HGSE 2016

[HBDXB]

Applying for Ed. M. 
Program: Special Studies
GRE Score: V 160, Q 167, AWA: 4.5 
GPA: 3.9 (Masters degree in Finance - passed with top 10% GPA). 
Last University: Business school ranked amongst top 5 globally.  
Work Experience: NO experience in education. Currently: Partner in an boutique investment and advisory firm (outside of US).  Total 15 years of experience by Aug 2016. 

Area of concern: Lack of experience in education. Of course, SOP explains rationale for wanting to pursue a masters degree in education at age of 40!! Has anyone heard of students being admitted to the Special Studies program without any experience in education?

 

[sarkat]

9 hours ago, mjsmith said:

Thanks sarkat! I was surprised to hear so soon from UGA. I didn't expect to hear anything from anywhere until mid-late January at the earliest. Where else did you apply (if you don't mind me asking)?

I've applied to HGSE, Stanford GSE (DAPS), Michigan SOE (CPEP), Minnesota Child Psych, Northwestern SESP, and Berkeley GSE. 

I have a BA in Psych from a really good university in India, and a Master's from a top school in the UK. 

GRE V/Q/A: 164/162/5.0 ; got TOEFL exemptions. 

One conference presentation, one publication. A lot of work and research experience in education and psych.

Hoping I have a decent shot! 

What about you? 
 

[Vulpix]

12 hours ago, dkh2121 said:

Interesting... how do you know there's not a cap? 

They've said it during info sessions/I read it somewhere.

[Vulpix]

12 hours ago, HBDXB said:

Applying for Ed. M. 
Program: Special Studies
GRE Score: V 160, Q 167, AWA: 4.5 
GPA: 3.9 (Masters degree in Finance - passed with top 10% GPA). 
Last University: Business school ranked amongst top 5 globally.  
Work Experience: NO experience in education. Currently: Partner in an boutique investment and advisory firm (outside of US).  Total 15 years of experience by Aug 2016. 

Area of concern: Lack of experience in education. Of course, SOP explains rationale for wanting to pursue a masters degree in education at age of 40!! Has anyone heard of students being admitted to the Special Studies program without any experience in education?

 

I've heard of many students getting in without education experience---they love diversity of backgrounds!  And special studies sounds like the exact place to bring that!

[Shlee467]

19 hours ago, EPM? said:

Hi everyone!

anyone know about the relative competitiveness of the programs/concentrations? I applied to EPM and although I feel like my case is strong, I'm having trouble not obsessing about the fact that I have no idea what my chances are. I understand EPM is the biggest-- what implications does that have for admittance rate?

just a little too excited, I guess. Thanks and best wishes to you all!!

 

There is no specific cap on the various programs. It's really about how many qualified applicants apply to whichever programs, so the size of the programs can very drastically by year. I mean, they obviously have to cap it somewhere - it wouldn't be valuable to have a cohort of 2,000 people all of a sudden. I think you just have to trust that they know what they are looking for, and that you meet those criteria. 

[EDU1988]

Hi Everyone, 

 Just stumbled on this forum.  I have applied to the HGSE Ed. Policy and Management program for Fall of 2016 admission. 

 

Stat: 

GRE: 164 Verbal, 157 Quant. 5.5 Analytical Writing

GPA- 3.4 undergrad- I had a "rough transition" freshman year but my gpa for my sophomore-senior years was a total of 3.9

Experience: Teaching English Lit in a rural high school in Maine for 5 years, Worked with an international school in China to develop curriculum and have established a collaborative relationship via teacher exchanges, coach varsity sport for 5 years. 

Undergrad- Top Ranked teaching program- state university- full academic scholarship

I have excellent recommendations, and hopefully a strong- if not slightly risky, very passionate SOP.  

 

I am worried that my "standard" teaching background is a detriment to my admission.  I am a leader in my school and passionate about working in and helping my rural community.  I am also  concerned about my weak undergrad GPA and the fact I attended a state university.  Anyone else here applying for Policy and Management?  Any specific goals you have in mind for this degree? 

[mjsmith]

20 hours ago, sarkat said:

I've applied to HGSE, Stanford GSE (DAPS), Michigan SOE (CPEP), Minnesota Child Psych, Northwestern SESP, and Berkeley GSE. 

I have a BA in Psych from a really good university in India, and a Master's from a top school in the UK. 

GRE V/Q/A: 164/162/5.0 ; got TOEFL exemptions. 

One conference presentation, one publication. A lot of work and research experience in education and psych.

Hoping I have a decent shot! 

What about you? 
 

Just sent you a pm

[mjsmith]

11 hours ago, EDU1988 said:

Hi Everyone, 

 Just stumbled on this forum.  I have applied to the HGSE Ed. Policy and Management program for Fall of 2016 admission. 

 

Stat: 

GRE: 164 Verbal, 157 Quant. 5.5 Analytical Writing

GPA- 3.4 undergrad- I had a "rough transition" freshman year but my gpa for my sophomore-senior years was a total of 3.9

Experience: Teaching English Lit in a rural high school in Maine for 5 years, Worked with an international school in China to develop curriculum and have established a collaborative relationship via teacher exchanges, coach varsity sport for 5 years. 

Undergrad- Top Ranked teaching program- state university- full academic scholarship

I have excellent recommendations, and hopefully a strong- if not slightly risky, very passionate SOP.  

 

I am worried that my "standard" teaching background is a detriment to my admission.  I am a leader in my school and passionate about working in and helping my rural community.  I am also  concerned about my weak undergrad GPA and the fact I attended a state university.  Anyone else here applying for Policy and Management?  Any specific goals you have in mind for this degree? 

Given how much HGSE seems to look for people with a wide range of experiences, I am sure your application will have a good chance. Perhaps one of the folks here in the forum that has been part of HGSE before can confirm this......

Edited January 8, 2016 by mjsmith

[Shlee467]

20 hours ago, EDU1988 said:

Hi Everyone, 

 Just stumbled on this forum.  I have applied to the HGSE Ed. Policy and Management program for Fall of 2016 admission. 

 

Stat: 

GRE: 164 Verbal, 157 Quant. 5.5 Analytical Writing

GPA- 3.4 undergrad- I had a "rough transition" freshman year but my gpa for my sophomore-senior years was a total of 3.9

Experience: Teaching English Lit in a rural high school in Maine for 5 years, Worked with an international school in China to develop curriculum and have established a collaborative relationship via teacher exchanges, coach varsity sport for 5 years. 

Undergrad- Top Ranked teaching program- state university- full academic scholarship

I have excellent recommendations, and hopefully a strong- if not slightly risky, very passionate SOP.  

 

I am worried that my "standard" teaching background is a detriment to my admission.  I am a leader in my school and passionate about working in and helping my rural community.  I am also  concerned about my weak undergrad GPA and the fact I attended a state university.  Anyone else here applying for Policy and Management?  Any specific goals you have in mind for this degree? 

You have very strong stats and I'd honestly be really surprised if you didn't get in. I think a lot of it is just making the case in your SOP for why you're transitioning from teaching to policy.  

[endlesscoffee]

On 1/6/2016 at 4:43 AM, mjsmith said:

I've applied for the PhD HDLT concentration. Nice to see someone else here in the same boat as me. :-)

I've also applied for PhD-HDLT concentration! Super nervous and really hate this waiting game so far!

[GAPeachyKeen]

Hi everyone! 

I've been creeping around on the gradcafe site for a while now. I submitted my application to join the Ed Policy and Management program at HGSE but I'm almost certain that my GRE scores and SOP might diminish my chances. Anyone, for those who have completed a Master's program before, even if it wasn't with HGSE, what are your thoughts on the ranking of the application components? Between the SOP, LORs, GRE scores, resume, and undergrad GPA, how would you rank these in order of importance?

[dkh2121]

5 hours ago, GAPeachyKeen said:

Hi everyone! 

I've been creeping around on the gradcafe site for a while now. I submitted my application to join the Ed Policy and Management program at HGSE but I'm almost certain that my GRE scores and SOP might diminish my chances. Anyone, for those who have completed a Master's program before, even if it wasn't with HGSE, what are your thoughts on the ranking of the application components? Between the SOP, LORs, GRE scores, resume, and undergrad GPA, how would you rank these in order of importance?

I'd say, from most to least important - SOP, LOR, GPA, resume, GRE...

(At least I hope that's how it is because my GRE sucks)

Im also applying for EPM. Do you mind sharing your stats?

[graciasadios]

I went through the last two years of HGSE threads and compiled profiles of people who were admitted. Enjoy!

[HBDXB]

11 hours ago, GAPeachyKeen said:

Hi everyone! 

I've been creeping around on the gradcafe site for a while now. I submitted my application to join the Ed Policy and Management program at HGSE but I'm almost certain that my GRE scores and SOP might diminish my chances. Anyone, for those who have completed a Master's program before, even if it wasn't with HGSE, what are your thoughts on the ranking of the application components? Between the SOP, LORs, GRE scores, resume, and undergrad GPA, how would you rank these in order of importance?

A credible source once told me that business schools, especially the top ones, use algorithms to score and select /eliminate at the first go ...and then human reviewers take over. These schools receive around 10,000 applications every year, and it is not possible for them to individually read each application, let alone rank them. The GPA, GRE (or GMAT) becomes part of the algorithm, and applicants are stratified into pools e.g. bankers, consultants, human resource backgrounds, etc.  Of course, education schools (such as HGSE) or even Harvard University may operate differently.

[morifol]

9 hours ago, graciasadios said:

I went through the last two years of HGSE threads and compiled profiles of people who were admitted. Enjoy!

For some reason I cannot access it. Can you pm it to me?

[Vulpix]

7 hours ago, HBDXB said:

A credible source once told me that business schools, especially the top ones, use algorithms to score and select /eliminate at the first go ...and then human reviewers take over. These schools receive around 10,000 applications every year, and it is not possible for them to individually read each application, let alone rank them. The GPA, GRE (or GMAT) becomes part of the algorithm, and applicants are stratified into pools e.g. bankers, consultants, human resource backgrounds, etc.  Of course, education schools (such as HGSE) or even Harvard University may operate differently.

This would contradict all the evidence/PR suggesting they look at you "holistically."  Although, I suppose as long as they do not "automatically eliminate" applicants with less than a certain GPA/GRE, they may in fact do this.  We also have no idea how many applicants HGSE actually receives, or how many apply to specific programs, because it is those programs, I think, that actually review your application, not HGSE itself?

[graciasadios]

Harvard University Press just published a new book written by a University of Michigan Professor of Education about the inner-workings of graduate school admission committees. She was granted access to meetings at top schools in a number of different departments. I'm planning on reading it to help pass the time until March.

Edited January 10, 2016 by graciasadios

[geeraf]

Hi all,

So interviews to HGSE PhD is late Jan, anyone knows how late? How to prep for them? Who conducts the interviews? 

[morifol]

17 minutes ago, geeraf said:

Hi all,

So interviews to HGSE PhD is late Jan, anyone knows how late? How to prep for them? Who conducts the interviews? 

+ 1.

1 hour ago, graciasadios said:

Harvard University Press just published a new book written by a University of Michigan Professor of Education about the inner-workings of graduate school admission committees. She was granted access to meetings at top schools in a number of different departments. I'm planning on reading it to help pass the time until March.

Share anything of importance.

[GAPeachyKeen]

On 1/10/2016 at 2:41 AM, HBDXB said:

A credible source once told me that business schools, especially the top ones, use algorithms to score and select /eliminate at the first go ...and then human reviewers take over. These schools receive around 10,000 applications every year, and it is not possible for them to individually read each application, let alone rank them. The GPA, GRE (or GMAT) becomes part of the algorithm, and applicants are stratified into pools e.g. bankers, consultants, human resource backgrounds, etc.  Of course, education schools (such as HGSE) or even Harvard University may operate differently.

I have some recruitment experience with an organization that receives 1000s of applications every year. We have lots of man power for application reviews, but still used an automated system to sift out apps that didn't meet the minimum requirement. I can definitely see this being the case for such a highly sought after grad school like Harvard's. 

Edited January 12, 2016 by GAPeachyKeen

[GAPeachyKeen]

On 1/10/2016 at 8:01 PM, dkh2121 said:

I'd say, from most to least important - SOP, LOR, GPA, resume, GRE...

(At least I hope that's how it is because my GRE sucks)

Im also applying for EPM. Do you mind sharing your stats?

Hi there! 

My stats are as follows (using the order of importance of app materials that you suggested):

• SOP: succinct and decent, but could have been much better. (this may actually get me rejected) 
• LOR: 1 professor (department chair), 2 former managers (one of whom is a current student in the EPM program at HGSE)
• Undergrad Info: Spelman College; 3.64 GPA (magna cum laude); departmental honors for senior thesis
• Resume: completed competitive, 2-year service program; currently working for an education reform non-profit (nearly 5 years with ed reform non-profit in total)
• GRE: verbal: awful quantitative: embarrassing AW:4 (I'm a mother of two small children who weren't interested in my need for study time.)

I'm not sure how to feel about my chances for admittance, but applying was definitely worth the try. 

 

Edited January 12, 2016 by GAPeachyKeen

[Vulpix]

7 hours ago, GAPeachyKeen said:

Hi there! 

My stats are as follows (using the order of importance of app materials that you suggested):

• SOP: succinct and decent, but could have been much better. (this may actually get me rejected) 
• LOR: 1 professor (department chair), 2 former managers (one of whom is a current student in the EPM program at HGSE)
• Undergrad Info: Spelman College; 3.64 GPA (magna cum laude); departmental honors for senior thesis
• Resume: completed competitive, 2-year service program; currently working for an education reform non-profit (nearly 5 years with ed reform non-profit in total)
• GRE: verbal: awful quantitative: embarrassing AW:4 (I'm a mother of two small children who weren't interested in my need for study time.)

I'm not sure how to feel about my chances for admittance, but applying was definitely worth the try. 

 

I think your experience and recs and undergrad will have to make up for the GRE in this case.  I was looking back at data of admitted students to HGSE and there were NONE admitted with an AW score below 4, but virtually everyone had a 4.5  While I don't think HGSE cares that much about the verbal/quant (yay in your case!), they did say in an info session that they take the AW score very seriously because it most accurately reflects the success of students in the program (due to it being writing intensive).  

[GAPeachyKeen]

1 hour ago, Heather1011 said:

I think your experience and recs and undergrad will have to make up for the GRE in this case.  I was looking back at data of admitted students to HGSE and there were NONE admitted with an AW score below 4, but virtually everyone had a 4.5  While I don't think HGSE cares that much about the verbal/quant (yay in your case!), they did say in an info session that they take the AW score very seriously because it most accurately reflects the success of students in the program (due to it being writing intensive).  

Thanks so much for the insight! I've heard the same about the AW score from a current student. A 4 is the bare minimum that candidates should have for any chance to be accepted. Someone on this thread posted a compilation of stats for admitted students and there were several 4s. Some programs at Columbia and Johns Hopkins do not require the GRE so its not surprising that the verbal and quant do not weigh as heavily for Harvard. 

[Shlee467]

On January 10, 2016 at 9:14 AM, Heather1011 said:

Because HGSE is very reading and writing intensive, I don't think they are so worried about your quant score or even your verbal. They want to know that you can comprehend basic math (I mean depending on your program, you may need to take statistics, and in any case, you'll probably have to learn to understand regression charts and such because they are in most of the research you read - at least the was true for EPM) But they know that the GRE is testing a set of skills that differ from their programs. It's different when they are looking at seniors in high school and the only thing that really sets anyone apart are their GPA and SAT/ACT. Now, they are much more interested in what you've done and what you plan to do. The GRE is just a "Do you have the basic ability to keep up?" sort of thing. 

Now for PhD applicants, I've noticed most of their scores are very very high, particularly for quant, which makes sense if you're going to be analyzing a lot of data. I was happy to see the my scores are right where the averages are for EdLD because I was afraid if I retook the GRE, my AWA would go down and I thought holding that was more important than raising the other two. I think per program they probably care as well. For example, Technology in Ed might care more about quant than Arts in Ed. 

As long as your GREs are about average, I wouldn't worry about it. It would have to be abysmal to keep you out. 

[graciasadios]

Profiles of the last three years of Grad School Cafers who were admitted to HGSE complete with minimums, maximums, and averages.