Yale Jackson admitted thread 2014

[thevillagersid]

I'm in at Jackson for the MA in Global Affairs! Honestly, I didn't even think I had a shot at this program, so this admit came out of left field. Just received the notice via e-mail about an hour ago. No word yet on funding. 

Who else got in?

[hualalalala]

Im in too! Very excited!

[marwanslm]

Congrats, guys! I just got rejected. Actually, I figured it out already. Wish myself good luck with the rest of my applications.

[thevillagersid]

So... someone's claiming on the results page that there were "10,000" applicants for Yale Jackson this year. I suspect there's an extra zero in that number, but even 1,000 seems quite high. Where is this number sourced from? Seems like it would be enough to make prospective students panic...

 

@marwansim: I got dinged by Berkeley yesterday, too. I like to hope that the admissions process really does help filter students into the places that will be most rewarding for them. Best of luck with the rest of your apps!

[ynh2008@sina.com]

So... someone's claiming on the results page that there were "10,000" applicants for Yale Jackson this year. I suspect there's an extra zero in that number, but even 1,000 seems quite high. Where is this number sourced from? Seems like it would be enough to make prospective students panic...

 

@marwansim: I got dinged by Berkeley yesterday, too. I like to hope that the admissions process really does help filter students into the places that will be most rewarding for them. Best of luck with the rest of your apps!

Originally, I also thought the program has received 10,000 applications. However, my classmate in statistics also said she got the same email. So I realized that the letter is given out by the art & science department. So the 10,600 should be the total member of the whole department, not Global Affairs program.

[thevillagersid]

@yhh2008: Thanks for the clarification--I'm sure it'll be very useful for future applicants!

 

Has anyone heard anything about financing for Yale? Did I have not been able to find *any* information about when to expect an announcement. 

 

[ynh2008@sina.com]

@yhh2008: Thanks for the clarification--I'm sure it'll be very useful for future applicants!

 

Has anyone heard anything about financing for Yale? Did I have not been able to find *any* information about when to expect an announcement. 

 

hi, can you tell me something about your profile? I mean the GRE? Toefl? Working experience. Thank you!

[thevillagersid]

@ynh2008: I sent you a private message

[marwanslm]

So... someone's claiming on the results page that there were "10,000" applicants for Yale Jackson this year. I suspect there's an extra zero in that number, but even 1,000 seems quite high. Where is this number sourced from? Seems like it would be enough to make prospective students panic...

 

@marwansim: I got dinged by Berkeley yesterday, too. I like to hope that the admissions process really does help filter students into the places that will be most rewarding for them. Best of luck with the rest of your apps!

Thank you. I think you're right. Perhaps the program truly doesn't fit me so good. And good luck to you as well!

[hualalalala]

@yhh2008: Thanks for the clarification--I'm sure it'll be very useful for future applicants!

 

Has anyone heard anything about financing for Yale? Did I have not been able to find *any* information about when to expect an announcement. 

 

no i haven't heard anything about financing. i only got a welcoming email from the graduate school. im assuming that in the mailed acceptance letter they sent there's gonna be a word of it? btw congrats!!

[jorstadk]

I just got in too! Do you know if the numbers are as small for the incoming class as they normally are (30-35)?

[ds.del]

I´m in too!

I won´t be able to attend the admitted students open house. Please share you impressions!!

[smilinggirl]

Hey all,

 

I'm a first-year Jackson student. Feel free to ask me any questions you might have!

[thevillagersid]

Maybe it's because of the small number of admits, but not much has been said about Yale Jackson on this forum lately.

 

Is anyone else thinking of turning down one of the 'typical' IR/public policy powerhouses (SIPA/HKS/WWS/SAIS) for Yale? Coming into the application process, I thought that SIPA and HKS were *the* schools, and Yale was relatively low on my list. But now that I've been admitted and started really thinking about what it would be like to go to different schools, Yale has begun to look better and better. 

 

The advantages:

1. Small program size. No one seems to feel 'lost' in the program, and several people have indicated that the small size means more personalized attention from school staff and greater access to professors. 

 

2. Small number of graduates. Places like the World Bank pull a ton of people from schools like SIPA. That said, I'm worried that being "one SIPA grad among 600" would make me fairly anonymous as an applicant. Whatever else Jackson may or may not be, it's definitely not a degree mill. 

 

3. It seems to be trending upwards and have good momentum. The last couple of years have seen both a large donation and a complete overhaul of the program. The school has attracted a lot of strong professors for a program of its size. 

 

4. Without funding Jackson is marginally cheaper than SIPA or HKS, and the school offers grants for students pursuing unpaid internships. Life in New Haven is also a discount off of life in New York or Boston. 

 

5. Lots of opportunities to take classes across the campus. A current student mentioned that being able to take classes in the other professional schools at Yale offered great exposure to different communities on campus where people have very different ways of thinking and interacting. I didn't look into the Yale SOM before applying, but it seems like that school is also famous for their non-profit/public sector courses. 

 

6. The Yale vibe seems pretty laid back compared to other places. (I'm from the West coast--this is important!  ) At the same time, the school seems to attract a lot of accomplished, capable students who seem like they would be awesome to study with. 

 

Possible disadvantages:

1. What is 'global affairs' anyway? Will employers actually recognize this as a professional degree, or am I going to have to take an extra year and do an MBA to make up for the weak degree recognition? MPA/MPP seem like they might be recognized as more serious degrees. 

 

2. Public sector employers seem to love SIPA/HKS/SAIS, but not many people seem aware of Yale Jackson yet. Anecdotally, it seems like SIPA would be a bit of a 'safer' choice than Yale when it comes to getting a job. (But then why does SIPA have a six-month unemployment rate of 10-17% for MPA/MIA grads...? Is this typical for other programs as well?  )

 

3. All that stuff people say about violent crime in parts of New Haven...

 

What are other people thinking about this program? I'd be happy to hear what smilinggirl or other current Yale students think as well. 

Edited March 21, 2014 by thevillagersid

[smilinggirl]

I had to make the decision between HKS, SIPA, SAIS, Tufts, Georgetown SSP, and more. I chose Jackson after I visited. 

 

The experience I have had so far may not be the same for everyone, but I'll share it anyway. I love the ability to chose my own concentration and the fact there's only 3 core classes (in addition to the language requirement). This semester I'm taking a Global Order Class with the former first Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, a leadership seminar with General Stanley McChrystal, an SOM class on Global Catastrophes that brings in leaders in the field to talk each week, a Yale law course on human rights, and a French course. 

 

I regularly attend small lunches with the senior fellows, current and former ambassadors, and other leaders. I know all the top schools likely bring leaders in, but at Yale I've gotten the opportunity to actually have conversations with these people, rather than just listen to a lecture. 

 

Although the Jackson name is new, Yale had an IR MA program before, and we've met with numerous alums. I've emailed and had lunch with a few, and one even helped me prep for my internship interview at OHCHR. Also Yale has a database of all Yale alums and I've contacted a few who now work in fields that I'm interested in. One even set up a Skype session to answer my questions because she was out of the country. 

 

If you got into the Jackson Institute, visit! If you can't make the admitted students program, let us know if you can visit another time or if you just want to chat with some current students. 

[ds.del]

 

Maybe it's because of the small number of admits, but not much has been said about Yale Jackson on this forum lately.

 

Is anyone else thinking of turning down one of the 'typical' IR/public policy powerhouses (SIPA/HKS/WWS/SAIS) for Yale? Coming into the application process, I thought that SIPA and HKS were *the* schools, and Yale was relatively low on my list. But now that I've been admitted and started really thinking about what it would be like to go to different schools, Yale has begun to look better and better. 

 

The advantages:

1. Small program size. No one seems to feel 'lost' in the program, and several people have indicated that the small size means more personalized attention from school staff and greater access to professors. 

 

2. Small number of graduates. Places like the World Bank pull a ton of people from schools like SIPA. That said, I'm worried that being "one SIPA grad among 600" would make me fairly anonymous as an applicant. Whatever else Jackson may or may not be, it's definitely not a degree mill. 

 

3. It seems to be trending upwards and have good momentum. The last couple of years have seen both a large donation and a complete overhaul of the program. The school has attracted a lot of strong professors for a program of its size. 

 

4. Without funding Jackson is marginally cheaper than SIPA or HKS, and the school offers grants for students pursuing unpaid internships. Life in New Haven is also a discount off of life in New York or Boston. 

 

5. Lots of opportunities to take classes across the campus. A current student mentioned that being able to take classes in the other professional schools at Yale offered great exposure to different communities on campus where people have very different ways of thinking and interacting. I didn't look into the Yale SOM before applying, but it seems like that school is also famous for their non-profit/public sector courses. 

 

6. The Yale vibe seems pretty laid back compared to other places. (I'm from the West coast--this is important!  ) At the same time, the school seems to attract a lot of accomplished, capable students who seem like they would be awesome to study with. 

 

Possible disadvantages:

1. What is 'global affairs' anyway? Will employers actually recognize this as a professional degree, or am I going to have to take an extra year and do an MBA to make up for the weak degree recognition? MPA/MPP seem like they might be recognized as more serious degrees. 

 

2. Public sector employers seem to love SIPA/HKS/SAIS, but not many people seem aware of Yale Jackson yet. Anecdotally, it seems like SIPA would be a bit of a 'safer' choice than Yale when it comes to getting a job. (But then why does SIPA have a six-month unemployment rate of 10-17% for MPA/MIA grads...? Is this typical for other programs as well?  )

 

3. All that stuff people say about violent crime in parts of New Haven...

 

What are other people thinking about this program? I'd be happy to hear what smilinggirl or other current Yale students think as well. 

 

Hi! I'm on the same boat!

 

I got into Jackson, SIPA and Fletcher; the three of them offered me a similar amount of $

 

I'm leaning towards Jackson after A LOT of thinking. I see the size of the program as a clear advantage. I also reviewed Yale's (impressive) class bulletin and found many courses that match my interests. This took me some time; it's less evident than reviewing SIPA or Fletcher's class catalog. Yale's academic level seems to me higher than Columbia or Tufts’, and that's what really convinced me. The courses revolve around key questions and seem to be more intellectually rigorous.

The flexibility of the program is also very important. I think you can really choose between an academic or professional emphasis or a balance of the two.

 

That said, I see 2 clear cons: 1) Living in New Haven for 2 years......  2) The 'typical' IR/public policy powerhouses" seem to have a vibrant community and student life. Jackson's community is small and thus I'll have to go out and find "student life" elsewhere on campus.

[smilinggirl]

I wanted to touch on the community/student life aspect at the Jackson Institute. 

 

For one the Macmillan Center has a ton of events: http://www.yale.edu/macmillan/

 

Secondly, Jackson organizes a ton just for Jackson students. I had lunch with Michelle Malvesti (former NSC staff) this week, had a class with Howard Dean as the guest speaker today, met Henry Kissinger last week, and attended a Kissinger conference on diplomacy over last weekend. Next week I'm attending a lunch with David Brooks, participating in a video conference with Ukrainian students, attending a lunch with Gen McChrystal, and attending a lecture on what Uganda's anti-homosexuality law means in a wider context. 

 

For the purely social aspect, there's a great graduate student bar that a lot of Jackson people frequent, but we also arrange dinners or drinks around town. 

[thevillagersid]

Was anyone here able to make it to admitted students day on the 4th, or to the alumni night in Washington DC the week before? It would be great if someone could provide a report on what those events were like. 

[Bombaygunner]

Totally understand if people don't feel comfortable sharing, but to those who got $$$, could you give me a ball-park figure? How did it compare with other schools you got into? I can only go for a masters if I get over 50% scholarship. Otherwise I'm going to take an extra year, bite the bullet, take a loan and do an MBA - just for ROI. 

[Henson]

@ynh2008: I sent you a private message

Congrats on your admission! Would you mind sharing your profile with me as well? (per PM) 

[thevillagersid]

@Henson: I just messaged you.

 

I haven't been on Gradcafe often recently, but will try to log on a bit more frequently during application season.  

 

The biggest application tip that I can give, however, is to not worry overly much about what a "typical" student profile might look like. The class that I entered with this year is an incredibly diverse group of hugely talented individuals with incredible variation in academic background and professional experiences. I wouldn't be so cynical as to say that larger programs might simply rank and cut applicants, but it is apparent that admissions here is more an act of curation than simple numerical culling. Great care has obviously been taken to ensure everyone who comes has their own unique strengths to contribute, as well as a clearly developed plan for the two years they spend here and their career after graduation. (While you'd definitely want your academic records to clearly signal that you're ready for graduate studies, there's no reason to stress if you didn't graduate summa cum laude from an Ivy or don't have a perfect GRE score.)

 

Also: I encourage everyone to take a thorough look at the website. The profiles of current students are posted, and admissions events are beginning to be announced.