Graduate admissions is competitive. Even the most proactive and organized applicants need help with their resumes, essays, and financial aid applications. Add the complexities of being an international applicant, and the whole process can become intimidating. Read More →
Archive for application tips – Page 7
Our inbox count as of January 7, 2014
As you can see in the screenshot above, there have been a lot of emails coming our way this week. (Please be patient with us; we’re answering them as fast as we can.) During this process, we’ve noticed that many of you are concerned about the status of your missing materials. To help alleviate some of those concerns, we’re answering some common questions right here.
But first, if you’ve submitted your application by the fellowship deadline, you shouldn’t worry. We’ve received it and your uploaded materials. It’s just taking us some time to process the applications and match up your uploaded records to your snail-mail papers and previously emailed materials. Sadly, there’s no magical solution to this. Our admissions staff actually have to review each application by hand, so it’s taking us a while to match up transcripts, recommendation letters and test scores.
To verify we’ve received your materials, please make sure you regularly check your status page. (You may check your status by logging in to your application here.) It’s your responsibility to ensure we’ve received your materials. While checking your status page, you may have noticed a few Xs on the page. We’ll explain what they mean below.
Cartoon by Doug Savage
Just a friendly reminder that the MIA/MPA applications are due today, January 5, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Please submit your completed application by tonight if you want to be considered for SIPA’s merit-based fellowships. (The final application deadlines—without fellowships consideration—is February 5, 2015.)
If you have some questions regarding your application, please review last week’s blog post, where our admissions staff answered some of your most urgent questions.
Unsure of when the deadline is in your part of the world? This chart may help:
| New York, New York | January 5, 2015 | 11:59 PM |
| Los Angeles, California | January 5, 2015 | 8:59 PM |
| Mexico City, Mexico | January 5, 2015 | 10:59 PM |
| Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | January 6, 2015 | 2:59 AM |
| London, England | January 6, 2015 | 4:59 AM |
| Madrid, Spain | January 6, 2015 | 5:59 AM |
| Beijing, China | January 6, 2015 | 12:59 PM |
| Tokyo, Japan | January 6, 2015 | 1:59 PM |
Good luck everyone!
Insider tips on what the SIPA admissions committee looks for in an applicant
There is no “perfect” candidate. Many of our applicants are interested in advancing professionally within their field, while others are changing their careers entirely. Some have stellar academic records, and many have stumbled a time or two while in college. And every type of applicant has been admitted to SIPA. Thus, due to the diversity of our applicant pool, there are no firm requirements for applying (and that includes GPA, GRE/GMAT scores and work history).
For a general idea of what we look for in a candidate academically and professionally, read the following recommendations for making your application as competitive as possible.
Photo by Bernard Goldbach, CC BY 2.0
It’s up to you: will you be a hard-boiled egg, ready to take the heat…or will you crack under the pressure of pending deadlines?
With the January 5, 2015 application cut-off date almost here, we know that you’re probably freaking out about making the admissions deadline. In fact, we know you are because we receive about 50-70 individual emails Every. Single. Day. (But we don’t mind because that’s what we’re here for!) As always, we’re responding to your emails as quickly as we can, but with the holidays here it can take us some time. (In the last week, we’ve received more than 360 emails! Wow!) So please be patient and bear with us as we get all of your questions answered as fast as we can.
As a holiday treat, we’ve answered some of your most-pressing questions below.
Good luck with your application! And happy holidays!
P.S. Whatever you do, DON’T “crack” under the pressure. We know you’ll get your application in on time.
"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
