Harris MPP Waitlist

[virgogrl56]

I was waitlisted for Harris's MPP program yesterday and since it's one of my top choices I was wondering if anyone had suggestions for anything I can do to improve my chances of getting off the waitlist. I'm taking the GRE again next month to hopefully boost my quant score (currently it's 153 and I'm aiming for around a 158) and I'm taking an online intro micro course spring semester (have not previously taken one). Is there anything else worth doing or looking into between now and May? Should I personally reach out to the admissions office expressing my interest? Thanks in advance! 

[Policy.Planner.NYC]

On 12/23/2017 at 4:37 PM, virgogrl56 said:

I was waitlisted for Harris's MPP program yesterday and since it's one of my top choices I was wondering if anyone had suggestions for anything I can do to improve my chances of getting off the waitlist. I'm taking the GRE again next month to hopefully boost my quant score (currently it's 153 and I'm aiming for around a 158) and I'm taking an online intro micro course spring semester (have not previously taken one). Is there anything else worth doing or looking into between now and May? Should I personally reach out to the admissions office expressing my interest? Thanks in advance! 

Hmmm... In my experience the admissions people have been quite helpful and friendly so it's definitely worth a shot. As for your GRE quant, I think they say somewhere on their website that they like quant scores above the 75th percentile which would be right around 160. So definitely aim as high as possible! I was admitted w/funding with a 164 but that's only one data point. You should search the results on GradCafe to get a better picture of what kinds of scores admitted students typically have. I think they definitely do admit students with less than 160 but it looks like they generally have pretty high GPAs and strong softs plus solid verbal GRE scores around the 90th percentile. Where else are you applying?

[Overloathe]

I had a student who was waitlisted at U-M's Ford and was told that an additional letter of recommendation could help. He was a good student so I agreed to write a letter and he was accepted off the waitlist not long after. I cannot speak for Harris but that might be worth a try. But make sure you can get a strong letter because at that point you're asking someone who was not among your original top choices!

Edited February 18, 2018 by Overloathe
grammar