Carnegie Mellon - Heinz Current Student

[inkstain]

Congrats Turab.

 

Actually I had the same question as well - how flexible is CMU with switching tracks after admission?  Do they allow one to switch between the different tracks before/after enrolling?

[acorps1315]

An AmeriCorps Alum just got in w/ 75% tuition. Woot Woot! Congrats to that person! Service is hard, but rewarding. I'm still waiting. C'mon, Heinz!

[scholl43]

Congrats Turab.

 

Actually I had the same question as well - how flexible is CMU with switching tracks after admission?  Do they allow one to switch between the different tracks before/after enrolling?

 

Very flexible.  Many people swap to/from the DC track, typically when they're unsure of what they want going into the program.  Some have even switched to 3 semester DC or even Australia.

[highly_favored]

I was so excited to get accepted into the DC - track with a 40% tuition waiver (especially since my GRE scores left much to be desired). I want to work in international development/policy analysis, but even with the waiver I'd have to take out about 35k each year   assuming I don't get any of the external scholarships I applied for. CMU is my dream school, but I am scared to death of taking on that much debt especially since I have debt from undergrad. Is anyone else in the same predicament? I'm seriously considering working on my GRE scores and re-applying next year. Any advice?

 

PS. Is anyone going to the admitted student weekend April 10th &11th? 

[MJA87]

I had a quick question for any current Heinz students (or anyone else in the know):

 

Does anyone know about the availability of assistantships in the MSPPM program? Heinz is in my final two or three choices and I'm trying to separate them. Assistantship positions may prove to be the difference maker.

 

Thanks for any information.

[Talking Monkeys in Space]

Got my acceptance last week, anyone have recommendations for housing? Also where are you staying for the admitted students weekend?

[scholl43]

I had a quick question for any current Heinz students (or anyone else in the know):

 

Does anyone know about the availability of assistantships in the MSPPM program? Heinz is in my final two or three choices and I'm trying to separate them. Assistantship positions may prove to be the difference maker.

 

Thanks for any information.

Many people are offered a TA position after having taken a class (and having done well in it).  I'm not sure if I've ever heard of any 1st year Masters students getting TA position in the first semester, but definitely in the second.

[highly_favored]

Got my acceptance last week, anyone have recommendations for housing? Also where are you staying for the admitted students weekend?

 

There were a couple options listed on the Heinz College website for where to stay for that weekend. I selected the "stay with a current Heinz student" option on my registration, but since that's not guaranteed, I decided to poke around the airbnb website and found a place to stay there.  

[MJA87]

Has anyone requested a reward review and asked for a larger scholarship award? I submitted mine about 10 business days ago and was really hoping to hear back by now.

 

I'd really like to make my final decision and can't until I hear back from Heinz on whether they'd consider increasing my award.

[nilesguo]

Has anyone received any news from Heinz who applied to the Global Track? I got an email on the 15th stating they are still reviewing my application. But the fact that so many students already got in makes me less hopeful. Is it because the Global track is later due to the Australia component? 

[yeskay]

Hi,

Can anyone shed some light on how australia msppm compares with pittsburg?

 

TIA

[aet7s]

Congrats Turab.

 

Actually I had the same question as well - how flexible is CMU with switching tracks after admission?  Do they allow one to switch between the different tracks before/after enrolling?

 

Hi Turab,

 

Current student in the DC track here. When you get to Heinz, talk to Prof. Wil Gorr, he is the head of the Analytics track. Switching can be tricky, especially for the analytics track. Mainly, I believe they (administration) will look at your GRE math score AND your academic background. I know from my friends, who are in that track that it is hard yet worthwhile.

 

Hope this helps  

[sp108]

Hi Turab,

 

Current student in the DC track here. When you get to Heinz, talk to Prof. Wil Gorr, he is the head of the Analytics track. Switching can be tricky, especially for the analytics track. Mainly, I believe they (administration) will look at your GRE math score AND your academic background. I know from my friends, who are in that track that it is hard yet worthwhile.

 

Hope this helps

 

What kind of GRE score do they look for out of curiosity?

[MistaBenjamin]

Hi everyone. Bumbing this thread. I was accepted into the MSPPM DC Track. I am going to accepted students day, trying to find out more about housing, funding and the program and if it is worth leaving DC to go to CMU (Also accepted to GW, AU and GM all of which are in the DC area, which I currently am living). I believe it is but would like some opinions from others, as well as how the first year in Pittsburgh is.

Thanks!

[cjoesbury]

Hi, I got into the MSPPM DC Track too. I got a financial aid letter by email.  I read the CMU housing website and they will have two apartment options for grad students directly through the university, but no single person apartments but shared apartments with single rooms. I haven't checked the other options but there are lots of student apartments on craigslist. There's a pay what you want hostel called "not another hostel" if you want a backup for the admitted weekend. 

I got conditionally accepted so I have to pass a quantitative course with a B+ in July so I'm nervous but I would try to learn everything before hand. I also got a 50% tuition scholarship so thats something. (I'm waiting to hear from Rutgers, Maryland, and Harvard Kennedy School). I need to know my other options but its definitely high on my list. You could compare the internships and job placement statistics with the schools your applying to. 

[HS9191]

On 3/6/2015 at 1:27 PM, Turab said:

Hi Everyone,

 

I just got an admission offer from CMU with a 30% tuition waiver

The letter says that I have been accepted for the two year Pittsburgh Track however i wanted to go for the data analytics track. What I wanted to know was whether we can select the data analytics track afterwards. My application was not filled by me as I have been selected through Fulbright and the Fulbright people completed the application on my behalf.

To the people who filled out the application form, does the data analytics track appear independently of the two year track? do you have to specify that you are applying for the data analytics track?

Please help me as I am going nuts! I want to go over for the data analytics track and not the normal MSPPM two year tack. 

Best,
Turab

Hi Turab, yes the DA track is separate than the 2 year Pittsburgh track, and we had to specify it on the application. You should've asked Fulbright to specify it for you, but I think you can still ask CMU and i'm sure they'll facilitate

[MarieG.]

Hey all:

I'm interested in studying education policy. Can I supplement my education at Heinz to get employed, realistically, or will the degree be a bit less valuable for me given that area of focus (and the extreme lack of education policy courses at Heinz...)

[coasts]

On 3/23/2017 at 2:55 PM, MarieG. said:

Hey all:

I'm interested in studying education policy. Can I supplement my education at Heinz to get employed, realistically, or will the degree be a bit less valuable for me given that area of focus (and the extreme lack of education policy courses at Heinz...)

It's true that there are not a ton of ed policy classes at Heinz (http://heinz.cmu.edu/academic-resources/course-results/index.aspx?discipline_id=17), but I would say that as far as getting employed, I'm almost certain that employers will be much more interested in the skills that you develop through Heinz's curriculum over what content classes you've taken, particularly if you already have some experience in the ed sphere. If you haven't, you can find other ways to demonstrate your interest in ed (maybe part-time internship during the school year, involvement in clubs, volunteering, etc). 

[mpamppquestions]

Does anyone here have much familiarity with environmental policy courses at CMU? I'm leaning very heavily towards attending the Pittsbrugh 2 year track in the fall with the intention of taking the envi. policy concentration. Thanks!

Edited March 26, 2017 by mpamppquestions

[WWBOD]

Are there any professors who are less exceedingly neoliberal than Prof. Lee Branstetter seems to be?

[PolicyStud]

4 hours ago, WWBOD said:

Are there any professors who are less exceedingly neoliberal than Prof. Lee Branstetter seems to be?

I'm a current Heinz student. I exempted out of the core economic analysis course, so I can't speak for that specifically, but much of my economic/social science-related coursework is so focused on methodology that it's hard for me to tell whether my professors are more Keynesian or neoliberal without asking them. The empirical methods we learn in econometrics I/II, management science, decision analysis, etc. are often applicable whether you're far-right, far-left, or somewhere in between.

If I were you, I would not immediately rule out taking classes with professors that have political leanings I disagree with. The professors you have differences with are the ones you have the most to gain from, and the pure empiricism you will hone at Heinz is far more important than ideology. That being said, when I've asked, it seems like at least a significant proportion/majority of professors lean at least slightly to the left. And whenever they've formed their political leanings, left or right, their commitment to empiricism has enabled them to bring nuance that can be appreciated by all who are willing to listen.

Edited April 3, 2017 by PolicyStud

[dollybird]

Ahhhhh! I'm going to Heinz in the fall! MSPPM2. Anyone else? Are you excited? Can we link up? The summer is at once too short and too long. I'll be in Pitt in about a month looking for apartments. I think I'll also be brushing up on calc and econ, although my enrollment wasn't conditional. I'm excited to get my email address to make things more "real." I think that also gives us access to course reviews. 

[mpamppquestions]

12 hours ago, dollybird said:

Ahhhhh! I'm going to Heinz in the fall! MSPPM2. Anyone else? Are you excited? Can we link up? The summer is at once too short and too long. I'll be in Pitt in about a month looking for apartments. I think I'll also be brushing up on calc and econ, although my enrollment wasn't conditional. I'm excited to get my email address to make things more "real." I think that also gives us access to course reviews. 

Hey, I'll be an MSPPM student too! Not going to move until the last possible second so I can squeeze as many paychecks out of my current employer as is feasible, but I'm going to be living with my freshman year roommate from my undergrad. I'm brushing up on my quant skills too (currently taking stats and then a pre-calc summer crash course), but my enrollment was conditional. What's your area of focus? I'm interested in environmental policy, as I work at an environmental advocacy non-profit right now.

Edited April 18, 2017 by mpamppquestions

[coasts]

On 4/17/2017 at 10:01 PM, dollybird said:

Ahhhhh! I'm going to Heinz in the fall! MSPPM2. Anyone else? Are you excited? Can we link up? The summer is at once too short and too long. I'll be in Pitt in about a month looking for apartments. I think I'll also be brushing up on calc and econ, although my enrollment wasn't conditional. I'm excited to get my email address to make things more "real." I think that also gives us access to course reviews. 

congrats on your decision! honestly, almost no classes at Heinz are calc-based...your time would be better used really getting comfortable with stats, if you decide to put in time on brushing up. stats is core to A LOT of courses and it's really not possible to be prepared enough in that department, even if you'll be taking stats as soon as you get here.