This is the third entry in our “Top 10″ list to assist you with understanding the process of submitting your 2012 admission application to SIPA.  This entry is focused on advice regarding the personal statement.

The personal statement is probably the most important part of an application because it helps us to learn about your passion, goals, and the impact you wish to make.  As much as we would like to, we are unable to conduct interviews with applicants as part of the admission process and you can think of your personal statement as a type of interview.

If you could only spend 10-15 minutes in front of the Admissions Committee, what would you say to ensure us that you would be a contributing student in our program?  Your personal statement is your opportunity to “speak” to the Admissions Committee.

Question:  Do I have to follow the format of the personal statement?

Answer: Yes.  Our personal statement is broken into three parts, each with an associated word limit (one year PESP applicants see special note below).  Applicants should follow the instructions and keep within the stated word limits.  Applicants that obviously try to substitute a statement written according to another school’s requirements are judged harshly in the admissions process.  Following directions is an important part of the process of applying.

The majority of this entry addresses the first part of the personal statement.  We generally do not provide instructions regarding the second part because we want each applicant to answer in their own way.  For the second part, we are interested in how applicants choose to respond to the question and thus have no specific advice on what constitutes a “good” part 2 answer.

The third part of the personal statement is wide open.  We provide space where you can include information you wish for the Committee to be aware of that might not be highlighted in other parts of your application or that you feel will shed light on some aspect of your past or future goals.  Part three can focus on things you are proud of, or perhaps not so proud of.  The Admissions Committee would prefer to see something in section 3 so please try not to leave it blank.

Question:  Do you have any general advice regarding the personal statement?

Answer: Yes, and the rest of this entry will focus on advice for you to consider.

For one, I would not quote anyone in your personal statement.  For example, it would not be wise to say something along the lines of the following -

I want to join SIPA because like Gandhi said, “I wish to be the change I wish to see in the world.”

While this is a nice quote and Gandhi was an incredible person, the Admissions Committee is not making a decision to admit Gandhi to SIPA – we are considering admitting you to our program.  Thus we are not so interested in what Gandhi has to say, rather we are  interested in what you have to say.  Also, when you quote someone else it in essence says, “I could not think of anything on my own to say, so let me let someone else do it for me.”

At SIPA we are looking for creative, passionate, smart, driven, and competent people.  The best personal statements are just that – personal.  We want to hear from you.  The best applicants each year become quotable.  When an Admissions Committee member is impressed with what an applicant has written, they will often call attention to this when discussing the application.  So your goal should be to become quotable, not to quote someone else.

Another note is that your answer to section one should not simply be your résumé in paragraph format.  In order to get your point across in your personal statement it might be necessary to restate information already included in your résumé, however do not restate information without a specific reason or goal.

One thing not to do for example is to tell us in your personal statement where you went to school.  Many applicants will mention the name of their school in the personal statement.  What is wrong with this?  Well, you sent us your transcript and you state where you went to school in your résumé, why would we need to be told a third time where you went to school?  Use your personal statement to get across new information that might not be contained in other parts of your application.

Your answer to part one of the personal statement should particularly be about what you hope to accomplish in the future.  What are you passionate about?  What are your goals?  What impact do you hope to make on the world?  Most of the contents of your application are about your past, we want a glimpse into your future.

One thing we are trying to determine is if SIPA is the right program for you.  We are also trying to determine the type of contribution you will make as a student and alumnus of our program.  We do understand that you might not know exactly what you wish to do, however you should try to be as specific as you can.  For example, if you are interested in development, is there a region or particular group of people you wish to focus on?

Strong responses to part one are focused and clear. An example of not being focused is to say that you wish to work for the United Nations. Just saying this alone is too vague. The United Nations is comprised of a multitude of organizations, doing a multitude of different things, in a multitude of different places. Listing a broad policy objective without context is also a common mistake. Whatever you hope to do, you should integrate the who, what, where, how, and why elements into your statement.

Address questions such as: Who do you wish to impact? Is there a specific region, city, country, locality you are passionate about? What population do you hope to serve? What concerns you about the future and how do you hope to address policy questions to make a difference? What skills will SIPA help you to develop? Is there a sector that is most appealing to you? (Non-profit, multilateral, for profit, public). Do you hope to go in a new direction and why? Specificity is important.

The most outstanding personal statements each year become a part of discussions amongst members of the Admissions Committee.  Each person is different and has a different history and goals.  Make sure to pour yourself into your personal statement and it will likely stand out because no two people are the same.

Here again are the three parts of the personal statement we are asking applicants for the fall 2012 semester to respond to.  SPECIAL NOTE: applicants to our one year Program in Environmental Science and Policy should ONLY respond to section one and have 1,000 words to do so.  All other Master degree applicants should address all three sections.

Section One (500 Word Maximum)

What distinct impact do you hope to have on the world in the future? Please be as clear as possible about your future goals, the policy/public service issue(s) you are passionate about, and your personal motivation(s). Be sure to include details regarding the features of SIPA that you believe are integral to helping you in your pursuits and what skills you need to develop to achieve a lasting impact.

Section Two – (300 Word Maximum)

Please CHOOSE ONE of these options to write about – do not address both, pick one or the other.  All relevant information should be included in the statement.  For example, the organization information (option 1) or issue you are responding to (option 2) should be included in the 300 words.  In other words, you may not submit more than 300 words so include everything in your response.

1. A competition is being conducted that will provide one million dollars as seed funding to start a new organization.  The competition requires a 300 word essay/statement.  Compose a 300 word essay/statement to submit in order to be considered for this seed funding.

2. You have just read a news story that has deeply moved you.  Compose a 300 word response in the form of a letter to the editor.  The news story you are responding to can be real or fictional and does not need to be limited to the present time – it can be framed in the past, present, or future.

Section Three (200 Word Maximum)

Please share any additional information about yourself that you believe would be of interest to the Admissions Committee. Please focus on information that is not already reflected in the other parts of your application or might not be clear in the information submitted.

The Admissions Committee recently finalized the personal statement topics that will be used for the 2012 application cycle.  Responses to the three topics below are required to apply to the two-year, full-time MIA, MPA, and MPA-DP programs, the one-year Program in Economic Policy Management Program (PEPM), and the Executive MPA  program (EMPA).

Only one program will not follow the three topic format.  Applicants to the one-year Program in Environmental Science and Policy (PESP) will be required to only address the first topic and will have 1,000 words to do so.  PESP applicants should not address topics 2 or 3.

Advice on composing responses to the topics will be addressed in future blog entries so make sure you are subscribed to the blog to keep up with updates.

First Topic (500 Word Maximum)

What distinct impact do you hope to have on the world in the future? Please be as clear as possible about your future goals, the policy/public service issue(s) you are passionate about, and your personal motivation(s). Be sure to include details regarding the features of SIPA that you believe are integral to helping you in your pursuits and what skills you need to develop to achieve a lasting impact.

Second Topic (300 Word Maximum)

Please CHOOSE ONE of these options to write about – do not address both, pick one or the other.

1.    A competition is being conducted that will provide one million dollars as seed funding to start a new organization.  The competition requires a 300 word essay/statement.  Compose a 300 word essay/statement to submit in order to be considered for this seed funding.

2.    You have just read a news story that has deeply moved you.  Compose a 300 word response in the form of a letter to the editor.  The news story you are responding to can be real or fictional and does not need to be limited to the present time – it can be framed in the past, present, or future.

Third Topic (200 Word Maximum)

Please share any additional information about yourself that you believe would be of interest to the Admissions Committee. Please focus on information that is not already reflected in the other parts of your application or might not be clear in the information submitted.

Imagine going to sleep and waking up 30 years later. What would sustainability in New York City look like?

Recent SIPA grad Roberto Leal (MPA ESP ’11) looks insightfully ahead in an essay submitted to “Energy for Tomorrow,” an online debate and competition sponsored by Time, Fortune and Shell. Writers were asked to explore energy innovations in the urban environment and how they will affect consumer behavior. Leal’s essay has advanced to the final round.

Leal tells the story of a student who wakes up in the future “to find a sustainable urban environment where consumer trends have adapted to environmental demands: environmentally friendly transport is fuelled by clean energy, new innovations in the power sector have resulted in its decentralization, renewable energy abounds and everyday products are grown in urban farms.”

This is the third entry in our “Top 10″ list to assist you with understanding the process of submitting your admission application to SIPA.  This entry is focused on advice regarding the personal statement.

The personal statement is probably the most important part of an application because it helps us to learn about your passion, goals, and the impact you wish to make.  We do not conduct interviews with applicants as part of the admission process and you can think of your personal statement as a type of interview.

If you could only spend 10-15 minutes in front of the Admissions Committee, what would you say to ensure us that you would be a contributing student in our program?  Your personal statement is your opportunity to “speak” to the Admissions Committee.

Question:  Do I have to follow the format of the personal statement?

Answer: Yes.  Our personal statement is broken into three parts, each with an associated word limit.  Applicants should follow the instructions and keep within the stated word limits.  Applicants that obviously try to substitute a statement written according to another school’s guidance are judged harshly in the admissions process.  Following directions is an important part of the process of applying.

The majority of this entry addresses the first part of the personal statement.  We generally do not provide instructions regarding the second part because we want each applicant to answer in their own way.  For the second part, we are interested on how applicants choose to respond to the question and thus have no specific advice.

The third part of the personal statement is wide open.  We provide space where you can include information you wish for the Committee to be aware of that might not be highlighted in other parts of your application or that you feel will shed light on some aspect of your past or future goals.  Part three can focus on things you are proud of, or perhaps not so proud of.  Part 3 of the personal statement is mandatory.  It would be unwise to leave Part 3 blank.

Question:  Do you have any general advice regarding the personal statement?

Answer: Yes, and the rest of this entry will focus on advice for you to consider.

For one, I would not quote anyone in your personal statement.  For example, it would not be wise to say something along the lines of the following -

I want to join SIPA because like Gandhi said, “I wish to be the change I wish to see in the world.”

While this is a nice quote and Gandhi was an incredible person, I am not making a decision to admit Gandhi to SIPA, I am considering admitting you to our program.  Thus I am not so interested in what Gandhi has to say, rather I am interested in what you have to say.  Also, when you quote someone else it in essence says, “I could not think of anything on my own to say, so let me let someone else do it for me.”

At SIPA we are looking for creative, passionate, smart, driven, and competent people.  The best personal statements are just that – personal.  We want to hear from you.  The best applicants each year become quotable.  When an Admissions Committee member is impressed with what an applicant has written, they will often call attention to this when discussing the application.  So your goal should be to become quotable, not to quote someone else.

Another note is that your answer to section one should not simply be your résumé in paragraph format.  In order to get your point across in your personal statement it might be necessary to restate information already included in your résumé, however do not restate information without a specific reason or goal.

One thing not to do for example is to tell us in your personal statement where you went to school.  Many applicants will mention the name of their school in the personal statement.  What is wrong with this?  Well, you sent us your transcript and you state where you went to school in your résumé, why would we need to be told a third time where you went to school?  Use your personal statement to get across new information that might not be contained in other parts of your application.

Your answer to part one of the personal statement should particularly be about what you hope to accomplish in the future.  What are you passionate about?  What are your goals?  What impact do you hope to make on the world?  Most of the contents of your application are about your past, we want a glimpse into your future.

One thing we are trying to determine is if SIPA is the right program for you.  We are also trying to determine the type of contribution you will make as a student and alumnus of our program.  We do understand that you might not know exactly what you wish to do, however you should try to be as specific as you can.  For example, if you are interested in development, is there a region or particular group of people you wish to focus on?

Strong responses to part one are focused and clear. An example of not being focused is to say that you wish to work for the United Nations. Just saying this alone is too vague. The United Nations is comprised of a multitude of organizations, doing a multitude of different things, in a multitude of different places. Listing a broad policy objective without context is also a common mistake. Whatever you hope to do, you should integrate the who, what, where, how, and why elements into your statement.

Address questions such as: Who do you wish to impact? Is there a specific region, city, country, locality you are passionate about? What population do you hope to serve? What concerns you about the future and how do you hope to address policy questions to make a difference? What skills will SIPA help you to develop? Is there a sector that is most appealing to you? (Non-profit, multilateral, for profit, public). Do you hope to go in a new direction and why? Specificity is important.

The most outstanding personal statements each year become a part of discussions amongst members of the Admissions Committee.  Each person is different and has a different history and goals.  Make sure to pour yourself into your personal statement and it will likely stand out because no two people are the same.

Here again are the three parts of the personal statement we are asking applicants for the fall 2011 semester to respond to:

First Question (500 Word Maximum)

What distinct impact do you hope to have on the world in the future? Please be as clear as possible about your future goals, the policy/public service issue(s) you are passionate about, and your personal motivation(s). Be sure to include details regarding the features of SIPA that you believe are integral to helping you in your pursuits and what skills you need to develop to achieve a lasting impact.

Second Question/Topic (300 Word Maximum)

Please CHOOSE ONE of these options to write about – do not address both, pick one or the other.

1. Describe a policy issue that has impacted your life, either in a negative or positive way. If given the opportunity to amend the policy, what action would you take and why?

2. Describe a conversation or experience that challenged your beliefs or caused you to reevaluate your perspective on life.

Third Question/Response (200 Word Maximum)

Please share any additional information about yourself that you believe would be of interest to the Admissions Committee. Please focus on information that is not already reflected in the other parts of your application or might not be clear in the information submitted.

For readers of the blog that are interested in submitting an application for spring or fall of 2011 I want to provide a brief update on where we are in the process.  Each summer the Admissions Committee meets to review the most recent cycle and we discuss changes we would like to make to the application.  Over 6-8 weeks we then review and approve new questions, update fields, and make sure everything is mapped out correctly.

Not to get too detailed, but getting hundreds of fields of information from an online application to print on a form correctly can be a bit painstaking.  Some day we might have a paperless review process, but for now we print several thousand applications and they get passed around the building for review.

We are about 6 weeks into the process right now and have just under 2 weeks to hit our goal of having the application live for input starting on August 15th.  As soon as the application is live I will post a message to this blog.  For now we would ask that interested applicants hold off on starting an application.  If you have started an application that is fine, but we do not recommend continuing until after we post the updates we are working on.

There area a few details that I hope to release here on the blog prior to August 15th.  For example, the Admissions Committee is in the final stage of approving the personal statement questions/topics we will use for the coming year.  We will not be using the same set of questions that we used last year.  There will likely be three topics applicants will be asked to write on and the Committee is close to agreement.  I am hopeful that the personal statement topics will be approved soon and when I have final confirmation I will post details here on the blog.

Overall the changes to the application will not be major.  We will continue to ask for two résumés, three letters of recommendation, transcripts from all coursework completed after high school, GRE or GMAT scores, an English language exam if applicable, and a personal statement broken into three sections.

Also of note is that 100% of the application process can be completed online – we do not need to have a single document mailed to our office to review an application file.  All of the necessary information can be submitted on the application site via data entry or upload.  Further details on our process will be available here in the coming weeks.

I will spend some time over the next month providing advice on completing our requirements so stay tuned.  As a reminder the application deadline for spring 2011 is October 1st and the deadline for fall 2011 is January 5th.

We have received numerous emails from applicants asking if it is okay to rearrange the personal statement requirement.  As a reminder, the personal statement is broken into three questions, each with an associated word limit.  Examples of questions submitted recently include:

• Is it okay if I answer the three questions but change the word limits to fit my needs?
• Can I just substitute one long statement in place of the three questions that are asked?

One thing that interests the Committee is an applicant’s ability to follow instructions.  Thus the Committee expects to see the personal statement fit the format that has been set by the Committee.  We therefore ask that each applicant follow the associated word limits and respond to the questions that are set forth in the application.  Not following the instructions set forth may be negatively viewed by the Committee.

For more information on composing a compelling personal statement, please review this past blog entry.

One of the most common questions we receive centers around the question of what could be called “eligibility” for our program. I completely understand where applicants are coming from regarding such questions, but I do want to emphasize that the Admissions Committee at SIPA does not use any sort of formula to admit students. The process of evaluating applicants for admission is very holistic and we look at each part of the application.

Besides possessing a college degree, there are no specific criteria for admission. There are surely things applicants can do to strengthen their candidacy for our program but we do not require a specific GPA, certain test scores, a particular major, or a certain number of years of work experience. We get questions such as the following all of the time:

There certainly are generalizations that can be made about the majority of those who are admitted to SIPA. The average age of an admitted SIPA applicant is approximately 27. However we have had students as young as 21 join us. The majority of applicants that apply to SIPA have completed a microeconomics and macroeconomics class. Is it a requirement that all applicants have completed such a sequence prior to being admitted? No.

I do not want to sound like a politician who is dancing around the question and I understand the desire applicants have for “concrete” answers, but admission decisions really come down to an applicant’s story – a story the encompasses each and every part of the application.

In the past I worked for a school with a strong focus on arts, entertainment, music, and media. One faculty member left an impression upon me because he constantly stated something along the lines of the following:

“The success of a movie has everything to do with the story. You can have the best actors, the best special effects, the best soundtrack . . . but without a good story such resources just go to waste.”

Something similar can be said about applicants.  Some applicants possess very relevant experience but are unable to bring everything together in their application.  This may result in a scattered application with no real discernible theme or story.

On the other hand, there may be an applicant with seemingly unrelated experience and a major that was far afield from what they wish to study at SIPA, however s/he does a superb job of making sense of all of the parts by weaving all of the parts of their application together into a compelling story.  This might be accomplished through the choice of recommendation writers, compelling volunteer work, and a focused personal statement.

The personal statement really is the “glue” that holds the entire application together.  We would love to interview each candidate for admission but are unable to do so.  Thus your personal statement is where we get to know you.  It is divided into three questions and in question #1 you really should focus on your passion, future goals, what you hope to gain from SIPA, and what you will contribute to SIPA.  Questions 2 and 3 are wide open, but you should write wisely and try to include information that contributes to the story you are trying to convey in your application.

In sum, there are general characteristics that we look for in an applicant, but in the end a compelling story, mixed with evidence of academic and professional competence that will allow one to handle our curriculum, is really what helps an applicant to stand out.

One final note, some applicants have questions concerning our desire to see evidence of success with quantitative methods/economics at the undergraduate level.  Why is this important?  Well all SIPA students, regardless of degree or major, are required to take a full year of economics, a quantitative analysis class, and a financial management class.  As you might imagine, those with little to no previous experience in these areas would likely struggle greatly with our curriculum.   Also, second year fellowship consideration is tied to academic performance in the first year of study and a certain way to disqualify oneself from fellowship consideration is to do poorly in these classes, which are all first year requirements.  Thus, we do like to see evidence in an application of success in classes that relate to quantitative methods.

I wanted to let everyone know that each summer we take our application off line for a period of time to perform maintenance and implement changes to improve the process.  Yesterday we posted a message on the application site stating that the application is currently unavailable.  Our goal is to have the application up and ready to go for the coming year on August 15th.

Just because the application is down for maintainence does not mean that you cannot read about the requirements.  I recently completed an update to our application information page.  Please click here to read about the application requirements, deadlines, and program information.  Please stay tuned to the blog as well because I will continue to post detailed information related to the application requirements and changes that we are making to the process this year.

If you have had the opportunity to attend an information session at SIPA that I have led you might remember that I take a minute or two to talk about applying for outside awards and scholarships.  Part of my speech is to always be prepared.  In the instance below, if you are qualified admitted applicant, you could earn $22,500 toward your costs at SIPA.

I talk specifically about two things.  One is that once you start applying for outside scholarships you might recognize that the essay questions might not sound all that different.  Thus if you apply for one or two scholarships and write an essay, you just may very well be able to use the essay again or modify it slightly for submission for another opportunity you discover.

Second is advice that I credit to my high school guidance counselor, Ms. Steele.  Ms. Steele encouraged me to continue to look for scholarships as long as I was a student (the process never stops), and to be prepared, to ask those composing a letter of recommendation for me to print multiple copies, seal them each in an individual envelop, and give them to me so that each time I found out about a new opportunity I would be prepared.  So if I found about ten different scholarship opportunities and I had ten envelops each containing a letter of recommendation, I did not need to bother my recommendation writer ten different times.

You never know when you might find out about an opportunity that fits you, and it helps greatly to be prepared.  It just so happens that I found out about a great opportunity for admitted SIPA applicants, and the deadline is next Wednesday.  Yes, not a lot of time.  Thus being prepared for opportunities like this turns out to be pretty good advice.

The details, application, and program guidelines are below.  Good luck!

The Center for International Conflict Resolution (CICR) at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and the Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea of the Italian Government are pleased to announce the establishment of the Fund for Environment and Conflict Resolution (The Fund).

Over a period three years, the $2 Million Fund will provide support for research, teaching and fellowships. Thanks to The Fund, CICR will promote research conducted by prominent scholars at Columbia University, in Italy and other countries around the issue of the global environment and conflict resolution.

The Fund has three major focus areas. First, it will look at the relationships between sustainable development and post-conflict in the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan, Peru and Colombia where the Italian Ministry has on-going activities. Second, the research will focus on the prevention of potential conflicts in the use of natural resources, paying particular attention to China, the Middle East and North Africa. Third, the research will focus on the relationship between climate change and international security. The Fund will also give the opportunity for fellowships and scholarships, for scholars and students interested in these areas.

The student must be from one of the following countries/regions in order to be considered for this fellowship: Italy, the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan, Peru, Colombia, China, the Middle East, and/or North Africa.

For more information on teaching, research and fellowships related to this grant please contact CICR’s Assistant Director, Josie Lianna Kaye, jlk2149@columbia.edu.

CICR Italian Overview

CICR Application

The most important part of an application to SIPA is most definitely the personal statement. The personal statement gives each applicant the chance to provide the Admissions Committee with a clear picture of what he or she hopes to gain from our program and to elaborate on career/life aspirations.

The best personal statements demonstrate clear focus, elaborate on passion and purpose, and are not vague. The personal statement should be just that: personal. As you describe your goals and the impact on the world you hope to make, you may weave into your statement unique attributes you possess, experiences that have been significant, and intangible things about you perhaps not included in the other parts of your application. Just remember that your passion and goals should be the focus. Your résumé is more about your past, your personal statement should give us a vision for the person you hope to become both during your time at SIPA and after you leave SIPA. Thus when information about your past is included, it should have a descriptive purpose.

The résumé and personal statement should tell us different things. One common mistake some applicants make is to write a personal statement that reads like a résumé. Effective statements expound on future goals and illustrate how the applicant believes concepts learned at SIPA can be applied in the formulation of effective policy.

Strong statements are focused and clear. An example of not being focused is to say that you wish to work for the United Nations. Just saying this alone is too vague. The United Nations is comprised of a multitude of organizations, doing a multitude of different things, in a multitude of different places. Listing a broad policy objective without context is also a common mistake. Whatever you hope to do, you should integrate the who, what, where, how, and why elements into your statement.

Address questions such as: Who do you wish to impact? Is there a specific region, city, country, locality you are passionate about? What population do you hope to serve? What concerns you about the future and how do you hope to address policy questions to make a difference? What skills will SIPA help you to develop? Is there a sector that is most appealing to you? (Non-profit, multilateral, for profit, public). Do you hope to go in a new direction and why? Specificity is important.

There is also a limit to the personal statement for SIPA: it must be 850 words or less. With this in mind, do not state the obvious. For example there is no need to provide the name of your undergraduate school in the personal statement: your transcripts are included in the application packet and this information is redundant. Thus, be wise with your word choice and focus on providing the Committee with a clear picture of what it is you hope to gain from our program and why you are committing two years of your life to obtain a professional policy degree.