Duke Sanford MPP Admitted Thread Fall 2014

[MasterofSprinkles]

Got an email to check my status this afternoon....Admitted!  Duke is one of my top choices so I am very excited!

 

 

[TimB]

I am very happy. Very solid aid package too, I don't even think we'll need to take out loans. I couldn't be more pleased.

[Legacy]

Congrats Guys.. I am wait listed.. does anyone know the chances of wait list being confirmed. Sanford was one of my dream Schools..

Edited March 1, 2014 by admm.noops

[arbitist]

Admitted! Very excited! got a $16k fellowship per year. How much did you guys get? Also, do you know if its possible to get RAs in the first year?

[chocolatecheesecake]

Congrats! I was also admitted, with $21K. It's nice, but you know tuition and fees alone are $45K. It makes me a little bit more biased toward the other schools... 

[mppbluedevil14]

Hi folks!  Since I see some of you have questions about Sanford/Duke, I thought I'd jump in and introduce myself.  I'm a first year MPP student at Sanford. I can't speak officially for Sanford, but I'm happy to give you my perspective about the program, Duke, life in Durham, etc.

 

Admm.noops: I honestly do not know how many people are waitlisted and how/when Sanford starts admitting from the waitlist.  I recommend contacting the admissions team, as I'm sure they can give you some idea of how the process works.  I see you've applied to a lot of great programs, and it's still early.  I'm sure something great will work out!  Good luck!

 

Arbitist: Do you mean Research Assistantships, or Resident Advisors?  Research and Teaching Assistantships opportunities are sometimes included in students' award letters.  That said, if you weren't guaranteed an assistantship, you can still apply for one in your second semester.  I wasn't guaranteed an assistantship, but applied and got one this semester anyway.  Sanford prefers for students to wait until their second semester to begin an assistantship anyways, since the first semester can be pretty stressful in terms of schoolwork.  As for Resident Advisors, I know of two first-year students who are RAs, and another who is considering being an Resident Advisor next year.  The two who are currently RAs seem to enjoy it.  I don't know the application process for being an RA, but I can find out for you if you'd like.

 

I know that this is a stressful time with a lot to consider.  I'm happy to answer any questions I can.  There is a lot coming up this week in terms of schoolwork (the week before spring break), but I'll do my best to get back to you quickly!

 

Best,

MPPBluedevil14

[Naamoose]

I was accepted, which is very exciting, but I'm rather disappointed with the funding. I'm coming with a family of 5 and 16K+4K assitanships simply isn't enough. This is my first answer so I have to wait and see what answers I get elsewhere.

[spat]

Mppbluedevil: are you working on domestic or intl affairs? Im interested in intl economics, beyond intl development, and am wondering if duke is the right place for me. (The aid offer would be hard to turn down). I know duke makes a huge effort to network in dc, but while on campus i get the feeling that many internships are focused on community development in durham. I guess what im trying to understand is if duke offers that strong intl perspective im looking for.

[arbitist]

Hi folks!  Since I see some of you have questions about Sanford/Duke, I thought I'd jump in and introduce myself.  I'm a first year MPP student at Sanford. I can't speak officially for Sanford, but I'm happy to give you my perspective about the program, Duke, life in Durham, etc.

 

Admm.noops: I honestly do not know how many people are waitlisted and how/when Sanford starts admitting from the waitlist.  I recommend contacting the admissions team, as I'm sure they can give you some idea of how the process works.  I see you've applied to a lot of great programs, and it's still early.  I'm sure something great will work out!  Good luck!

 

Arbitist: Do you mean Research Assistantships, or Resident Advisors?  Research and Teaching Assistantships opportunities are sometimes included in students' award letters.  That said, if you weren't guaranteed an assistantship, you can still apply for one in your second semester.  I wasn't guaranteed an assistantship, but applied and got one this semester anyway.  Sanford prefers for students to wait until their second semester to begin an assistantship anyways, since the first semester can be pretty stressful in terms of schoolwork.  As for Resident Advisors, I know of two first-year students who are RAs, and another who is considering being an Resident Advisor next year.  The two who are currently RAs seem to enjoy it.  I don't know the application process for being an RA, but I can find out for you if you'd like.

 

I know that this is a stressful time with a lot to consider.  I'm happy to answer any questions I can.  There is a lot coming up this week in terms of schoolwork (the week before spring break), but I'll do my best to get back to you quickly!

 

Best,

MPPBluedevil14

 

Hey,

I meant  Research Assistantships. Thanks a lot, this helps. I've been in touch with Prof Anirudh Krishna so i'm wondering if i should write to him and check the possibility of a RA-ship.

I  share Spat's concerns. As an international student i'm worried if will classes and work options at Sanford will be too domestic-issues oriented. Also, does Sanford have many intl students? Any from India in your year?

 

Sorry too many questions!

[mppbluedevil14]

Hi Spat and Arbitist!  Since your questions are sort of in the same international vein, I thought I'd try and answer your questions together.

 

I am interested in international affairs, too, though I am not an international student.  This summer, I'll be interning at the State Department, as will a number of other first-year students (at least 5 others).  Many others in my class are in the process of solidifying their internships for this summer, but I know a second-year student who interned at the UN, another who interned with FAO in Chile, another who interned in Jordan (I forget with what organization), and another who interned with USAID in Rwanda.  Duke also has the Geneva program, which allows Sanford students to work at UN agencies over the summer, and a summer program that combines school with working at a local NGO in Rajasthan, India.  I also know of two first-year students who will be doing research with a Duke professor in India this summer.

 

I would say that between 10 and 20% of MPP students are international.  There is also the Masters in International Development Program that is located at Sanford.  This is a mid-career program geared towards international professionals (90%+ are international students).  Even though no first-year MPP students are from India, there are multiple MIDP students from India.  Not only do MPP and MIDP students get the chance to hang out (when we aren't studying!), but MPP students can also take MIDP courses.  I know many first and second-year students who are taking advantage of this.

 

There are a number of professors who work on international issues.  Dr. Manoj Mohanan works on international health care policy, Dr. Subhrendu Pattanayak works on international environmental issues, and Dr. Robert Conrad works on tax policy in developing countries.  The cool thing is that all three of these professors teach first-year core classes, so there are plenty of opportunities to get to know them.  I'm currently working on a project with Dr. Conrad and three other first-year students to harmonize investment laws in Myanmar.

 

Arbitist: That's great that you've been in touch with Dr. Krishna!  I'm not sure what RA-ships Dr. Krishna offered this semester, but I know at least one first-year student who is working for Dr. Pattanayak.  The application process for RA-ships goes through Sanford's Program Director (as compared to through individual professors), but you're more than welcome to email Dr. Krishna and find out the kinds of projects he's working on.

 

I hope this helps, but let me know if I forgot to answer something!

[arbitist]

Got an email to check my status this afternoon....Admitted!  Duke is one of my top choices so I am very excited!

 

 

I am very happy. Very solid aid package too, I don't even think we'll need to take out loans. I couldn't be more pleased.

 

 

Congrats! I was also admitted, with $21K. It's nice, but you know tuition and fees alone are $45K. It makes me a little bit more biased toward the other schools... 

 

 

I was accepted, which is very exciting, but I'm rather disappointed with the funding. I'm coming with a family of 5 and 16K+4K assitanships simply isn't enough. This is my first answer so I have to wait and see what answers I get elsewhere.

 

 

Mppbluedevil: are you working on domestic or intl affairs? Im interested in intl economics, beyond intl development, and am wondering if duke is the right place for me. (The aid offer would be hard to turn down). I know duke makes a huge effort to network in dc, but while on campus i get the feeling that many internships are focused on community development in durham. I guess what im trying to understand is if duke offers that strong intl perspective im looking for.

 

Curious to know what other places you all have applied to, and if Duke will be your top choice. I'm waiting to hear from Cornell before i narrow down on my options.

[arbitist]

Hi Spat and Arbitist!  Since your questions are sort of in the same international vein, I thought I'd try and answer your questions together.

 

I am interested in international affairs, too, though I am not an international student.  This summer, I'll be interning at the State Department, as will a number of other first-year students (at least 5 others).  Many others in my class are in the process of solidifying their internships for this summer, but I know a second-year student who interned at the UN, another who interned with FAO in Chile, another who interned in Jordan (I forget with what organization), and another who interned with USAID in Rwanda.  Duke also has the Geneva program, which allows Sanford students to work at UN agencies over the summer, and a summer program that combines school with working at a local NGO in Rajasthan, India.  I also know of two first-year students who will be doing research with a Duke professor in India this summer.

 

I would say that between 10 and 20% of MPP students are international.  There is also the Masters in International Development Program that is located at Sanford.  This is a mid-career program geared towards international professionals (90%+ are international students).  Even though no first-year MPP students are from India, there are multiple MIDP students from India.  Not only do MPP and MIDP students get the chance to hang out (when we aren't studying!), but MPP students can also take MIDP courses.  I know many first and second-year students who are taking advantage of this.

 

There are a number of professors who work on international issues.  Dr. Manoj Mohanan works on international health care policy, Dr. Subhrendu Pattanayak works on international environmental issues, and Dr. Robert Conrad works on tax policy in developing countries.  The cool thing is that all three of these professors teach first-year core classes, so there are plenty of opportunities to get to know them.  I'm currently working on a project with Dr. Conrad and three other first-year students to harmonize investment laws in Myanmar.

 

Arbitist: That's great that you've been in touch with Dr. Krishna!  I'm not sure what RA-ships Dr. Krishna offered this semester, but I know at least one first-year student who is working for Dr. Pattanayak.  The application process for RA-ships goes through Sanford's Program Director (as compared to through individual professors), but you're more than welcome to email Dr. Krishna and find out the kinds of projects he's working on.

 

I hope this helps, but let me know if I forgot to answer something!

 

Thanks a lot! This is very encouraging.

[TimB]

Curious to know what other places you all have applied to, and if Duke will be your top choice. I'm waiting to hear from Cornell before i narrow down on my options.

 

Last year I got accepted at NYU, Columbia, and the New School but the funding, or lack thereof, plus the costs of living in NYC, plus getting married, plus already having lived in NYC for 2 years and being sick of it, all combined to make me turn them down.

 

I already live in Durham and I only applied to Duke this year. I accepted since the costs are low enough that I'd rather go to Duke than NC State. I also think Duke will be much better for helping me pivot to global/social policy while NC State would only be as good if I wanted to stay in NC (which I kind of don't, lovely place and all but not where I want to raise a family). Of course my wife already having a good job in Durham with health insurance helps make it a lot more affordable compared to any school requiring a move.

 

MPPBlueDevil: The letter I got says assistanceships pay $4,000 per semester and start your second semester. Does that mean if I qualify for an assistanceship for both my 2nd year semesters that I'll be granted $8,000 for the year?

Edited March 4, 2014 by TimB

[DeltaAA]

Congrats to everyone! 21K funding plus 4k.

 

Stats:

3.64 (public university in Ohio)

V: 163, Q: 160

5 years work experience

 

Anyone hear from any other schools, namely Tufts or Berkeley?

[CB2014]

Hey guys, congrats on getting in! I got into Duke too for the MPP, but even with their fellowship and assistantship money, it seems really expensive. I was also admitted to U of Maryland and GW, both of which could potentially be a lot cheaper. Do you guys have any ideas of the reputation of Duke vs U of Maryland and GW? Does it even matter at all? I'm from California, where these kinds of things don't really matter, so I'm not sure how to assess this situation. I'm mostly concerned about: 1) being surrounded by smart people, 2) getting a good job in government, non-profit, or maybe even the private sector after graduating, and 3) making connections to people in the field of public policy. Thanks in advance!

[TimB]

Having lurked here for a while, and read a lot of the MPP rankings, I would say that Duke is one of the higher ranked public policy programs in the nation, but then again so is GW, not sure about U of Maryland. 

 

In general I think the accepted ranking here is that Princeton is the best program, followed by Harvard Kennedy, and then things quickly get a lot more murky with programs like Columbia, Duke, Chicago, etc. all ranking near the top, and some being better than others in given specialties. I think GWU is generally considered near the top too. I don't know how much absolute rankings matter because I'm sure at all the top schools there is  an excellent faculty and quality students.

 

The main advantages I hear about Duke are, a small class size 50-60 folks, and very strong networks, plus it looks like they have 100% of their grads in further education or employment by 6 months out, although that doesn't speak to where they are working. It looks like they place a lot of people in government though, particularly in DC. One thing to note about Duke is that they don't place many people on the west coast so if you plan on moving back home it might not be a good fit.

 

As to costs, one thing to consider is the cost of living difference between DC and Durham. You can split a 2 bedroom right near campus for less than $700 at Duke, whereas I hear DC is more like NYC, where I know you pay $1,000 or more for tiny one bedrooms anywhere near the city. If you can find 2-3 roommates to split a larger place in Durham you could easily get away with paying $300 or less a month in rent (I almost sublet a place where rent was $250/ person). Also food is cheaper, along with pretty much everything else.  Of course, the flip side of that is that you're further from the places you're likely to want to find work and mass transit isn't great. 

 

Having been to DC numerous times, I'd also say that not having to drive in it's ridiculous traffic/road system is a pretty big benefit as well!

[goobie2014]

Congrats to all who got in! I'm in too. I got a $36K fellowship and $4K assistantship, which starts in the second semester. Duke looks like a great fit for me, especially with its concentration in Population Studies. Plus I'm from the South, and I miss the southern hospitality that you don't really get in NYC.

[arbitist]

Congrats to all who got in! I'm in too. I got a $36K fellowship and $4K assistantship, which starts in the second semester. Duke looks like a great fit for me, especially with its concentration in Population Studies. Plus I'm from the South, and I miss the southern hospitality that you don't really get in NYC.

 

Congrats! 36k is the highest i've heard of. That's great What is your background? Also, will you choose Duke if you get into Michigan?

[mppbluedevil14]

Last year I got accepted at NYU, Columbia, and the New School but the funding, or lack thereof, plus the costs of living in NYC, plus getting married, plus already having lived in NYC for 2 years and being sick of it, all combined to make me turn them down.

 

I already live in Durham and I only applied to Duke this year. I accepted since the costs are low enough that I'd rather go to Duke than NC State. I also think Duke will be much better for helping me pivot to global/social policy while NC State would only be as good if I wanted to stay in NC (which I kind of don't, lovely place and all but not where I want to raise a family). Of course my wife already having a good job in Durham with health insurance helps make it a lot more affordable compared to any school requiring a move.

 

MPPBlueDevil: The letter I got says assistanceships pay $4,000 per semester and start your second semester. Does that mean if I qualify for an assistanceship for both my 2nd year semesters that I'll be granted $8,000 for the year?

 

TimB: That's right.  My understanding is that assistantships are guaranteed your second and third semesters.  As I understand it, there's no guarantee that you'll get the assistantship your 4th semester, though plenty of people do.  If you get assistantships both semesters of your second year, you'd receive $8,000 for that year.  Hope that helps!

[spat]

Curious to know what other places you all have applied to, and if Duke will be your top choice. I'm waiting to hear from Cornell before i narrow down on my options.

Between no money at gtown, they havnt released info yet, and gwu, duke's sitting prerty high in my books at the moment.

[chocolatecheesecake]

Does anyone who's visited or who is currently a student have a better idea of the cohort culture and how tight-knit the community is?

 

Honestly, that's one of my biggest concerns. I really want a dedicated group of people to be working with. My undergraduate experience was very intense, very nerdy (oh, all right, I went to UChicago), and I enjoyed that aspect a lot. I know graduate school is much different, because everyone has their own lives and families, but I'm still interested in something fairly close knit, with a good amount of common activities or people who are policy wonks. Also, just from hearsay, I don't have the best impressions of Duke's undergraduate population. It's not a make-or-break for me, but I think it's just about having a more comfortable environment, and that certainly matters. Thoughts? 

[mppbluedevil14]

Does anyone who's visited or who is currently a student have a better idea of the cohort culture and how tight-knit the community is?

 

Honestly, that's one of my biggest concerns. I really want a dedicated group of people to be working with. My undergraduate experience was very intense, very nerdy (oh, all right, I went to UChicago), and I enjoyed that aspect a lot. I know graduate school is much different, because everyone has their own lives and families, but I'm still interested in something fairly close knit, with a good amount of common activities or people who are policy wonks. Also, just from hearsay, I don't have the best impressions of Duke's undergraduate population. It's not a make-or-break for me, but I think it's just about having a more comfortable environment, and that certainly matters. Thoughts? 

Chocolatecheesecake:  Well, let me admit straight off that I'm biased .  Our cohort has 64 students.  I feel that the program's size is large enough to justify diverse course offerings (letting people concentrate in their policy areas of interest), but small enough that everyone knows each other.  One thing I like about the program is that promotes cooperation rather than competition.  No one's grade comes at the expense of someone else.  They don't make it easy to get an A (and by no means everyone receives an A), but they don't curve down.  You get an A if you earn it (as compared to there being a 10% cap on number of students who can receive an A, for example).  We do a lot of group work, so it's important that people be able to work together.  For the second semester, you are assigned to work on a consulting project with three other students.  It gets pretty stressful because it is a lot of work.  However, we can set aside work and just hang out when we're off the clock, so to speak.  I had dinner with one of my teammates yesterday, and we didn't talk about our project at all.  

 

I don't have too much insight into the Duke undergrad thing, partly because we rarely interact.  I personally haven't had a bad interaction with undergrad students.  Some Sanford students are teaching assistants for undergrad courses, and I've heard mostly nice things.  Grad and undergrad students are rarely in the same classes, so there isn't a whole lot of interaction.  I'm sure there are some jerks out there, but that's true of any place, right?  

 

The best way to get a feel for Sanford's culture is to come for Open House.  I think it'll give you a good feel for what life is like at Sanford and in Durham.  Hope you guys can make it!

[goobie2014]

Congrats! 36k is the highest i've heard of. That's great What is your background? Also, will you choose Duke if you get into Michigan?

Thanks Arbitist!  I think I'd probably choose Duke over Michigan, just because Duke has the Population Studies Concentration. Plus, I'm from Atlanta, so Duke would be closer to home for me. 

 

I have a B.A. in Sociology, and I have been working as a research assistant for 2 years at a social policy research organization called MDRC.

 

Right now, my top choices are Duke and U of Minnesota

[TimB]

​mppbluedevil14:

 

How helpful was Duke's career services office in helping you find an internship?

 

State is pretty much my number one pick for where I'd want to end up for the summer so it's good to hear that so many Duke people ended up there. I'm even considering taking the FSOT next year to see if I can get onto their list before I graduate since I hear wait times to get picked up for the foreign service are generally close to 12 months after you pass your oral exam.

 

Also, do you think language skills were a big factor in the selections for state internships? I'm hoping to take classes in Farsi, Turkish, or Arabic while at Duke if possible but I'll still be at a basic level by next summer (although I might get 1 on 1 tutoring in Turkish from a friend this summer). 

 

Thanks,

[dukempp1]

Hey TimB, another first-year MPP here with interests in development and global policy. 

 

 

How helpful was Duke's career services office in helping you find an internship?

 

I'm very satisfied with our career staff here. Two ladies more or less run the whole show. Donna works with domestic-oriented students. Carmella helps the more internationally focused crowd. Both of them keep the class informed of key deadlines as the year rolls on, help you identify Duke alums worth networking with, and plan workshops to prep for the internship hunt (mostly resume and cover letter stuff). I probably drop by Carmella's office every three weeks or so. Since she knows my interests well, she's done an excellent job uncovering great opportunities for me that I probably wouldn't have found otherwise (e.g., a World Bank post in a country I recently lived in).

 

 

​Also, do you think language skills were a big factor in the selections for state internships? I'm hoping to take classes in Farsi, Turkish, or Arabic while at Duke if possible but I'll still be at a basic level by next summer (although I might get 1 on 1 tutoring in Turkish from a friend this summer). 

 

Languages are indeed clutch for State internships. Most of my classmates who received offers have language skills in areas of strategic political importance -- think Russian and Indonesian -- that came from Peace Corps service. Another has at least studied abroad in her country of interest. I know of one current second-year student who's been studying Arabic, and others who are taking French. Brushing up on foreign languages is certainly possible.