COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog

A Note About SIPA’s Diversity Initiative

While researching SIPA for your graduate studies, you’ve probably noticed that the school is one of the most internationally-diverse institutions at Columbia University. In fact, students in the MIA/MPA 2013 class represent 51 different countries, and speak 41 native languages. Overall, 52 percent of the class is represented by international students! Thus, we truly cherish our diversity and the many unique…

Posted on November 7, 2014 by Columbia SIPA

4 Tips for Letters of Recommendation

One of the most valuable components of your application package are the letters of recommendation. These three letters tell us who you are from the perspectives of the professors, colleagues and supervisors who presumably know you the best. So make sure you chose three recommenders who, either individually or in aggregate, will give us the best sense…

Posted on November 6, 2014 by Kaitlyn Wells

Application Deadlines and Office hours

Hope you all enjoyed your weekend. There was a flurry of activity as candidates put together their applications for the November 1 Early Action deadline. Early Action decisions will be released before the new year. Hope to share some good cheers to a number of them in time for the holidays. If you did not…

Posted on November 3, 2014 by Columbia SIPA

6 Quick-and-Dirty Tips For An Outstanding Admissions Essay

Admissions essays can be one of the most daunting parts of the application process. Applicants often spend hours (or days) staring at a blank computer screen, just hoping for the perfect words to flow from their fingers to the keyboard. They don’t want this opportunity to go up in proverbial flames by writing down the wrong response, and…

Posted on October 30, 2014 by Kaitlyn Wells

Technology and Policy at SIPA

You normally don’t correlate cyberspace with policy but contrary to belief, it is closely tied together. I was reminded in a meeting today about all the great work SIPA is doing and the now many courses on the impact of technology on policy and cyber security issues. SIPA was granted a $1 Million grant…

Posted on October 29, 2014 by Columbia SIPA