SIPA 2016

[Applicantfor2016]

I was accepted back in December but have yet to hear about funding- anyone else in the same boat? 

 

[Applicantfor2016]

  On 3/10/2016 at 4:35 PM, sparkleandshinegirl said:

Hi All, Yes all fellowship decisions have been made. Including IFP 

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Really? I applied but have yet to hear back anything from it. Wouldn't they send a notification, one way or the other, about it? Seems odd 

[Guest SIPA_MPA18]

  On 3/14/2016 at 6:17 PM, Applicantfor2016 said:

Really? I applied but have yet to hear back anything from it. Wouldn't they send a notification, one way or the other, about it? Seems odd 

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If you didn't hear anything since December, then you didn't get anything. I'm in the same boat. Not the way I'd run the office, but that's the way it is. 

[kd7432]

Hi guys. I was accepted to SIPA for the MPA, but haven't been given any funding. Without any aid it'll be impossible for me to attend. Does anyone know if they reconsider awards? 

Also, if I am applying for an external scholarship, will they extend the deadline till which I can respond or will I have to pay the deposit regardless? In the latter case, can I accept two offers and then turn one down later? I know it's probably best to ask them but asking here in case someone has been through such a scenario before..

[monocle]

  On 3/15/2016 at 11:50 AM, kd7432 said:

Hi guys. I was accepted to SIPA for the MPA, but haven't been given any funding. Without any aid it'll be impossible for me to attend. Does anyone know if they reconsider awards? 

Also, if I am applying for an external scholarship, will they extend the deadline till which I can respond or will I have to pay the deposit regardless? In the latter case, can I accept two offers and then turn one down later? I know it's probably best to ask them but asking here in case someone has been through such a scenario before..

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They will likely give you a canned response that they do not reconsider awards (but there's probably a very very miniscule chance that they could, though youre competing with 75% of the class for whatever money, so don't count on it).

If you ask for an extension, they will probably give it to you. Just let them know your circumstances.

It's probably unwise to accept two offers and then turn one down.. but ultimately you could and no one can force you to go if you accept but change your mind. Maybe it would just be better to request extension for decision-making at both schools.

[sp108]

  On 3/15/2016 at 1:34 PM, monocle said:

They will likely give you a canned response that they do not reconsider awards (but there's probably a very very miniscule chance that they could, though youre competing with 75% of the class for whatever money, so don't count on it).

If you ask for an extension, they will probably give it to you. Just let them know your circumstances.

It's probably unwise to accept two offers and then turn one down.. but ultimately you could and no one can force you to go if you accept but change your mind. Maybe it would just be better to request extension for decision-making at both schools.

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What about for people who received first year funding? Would they say the same thing?  I am drafting up an email to send to them but trying to gauge how they would respond.

 

[monocle]

  On 3/15/2016 at 1:39 PM, sp108 said:

What about for people who received first year funding? Would they say the same thing?  I am drafting up an email to send to them but trying to gauge how they would respond.

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It's worth the email. If you don't ask then you definitely won't get any more funding.

[kbui]

I received an email yesterday saying that I didn't get into the International Fellows Program. I suspected as much since my essay was so rushed. I focused all my energy on the personal statements themselves versus the IFP essays.

But good luck to others though. Did anyone get in?

[monocle]

Found this in the Architecture/planning forum from a couple years ago. I think it is some of the most sound advice I've read on TGC 
 

Hope it helps!

[cynlest]

Hi all, 

I got admitted to SIPA-MIA and a candidate of an external scholarship. I do not have any access to my online acceptance letter nor any information in the admitted student page. I would be grateful if anyone could share the information in their letters so I would have a bit of something to help me making my decision. Thanks! 

[sp108]

  On 3/15/2016 at 8:52 PM, hlestari said:

Hi all, 

I got admitted to SIPA-MIA and a candidate of an external scholarship. I do not have any access to my online acceptance letter nor any information in the admitted student page. I would be grateful if anyone could share the information in their letters so I would have a bit of something to help me making my decision. Thanks! 

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Why don't you obtain access to your account?  You will need it anyway.   Email them.  Someone else's letter isn't going to help because the letter's are customized.

 

Edited March 15, 2016 by sp108

[cynlest]

@sp108 Unfortunately it is part of the grantor's policy, as I am a candidate (not yet a recipient) for this grant. This is based on the information I have. Yes, I understand your point that each letter might be different. I am still trying to negotiate to the grantor to have my letter as well as trying to get as much information as my access was restricted to any of this. Thanks anyway. 

[Solio]

  On 3/15/2016 at 9:11 PM, hlestari said:

@sp108 Unfortunately it is part of the grantor's policy, as I am a candidate (not yet a recipient) for this grant. This is based on the information I have. Yes, I understand your point that each letter might be different. I am still trying to negotiate to the grantor to have my letter as well as trying to get as much information as my access was restricted to any of this. Thanks anyway. 

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Out of curiosity ,  what scholarship is this?  That's a lot of control they've got, especially for a scholarship candidate.  I'm curious what their justification is for restricting your access to your own info. 

Are they also restricting your email? I've received  a lot of the admitted student info via email.  Most of the links don't require you to log in. 

Could you contact Columbia and explain the situation? 

Edited March 15, 2016 by Solio

[sp108]

  On 3/15/2016 at 9:53 PM, Solio said:

Out of curiosity ,  what scholarship is this?  That's a lot of control they've got, especially for a scholarship candidate.  I'm curious what their justification is for restricting your access to your own info. 

Are they also restricting your email? I've received  a lot of the admitted student info via email.  Most of the links don't require you to log in. 

Could you contact Columbia and explain the situation? 

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Sorry new to this but why would an external scholarship provider have control over any persons SIPA account?  It just doesn't make any sense to me.  Both things are completely independent.  

[edpolicy2015]

  On 3/14/2016 at 1:46 AM, kbui said:

Are people here going to go to the Admitted Students Day event?

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I will be there. Looking forward to meeting everyone!

[Solio]

  On 3/16/2016 at 1:11 AM, sp108 said:

Sorry new to this but why would an external scholarship provider have control over any persons SIPA account?  It just doesn't make any sense to me.  Both things are completely independent.  

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I am wondering this as well.

[ticoindc]

  On 3/16/2016 at 12:41 PM, edpolicy2015 said:

I will be there. Looking forward to meeting everyone!

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I'll be there too!

[cynlest]

@sp108 @Solio Thanks for your curiosity, the scholarship people and their partner created an email account for me and they used it to apply to SIPA. So they have control over my email, any notification, and/or acceptance letters than went to that email. I did ask (several times) to have the access to my email account, also for more information for admitted student as well as he acceptance letter, but they said no. 

[sp108]

  On 3/17/2016 at 4:43 PM, cynlest said:

@sp108 @Solio Thanks for your curiosity, the scholarship people and their partner created an email account for me and they used it to apply to SIPA. So they have control over my email, any notification, and/or acceptance letters than went to that email. I did ask (several times) to have the access to my email account, also for more information for admitted student as well as he acceptance letter, but they said no. 

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That should be.. like...illegal

 

[Solio]

  On 3/17/2016 at 4:43 PM, cynlest said:

@sp108 @Solio Thanks for your curiosity, the scholarship people and their partner created an email account for me and they used it to apply to SIPA. So they have control over my email, any notification, and/or acceptance letters than went to that email. I did ask (several times) to have the access to my email account, also for more information for admitted student as well as he acceptance letter, but they said no. 

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This sounds completely illegal. At the very least it would call into question the legitimacy of any acceptances you received. Did you write your own application? Or did they do that too?

if you aren't given complete  access within a day or so I would strongly recommend calling Columbia and explaining the situation. Possible negative : they rescind your acceptance,  but it's either that or being totally beholden to these very sketchy sounding people . 

Edited March 17, 2016 by Solio

[sp108]

  On 3/17/2016 at 4:55 PM, Solio said:

This sounds completely illegal. At the very least it would call into question the legitimacy of any acceptances you received. Did you write your own application? Or did they do that too?

if you aren't given complete  access within a day or so I would strongly recommend calling Columbia and explaining the situation. Possible negative : they rescind your acceptance,  but it's either that or being totally beholden to this very sketchy sounding scholarship. 

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100% Agree with this.

[cynlest]

@Solio @sp108 Yes, off course I wrote all the essays and prepare all the supporting documents, I think that would be unethical having someone else did that for me. They submitted my application on my behalf. I was just trying to explain how (technically) I do not have access to my acceptance letters and any information regarding to admitted students. 

[sp108]

  On 3/17/2016 at 5:22 PM, cynlest said:

@Solio @sp108 Yes, off course I wrote all the essays and prepare all the supporting documents, I think that would be unethical having someone else did that for me. They submitted my application on my behalf. I was just trying to explain how (technically) I do not have access to my acceptance letters and any information regarding to admitted students. 

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No, the illegal part should be them withholding your account information from you.  They should by no means be controlling your application.  Never.  Don't care who it is.  They shouldn't be doing that.

 

[Ana89]

  On 3/8/2016 at 8:43 PM, internationalaffiars88 said:

Two $56k awards and the opportunity for a teaching assistantship in the second year (subject to fit and availibility). The letter said its "the most generous fellowship package offered."  

@rrrruoyao  thanks so much and good luck!! 

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Also got accepted into SIPA! but no funding  I am quite curious about the profile of the people that got it (GPA, GRE, career etc): Can you share it wiith me please?

[kd7432]

@cynlest hey, is this the fulbright scholarship? they've done that for me, and it's a terribly uncertain position to be in..