SIPA 2015

[haupia]

 

Hey haupia,

 

congrats on the acceptance and the unbelievable funding!

 

I was wondering if you, or @Akueldo, @MsFutureDiplomat, @CantHardlyWait (or anyone else) would be willing to share your profiles to give an idea of what exactly it takes to get serious scholarship money from a program like this? I'm actually currently in the process of applying to Canadian programs (I'm Canadian), partly because I have not yet written the GRE and am working abroad so could not apply to the top American programs. At the moment, I'm trying to decide between just accepting here in Canada or taking a year to write the GRE, apply to American programs and see what comes up. That being said, if there is essentially zero chance of me getting even a solid amount of funding then I would rather not waste a year/money/my nerves on all the applications (I understand that either way there is a chance I won't get funding, but it is more about whether or not I even have a shot at it). Prior to perusing gradcafe I thought I had a pretty solid profile, but some people on here blow me out of the water, so I wanted to see if you are all also those people. Any feedback would be great, and congrats to all of you, i'm kicking myself for not having written the GRE right out of undergrad!

 

Sure! PMing you now

[sparkleandshinegirl]

You can request to speak with a current student through the link and view a list of SIPA Admissions Ambassadors (curstudents) here: https://sipa.columbia.edu/sipa-admissions-ambassadors

[traumerei]

Hey all, 

 

I'm a graduating SIPA student and I used to frequent this board a lot myself. Having been through the experience, I would like to give back and take any questions you might have. I am not an student ambassador in any shape, so I will be frank. 

[outofspace]

Thanks, traumerei! If you don't mind, I'd like to start out with the following questions:

 

1) Do you think the degree is worth taking on a significant amount of debt (over $100,000, for example) for?

 

2) How hard is it to find a decent job upon graduating? How much help do students get from professors, alumni, or the career center in the job search?

 

Thanks again for taking the time to do this.

[traumerei]

Thanks, traumerei! If you don't mind, I'd like to start out with the following questions:

 

1) Do you think the degree is worth taking on a significant amount of debt (over $100,000, for example) for?

 

2) How hard is it to find a decent job upon graduating? How much help do students get from professors, alumni, or the career center in the job search?

 

Thanks again for taking the time to do this.

 

1) I'm one of those people who is taking on that amount of debt. But, having gone through almost two years, it was worth it for me. SIPA helped me obtain the quantitative skills or Excel experience I didn't have, and SIPA requires you to get an internship if you don't have much work experience. SIPA also offers a huge alumni network. Some, if not most, have no problems helping. The worst that happens is you get no response. It also depends on what classes you take. Some people have really taken advantage of what SIPA has to offer, which is a lot. There are very advanced quantitative courses and courses on finance, as well as the option to take classes at the other Columbia schools. Unfortunately, I worked my butt off to get second year funding, which meant less time for outside lectures and no time for student groups. It really depends on how you plan on taking advantage of SIPA and you make it worth it for yourself. There's definitely a large group of superstar students here, who devote all their time to SIPA. (I'm not one though...SIPA itself is a ton of work if you care about your grades)

 

But, at the moment, I'm still looking for a job, so I can't give you a confident 'it was worth it,' though a few of my peers have gotten lucky. BTW it is very difficult for international students to get a job in the U.S., unless you are working for an international organization, though those orgs are still really competitive. 

 

2) I think the biggest source of help in terms of job searching is the professors and your peers, but you really have to connect with them. As for the office of career services, I have only heard of one success story that the career services actually helped with. Otherwise, I think their info sessions cater to international students who have no idea of the hiring culture in the U.S. or have little Western social skills. It's difficult to really connect with alumni unless the both of you really click. I mean, they have to really like you in the first few meetings for anything to come from your connection. But again, it really is based on your efforts. Many of my ambitious/hard-working seniors from past years have great jobs, many of which set them up easily for higher level work. Also, I am not convinced about SIPA's brand in the job market, or at least, SIPA isn't advertising itself as aggressively to prospective employers like other grad schools. To be extremely honest, SIPA is near the butt end in the hierarchy of Columbia's grad schools. Business school and law school get considerably more respect. If anything, the Columbia name opens the doors, but what you have to offer as an individual is what gets you a decent job. Luckily, the SIPA student body is incredibly talented. 

 

What makes this school truly great isn't its administration, but its students. It's a shame that SIPA doesn't get as much respect as Columbia's other schools. Anyway, I hope this gave you an idea. It's a little stream-of-consciousy.

Edited April 30, 2015 by traumerei

[outofspace]

1) I'm one of those people who is taking on that amount of debt. But, having gone through almost two years, it was worth it for me. SIPA helped me obtain the quantitative skills or Excel experience I didn't have, and SIPA requires you to get an internship if you don't have much work experience. SIPA also offers a huge alumni network. Some, if not most, have no problems helping. The worst that happens is you get no response. It also depends on what classes you take. Some people have really taken advantage of what SIPA has to offer, which is a lot. There are very advanced quantitative courses and courses on finance, as well as the option to take classes at the other Columbia schools. Unfortunately, I worked my butt off to get second year funding, which meant less time for outside lectures and no time for student groups. It really depends on how you plan on taking advantage of SIPA and you make it worth it for yourself. There's definitely a large group of superstar students here, who devote all their time to SIPA. (I'm not one though...SIPA itself is a ton of work if you care about your grades)

 

But, at the moment, I'm still looking for a job, so I can't give you a confident 'it was worth it,' though a few of my peers have gotten lucky. BTW it is very difficult for international students to get a job in the U.S., unless you are working for an international organization, though those orgs are still really competitive. 

 

2) I think the biggest source of help in terms of job searching is the professors and your peers, but you really have to connect with them. As for the office of career services, I have only heard of one success story that the career services actually helped with. Otherwise, I think their info sessions cater to international students who have no idea of the hiring culture in the U.S. or have little Western social skills. It's difficult to really connect with alumni unless the both of you really click. I mean, they have to really like you in the first few meetings for anything to come from your connection. But again, it really is based on your efforts. Many of my ambitious/hard-working seniors from past years have great jobs, many of which set them up easily for higher level work. Also, I am not convinced about SIPA's brand in the job market, or at least, SIPA isn't advertising itself as aggressively to prospective employers like other grad schools. To be extremely honest, SIPA is near the butt end in the hierarchy of Columbia's grad schools. Business school and law school get considerably more respect. If anything, the Columbia name opens the doors, but what you have to offer as an individual is what gets you a decent job. Luckily, the SIPA student body is incredibly talented. 

 

What makes this school truly great isn't its administration, but its students. It's a shame that SIPA doesn't get as much respect as Columbia's other schools. Anyway, I hope this gave you an idea. It's a little stream-of-consciousy.

 

Thanks, I really appreciate you going into so much detail in your response. One of my big concerns was debt, and it's a relief to hear that it really can be worth it--though I realize you're not quite ready to give it your full-on endorsement yet.

 

If you don't mind me asking one follow-up question, what are the great jobs the seniors you mentioned were able to attain--and what kinds of higher-level work are they now set up for as a result? It's been hard for me personally to get a good idea of the career tracks that people follow upon graduating.

 

Thanks again for taking the time to answer questions here. It's already helped me a lot--and I'm sure other posters on here appreciate it as well!

[addseo1118]

Thanks for the useful information. Your all posts are good.

[traumerei]

Thanks, I really appreciate you going into so much detail in your response. One of my big concerns was debt, and it's a relief to hear that it really can be worth it--though I realize you're not quite ready to give it your full-on endorsement yet.

 

If you don't mind me asking one follow-up question, what are the great jobs the seniors you mentioned were able to attain--and what kinds of higher-level work are they now set up for as a result? It's been hard for me personally to get a good idea of the career tracks that people follow upon graduating.

 

Thanks again for taking the time to answer questions here. It's already helped me a lot--and I'm sure other posters on here appreciate it as well!

 

Off the top of my head, here's a small list from the people I know: 

Ernst & Young

NYC Office of Management and Budget

UN

State Department (foreign service)

Credit Agricole

Clinton Foundation

NYC EDC

 

I mean, you can just move up from there. You get excellent contacts and insider information, and you can more easily maneuver your career. I know an alumni who started at the UN and now works at Morgan Stanley. These people already had some relevant experience, however. Also, a few are continuing their education at law schools or doctoral programs. The tricky thing is that you should have a good idea of what you want to do before coming into SIPA, so do some serious soul searching before you come. This will help you optimize your curriculum. But there are always opportunities that don't seem as though they'll help you get you where you want. Lots of people don't know that banks are invested in philanthropic activities, for example. SIPA is not the type of school to hold your hand and tell you what you want. Finally, you don't have to work at a top tier organization to be successful. Many other people I know work at non-profits or NGOs or foundations, so YMMV. 

[PolicyGrad92]

Thanks Traumerei! Can you tell me a little bit about second year funding? What percentage of students applying for it secure it? And how much is the average funding offer? Is full funding an unrealistic hope?

The importance of networking independently is a key learning I'm taking away from this forum. However what I am worried about is the fact that I'm a younger student. (2 years out of undergrad)- is that a disadvantage in any way? Considering the fact that I am an international student, I have to create a network from scratch. I'm just worried I'll get lost in the hustle especially since my peers will be more experienced with these kind of things. 

 

To the other SIPA admits with confirmed enrolments : Did any of you get a revised first year funding offer? I got a mail which said I didn't secure funding on top of what has been offered. 

[traumerei]

Thanks Traumerei! Can you tell me a little bit about second year funding? What percentage of students applying for it secure it? And how much is the average funding offer? Is full funding an unrealistic hope?

The importance of networking independently is a key learning I'm taking away from this forum. However what I am worried about is the fact that I'm a younger student. (2 years out of undergrad)- is that a disadvantage in any way? Considering the fact that I am an international student, I have to create a network from scratch. I'm just worried I'll get lost in the hustle especially since my peers will be more experienced with these kind of things. 

Sorry for the delay, finals are happening now. 

 

Here's the SIPA website for second year funding: https://sipa.columbia.edu/office-of-student-affairs/guide-to-sipa-assistantship

It usually comes in the form of work-study. TAs get substantially more funding, almost the entire year's tuition, but it is extremely time consuming. I don't know what percentage of students receive it, but it depends on your GPA. There are far more PAships, DRAships than TAships, so I would say the average is 10,800 per semester. Full funding for two years is an unrealistic hope (masters are Columbia's cash cow, unfortunately), if you haven't already received first year funding. 

 

I was a student two years out of undergrad. It's only a disadvantage if you make it. You have to learn to market the skills you have, especially the skills you learn at SIPA. It's all about getting experience. There's tons of student groups that help with that, like the impact investing group or the consulting group. Also, you must network with your peers. It's much more likely that you'll get help from them than anyone else. If they have more experience, why not tap into that resource? You would be surprised by what you learn. I thought the same as you, but by the end of school, I realized I'm a lot more marketable than I thought.