in Public Administration

Applicants need to self-report test scores on the online application for admission. If admitted, applicants will be required to have official test scores sent directly from the testing service to HKS. Be sure to allow at least 10 business days to register, sit for the exam, and obtain your official scores prior to the admissions deadline.

So. . .does this mean I can self-report scores and then await an admissions decision without taking the gamble of spending my $27 to send my official scores to Harvard beforehand?

Thanks, y'all.

Aja

[samiam]

Yes, it does.

[Fall2015]

Question on Harvard Kennedy application:

 

Do you have to include your salary in your resume? Will you be penalized for not including the salary? 

employment, including titles and dates (months/years) of employment for each position, job responsibilities, salary, any gaps in employment history; academic degrees, achievements and honors; volunteer, public service and political work, recent leadership experiences; extracurricular activities and interests. 

[Kaneisha]

No, you won't be penalized if you don't include your salary on your CV/resume for HKS.

 

Sometimes I have my clients leave their salaries off if they make "too much" money—say $200,000 per year or more. I think that ends up being distracting to the admissions committee (I know I would have been distracted as a student reader anyway), and it may somehow call their commitment to public service in question.

 

Of course you can always email/call the admissions office to get an official response.

 

Happy resume writing!

[alpha13]

Hi everyone!

I am applying to the HKS MC MPA program and I have a question that I hope you know the answe!

I have two nationalaties: one from a developed  country other from a developing country. If I apply the HKS riles about primary nationality  Ican choose either one of the otther. I understand that someone with a very strong cv from my "developing nation" is also applying toe he sam programe.  Do you think that will  have an impact? In other words, does the HKS look at their portfolio fo countries and therefore would in principle  not have two people from the same small developing nation in the same year?

 

If you could assist me it would be really great! As I can't really undestand what is my best strategy.

 

Cheers!

[paxi]

Hi! I'm applying to the Harvard MPA program. Would appreciate some advice on my chances there:

 

From South Asia

Undergrad GPA: 3.0/4.0 from probably the best university in my country.

Graduate GPA: 3.67/4.0 - Dropped out of a Phd  econ program in the US - cleared Micro cores at the Phd level. Didn't find academia to my liking. 

GRE: 780 Q(87 percentile), 610 V(84%), 4.5 AWA (74%)

 

1 Year experience working for Doctors Without Borders

2 Years of experience working for the UN in South Asia

Entrepreneur with established successful business.

 

Main reason for choosing an MPA over the MPA/ID is that i don't want to go the academic route. Also, want to pursue something in social entrepreneurship in the future so the option of taking business courses at HBS is appealing. 

[gradjm]

Can current students comment on how best to address the website/print publications policy issues question in the application?

[gradjm]

I posted this elsewhere but no one seems to have a clear answer for this, so I am trying here hoping someone knowledgeable could clarify.

 

There is an optional essay question in the MPP application that seems very confusingly worded. Strictly speaking it asks only about explanation for academic issues, but leaves room for anything one would like to say. HKS clarified this in a blog post, but while doing so made it even more confusing, honestly. the blog post discusses how it's "any" explanation for background that they should know, but also says it's absolutely not an additional "essay" at all. So, why is it under the "optional essay" portion of the application and why would it be 750 words, a whoppingly large space, for a brief explanation or addendum?

 

I am confused. Can one write an essay about their background here?

 

http://hksadmissionb...ay-notes-post-6