Archive for application tips – Page 14

Can’t say it enough

Posted by Columbia SIPA 
· Friday, November 15th, 2013 
· 1 Comment

[As the saying goes] To put your best foot forward, below are some helpful tips to be aware of as you prepare your SIPA application.

  • Graduate School is expensive so finding money to fund your education is important.  Begin your search for scholarship early – Don’t wait until you have been admitted into a program before beginning that process – It may be too late by then to even be considered for some of the funding opportunities.  Many times scholarship application deadlines occur around the same time as an application deadline for the program you seek entrance.
  • Along the lines of scholarships, SIPA considers all admitted applicants for all applicable first-year fellowships. The only requirement for most awards is to complete and submit the admissions application and all supporting materials by the appropriate deadline.  SIPA also offers first-year students an opportunity to compete for additional named fellowships that require a separate application*; there may be specific eligibility requirements for each of these scholarships.    You will be able to access the scholarship application once you have submitted your fall admissions application, which will appear once you click “submit”.  This opportunity will offer applicants an additional chance to secure funding for their education at SIPA.  Awards vary with each scholarship.  *Available SIPA scholarships for first year students outside of the first year Merit Scholarship process: Dasturdaza Doctor Jal Pavry Award, Financial Women’s Association (FWA) Scholarship, Harriman Institute Fellowship, International Fellows Program, Ipeknur and Shwan Taha Fellowship, Julie Rasmussen Fellowship, Karen Klitzman Memorial Fellowship, Magzhan Auezov Fellowship, Ranjit Jayanti Fellowship, Rachel Spear Fellowship, Robert Kopech Fellowship, Romita Shetty and Nasser Ahmad Fellowship, Sainsbury Fellowship, Sara Jacobs Fellowship, the Most Honorable Bapsy Marchioness of Winchester Award, Robert Legvold Fellowship
  • Please make sure you proofread and edit your personal statement/essays before submitting them.  Tailor your essays to the school, even if it means writing different essays for each school you apply — Make sure you use the right school name if you are submitting similar essays to multiple schools.  And make sure you address the questions asked.
  • Recommendation letters – If the recommender cannot submit it online, they can email it to the SIPA Admissions Office.  Make sure you send them a reminder if they have not submitted the recommendation letter by the end of December — Give them enough time to write and submit it before the application deadline if they haven’t done so already.  And remember you do not need to wait for your recommendations to be received to submit your application.
  • While we do not have a minimum score for the GRE/GMAT, we do have one for the test that measures your English language proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS).  There is a minimum score needed for your application to be considered for admission.  So be mindful of it when you submit your application.  SIPA’s TOEFL/IELTS minimum scores are: TOEFL ibt: 100, TOEFL (computer): 250, TOEFL (paper): 600, and the IELTS is 7.0.
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Things Not To Do When You’re Applying To SIPA

Posted by Columbia SIPA 
· Tuesday, November 12th, 2013 
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We know that you’re really excited about your application to SIPA. We are too! However, there are a few things when you are applying that we want to strongly caution against. Please, for your sake and ours, heed this advice. It will only help your chances of gaining an acceptance letter from us.

  1. Do not send extra materials to us. We know that you are thrilled with your writing portfolio, or that the powerpoint presentation you made to your company went swimmingly. Unfortunately, with the number of applicants we have, there is simply not enough time to go through any additional materials, no matter how riveting they may be. Please refrain from sending anything that we don’t specifically ask for.
  2. When we ask for a quantitative resume, please don’t send us another version of your professional resume.  These two documents are meant to provide us with different information. Please ensure that the quantitative information that we ask for is on a separate sheet from the professional information. This attention to detail goes a long way in the admissions process.
  3. Make sure you list which school you are applying for and what term.  We want to make sure that we’re accepting you for the right program and for the right semester.
  4. Send us three, count ‘em, three letter of recommendations.  No more. No less. We KNOW that you have 15 different people who can sing your praises, but we only need to hear from three of them.
  5. No gifts, please!  While we thank you in advance for your thoughtfulness, the SIPA Admissions committee cannot accept gifts of any kind.

Following these very simple tips will only help you in the process, and as always, we’re looking forward to reading your applications.

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Ready To Talk About Resumes?

Posted by Columbia SIPA 
· Monday, November 11th, 2013 
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The two-part resume section of SIPA’s application is your chance to show us all of your skills and what you have been doing academically and professionally. The resumes are a critical element of the application; it is where we will be able to determine if you meet the basic qualifications to become a member of the SIPA community.

The Basics

We require all of our applicants to submit two separate resumes. These are broken down into:

  • The Traditional Resume or Curriculum Vitae (C.V.)

This is what people generally think of when they hear the word “resume.” This document includes but is not limited to:

  • Positions held (employment and internships)- including specific dates
  • Academic degrees and other academic achievements
  • Volunteer, public service, political work completed
  • Memberships in honorary societies and awards for service or leadership
  • Extracurricular activities and particularly if an MIA applicant-foreign travel undertaken, including purpose and length of stay

Please note that in other countries, C.V’s are generally more personalized. They may include marital status, nationality, or even a picture. You should avoid including this information on your resume for SIPA.

How Should It Be Formatted?

We like white space! Please make it legible for us to read, and use a professional, legible font. 11 point font is a good place to start. Use bold text for headings. Make sure a full page is used up before heading to the next page.

Just remember…

No graphics or non-standard fonts, please! You’ll be safe if you stick with Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman.

And Now, The Quantitative Resume

This second résumé will focus exclusively on your background in quantitative methods and language learning/ability. Because SIPA’s core curriculum includes economics, statistics and financial management, it is important for the admissions committee to look at your previous experiences and successes in quantitative classes.

  • On this resume, please be as detailed as possible. We want to know more about these classes and what you learned in them. What was the content of the class? Tell us.
  • Proficiency in a second language is a graduation requirement of the MIA program but is not a requirement of the MPA program (unless an MPA student chooses to major in Economic and Political Development).  Proficiency is defined as the ability to use a second language at an intermediate level.  Academically this is defined as the ability to achieve a grade of “B” or better in an intermediate level 2 language course.
  • If you have been out of school for a while, do not feel compelled to spend hours and hours trying to search for old syllabus or text book titles/authors.  The point of the résumé is not to put you through some sort of time trial, it is meant to provide information on the core learning from the course/experience.  The example résumé was borrowed from an applicant that applied to SIPA while still in college, and is meant to only be a sample.  Simply provide as much information as you can and you will be fine.
  • One question you might have is, “If the course is listed on my transcripts or noted in another part of my application, is it necessary to include it in the Quantitative/Language  résumé?” The answer is yes.  It is okay to be redundant or to include the same information that might be listed in another part of the application in this section.  Seeing the information twice, but in more detailed format in the résumé portion, is what the Committee is seeking to achieve.

 

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The Ins And Outs Of Recommendation Letters

Posted by Columbia SIPA 
· Friday, November 1st, 2013 
· 1 Comment

Because of the sheer quantity of applicants and because of the geographic distances from which they apply, SIPA regrettably cannot offer interviews to prospective students. In order to get the most accurate snapshot of a candidate, the admissions committee relies on letters of recommendation from those that can vouch for an applicant’s prior success and if he or she would be an asset to the SIPA community.

In the past, there has been some confusion about these letters. Who should they be from? What should they say? How well does the writer have to know me? This post will attempt to dispel some of the myths behind the recommendation letter and what we are looking for.

How many letters of recommendation do you need?

We want three recommendation letters from each applicant, no more, no less. Please follow this guideline, as it is important for us to hear a number of distinct voices on why we should consider your candidacy.

Who should these letters be from?

We ask that each applicant submit one reference from someone who knows him or her in an academic setting (your undergraduate English professor, your economics TA, your thesis adviser). We also ask that each applicant submit one reference from someone who knows him or her in a professional setting (your supervisor at work, your colleague with whom you spent late nights finishing a half-year project). The third letter can be from a recommender of your choice, but please avoid family members or friends who have not worked with you in a professional setting [or your local congressperson who only knows you live in his/her district].

I could get my colleague to write the recommendation, or I could get my supervisor (or the CEO of my company) to write it. Who should I choose?

This is up to the applicant, but the golden rule is to choose the one who knows you better. Who can speak more convincingly on how you benefited the company? The answer to this question is always the right person to choose. Remember, we are trying to build a community at SIPA and we are trying to learn as much about you as possible. If the choice is between the Senator or his volunteer director with whom you worked all summer, opt for the volunteer director.

What should my recommenders discuss in the letter?

There are many topics we would like to see touched upon in the letter of recommendation. We want to learn more about the applicant’s ability to communicate and his or her writing and quantitative skills, critical thinking ability. We also want to know why he or she ultimately benefited the organization. Our main objective is to see if the candidate has the skills to succeed inside a SIPA classroom and will become an asset to our community. The recommender should keep this in mind when crafting the letter!

Which professor should I choose to write my recommendation letter?

Choose someone that knows you well and can speak to the skills mentioned above. It’s probably not a good idea to choose a professor whose class you got an “A” in but doesn’t know your first name. We would much rather see a recommendation from a professor who maybe gave you a B or B+, but knows you well and can speak to your skill set and your work ethic. Ask yourself this: which professor can speak highly of you and knows you well?

I don’t have any work experience. Who should I ask for the professional recommendation?

If you have no professional experience, you should ask someone who can speak to your abilities outside the classroom and in a work setting. Have you had an internship? Have you volunteered? Ask your supervisors from these experiences to write this recommendation for you. This will straddle academic and professional.  And as we mentioned before, try to ensure that this person can speak highly of you and knows you well. You can pair this recommendation with the two strong academic references that you will receive.

I graduated from school a long time ago and absolutely cannot get an academic reference. What should I do?

If you absolutely cannot get an academic reference, then three professional will suffice.

Do you have any last words of advice for applicants?

Have your recommenders be specific. We want to get as much information on you as possible, because we want more reasons to accept you into our incoming class!

 

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Tips for SIPA’s 2014 Application- The Personal Statement

Posted by Columbia SIPA 
· Wednesday, October 30th, 2013 
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Ah, the personal statement. Perhaps there is no part of the application more anguished over, more edited and re-edited, more emphasized than this.

First off, as the applicant you should embrace the personal statement! An applicant doesn’t always have control over how his or her final microeconomics grade turned out, or his or her GRE verbal score may be a little lower than desired. But the personal statement is a place where the applicant has full control. So feel empowered!

It is important to note that the admissions office sees the personal statement as the most important part of the application. It helps us to learn about your passions, your goals, and your desire to impact the world and make it a little brighter. Due to the volume of applications we receive, we cannot conduct interviews with our applicants, but we do think of the personal statement as a type of interview.

With this in mind, if you could only spend 10 or 15 minutes in front of the Admissions Committee, what would you say? What’s your best sales pitch? We want to hear it.

Our personal statement section is broken down into three distinct parts, with an optional fourth essay. Before we dive into those questions, here are some common questions that we receive at the admissions office regarding the essays.

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

Answer: Yes.  Please follow these instructions, for your sake and ours. Stay within the stated word limits. And know that you will be judged harshly if you try to substitute a statement written according to another school’s requirements. Following the directions (on all parts of the application) is a critical part of applying to SIPA.

The majority of this entry addresses the first part of the personal statement.  We generally do not provide instructions regarding the second and third parts because we want each applicant to answer in his or her own way.  For the second and third parts, 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 and part 3 answer.

The fourth 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 four can focus on things you are proud of, or perhaps not so proud of.  You may also use this part to address any concerns in your application.  The Admissions Committee would prefer to see something in section four, 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, it’s probably not a good idea to quote someone  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. Tell us things we don’t know. Give us great reasons why you absolutely have to be in our new entering class.

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? If you are interested in international security policy, what do you hope to do with the skills you attain while at SIPA?

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. 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.

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"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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