Fall 2016 Admissions Cycle

[aslabchu]

I didn't want to clog the forum up with a new post, but this week I got my acceptance from IUB's MPA program, which I'm really excited about (funding information comes in mid-March, though; it'll be tough to wait!). I'd previously gotten one from Evans in Washington, which came with a fair chunk of fellowship money (in-state tuition and a really solid stipend, essentially). I've still got American University in the mix, so those are my big 3.

My question is: which would you pick? Let's assume IUB and AU offer something roughly similar, which is a MPA at about 30k across the 2 years. (This seems reasonable, since IUB has a lot of different funding options. I can't speak for AU, though.)

I'm looking at public/nonprofit finance and consulting. As far as I can tell, all of these schools are very good in that department. So does anybody have any idea of how to break that tiebreaker? It would be a shame to decide solely based on non-program factors like cost of living or something.

Edited February 26, 2016 by aslabchu

[RCtheSS]

10 minutes ago, aslabchu said:

I'm looking at public/nonprofit finance and consulting. As far as I can tell, all of these schools are very good in that department. So does anybody have any idea of how to break that tiebreaker? It would be a shame to decide solely based on non-program factors like cost of living or something.

It doesn't have to be solely on those factors, but I wouldn't discount the importance of them either. For the most part, we're all going into the world of public service, and for the most part, it does not pay as highly as we would like it to! Financial considerations and the cost of living on your fellowships in each area should be considered, along with potential post-graduate career opportunities and networks. Some folks even weigh weather as an deal-breaker when choosing a program. For me, having faculty and research centers conducting studies specific to my policy interests was vital. 

It may help to do a bit more introspection into what your short-and-long term career goals are to parse out which program would offer you the best pathway to those goals. After that, you can decide which livability factors (e.g. affordability, year-round weather, state/local politics) would really matter to you most. 

 

And of course, congratulations on each of your offers! At this point, there is no "wrong" decision that you could make. If possible, visiting each campus could also help you rank the programs and universities.

Edited February 26, 2016 by RCtheSS

[internationalaffiars88]

On 2/5/2016 at 8:33 PM, kasbah said:

Samesies!

@kasbah @happygomucky I did also!! But what does it mean?? haha Was your email something along the lines of "knowing it can seem like a long wait for an admissions decision... I personally reviewed your file and I really enjoyed (mentions specifics from my application so it couldn't have been computer generated)... I help students throughout the admissions process... let me know if I can be of any help.. etc. etc." 

Is this like a "its not official yet, but you'll be accepted (wink wink)"?? Or maybe I should just relax and try to not read between the lines... How are you guys interpreting it?

[ajollycossack]

3 hours ago, Chicago said:

anyone applying to Chicago CIR?

Me! I'm a grad student in a different division here applying to a joint-degree program. I submitted way back in September or October, have essentially forgotten about ti for six months... and now the anxiety has returned and I just want to know which school's classes I'll be taking next year. 

[Chicago]

Haha same! I'm a joint degree applicant myself, from the college. Looks like we should get our decisions next week?

[kasbah]

4 hours ago, internationalaffiars88 said:

@kasbah @happygomucky I did also!! But what does it mean?? haha Was your email something along the lines of "knowing it can seem like a long wait for an admissions decision... I personally reviewed your file and I really enjoyed (mentions specifics from my application so it couldn't have been computer generated)... I help students throughout the admissions process... let me know if I can be of any help.. etc. etc." 

Is this like a "its not official yet, but you'll be accepted (wink wink)"?? Or maybe I should just relax and try to not read between the lines... How are you guys interpreting it?

I hope it was a *wink wink*, but I also feel like they might have just sent those to everybody. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[ajollycossack]

3 hours ago, Chicago said:

Haha same! I'm a joint degree applicant myself, from the college. Looks like we should get our decisions next week?

Ooh, can I ask how you know this? 

[happygomucky]

11 hours ago, kasbah said:

I hope it was a *wink wink*, but I also feel like they might have just sent those to everybody. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I agree with kasbah - I reckon it went to everyone and was probably just Fletcher being nice and living up to/reinforcing its 'friendly' reputation! Still appreciate the gesture though! 

[Solio]

2 hours ago, happygomucky said:

I agree with kasbah - I reckon it went to everyone and was probably just Fletcher being nice and living up to/reinforcing its 'friendly' reputation! Still appreciate the gesture though! 

it wasn't sent to me   

when did you guys get your applications in?  Are you all applying for the MALD?  

[kasbah]

2 hours ago, Solio said:

it wasn't sent to me   

when did you guys get your applications in?  Are you all applying for the MALD?  

I submitted mine on Jan 10, and yes, I applied for MALD. Check your spam folder, just in case!

Edited February 27, 2016 by kasbah

[Solio]

1 hour ago, kasbah said:

I submitted mine on Jan 10, and yes, I applied for MALD. Check your spam folder, just in case!

I did, not there.

 

oh well, I've decided the reason they haven't sent me an email is because my app was so blindingly awesome they're still in awe of it and unsure of how to proceed.  ????

congrats to all who got an email!

[Chicago]

16 hours ago, ajollycossack said:

Ooh, can I ask how you know this? 

Well, traditionally in past years, they release their decisions around March 1

[kaseyleigh]

On February 25, 2016 at 10:42 AM, kayaker7235 said:

Just heard great news from the LBJ School of Public Affairs! That's where I'll be going this fall, for a dual Social Work/MPAff degree. Any other LBJers? So excited to live in Austin. 

Enjoy Austin! It is the best. I went to UT for undergrad, so let me know if you LJB people ever need suggestions or advice on anything Austin-related. I haven't lived there since 2010 but visit occasionally and hopefully can try to help. It is a really fun city!

[GradCafe7235]

@kaseyleigh Thank you! :-) I'll let you know if I think of any questions - I'm sure I will as it gets closer. 

[obrien_blue]

Hi all, I'm waiting along with you! I applied to HKS, Berkeley Goldman, Michigan Ford, and NYU Wagner. I had a semi-finalist Skype interview with Wagner last week for a fellowship, so either I'm in there, or I just tanked my own chances (people waiting for Wagner: it sounds like they'll have finalist fellowship decisions at the end of this week, then probably admissions by the end of the next, with additional funding info the next week, so just hold tight, guys!). I thought when I finished that interview and my HKS essays, I would feel relieved....but no. The wait. Is. Terrible. I'm a practicing attorney with DOJ, so God knows there's enough work to keep me busy, but I don't know if anything short of a bottle of wine and a time machine is going to make me sane by next week. Congrats to those who have gotten in, and good luck to the rest of us!

[aslabchu]

Has anybody heard from Minnesota-Humphrey? It's been over 6 weeks now, and I've heard exactly nothing. They're actually going to announce funding information on March 16th, so they're really cutting it close here. Granted, there really aren't many entries on the results page (fewer than 10 across the last couple of months), but I wonder what is going on.

Edited March 1, 2016 by aslabchu

[RCtheSS]

1 minute ago, aslabchu said:

Has anybody heard from Minnesota-Humphrey? It's been over 6 weeks now, and I've heard exactly nothing. They're actually going to announce funding information on March 16th, so they're really cutting it close here. Granted, there really aren't many entries on the results page, but I wonder what is going on.

I'm the February 1 acceptance entry on the results search. I applied by the Dec. 15 deadline.

[aslabchu]

5 minutes ago, RCtheSS said:

I'm the February 1 acceptance entry on the results search. I applied by the Dec. 15 deadline.

I applied on Jan. 15th. I guess they were taking a very literal line with the word "beginning" here:

Application Decision Timeline

We hope that your winter is going well. In the Office of Admissions, we are reading applications and admission decisions will begin to be sent out no later than next week for applicants who applied by the December 15th deadline, with decisions beginning to be sent in mid-February for those who applied by the January 15 deadline. Thank you for submitting an application; we look forward to being in touch with a decision soon. 

 

(This was Jan. 27.)

 

As in they're beginning in mid-February, but they're not actually saying you'll hear back in mid-February, and maybe not in February at all.

Edited March 1, 2016 by aslabchu

[lbruneetoile]

14 hours ago, aslabchu said:

I applied on Jan. 15th. I guess they were taking a very literal line with the word "beginning" here:

Application Decision Timeline

We hope that your winter is going well. In the Office of Admissions, we are reading applications and admission decisions will begin to be sent out no later than next week for applicants who applied by the December 15th deadline, with decisions beginning to be sent in mid-February for those who applied by the January 15 deadline. Thank you for submitting an application; we look forward to being in touch with a decision soon. 

 

(This was Jan. 27.)

 

As in they're beginning in mid-February, but they're not actually saying you'll hear back in mid-February, and maybe not in February at all.

I got a phone call from Humphrey last Wednesday, and then my online application status was updated the next day. I applied on January 15th, if it helps.

[shrimps]

17 hours ago, obrien_blue said:

Hi all, I'm waiting along with you! I applied to HKS, Berkeley Goldman, Michigan Ford, and NYU Wagner. I had a semi-finalist Skype interview with Wagner last week for a fellowship, so either I'm in there, or I just tanked my own chances (people waiting for Wagner: it sounds like they'll have finalist fellowship decisions at the end of this week, then probably admissions by the end of the next, with additional funding info the next week, so just hold tight, guys!). I thought when I finished that interview and my HKS essays, I would feel relieved....but no. The wait. Is. Terrible. I'm a practicing attorney with DOJ, so God knows there's enough work to keep me busy, but I don't know if anything short of a bottle of wine and a time machine is going to make me sane by next week. Congrats to those who have gotten in, and good luck to the rest of us!

Congrats on being a semi-finalist for one of Wagner's fancy fellowships - that's a big deal! Glad it sounds like they'll be getting general admissions decisions out soon... I agree, being so close to the window when we'll all hear back has made the waiting exponentially harder, not easier (at all). Bon courage to everyone obsessively checking their email, application websites, and GradCafe these final weeks!

[ajollycossack]

Accepted to Chicago CIR! Anyone else here? 

[CaliGab]

I'm waiting to hear back from both Princeton WWS (MPA Domestic Policy) and Michigan Ford (MPP)...hopefully by the end of next week! Had a call w a Ford student last week as part of the "fellowship routine process," so I'm keeping all fingers crossed... 

Good luck to all those awaiting decisions! 

[pubpol101]

2 hours ago, CaliGab said:

I'm waiting to hear back from both Princeton WWS (MPA Domestic Policy) and Michigan Ford (MPP)...hopefully by the end of next week! Had a call w a Ford student last week as part of the "fellowship routine process," so I'm keeping all fingers crossed... 

Good luck to all those awaiting decisions! 

Princeton WWS's blog stated that MPA decisions would be released by March 11th. http://wws.princeton.edu/admissions/wws-blog/item/wws-graduate-admissions-timeline-2016

[6speed!]

On 2/27/2016 at 9:10 AM, happygomucky said:

I agree with kasbah - I reckon it went to everyone and was probably just Fletcher being nice and living up to/reinforcing its 'friendly' reputation! Still appreciate the gesture though! 

That's how I'm interpreting it too. It's a very thoughtful touch and leaves a positive impression in my mind, to be sure. However, I'm not going to read into it too much at this point - I don't want to get my hopes up! 

[hina234]

Has anyone heard from UMD yet? 

Edited March 2, 2016 by hina234