Archive for Admissions – Page 59

A day in Admissions

9am: [large] coffee in hand, I was ready to conquer the applications I left sitting on my desk the night before…

then the day got started…

9:30am: followed up on some emails.  counted days left before majority of the admission decisions are released in March <panic>.

10am: Fellowship Committee Meeting — reevaluating how funds are dispersed for 1st and 2nd year students.

11am: crunched some application numbers — approximately 90% of applications submitted are complete.  If you haven’t sent in your missing documents — you know who you are — please send them in.

12pm: MIA/MPA information Session today —  Thank you for joining us!

2pm – 5pm: I blocked a couple of hours today to read files but with the multiple interruptions throughout the day from conversations about Disneyland and peanut M&Ms (an office favorite) to calming over anxious callers to mandatory computer software updates… I was only able to live vicariously through a few applicants as they talked about their commitment to public service and their exploration of the world and of themselves… Unfortunately, by the end of the day the stack did not get much shorter — not a very productive reading day.

5pm:  take a break to recap the day on the Admissions Blog, which I have dreadfully neglected for weeks.

6pm:  somehow more files have found their way into my office.   Guess I will have some interesting reading this weekend (while my babies nap).

Looking for financial aid?

Financing a graduate education is a challenge. To assist in this regard, SIPA’s Office of Admissions and Financial Aid works with SIPA students to explore their options for loans, fellowships, and work study programs.  SIPA’s fellowship and assistantship funds (funds that do not have to be repaid after graduation) are very limited.

Therefore, you should be looking for external sources of funding.  A great resource to begin your search for such awards is the SIPA Database for External Grants and Fellowships that can be accessed at: www.sipa.columbia.edu/fellowships/. The database is updated regularly whenever we hear of new fellowship opportunities.  Recently, we added a new fellowship opportunity (EFN) for prospective applicants who are from Malawi, Mozambique, Nepal or the Eastern Pacific Ocean region.  We recommend that interested applicants start to search for fellowships, as soon as possible and not wait until you receive admission into a program to start the search process so you do not miss any deadlines.

 

Are you ready?

Great things await you… but first you need to submit your application.

Today (January 5th) is the application deadline for our MIA/MPA two year degree program.  Make sure you have all your “i” dotted and “t” crossed before you hit the “SUBMIT” button.

Decision notifications are posted to the application Web site.  You will receive an email when the decision is available.  Admitted candidates will receive a hard copy of the admission letter.  We do not mail hard copy letters to applicants who are not admitted.  Decisions are communicated in early March.  All applications are read during the same period (beginning now), therefore all decisions are released roughly around the same time.

Good luck!

 

A friendly reminder…

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

New Year has been a time for looking back to the past, and more importantly, forward to the coming year. It’s a time to reflect on the changes we want (or need) to make and resolve to follow through on those changes.  Usually “help others” and “learn something new” make the list of things to accomplish in the new year — what better way to achieve those goals than to be at SIPA.  Our mission is to empower people to serve the greater public interest so as a student here; you will learn new skills that will prepare you to make a positive impact on people’s lives.

Don’t miss your opportunity to be considered for 2012 admission.  Learn more about our programs at:  www.sipa.columbia.edu.  Our application deadline for our two-year MIA/MPA program is this Thursday, January 5th.  Our MPA-DP application deadline is Friday, January 20th.  Please keep in mind that all materials must be received by the due date.   You can check online if we received documents you have submitted.

As always, feel free to contact the Office of Admission with any questions or concerns.

Good luck everyone!

Money for your studies

If you’re interested in pursuing a degree at SIPA, don’t let financial concerns be an obstacle to your goals.  The majority of SIPA students receive some type of financial assistance, including institutionally-funded Fellowships and Scholarships, student loans, and on-campus Work Study jobs.  Other students are supported by their employers or other third parties…so for many of our students, there are a number of financing options available.

Fellowships

SIPA fellowships provide students with varying combinations of tuition assistance (much like a grant or scholarship), stipends for living expenses, and part-time jobs on campus.  Fellowships are merit-based and competitive, and all you need to do is complete the Fellowship section of the SIPA Application for Admission and you’ll be considered (some programs have additional requirements, which are identified on the application).   If you haven’t completed your application yet, visit the SIPA Admissions page and click on either “Online Application” or “Download Application” to review; essays will be required, so it’s time to write!   If you are awarded a Fellowship, you must enroll for a full-time course load.

Whether you’re a domestic or international student, you can apply for a SIPA Fellowship or Scholarship.  For more information on these awards, click here.

Student Loans

Many long-term financing options are available in the form of loans from the Federal government and various private sources (the Federal loans typically offer better rates and terms).  Most loans are only available to domestic students.  To be considered, domestic students should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, at www.fafsa.gov.  The information collected on the FAFSA is used by Financial Aid staff to determine your eligibility for various types of loans.  We will notify you about what types of Federal student loans you qualify for and the amount.

There are also privately funded student loans available to use to supplement Federal student loans or in place of Federal loans for students who don’t qualify (including some for international students, with co-borrowers).  Most are credit-based.  For more information on private loans, click here.

Work-Study Employment

If you’re a domestic student, you might also qualify for a part-time position on campus under the Federal Work-Study program.  Click here for more information.

 

You’ll probably have questions about financing your education along the way.  The Financial Aid Office is available to assist you in any way we can.  Please feel free to contact us at [email protected] or 212-854-6216.

"The most global public policy school, where an international community of students and faculty address world challenges."

—Merit E. Janow, Dean, SIPA, Professor of Practice, International and Economic Law and International Affairs

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