UC - San Diego IR/PS Interview

[Putoots]

PM'd

[Luke]

Congrats! I applied to the standard deadline and still have not heard anything from them yet. Would you guys mind sharing your stats?

My stats are actually on the first page, about halfway down. Good luck!

[gazelle]

I also have heard nothing as of yet...

Come on UCSD, give me some good news soon

[Luke]

Is anyone here going to admitted students day?

[gazelle]

Still waiting to hear back...

[gazelle]

I emailed them last week to check on my application status and they said they still weren't done reviewing files, so anyone else who still hasn't heard--sit tight! Should hear soon!

[lomsaku]

IR/PS Admissions said that they had mailed out admissions packets for admitted MPIA students, including fellowship information, on Tuesday, March 16. I live domestically, and I am still waiting for the packet as of Saturday, March 20. I hope it comes in the mail today.

[Luke]

IR/PS Admissions said that they had mailed out admissions packets for admitted MPIA students, including fellowship information, on Tuesday, March 16. I live domestically, and I am still waiting for the packet as of Saturday, March 20. I hope it comes in the mail today.

I got the admitted student packet last night (I live in Boston). No funding....booo.....

[mei]

Was provisionally accepted last week via email. Haven't yet received my package yet though.

[gazelle]

Well, guess that means I must be rejected.

Ah well, if the Columbia waitlist doesn't work out I guess I'll just have to go home and get a $70k engineering job, knock out my measely $20k in undergrad loans and start my life and build that 1968 Dodge Charger I've always wanted...

[etwhftb]

I applied by the standard deadline and was admitted on Feb. 25th by email. I received my (very generous!) funding info on March 14 and the admission package came in the mail this week...

[dave85]

I received my packet last week as well and received my acceptance email on Feb 25th

Luke, I'll be attending admitted students day. Are you going for both days?

[Luke]

I received my packet last week as well and received my acceptance email on Feb 25th

Luke, I'll be attending admitted students day. Are you going for both days?

Yup. Did you get placed with a current student? The one I got placed with has been ridiculously helpful in answering questions.

[dave85]

Yup. Did you get placed with a current student? The one I got placed with has been ridiculously helpful in answering questions.

Yeah. They paired me up with a great guy as well, but he's very busy so hopefully I'll have a chance to chat more with him after the days events. When do you fly in? Maybe we can carpool via shuttle to the campus.

[gazelle]

Still waiting.

I guess it doesn't matter though, as I've pretty much decided it will be Columbia or nothing; I don't know that I want to go $70k into debt for a UC; I'd rather go $140k into debt for an Ivy that is very well known and very highly regarded in Japan. Nonetheless, I'd like my results so I can move on. Getting fairly irritated at this point, especially if they sent out packets to admitted students 9 days ago.

[lomsaku]

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Edited March 25, 2010 by lomsaku

[gazelle]

Well hot damn, I got accepted. Although I don't have any funding information and was provisionally accepted pending preparatory coursework, not sure what this could be (micro/macro econ?).

[lomsaku]

Well hot damn, I got accepted. Although I don't have any funding information and was provisionally accepted pending preparatory coursework, not sure what this could be (micro/macro econ?).

Congratulations, Gazelle! The stipulations of your provisional admission should be viewable by signing into the UCSD Graduate Admissions portal and clicking the button for "Check Application Status." At least, this is how I learned about the missing documents that made my admission provisional.

[Putoots]

Well hot damn, I got accepted. Although I don't have any funding information and was provisionally accepted pending preparatory coursework, not sure what this could be (micro/macro econ?).

The three courses for summer prep are:

Analytical Writing

Quantitative Methods

Economics

You will get more information about cost and dates when you get your packet (congratulations!). Also, make sure to pay attention to whether the course is required or simply recommended (if there is more than one listed).

I was originally put off by this provisional acceptance because it is just going to add to the cost of attendance, and especially because I didn't get anything like that from GPPI, FSPP, etc. But now I'm thinking it might be a good way to settle in before everything officially begins. A light sparring session before the main event, if you will....

[gazelle]

Thanks guys, I'm pretty happy. Yeah they said I was provisional pending coursework and that they'd contact me shortly, but thanks for giving me the heads up on what to expect. Do you know the dates of those summer courses? I'm on contract in Japan until the end of July, so this could pose a bit of a problem.

Also how easy is it to defer? Deferring for a year has been my plan if possible (although I know funding isn't deferrable).

[Putoots]

It could be a close call because summer classes begin August 2nd. I wonder if they'd allow someone to take a similar class at a local university instead.

[dave85]

They mentioned in the admit letter that coursework at the college level could be taken to fulfill the requirements beforehand. If you decide to go this route, I'd check with them first to see if the course you plan on taking meets the requirements.

[Putoots]

For those of you who are seriously considering IR/PS (MPIA), I was wondering if you could shed some light on your background, expectations, etc.

I originally dismissed my acceptance to IR/PS when I received it a month ago because acceptances to GPPI and FSPP pushed me towards public policy. But as I start to consider future jobs and curriculum, I realized that I am much more interested in IR.

Having said that, I really don't know much about the program other than the packet I received and familiarity with UCSD's reputation as a top Political Science school.

I'm a little concerned about IR/PS in terms of finding a job at a dynamic intergovernmental organization or research analyst position. Since we'll be competing with graduates from places like SIPA, Georgetown's Foreign Service program, and SAIS, will we be able to hold our own? It seems like IR/PS really works hard to support their students, but I wonder how far that goes. Is UCSD respected outside of California? Will organizations in NY and Washington, D.C. consider IR/PS grads? Or is this program designed to place people in the Bay Area's non-profit sector? (I'm not against that -- I went to Berkeley as an undergrad and love the Bay Area, but I'm just trying to manage my expectations.)

Also, what are some of your planned career tracks? I'm torn between Public Policy (U.S. foreign policy), International Politics, and International Development. (I know those sounds really different, but there are some major overlap areas...like "Civil Society" and "Development and Applied Data Analysis and Statistical Decision Making.")

[mei]

For those of you who are seriously considering IR/PS (MPIA), I was wondering if you could shed some light on your background, expectations, etc.

I originally dismissed my acceptance to IR/PS when I received it a month ago because acceptances to GPPI and FSPP pushed me towards public policy. But as I start to consider future jobs and curriculum, I realized that I am much more interested in IR.

Having said that, I really don't know much about the program other than the packet I received and familiarity with UCSD's reputation as a top Political Science school.

I'm a little concerned about IR/PS in terms of finding a job at a dynamic intergovernmental organization or research analyst position. Since we'll be competing with graduates from places like SIPA, Georgetown's Foreign Service program, and SAIS, will we be able to hold our own? It seems like IR/PS really works hard to support their students, but I wonder how far that goes. Is UCSD respected outside of California? Will organizations in NY and Washington, D.C. consider IR/PS grads? Or is this program designed to place people in the Bay Area's non-profit sector? (I'm not against that -- I went to Berkeley as an undergrad and love the Bay Area, but I'm just trying to manage my expectations.)

Also, what are some of your planned career tracks? I'm torn between Public Policy (U.S. foreign policy), International Politics, and International Development. (I know those sounds really different, but there are some major overlap areas...like "Civil Society" and "Development and Applied Data Analysis and Statistical Decision Making.")

I've worked as a researcher in DC for 3 years, and it seems like IR/PS has a solid reputation - my friends/contacts working in various sectors have all highly recommended UCSD when I was on the fence of even applying there. This list of alumni and where they are now helped me get some sort of idea: http://irps.ucsd.edu/alumni/featuring-you/spotlights/

[serenam]

Hey Guys! I'm applying UCSD IR/PS program right now. I have questions about the second essay (Many events of globe significance have occurred in the last three years. please discuss how one of these events has impacted your views on initiative and leadership.)I'm not really clearly about what the essay should talk about. Could you guys give me some suggestions about how to write the second essay? What kind of essay it should be and how long it should be? what kinds of my abilities that the committee want to see through the essay? Thank you so much!!