SIPA MIA/MPA 2013 Admissions Timeline
Application goes live: August
Application Deadline: January 5, with fellowship consideration; February 5, final deadline
Decision Notification: begins March 18
Admitted Students Day: April 9
Enrollment Deposit Deadline: April 20
Mandatory Orientation: late August
We get several inquiries from applicants each year asking about the status of their application… I would wonder too if I had to wait weeks (sometimes months – depending on when you submitted your application) for an admission decision that could change my future plans… hopefully for the better.
Instead of reinventing the wheel, we bring back to you an old post that’s definitely still applicable to this year that provides some tips on tracking your application.
Tracking your application … after it’s been submitted.
Please note that you cannot change any information on your application after it has been submitted. Also, the date the application is recorded complete in our system has no impact on the admission decision. What does matter is that all required application information is submitted by the deadline.
Do not panic if you log in after you have submitted your application and see that it is not marked as complete. It is normal for us NOT to have all applications completed for up to three weeks past the deadline. We manually review each application for completion and this takes time.
The application deadline is not the start and end date of when files are reviewed. Applications are not all read at the same time – it’s just physically not possible. The Committee reviews and discusses files until the end of our cycle. So don’t worry if your application status does not indicate “COMPLETE” on February 5th. If there is an issue with your application that needs to be addressed we will contact you.
Now on to the visuals . . .
Scenario 1: You Are Working on Your Application but Have Not Submitted It
Let us start with what you see when you log in to the application system while your application is in progress and has not been submitted.
Below is what you will see when you log in. Note that next to Submission Status it says “Not Submitted” (at the end of the red arrow). In this example, the applicant has also entered the names of the three recommenders and they are displayed, along with the status.
Scenario 2: You Have Submitted Your Application
When you log into your application after it has been submitted, the main page will show the message “Submission Status: Submitted” (see arrow #1).
You will also notice in this example that one letter of recommendation has been submitted (see arrow #2).
At this point no documents will show up. Do not worry; this is because we have not printed your application yet.
Scenario 3: We Print Your Application – This Does Not Typically Happen the Same Day You Submit
The next step that will occur is that we will print (yes, PRINT) your application for review. It can take up to 15 days for us to print your application after it has been submitted. Please do not panic if your application has not been printed. The important thing is that your application is submitted by the deadline.
If you look at this next picture you will notice two changes from the picture above.
First, the status has changed to “Application Printed – Manual Review of All Information Submitted In Progress” (see the red arrow #1).
Second, arrow #2 shows that we have not marked your application as complete because we have not finished our manual review. We need to make sure we can read your transcripts for example.
Third, you will notice that transcripts, test scores, and other supporting documents now appear (see red arrow #3). Please note that the default status for the following documents, if you uploaded a document, at the time your application is printed is “Received – Official” –
We find that the vast majority of our applicants submit documents that are legible and complete so the default status is “Received – Official.” Do note that in some cases there are issues with these documents and if so, we will contact you.
Special Note: the IFP, Lemann, and Harriman statements are not mandatory so if you did not submit a statement, your status may show: Not Applicable, Not Received, or Waived.
Above the “Other Supporting Documents” section you will see test scores and transcripts. Please note that the default status for the test scores and transcript(s) when your application is printed is “Not Received” – even if you self-reported/entered your scores. This is the same for transcripts. We will perform a manual check to make sure we have all of the information we need and track any missing items. If there is an issue we will contact you.
Please note we do not verify official test reports until after admission offers are made –WE ONLY USE SELF-REPORTED SCORES to make admission decisions so please do not contact us now to see if we have your official scores on file.
In the above example the native language of the applicant is English so TOEFL is marked “Not Applicable.” If English is your second language this will read “Not Received”.
The last comment for this example is, please ignore the message on the bottom near arrow #4 that says “Submission Status: Not Submitted.” It references a part of the application we no longer use but it is hard coded into the system and cannot be changed – it means nothing.
Scenario 4: Complete – All Documents Tracked But Not Sent to Committee
This next picture shows that we have everything we need. All the letters are submitted. Your unofficial transcripts and self-reported test scores are in the system and used for admission review. However the status shows “Incomplete” and above that you will notice is still says “Manual Review of All Information Submitted in Progress.” Once a final sign off is given then the file is sent to the Committee. This example is awaiting the sign off.
Scenario 5: Complete . . . But with a Question
This next shot shows you the message “Documents still pending – Application is Under Review” with the Application Status below that reads “Complete.”
This is a case when we have everything we need, however there may be an issue we feel we need to resolve before the file is sent to the Committee. This may be an internal application processing flag. There is no need for you to contact us if this is your status. If we have a concern, we will contact you directly.
Scenario 6: Complete – Sent to Committee!
This final shot is when you know your application has been sent to Committee. You will also receive an email from us when your file is complete in case you do not want to compulsively log into the system to keep checking the status!
You can see on the top that it states “Application Complete – No additional documents.” As a reminder, please ignore the submission status at the bottom. It has nothing to do with your application, so ignore it.
Thank you for your patience as we work to process several thousand files in a short period of time. If documents were submitted by mail it will likely take us longer to complete your file.
Just one final reminder if you missed last week’s post… The fall 2013 application deadline has been extended to February 5th – so if you need more time to pull together your application, you got it. However, if you wish to be considered for one of coveted first year fellowships, please make sure you complete and submit your application by January 5th. Applicants, who submit after the January 5th deadline, may submit a separate scholarship application for one of the 13 SIPA Named Scholarships offered.
Good luck! We’re looking forward to reviewing your application.
After my last post on who shouldn’t apply to SIPA, I started to feel a little bit like a negative Nancy (get it?) so I thought I would share some misconceptions that people bring up during the application process that should absolutely not keep otherwise qualified students from applying. Some of the misconceptions are about SIPA, but most are about the students themselves. I hope this gives you a little more confidence as we near our application deadline.
Myth 1: I need a background in Econ to apply to SIPA. SIPA is a quantitative heavy school and it’s a good idea to have some sort of math, statistics or economics background. However, you don’t need to have economics courses on your transcript in order to apply. If you are worried about your quantitative background you can show through professional experience or test scores that you are good with numbers and address the gap elsewhere in your application. Once you are at SIPA we offer math camp and tutorials to help bring you up to speed. If you have any sort of quantitative background and are willing to work hard once you get here, don’t let a lack of econ stop you.
Myth 2: SIPA is not for students focused on United States domestic policy and administration. Because of SIPA’s stellar reputation as an international affairs school (it was built a year after the United Nations to serve as a feeder school to the UN), I was intimidated when I first considered SIPA for domestic policy. The truth is that SIPA boasts some of the preeminent faculty and alumni in all fields of domestic policy as well as a close relationship with Columbia Law School, Business School, Journalism, Public Health, Social Work and Teachers College, all of which offer domestic based programs at the top of their fields. Our New York City location means that thousands of domestic policy experts are within reach. Last year I took a class in race statistics with Professor Ken Prewitt, the former director of the United States’ Census Bureau and our most popular urban policy class is taught by David Dinkins, the former mayor of New York. SIPA alums run Habitat for Humanity New York City, Newsweek, and SIPA alum Bill DeBlasio is New York City Public Advocate and a leading 2013 mayoral candidate.
Myth 3: My test scores are too low to apply to SIPA. GRE or GMAT scores are but one facet of your application. SIPA does not have a “minimum” score to apply because we employ a holistic application process. While our applicant pool is very competitive and we encourage you to do the best you can, if you have stellar work experience, solid undergraduate GPA, taken some quant courses, and supportive recommendations, you should not let less than perfect test scores hold you back. If you are concerned about your test scores or any other aspect of your application, this is a great issue to address in your second personal essay.
Myth 4: I can’t afford it. Graduate school is an investment. If I told you I didn’t have to make sacrifices to be here, I would be low on funds and a liar. At the same time, I’ve never doubted that it was worth it. I’ve learned skills and had experiences during my time at Columbia that I simply would not have gotten any other way—or from any other school. For example, next semester for my capstone project I will be part of a consultancy for UN Women focusing on political participation. (That means when I graduate and apply to jobs I will be able to list “consultant to the United Nations” on my resume!) In addition, a SIPA education carries a stellar reputation and connects you to thousands of alumni and employers who will be eager to hire you upon graduation.
During their time at SIPA, most students take out loans, apply for external funding or work on campus (which is how I get to connect with you fine folks through the admissions office) to help defray costs. For United States citizens the government offers a student loan forgiveness program for graduates who make a career in the public or non-profit sector, as many SIPA graduates ultimately do.
Myth 5: SIPA is too big! I’ll get lost! While it’s true that SIPA is the biggest public policy/international affairs school in the world, this is a blessing, not a curse! A bigger school means more resources. SIPA’s size enables us to offer courses in every policy area from international security policy to United States arts education. If you’re worried about finding your niche consider the fact that SIPA offers over 40 student driven clubs to choose from, a student newspaper, the country’s oldest Journal of International Affairs and policy and concentration based retreats. Despite our overall size, our class size is small (two of my classes this semester have only 8 students) and our professors are incredibly accessible-and due to the school’s size there is more likely to be one you’ll want to connect with. Although we are big for a public policy school, we are smaller than most undergraduate institutions and our campus really feels more like a community.
A lot of my blog posts focus on the myriad of wonderful opportunities SIPA has to offer and how no matter your policy interest, the SIPA experience can make all your professional dreams come true! While this is certainly the case for a wide variety of people, SIPA is not the right fit for everyone. Below are examples of 5 types of people who should NOT be applying to SIPA.
These things all said, I do hope you apply. SIPA can mean a lot of things to a lot of different students with a variety of goals and if it sounds like our school might be the place for you I invite you to explore this blog, our admissions website or to attend an information session and talk with us further!
Post contributed by Nancy Leeds. Nancy is a MPA 2nd Year studying Urban and Social Policy/Management with a Certificate in Gender Policy
"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
