Waiting it out: Munk School MGA (Toronto) Fall 2015

[Leeu]

Just got accepted into Munk! Got the e-mail half an hour, so there's still hope for all of you still waiting.

[Shebughe]

Just received an acceptance email as well, which included funding details.

[MB25]

New to this thread!

 

I just got an email saying I'v been wait-listed.

Anyone have any idea what are the chances of receiving an offer?

It sucks they don't rank their wait list.

[Patient of Patience]

Just received an acceptance email as well, which included funding details.

 

That's awesome -- congratulations!

If you don't mind me asking: what was your financial offer like?

[Shebughe]

That's awesome -- congratulations!

If you don't mind me asking: what was your financial offer like?

Thank you, I certainly don't mind. The email had a single sentence that offered me a $3,000 MGA scholarship - I assume the details/conditions will be provided in the admissions package.

[maozedong]

New to this thread!

 

I just got an email saying I'v been wait-listed.

Anyone have any idea what are the chances of receiving an offer?

It sucks they don't rank their wait list.

Me too, hoping some people will forgo the offer.

Edited March 13, 2015 by maozedong

[MB25]

Me too, hoping some people will forgo the offer.

 

Same... Ughhh I suck at waiting. The uncertainty is making me really anxious.

[Patient of Patience]

Just got accepted into Munk! Got the e-mail half an hour, so there's still hope for all of you still waiting.

Congratulations! :-)

Did you receive any funding information?

[jade1103]

I just got an offer today as well, although my email didn't say anything about funding... Also under the UofT admissions page it still says that my application is 'Under Review', did that happen to anyone else?

 

I'm really torn about what to do. I also got into LSE and UCL in London and having grown up in the GTA (did my undergrad at McGill) Toronto isn't that exciting for me anymore. Although I guess I should base my decision on more than where I want to live. 

Anyone else torn about accepting offers? What do you guys think?

[Patient of Patience]

Same... Ughhh I suck at waiting. The uncertainty is making me really anxious.

Good luck to both of you!

[Shebughe]

I just got an offer today as well, although my email didn't say anything about funding... Also under the UofT admissions page it still says that my application is 'Under Review', did that happen to anyone else?

 

I'm really torn about what to do. I also got into LSE and UCL in London and having grown up in the GTA (did my undergrad at McGill) Toronto isn't that exciting for me anymore. Although I guess I should base my decision on more than where I want to live. 

Anyone else torn about accepting offers? What do you guys think?

I'm also torn - I've been accepted at NPSIA, and while I haven't gotten the funding details yet, I'm certain that it will be less expensive for me to attend there. I like both programs more or less equally, and so I'm leaning towards the program that will require less debt. Similarly to you (although I suppose the opposite), I'm from Ottawa so the prospect of staying here isn't as exciting as the prospect of moving to Toronto, although I agree that my decision shouldn't hinge on that aspect.

Also - my status is still "Under Review" on the Toronto admissions page.

Edited March 13, 2015 by MKR

[MB25]

Good luck to both of you!

Thanks!

 

Congrats on your offer!

[Patient of Patience]

Have any domestic students been awarded more than $5,000?

[jade1103]

I'm also torn - I've been accepted at NPSIA, and while I haven't gotten the funding details yet, I'm certain that it will be less expensive for me to attend there. I like both programs more or less equally, and so I'm leaning towards the program that will require less debt. Similarly to you (although I suppose the opposite), I'm from Ottawa so the prospect of staying here isn't as exciting as the prospect of moving to Toronto, although I agree that my decision shouldn't hinge on that aspect.

Also - my status is still "Under Review" on the Toronto admissions page.

 

I guess we both have a lot to consider. I think I'm going to wait until I hear back from all my other applications and make a giant pro/con list :/ 

Has anyone received the admissions package or know when we are supposed to respond by?

[Leeu]

Congratulations! :-)

Did you receive any funding information?

Nope, just a generic email from the coordinator saying that I had been accepted.

[amiabledespot]

I just got an offer today as well, although my email didn't say anything about funding... Also under the UofT admissions page it still says that my application is 'Under Review', did that happen to anyone else?

 

I'm really torn about what to do. I also got into LSE and UCL in London and having grown up in the GTA (did my undergrad at McGill) Toronto isn't that exciting for me anymore. Although I guess I should base my decision on more than where I want to live. 

Anyone else torn about accepting offers? What do you guys think?

UCL and LSE are definitely good schools; and the "international" experience might be of value should you decide to return to Canada. It also depends on what programs you've been accepted to at the two British schools. I can tell you, though, that living in London is not much more exciting than living in Toronto. Best of luck, hope this helps. My application still says "under review" too. A bit bothersome. 

Edited March 14, 2015 by amiabledespot

[amiabledespot]

It seems every school but Munk offers generous scholarships. Assuming everyone who applied to Munk also applied elsewhere, and assuming those who've gotten accepted to Munk also get accepted elsewhere, my bet is many people will be rejecting Munk in favour of elsewhere. So, for those still waiting, there is much to be optimistic about. 

 

Does anyone have anything negative — or know anyone who has anything negative — to say about Munk besides its often poor funding, lackadaisical teaching, being located in a "terrible" and "insensitive" city, or the general overestimation of its MGA program? I'm asking because these are the trite complaints I usually hear about Munk. Its funding is poor, true. As for lackadaisical teaching, I hope anyone hoping to go to grad school has learned to learn with or without enthusiastic teachers. Toronto is neither terrible nor insensitive, to the best of my knowledge (which is very limited since I have never lived in Toronto). I also don't think Munk's MGA is any more overestimated than NPSIA and GSPIA's IA, or even Balsillie's MIPP and MAGG (these are the only schools I know of). 

 

What do you guys think? I hope I haven't just begun a conversation with myself alone. 

Edited March 14, 2015 by amiabledespot

[jade1103]

UCL and LSE are definitely good schools; and the "international" experience might be of value should you decide to return to Canada. It also depends on what programs you've been accepted to at the two British schools. I can tell you, though, that living in London is not much more exciting than living in Toronto. Best of luck, hope this helps. My application still says "under review" too. A bit bothersome. 

 

 

It seems every school but Munk offers generous scholarships. Assuming everyone who applied to Munk also applied elsewhere, and assuming those who've gotten accepted to Munk also get accepted elsewhere, my bet is many people will be rejecting Munk in favour of elsewhere. So, for those still waiting, there is much to be optimistic about. 

 

Does anyone have anything negative — or know anyone who has anything negative — to say about Munk besides its often poor funding, lackadaisical teaching, being located in a "terrible" and "insensitive" city, or the general overestimation of its MGA program? I'm asking because these are the trite complaints I usually hear about Munk. Its funding is poor, true. As for lackadaisical teaching, I hope anyone hoping to go to grad school has learned to learn with or without enthusiastic teachers. Toronto is neither terrible nor insensitive, to the best of my knowledge (which is very limited since I have never lived in Toronto). I also don't think Munk's MGA is any more overestimated than NPSIA and GSPIA's IA, or even Balsillie's MIPP and MAGG (these are the only schools I know of). 

 

What do you guys think? I hope I haven't just begun a conversation with myself alone. 

 

Thanks that definitely does help. I got into International Public Policy at UCL and International Political Economy at LSE. Politics and economics is my forte and what I'm most interested in. And having grown up in the GTA and spending a lot of time downtown (my mother practically works on UofT campus ... that's why I chose to do my undergrad at McGill), London just offers the opportunity new. 

 

And in terms of negative things about Munk, I'm also really interested to hear what people have to say. A friend of mine is a current student at Munk and she really tried to sell the program to me (and succeeded for the most part). I know some people are sometimes weary of being associated with the name Peter Munk and his involvement with Barrick Gold. Giant gold-mining companies generally don't have a very good reputation especially if you want to go the human rights route. 

[WhiteIR]

It seems every school but Munk offers generous scholarships. Assuming everyone who applied to Munk also applied elsewhere, and assuming those who've gotten accepted to Munk also get accepted elsewhere, my bet is many people will be rejecting Munk in favour of elsewhere. So, for those still waiting, there is much to be optimistic about. 

 

Does anyone have anything negative — or know anyone who has anything negative — to say about Munk besides its often poor funding, lackadaisical teaching, being located in a "terrible" and "insensitive" city, or the general overestimation of its MGA program? I'm asking because these are the trite complaints I usually hear about Munk. Its funding is poor, true. As for lackadaisical teaching, I hope anyone hoping to go to grad school has learned to learn with or without enthusiastic teachers. Toronto is neither terrible nor insensitive, to the best of my knowledge (which is very limited since I have never lived in Toronto). I also don't think Munk's MGA is any more overestimated than NPSIA and GSPIA's IA, or even Balsillie's MIPP and MAGG (these are the only schools I know of). 

 

What do you guys think? I hope I haven't just begun a conversation with myself alone. 

 

a critique that i've heard about Munk that it follows an interdisciplinary ie. "generalist" approach to education. this reason why some people may see this as a weakness is because students learn a little bit about everything but not a significant amount about anything. In other words, the program can generally prepare you for most jobs in IR, but does not make you a specialist in any particular field. Depending on who you speak with, this may be either a weakness or a strength. 

[lumberjack23]

Any international student taking gre/gmat? I was wondering what's the Munk range for standardized test..

[amiabledespot]

Thanks that definitely does help. I got into International Public Policy at UCL and International Political Economy at LSE. Politics and economics is my forte and what I'm most interested in. And having grown up in the GTA and spending a lot of time downtown (my mother practically works on UofT campus ... that's why I chose to do my undergrad at McGill), London just offers the opportunity new. 

 

And in terms of negative things about Munk, I'm also really interested to hear what people have to say. A friend of mine is a current student at Munk and she really tried to sell the program to me (and succeeded for the most part). I know some people are sometimes weary of being associated with the name Peter Munk and his involvement with Barrick Gold. Giant gold-mining companies generally don't have a very good reputation especially if you want to go the human rights route. 

 

 

a critique that i've heard about Munk that it follows an interdisciplinary ie. "generalist" approach to education. this reason why some people may see this as a weakness is because students learn a little bit about everything but not a significant amount about anything. In other words, the program can generally prepare you for most jobs in IR, but does not make you a specialist in any particular field. Depending on who you speak with, this may be either a weakness or a strength. 

 

Jade1103, considering the two programs you've been accepted to, it might serve you better to accept LSE or UCL ahead of Munk. I know, for one, that a MIPP makes you very, very employable. The same goes for a MIPE. But, I can't say the same about the MGA. I've heard some people bring up the Barrick Gold dilemma. Bothersome, but ignorable. I hope you'd be happy with whatever decision you make, anyway.  

 

WhiteIR, that's a good point, for sure. Also a little bothersome, especially considering I, like many others, already have faint ideas of my research focus. All this might be irrelevant in my case, though. I applied to Balsillie, Npsia, and Munk, but I've only heard back from Munk. So, regardless of these negatives, I might still end up there. 

[TC_ng]

Just received an unofficial admission offer, with some funding. It's surprisingly generous: $10,000. Good luck to everyone still waiting. 

 

This is at Munk right?

[jjsmithsonian99]

It's nice and all to think about how much funding theyr'e giving you, but what matters most to me is what my career chances are after I get this degree. Say I go to NPSIA with generous funding (I got $8,000) but I don't get a job afterwards, then I've lost a year and am no closer to where I want to be. If I go to Munk and pay $40,000 in tuition and more for living expenses, but I get a job paying $65,000 afterwards, then it seems well worth it to me. I've spoken to a few Munk students in the second year (well, three) and they all had jobs already, two in business and one with the government.

 

Where do NPSIA graduates go, if they don't go to DFATD? I have no idea because NPSIA just makes this blanket statement but doesn't tell me anything specific. No numbers, percentages, how long it takes people to find a job, etc.

 

 

 

Applied: 

M.A. in International Affairs (Conflict Analysis and Conflict Resolution cluster), Carleton University
MGA, Munk School of Global Affairs
MSc IPE, LSE

Accepted Waitlisted Rejected

[Kamins0d]

It's nice and all to think about how much funding theyr'e giving you, but what matters most to me is what my career chances are after I get this degree. Say I go to NPSIA with generous funding (I got $8,000) but I don't get a job afterwards, then I've lost a year and am no closer to where I want to be. If I go to Munk and pay $40,000 in tuition and more for living expenses, but I get a job paying $65,000 afterwards, then it seems well worth it to me. I've spoken to a few Munk students in the second year (well, three) and they all had jobs already, two in business and one with the government.

 

Where do NPSIA graduates go, if they don't go to DFATD? I have no idea because NPSIA just makes this blanket statement but doesn't tell me anything specific. No numbers, percentages, how long it takes people to find a job, etc.

 

 

 

Applied: 

M.A. in International Affairs (Conflict Analysis and Conflict Resolution cluster), Carleton University

MGA, Munk School of Global Affairs

MSc IPE, LSE

Accepted Waitlisted Rejected

 

These are a little outdated now but these are sample careers of NPSIA grads from 2003-2006 http://carleton.ca/npsia/npsia-works-career-futures/

 

About industry standard of 40,000-80,000 salaries for entry level positions. They also say similarly to Munk 80-90% find employment in the field within 3-6 months. while a few go onto academia.

[Buffalofan4255]

Personally from the US, and chose U of T over UCL. A 2 year program is also a lot more worth it, for the same price as a 1 year program in the UK. I've heard than LSE is really hands off and the masters programs are just cash cows, you get a max of 15 hours per week with your professors and do nothing but study in a library. Very impersonal. The department of geography is composed of 300 masters students. It's insane. UCL Is great with teaching and one on one research. But the facilities basically suck and the reputation doesn't transcend quite well to North America. Munk however gives you a very personal hands on learning experience, and the people in the program are outstanding (meeting ambassadors, diplomats, business tycoons, etc.) the munk facility is quite gorgeous and you get a high level of prestige in an already prestigious institution.

I wish I could dual with a masters in sustainability management and global affairs but I'm gonna take a couple munk classes for fun.

Also one more mote, munk is young and is not comparable to Carleton, YET. But over the years, I wouldn't be surprised if munk garners a similar reputation as Cornell's IA school. Perhaps not HKS or Columbia's, but definitely up there. The school had the funding a resources to make it big. Heck it's already big after only 12-15 years!