Public Policy/Affairs Ph.D. Results

[zworld707]

Hi-

Are there any PhD applicants in public policy/public affairs/policy analysis here?? Where have you guys all applied?

Has anyone got an admission offer yet?

 

 

[TheHopefulGrad]

Hi! I am a PhD applicant, and unfortunately still haven't heard back. I'm hoping something will come out this week or next.

[publicaffairsstudent]

Hey all, let's try to get some more public policy phd's on here. I recently submitted applications to 7 schools, and am glad to see I'm not alone if having not heard anything back yet.

Here's my stats:

Undergrad: Top 40 American private research university, had a rough time, 2.87 GPA in an English Major.

Graduate: >100 ranked NASPAA Accredited MPA Program with a 4.0 GPA.

GRE: 155 Q 170 V 5.0 AW.

I also have taken the following supplementary courses with a 3.85 GPA: Calculus 1-3, Discrete Math, Linear Algebra, Probability and Statistics 1, Intermediate Microeconomics, Intermediate Macroeconomics, Econometrics. Courses in Progress: Probability and Statistics 2, Differential Equations and Real Analysis.

I also won an $800 research award to support an independent quantitative research project in education policy.

I have tutored for 3 semesters, including 1 semester as a math tutor at 10 hours per week.

3.5 years work experience in non-profit sector (urban education) including 1 year Americorps VISTA.

I applied to the following programs:

Deadline Jan 15: Cornell Policy Analysis and Management, SUNY Albany Public Administration and Policy, UMD College Park Policy Studies.

Deadline Feb 1: Syracuse Public Administration, Syracuse Social Sciences, Syracuse Economics, SUNY Buffalo Economics.

Will post back when we hear things. Remember, there are many options besides academia!

[aypee]

hey, I am specifically interested in environmental policy concentration.

Stats: International female,

GRE: 158 Q, 153 V, 3.5 Aw (sigh!)

Masters in Environmental Science with 83%, TOEFL: 110, one internship in environmental consultancy, one project on ecosystem valuation during masters, one internship with a government organisation, decent LORs, One paper under review. no such background with policy work though tried to make a connection in my SOP\

applied for PhD fall 2016: Georgia state, U of south florida, UCSB, Michigan Tech.

In my SOPs, I have not mentioned in detail about my intended research (just a paragraph or so) and focused mostly on my previous research and training experience in most of the schools. I have read somewhere that if they can't identify a proper research idea from your SOP, you will not be able to get admission. is it true? Should I start preparing to apply for more schools with late deadlines, but then there's funding problem also i guess.

 

Are there any more schools with late deadlines for the fall of this year and good funding options in public policy with a concentration in environmental policy. I CAN'T AFFORD TO WAIT ANOTHER YEAR!

[publicaffairsstudent]

I think you should stop worrying and stick with the work you've already done and await the results. It's too late to change anything so its out of your hands now. Rushing to submit to programs with late deadlines is unfair to your recommenders and places you under unnecessary stress. Lots of people go through 2 cycles before they find a place, the first attempt is an important learning experience.

Anyways Syracuse social sciences has a march 1 deadline, but fellowship consideration was Feb 1. Some other programs to look at are University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Louisiana State University, University of Maryland Baltimore County, and University of Massachusetts at Boston. They may have rolling admissions.

Edited February 9, 2016 by publicaffairsstudent

[Talbs]

1 hour ago, publicaffairsstudent said:

Anyways Syracuse social sciences has a march 1 deadline, but fellowship consideration was Feb 1. Some other programs to look at are University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Louisiana State University, University of Maryland Baltimore County, and University of Massachusetts at Boston. They may have rolling admissions.

 

Since you mentioned UNCC, do you have any thoughts on their MPA program?

[publicaffairsstudent]

24 minutes ago, Talbs said:

 

Since you mentioned UNCC, do you have any thoughts on their MPA program?

I think it would produce good placements within the southeast, though less effective for national placements than if you went to the flagship NC program at chapel hill. Students will benefit from being in an MPA program at a department that houses a PhD program. There will be great opportunities for research so it would be a good program for students who are more interested in policy analysis than management.

Edited February 9, 2016 by publicaffairsstudent

[Talbs]

22 minutes ago, publicaffairsstudent said:

I think it would produce good placements within the southeast, though less effective for national placements than if you went to the flagship NC program at chapel hill. Students will benefit from being in an MPA program at a department that houses a PhD program. There will be great opportunities for research so it would be a good program for students who are more interested in policy analysis than management.

That's good to know. I live in Charlotte and am currently applying to MPA programs, but I hadn't really decided if I would be submitting an application to UNCC or not.

Edited February 9, 2016 by Talbs

[gradphil]

16 hours ago, zworld707 said:

Hi-

Are there any PhD applicants in public policy/public affairs/policy analysis here?? Where have you guys all applied?

Has anyone got an admission offer yet?

 

 

Thank you for starting this long-overdue thread.

Here go my stats:

Education: Double Masters in Law and International Relations.

GRE: 161 Q, 157 V, 4 AW

Public Policy Programs: Pardee RAND (had interview in late January); UMD College Park; GSPIA Pittsburgh.

Political Science Programs: GWU (Rejected); UVA (not heard yet, although decisions are rumored to be out); Duke (no word); USC POIR (pending); Stanford; Columbia; Cornell; John Hopkins

All the very best to all awaiting to hear back from schools.

[TheHopefulGrad]

On average, how many programs did you guys apply to?

[publicaffairsstudent]

I applied to 7. I could have applied to more, but the more I thought about it the more certain I was I wanted to stay in the northeast. I also wanted to avoid big cities so I narrowed myself down. Haha. I also think more would have been a waste of energy and more importantly, money. 7 is enough to choose 2 safties, 2 reach and 3 good fits. I think that's an optimal strategy.

Edited February 10, 2016 by publicaffairsstudent

[zworld707]

On 2/9/2016 at 6:52 PM, TheHopefulGrad said:

Hi! I am a PhD applicant, and unfortunately still haven't heard back. I'm hoping something will come out this week or next.

I applied to Berkeley Goldman, Chicago Harris, USC Price, and Michigan Ford.

 

Edited February 10, 2016 by zworld707

[publicaffairsstudent]

2 minutes ago, zworld707 said:

I applied to Berkeley Goldman, Chicago Harris, USC Price, and Michigan Ford.

 

Those are great schools. What is your background, especially quant background. And whats your disciplinary concentration for Ford.

[tealatte]

Hi, I'm a PhD applicant for Public Policy and Public Administration programs.

The schools I applied to are: Harvard Kennedy, Chicago Harris, NYU Wagner, Berkeley Goldman, Michigan Ford, Indiana SPEA, and Syracuse Maxwell

Education: graduated from top 20 undergrad and a quant-heavy master's/ GRE: Q 170 V 166/ no real work experience other than RAships during the semester and summer

Only heard back from Indiana (just today!) and got accepted! Although very excited, I want to hear back from other schools as they are my top choices. Anyways, good luck for everyone waiting out the results. 

[publicaffairsstudent]

23 minutes ago, tealatte said:

Hi, I'm a PhD applicant for Public Policy and Public Administration programs.

The schools I applied to are: Harvard Kennedy, Chicago Harris, NYU Wagner, Berkeley Goldman, Michigan Ford, Indiana SPEA, and Syracuse Maxwell

Education: graduated from top 20 undergrad and a quant-heavy master's/ GRE: Q 170 V 166/ no real work experience other than RAships during the semester and summer

Only heard back from Indiana (just today!) and got accepted! Although very excited, I want to hear back from other schools as they are my top choices. Anyways, good luck for everyone waiting out the results. 

I applied to Maxwell too. Good luck! Maybe I will see you there.

[TheHopefulGrad]

Looks like a lot of us ended up applying to the same schools! Best of luck everyone, and let's hope for a fast delivery of decisions from school! Maybe we'll get one this week? I'm counting on at least receiving one next week given that a lot of results come out around mid-February.

[publicaffairsstudent]

 

1 hour ago, TheHopefulGrad said:

Looks like a lot of us ended up applying to the same schools! Best of luck everyone, and let's hope for a fast delivery of decisions from school! Maybe we'll get one this week? I'm counting on at least receiving one next week given that a lot of results come out around mid-February.

I was told by a professor at Syracuse to expect a response by late February/ early March. Their deadline was Feb 1.

[zworld707]

I guess results are trickling out..

So far I've got an admission from USC Price and I jussst got a rejection email from Michigan Ford (pubpol+polsci).

Has anyone else heard from Michigan Ford? If you did, hope your email contains a happier news..

[publicaffairsstudent]

1 hour ago, zworld707 said:

I guess results are trickling out..

So far I've got an admission from USC Price and I jussst got a rejection email from Michigan Ford (pubpol+polsci).

Has anyone else heard from Michigan Ford? If you did, hope your email contains a happier news..

Michigan Ford is a tough program and I wouldnt let you get you down. The way their program is structured, where you have to be admitted by the ford school and the disciplinary department you hope to concentrate in, you have to be a top candidate in both the fields of public policy and your disciplinary concentration. I think the candidate who checks both those boxes of being a competitive applicant to not one but two departments at Michigan would probably have an unusual background. I didn't consider applying there because I knew I wasn't strong enough in economics to get into both Michigan's econ program and their public policy. I also seem to remember that they only enrol about 3 students per field each year.

Edited February 10, 2016 by publicaffairsstudent

[TheHopefulGrad]

1 hour ago, zworld707 said:

I guess results are trickling out..

So far I've got an admission from USC Price and I jussst got a rejection email from Michigan Ford (pubpol+polsci).

Has anyone else heard from Michigan Ford? If you did, hope your email contains a happier news..

Congrats on USC! I haven't yet heard back yet but congrats !

[TheHopefulGrad]

19 hours ago, publicaffairsstudent said:

I applied to 7. I could have applied to more, but the more I thought about it the more certain I was I wanted to stay in the northeast. I also wanted to avoid big cities so I narrowed myself down. Haha. I also think more would have been a waste of energy and more importantly, money. 7 is enough to choose 2 safties, 2 reach and 3 good fits. I think that's an optimal strategy.

That's great thinking! Yeah, the cost of applying to so many schools really adds up given the application fee, sending in transcripts + GRE scores, so 7 sounds like a great number! I applied to 10 because I received fee waivers from a majority of the schools, so that saved me close to $1000! I haven't distinguished between the programs in terms of safeties and such because my main priority is just getting in! haha. Best of luck!

[publicaffairsstudent]

45 minutes ago, TheHopefulGrad said:

That's great thinking! Yeah, the cost of applying to so many schools really adds up given the application fee, sending in transcripts + GRE scores, so 7 sounds like a great number! I applied to 10 because I received fee waivers from a majority of the schools, so that saved me close to $1000! I haven't distinguished between the programs in terms of safeties and such because my main priority is just getting in! haha. Best of luck!

I guess I can't really consider any of my schools safeties either. But some I feel my chances are better than others.

[zworld707]

1 hour ago, publicaffairsstudent said:

Michigan Ford is a tough program and I wouldnt let you get you down. The way their program is structured, where you have to be admitted by the ford school and the disciplinary department you hope to concentrate in, you have to be a top candidate in both the fields of public policy and your disciplinary concentration. I think the candidate who checks both those boxes of being a competitive applicant to not one but two departments at Michigan would probably have an unusual background. I didn't consider applying there because I knew I wasn't strong enough in economics to get into both Michigan's econ program and their public policy. I also seem to remember that they only enrol about 3 students per field each year.

Thanks for your kind words. Yes I was aware of the structure of the program... 2-3 ppl per field..

I heard Price's phd has 5 ppl max per cohort (I have a distant friend who is in the 4th yr). Considering how tiny these programs are, we really shouldn't be let down by rejections/waitlists. Good luck to all of us!

 

[publicaffairsstudent]

13 minutes ago, zworld707 said:

Thanks for your kind words. Yes I was aware of the structure of the program... 2-3 ppl per field..

I heard Price's phd has 5 ppl max per cohort (I have a distant friend who is in the 4th yr). Considering how tiny these programs are, we really shouldn't be let down by rejections/waitlists. Good luck to all of us!

 

Hey, your wait is over. You know you're in somewhere. USC is a great school and you can compete for any placement coming from there. Harris would be nice though

[jtp7118]

Anyone heard back from Wagner yet?