Georgetown McCourt 2017

[thex11factor]

didn't see a thread dedicated to McCourt for this year.

Received my admit letter today, but there isn't too much info...will there be programs prior to decision day (i.e. admit day on campus, webinar, etc)?

anyone excited? at this point I am deciding between Harris and McCourt

[sturdyelm]

@thex11factor  Woops looks like we both tried to start one!

Money also came in low for me. I didn't get any emails about the student admit day, but I looked it up on their website. And there are two on March 24 and March 31 (which is the same day as Duke's). 

https://mccourt.georgetown.edu/newstudents/openhouse-orientation

[CRozy]

Waitlisted ?. anyone know info about getting accepted off of the waitlist &/or getting funding?  

[fallmpp2017]

I got accepted as well and similarly, got really low funding. I would be more excited, but with the funding I received, there is no way I could afford the program. 

[thex11factor]

based on what I see on the website, it seems that PhDs  get most of the money allocated: http://grad.georgetown.edu/financial-support/merit-based-financial-aid/scholarships

[makingtheleap.back]

Accepted, but with limited funding. It's either 1 or 1A among my top choices -- perhaps they will be willing to negotiate on funding? 

[MLB87]

HI, I was wait listed as well (MPP). Even if I'm accepted, if I receive the funding that others seem to be receiving on this thread then there is no way that I'd be able to go. 

[nahuja32]

Hey, 

I've been accepted with some financial aid. I'm very confused as of now on whether I should opt for a cheaper school (Hertie Germany) or a more reputed one (McCourt). 

[sturdyelm]

Well, McCourt does have some really nice funding, but for only a very limited number of students (the McCourt Scholars, usually 5 or 6 students). Not sure if any one else got anything more than 20-25% funding, but MPP programs are notoriously difficult to get full funding for. I was excited about getting in, but probably will end up declining as there is no way I can afford it with what they offered me (and I don't want to take on $80,000 in debt just for tuition). 

If you're coming off the waitlist, it probably will depend on the level of funding left from those who decline. McCourt's site says that most of the scholarship offers are made early in the Admissions cycle, so I wouldn't count on it.

[CRozy]

Ew private schools. Well, I  got $20k from Harris & still waiting on two other programs so I might just ignore McCourt. Congrats to everyone who got in! ?

[nahuja32]

I got $15k in aid for the first year. Even with the scholarship (30%), I doubt I can afford it. I really love the course at McCourt and hope I'm able to gain external funding. 

Anyone planning on requesting for an increase in the scholarship amount? 

[s678]

Anyone else have an application that still has a status of "submitted"? Wondering when to be concerned and contact them -- I suppose they could be releasing decisions in batches ?

[tmend]

Hey @s678 my application status also says "submitted". Really anxious if that means a no or yes! 

[dwestlakeg]

@fallmpp2017 @MLB87 I'm in the exact same boat as y'all -- accepted with $5k in funding, but McCourt is way, way too expensive for that to be anywhere close to enough. Where else are you considering? 

[MLB87]

@dwestlakeg I've been wait-listed at Georgetown, so that's not even an option for me yet. My options right now include Harris ($15K/ year) and GWU ($20K/ year). At this point, it looks like GWU is the only viable option (though Harris and GWU gave me similar amounts of funding, Harris is WAY more expensive). Unless I somehow get into Kennedy and (somehow) receive an amazing scholarship package, I'll be in DC this Fall (I'm honestly super excited about this option). 

[fallmpp2017]

On 3/2/2017 at 1:12 PM, dwestlakeg said:

@fallmpp2017 @MLB87 I'm in the exact same boat as y'all -- accepted with $5k in funding, but McCourt is way, way too expensive for that to be anywhere close to enough. Where else are you considering? 

Still waiting to hear back from other schools, but so far I got into Heinz with most of it covered, so Georgetown is out now haha!

[s678]

@tmend Still no change for me! Everyone else, did your status ever change to "under review" or anything similar? Or did it just say submitted until you got the decision? Last communication was a Thank You for your Application form email that said they were compiling everything, it would take 2-3 weeks, and they'd let us know if anything was missing. Nothing is per the site and it looks like some decisions came out March 1 and at least one on March 2, so I'm not too worried -- yet!

[SenNoodles]

FWIW, McCourt is usually pretty open to negotiating - if you got in and it's your top/a top choice but didn't get enough funding to make it affordable, you should try to negotiate. I'm a first-year at McCourt now and most of my friends have a significant portion of their tuition covered, but many had to negotiate to get it.

[thex11factor]

I am looking at the Enrollment Checklist, and looked at the Conditions of Admissions (i.e. Econ prereq). Is that in a completely separate letter? Is that sent immediately or with the admissions offer?

[nahuja32]

13 hours ago, SenNoodles said:

FWIW, McCourt is usually pretty open to negotiating - if you got in and it's your top/a top choice but didn't get enough funding to make it affordable, you should try to negotiate. I'm a first-year at McCourt now and most of my friends have a significant portion of their tuition covered, but many had to negotiate to get it.

Thank you for the tip, SenNoodles. Yes, it is my top choice. Will surely shoot an email. 

[thex11factor]

is there just no interest/applicants to Georgetown? would love to get a sense of how this compares to other programs

[nahuja32]

This is something I'd drafted earlier when someone had asked me about the Pros and Cons of McCourt -

Pros 

1. Washington DC. Need I say more? I mean, if you're studying politics/policy, you should be in DC. Some 90% of the 90% that get placed stay back in DC. All the jobs are here. 

2. Opportunities to work part time with the organisations you'd to work at post graduation by being an RA/TAs (the professors are always working on some projects or the other). These professors will also ensure you get a job. 

3. Great coursework. 

4. No language issues. (I was comparing studying in the states to studying in Europe) 

Cons

1. Cost. Cost. Cost. Cost. Cost. $$$$$$$$

2. While it is the best according to me (esp because it's located in DC), some people believe SIPA or Harris are better. (according to my research, however, it's easier to get a job if you study at Georgetown) 

 

I don't think there is lack of interest for McCourt. I don't really know why this thread is so dead. I'm extremely keen on McCourt and it is surely my top choice (applied to Tufts, UChicago, Columbia, Georgetown, Grad Institute Geneva, NUS and Hertie Berlin) 

Edited March 9, 2017 by nahuja32
Error

[nahuja32]

29 minutes ago, thex11factor said:

is there just no interest/applicants to Georgetown? would love to get a sense of how this compares to other programs

The above message was a response to this. 

[sturdyelm]

I declined my spot at Georgetown (because I had two much higher funding offers at programs that are a better fit for my policy interests), so hopefully that opens up a spot for one of you on the waitlist for whom Georgetown is your top choice. Best of luck to everyone!

[thex11factor]

when I look at the curriculum, 30 out of 48 credits are set in stone (core + capstone)...does that deter anyone? that leaves about 6 elective courses (assuming 3 credits per course)