Applying to NPSIA for 2018

[Sagnik_G]

@Chuupa I'm not sure about the whole getting your degree later thing, but I don't think you should have any problems with your transcripts and stuff being in French. I mean, the official languages of Canada are English AND French, and Ottawa is the capital and a bilingual city for the most part from what I understand, so I think you might not need to get them translated if they're in French, but do confirm with them when you can.

 

 

[Chuupa]

@Sagnik_G yeah, you make a good point for the whole translation thing. As for the ''getting my degree later'', I had the same issue when I started university. They left me until the end of october to get it, but I am not sure it will be the same for a master...

I am really nervous. I don't want to turn down my internship (I've been wanting it for 2 years)... At the same time, I don't know what I would do for a year if I have to wait. I hope I'll have an answer soon. 

[ZayyQs]

Damn. Struggling to cut my letter of intent, currently sitting at 2.5 pages. How's everyone else doing here?

Also, just noticed that in exactly two months we should be hearing back. Going to be a long wait my friends.

[sandradee]

@ZayyQs is it really in march when we find out? I thought I remember last years first rounds starting mid feb. Could be wrong tho. 

[ZayyQs]

13 hours ago, sandradee said:

@ZayyQs is it really in march when we find out? I thought I remember last years first rounds starting mid feb. Could be wrong tho. 

Ah, yes. That is true. First round of offers do go out earlier! 

[Chuupa]

I have written anything yet (I tried), I think I put too much pressure on myself ... Also, still not too sure what to say in it. 

Crazy to think that soon we'll know. 

[ZayyQs]

2 hours ago, Chuupa said:

I have written anything yet (I tried), I think I put too much pressure on myself ... Also, still not too sure what to say in it. 

Crazy to think that soon we'll know. 

I hope you've gotten around to your references at least.. Still plenty of time left for the rest

[LoopyLex]

Hi everyone! 

I'm a current NPSIA student and was in your shoes last year. Had some nice folks help me out then who were already in the program, and wanted to keep up that trend! If you have any questions about things, I might be able to answer! (I know our office is ridiculously busy this time of year so you might not be getting much for responses, haha). I'm also currently on the NPSIA Student Association and am a TA, so I can answer questions on those topics as well. Feel free to message me.

Good luck to you all!

Edited January 20, 2018 by LoopyLex

[Delidas]

Everything's all finished and submitted for me. With that, I've resigned myself to the waiting game. 

Hopefully, I won't need to wait too long. 

@LoopyLex Glad to have you here. I'll shoot you a question right now; do you have any idea how many TAships are offered each year? Do a good percentage of students manage to get one, in your experience? As a starving student (tm) trying to keep myself from fretting over my submitted application materials, I've started to fret about funding instead. 

[LoopyLex]

2 hours ago, Delidas said:

@LoopyLex Glad to have you here. I'll shoot you a question right now; do you have any idea how many TAships are offered each year? Do a good percentage of students manage to get one, in your experience? As a starving student (tm) trying to keep myself from fretting over my submitted application materials, I've started to fret about funding instead. 

As far as I know, there's no set number of TAships given out specifically to NPSIA. Rather, the likelihood you'll snag one seems to be based on what your background is in. I did my undergrad in political science/history and ended up TAing a LAW/HIST class. There aren't a lot of MA or PhD students in history at Carleton, so they have to find TAs for these classes in other departments such as NPSIA.

Basically, if you have a background in something where the number of undergrads significantly outweighs the number of MA or PhD students, you're more likely to snag a TAship. Since a lot of students have international affairs/conflict/policy etc. backgrounds, they're less likely to be given a TAship simply because there are not a lot of similar undergraduate classes. As a result, every year the number of NPSIA folk who get a TAship varies significantly. I know this year a significant number got either a TA or RA position than other years (maybe 40%? Many people I talked to actually declined the TA/RA offer because they already had other work or got funding elsewhere), but that could be because they had more students accepted from a variety of backgrounds. When we were asked how many students had a TA/RAship in our orientation, the fellow asking seemed very surprised by how many of us had one. Apparently in other years its been closer to 10-20%.

Hope that helps!

[bambing]

On 1/20/2018 at 4:53 PM, LoopyLex said:

Hi everyone! 

I'm a current NPSIA student and was in your shoes last year. Had some nice folks help me out then who were already in the program, and wanted to keep up that trend! If you have any questions about things, I might be able to answer! (I know our office is ridiculously busy this time of year so you might not be getting much for responses, haha). I'm also currently on the NPSIA Student Association and am a TA, so I can answer questions on those topics as well. Feel free to message me.

Good luck to you all!

Hey, I was just wondering, are there any students in your year that have a background in science? I am coming with that + experience abroad and within Canada so I am wondering what my chances might be. 

[LoopyLex]

3 hours ago, bambing said:

Hey, I was just wondering, are there any students in your year that have a background in science? I am coming with that + experience abroad and within Canada so I am wondering what my chances might be. 

I know of one who did her degree in neuroscience, and another that did a science degree in psychology. So yes! There's a lot of variety and someone from virtually every background. While I'd say 80% do come from a international affairs/political science background, it is by no means a requirement.

Edited January 24, 2018 by LoopyLex

[canuck103]

For the statement of intent, are there any specific topics or questions we need to address?

[Sagnik_G]

On 1/26/2018 at 2:38 AM, canuck103 said:

For the statement of intent, are there any specific topics or questions we need to address?

I just followed the instructions given in the Instructions PDF. My statement sort of focused largely on the research that I want to do with some context on why I want to research that, and what I'd like to do looking forward.

I didn't include many personal details, because I felt there are differences between a Personal Statement and Statement of Intent/Purpose. That might just be me though. I knew I was going to worry and regret anything I write after I submit it so I'm not even going to worry about it at this point.

[limbsun]

Hello everyone!

Longtime lurker here as well! I know this thread is for those who applied to NPSIA but did anyone also apply at GSPIA?? I am an international student from New York and just last week I got accepted to GSPIA (which I thought was really early!) so wanted to know if there's any international/domestic student who applied/got accepted to GSPIA.

[Chuupa]

@limbsun Hello ! I will apply to GSPIA, I just need to finish my letter of intent. I feel like international students know sooner if they got in or not. My friend applied to SIDGS and got in last week as well. I think for us it will be more like mid-february or beginning of march, though on last year's tread people knew a bit later than that for GSPIA.

Is GSPIA your first choice ? 

[limbsun]

Hi @Chuupa Good luck on your application! Ah, I see.. No, it is my second choice. My first choice is Munk, what about you?

[limbsun]

@Sagnik_G  Hi Sagnik, you said, "Couldn't really apply for other great IR programs like GSPIA or Munk because they're either too expensive or they want international students to already have a MA degree before applying which isn't viable for me." Is it Munk that only accepts international students who already have an MA degree? If so, hope not! Really would choose Munk over all programs I have applied to. I did get into GSPIA last week, an international student here too!

[sunshine18]

How many people here have completed an econ requirement?

[Delidas]

@Chuupa I think you might be on to something with international students hearing back sooner. As a Canadian, I've already heard back from two of the three European schools I applied to. That being said, I still need to wait for funding offers to go out. That's the real trick, ain't it? 

@sunshine18 I've completed both micro and macro. I'm not a numbers person, and I did fine. For those who might be lurking - I know it's what I've done in years past - I'd say this; keep up to date on your reading, and do practice questions whenever they're offered. A lot of economics builds off of itself, so if you're having trouble in the beginning, odds are you'll keep having trouble down the line. If you keep on top of it, though, you'll quickly know when/why you got an answer wrong. Very little subjectivity, which was a decent change of pace for a Liberal Arts major like myself. 

If you have a choice as to what order you do them in, start with micro. IMO, it's a lot easier to comprehend how people act individually before you start talking about aggregates. Maybe it's just me, though. 

[canuck103]

@sunshine18 I'm doing macro this semester and I'm taking micro over the summer. I am also taking Political Response to Globalization to try and have some more experience in macro/micro

[sandradee]

7 hours ago, sunshine18 said:

How many people here have completed an econ requirement?

Im not starting the courses until I know I've got in and that I'm going. (going depends on if funding is offered). Ill be doing them through Athabasca U online. Im terrified to do them, but I've made arrangements to live at home and work part time if I am doing them, so I'm hopeful that if I just concentrate on the courses that ill do ok. I hate that a B+ is needed. I genuinely wish a pass was enough at this point lol but we will see! 

[canuck103]

How old is everyone applying/are you still in university? I am only 20 and I am graduating early from my undergrad. 

[Chuupa]

@limbsun My first choice was actually NPSIA ! However, I took the TOEFL and got 28, 29, 30 and 23 (in the damn reading part)... NPSIA is asking to have at least 25 in every section of the test, so I cannot apply. I also don't have the econ requirement.  I wouldn't have mind doing it in the summer, but I am doing an internship in the Philippines and probably wouldn't be able to do both (since I hate numbers so bad). I was mad for a few days, I'm fine now.

So I am only applying to GSPIA and SIDGS. I know applying to 2 is a bad idea, but I think it's not worth spending money elsewhere if I don't really want to go there ? I would have applied to Munk if it wasn't for the tuition. UOttawa is already super expensive for me (we pay less than 3000$/year in Quebec).

@Delidas Oh wow ! Where did you apply ?  Maybe they tell international before to leave time to do all the paper work ? 

@canuck103 I just turned 22. My friend is also graduating at 20 and she is stressed about it. I really don't think it's an issue !

[Irwi]

Can anyone help? I cannot seem to find specific requirements for the letter of intent. Other Carleton programs seem to list details like "no more than one page single spaced," but I can't find anything specific for NPSIA. Has anyone figured this out?