UPenn GSE 2018

[llap8]

Hey all! I was just wondering if anyone who has applied to a Master’s program has heard back yet? My application was “ready for review” on January 28th, and I received an email on February 5th inviting me to an interview with the program directors. Additionally, if anyone has already gone through the interview process, I’d also appreciate some insight on what to expect / what this phase of the application process means. Thanks guys, and congratulations to those of you who have been accepted! 

Edited February 11, 2018 by llap8

[Lee_C]

Hey llap8,

I think it varies across programs. The program manager emailed me on Feb 2nd, saying that I will back from them in early March with no mention of an interview. 

However, this is for the Educational Entrepreneurship M.S. program at UPenn.

Which Masters program did you apply for? 

[llap8]

@Lee_C Thanks for the info, and good luck!

I’m sure you’re right about it varying. I applied to the Executive Master’s in School and Mental Health Counseling. I haven’t heard much from anyone else interested in that program. 

[clc1520]

17 hours ago, llap8 said:

Hey all! I was just wondering if anyone who has applied to a Master’s program has heard back yet? My application was “ready for review” on January 28th, and I received an email on February 5th inviting me to an interview with the program directors. Additionally, if anyone has already gone through the interview process, I’d also appreciate some insight on what to expect / what this phase of the application process means. Thanks guys, and congratulations to those of you who have been accepted! 

Congrats on the interview! I did not have one but I am sure it is a good sign that they would like to hear more from you.

To answer your question, my app was marked ready for review on Nov 14th and I received an email about a decision update on Feb 5th. Accepted into the reading/writing/literacy master's program! So, don't worry if it takes longer than the expected 4-6 weeks! 

[llap8]

6 hours ago, clc1520 said:

Congrats on the interview! I did not have one but I am sure it is a good sign that they would like to hear more from you.

To answer your question, my app was marked ready for review on Nov 14th and I received an email about a decision update on Feb 5th. Accepted into the reading/writing/literacy master's program! So, don't worry if it takes longer than the expected 4-6 weeks! 

Hey clc1520, 

I think that’s why I’m confused. I’m seeing people say that they’ve been definitively accepted or rejected (usually around 2/5), but I haven’t seen many people say anything about an interview. Maybe the SMHC directors are somewhat unique in asking for interviews. I appreciate your kindness, I’m hoping it means I’ve made it through some sort of a cut!

Congratulations on being accepted, that’s fantastic!! We’ll see how long it takes to hear back after the interview. I don’t think I could stand waiting as long as you did, haha.

[clc1520]

51 minutes ago, llap8 said:

Hey clc1520, 

I think that’s why I’m confused. I’m seeing people say that they’ve been definitively accepted or rejected (usually around 2/5), but I haven’t seen many people say anything about an interview. Maybe the SMHC directors are somewhat unique in asking for interviews. I appreciate your kindness, I’m hoping it means I’ve made it through some sort of a cut!

Congratulations on being accepted, that’s fantastic!! We’ll see how long it takes to hear back after the interview. I don’t think I could stand waiting as long as you did, haha.

Yes it makes sense that each program would have some different procedures for admissions, so I am sure it is nothing to be worried about!

P.S. you're right haha -- waiting almost three months was no fun at all!

[brainman1130]

Question- for their priority deadline, does that mean the app had to be in by then? or that your file said "ready for review" by then?

[brainman1130]

Also, does anyone know how long it takes to get a decision once your app is in? For the masters programs.

[easteregg]

@brainman1130 You just need to submit by the priority deadline. Last year, the higher ed division (I assume that's where you're applying based on your info) released decisions really quickly - a little over a week.

[brainman1130]

Thank you!

[RyanHGSE17]

On 2/11/2018 at 7:49 PM, llap8 said:

Hey clc1520, 

I think that’s why I’m confused. I’m seeing people say that they’ve been definitively accepted or rejected (usually around 2/5), but I haven’t seen many people say anything about an interview. Maybe the SMHC directors are somewhat unique in asking for interviews. I appreciate your kindness, I’m hoping it means I’ve made it through some sort of a cut!

Congratulations on being accepted, that’s fantastic!! We’ll see how long it takes to hear back after the interview. I don’t think I could stand waiting as long as you did, haha.

If you got an interview for the mental health counselor program, it typically means you are admitted. I go to Penn and know the chair of that dept. well. Have they just not followed up with you to arrange the interview time? Could simply be an admin snafu.

[RyanHGSE17]

On 1/28/2018 at 8:39 PM, clc1520 said:

hey there! i was accepted into the M.S.Ed in Education, Culture, and Society at UPenn with a 10,000 scholarship. a few questions: do folks who have gotten in / received merit scholarships recommend asking for more aid/scholarships if other schools offer you more / have you had success with that? additionally, after merit scholarships go out, is more aid usually offered?

 

Hi there. Congrats on your acceptance. I go to penn and am very close with the people in that program, and very familiar with it.

I know in the past, yes, people have leveraged offers of aid at other universities to make a case for greater aid at Penn. And it has worked. You'll need to correspond directly with Jason, the director of aid at GSE.

Yes, maybe a third to half of folks in ECS are focused on academia as opposed to pragmatic study. The required courses are heavily anthropological-historical, and you're allowed great flexibility outside them. That said, this program, next to Reading Writing Literacy, has by far the fewest number of required classes. You can audit/take more pragmatic classes from the Nonprofit Leadership Development Division, too. You have 6 required courses that are entirely up to you. And you can take electives anywhere.

Best of luck.

[RyanHGSE17]

On 1/11/2018 at 1:43 PM, ohrice said:

I had an interview with a professor from UCI back in December.

I applied to Harvard, UCLA, UCI, Stanford, Berkeley, and UPenn.

Did you hear back from Berkeley yet, by chance? I think their offers went out today.

[ohrice]

1 hour ago, RyanHGSE17 said:

Did you hear back from Berkeley yet, by chance? I think their offers went out today.

I did not. Guess I didn't get in!

[llap8]

20 hours ago, RyanHGSE17 said:

If you got an interview for the mental health counselor program, it typically means you are admitted. I go to Penn and know the chair of that dept. well. Have they just not followed up with you to arrange the interview time? Could simply be an admin snafu.

Hi RyanHGSE17,

Thank you for your response, that’s great to know! They did follow up pretty immediately with me, and my interview is scheduled for this coming week. Do you by chance have any insight on what to expect? I was told that the interview should be fairly informal. Thanks again! 

[RyanHGSE17]

On 2/16/2018 at 8:01 PM, ohrice said:

I did not. Guess I didn't get in!

#SameGirlSame

[RyanHGSE17]

On 2/17/2018 at 2:34 PM, llap8 said:

Thank you for your response, that’s great to know! They did follow up pretty immediately with me, and my interview is scheduled for this coming week. Do you by chance have any insight on what to expect? I was told that the interview should be fairly informal. Thanks again! 

Nope. I think it's informal and I'm quite sure you'll be fine. :-) Welcome (probably) to penn. 

[harthart]

On 1/28/2018 at 8:39 PM, clc1520 said:

Congrats on your acceptance! Glad you got into your first choice! Out of curiosity, when was your application marked ready for review?

Mine was back on Nov. 14th and I have been anxiously awaiting news one way or the other! (I applied to the master's in reading, writing, and literacy.)

Hey! Sorry for the late response and thanks for your kind words. My application was marked ready for review Dec. 22 and I was notified that my decision was available Jan. 22. I was really surprised by the quick turnaround, and from what I've heard from others it is not common to hear back that quickly. 

Good luck to you! 

[harthart]

On 2/16/2018 at 6:59 PM, RyanHGSE17 said:

Hi there. Congrats on your acceptance. I go to penn and am very close with the people in that program, and very familiar with it.

I know in the past, yes, people have leveraged offers of aid at other universities to make a case for greater aid at Penn. And it has worked. You'll need to correspond directly with Jason, the director of aid at GSE.

Yes, maybe a third to half of folks in ECS are focused on academia as opposed to pragmatic study. The required courses are heavily anthropological-historical, and you're allowed great flexibility outside them. That said, this program, next to Reading Writing Literacy, has by far the fewest number of required classes. You can audit/take more pragmatic classes from the Nonprofit Leadership Development Division, too. You have 6 required courses that are entirely up to you. And you can take electives anywhere.

Best of luck.

Thanks so much for your notes-- super helpful  

[easteregg]

On 2/16/2018 at 6:59 PM, RyanHGSE17 said:

hat said, this program, next to Reading Writing Literacy, has by far the fewest number of required classes. You can audit/take more pragmatic classes from the Nonprofit Leadership Development Division, too. You have 6 required courses that are entirely up to you. And you can take electives anywhere.

Best of luck.

@RyanHGSE17 just want to chime in that higher ed also has the fewest number of "required" classes at Penn GSE (in case someone reading here is wondering haha). Technically no specific classes are required, just need to take 4 classes in higher ed which is similar to ECS (3 specific classes required + one research class). Friends in RWL say they are required to take like 6 or 7 classes and have a required fieldwork too.

[llap8]

Received an email tonight telling me the decision was updated on the online application. Good luck to all of you! 

Edited February 23, 2018 by llap8

[POLITICALPEARL8]

12 hours ago, llap8 said:

Received an email tonight telling me the decision was updated on the online application. Good luck to all of you! 

Thank you for the update. Do you know if this is for Masters or Doctoral applicants? Everyone? 

[RyanHGSE17]

On 2/20/2018 at 7:20 PM, easteregg said:

@RyanHGSE17 just want to chime in that higher ed also has the fewest number of "required" classes at Penn GSE (in case someone reading here is wondering haha). Technically no specific classes are required, just need to take 4 classes in higher ed which is similar to ECS (3 specific classes required + one research class). Friends in RWL say they are required to take like 6 or 7 classes and have a required fieldwork too.

Sorry for the confusion. That's actually not true. In RWL you have to take 3 classes, but 11 total. If you want the READING SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION, those have very specific requirements.

My impression from the website and convos with other higher ed students is it is more restrictive but it sounds like you are here and in the program and maybe know me so I'm glad it worked out.

[Molly123]

Hi all....I applied for the EdD program and I attended the doctoral weekend...anyone know or hear anything about acceptances or rejections for PhD or EdD's going out?!? Thanks!

[highered01]

6 hours ago, Molly123 said:

Hi all....I applied for the EdD program and I attended the doctoral weekend...anyone know or hear anything about acceptances or rejections for PhD or EdD's going out?!? Thanks!

Hey, @Molly123 and others! I also attended the doctoral weekend and heard Penn GSE will send emails with all final decisions on March 1 (Thursday).