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Archive for Application – Page 14

Farewell

Posted by Matt Clemons

· Thursday, September 29th, 2011

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The SIPA Admissions Blog started in 2008 and has been one of the most enjoyable parts of my job since starting as the Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at SIPA in the spring of 2006. All posts to date note Matt Clemons as the author and this will actually be the last blog entry with my name. I am leaving SIPA but will not be leaving the admissions community. As of next week I will be the Director of Admissions at the Harvard Kennedy School.

If you have contacted me via email in the past please note that my Columbia email account will no longer be active. Any questions applicants have can be directed to [email protected]. The new Director will likely take the opportunity to make an introduction on the blog sometime soon. My hope is that the previous content can continue to inform applicants about the application process, financial aid, and all of the wonderful opportunities afforded by a SIPA education. It has been an honor to serve SIPA for the past five-plus years and I wish readers all the best.

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Top 10 Tips for 2012 Application – #6 Transcripts

Posted by Columbia SIPA

· Tuesday, September 27th, 2011

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This is the sixth entry in our “Top 10″ list to assist you with understanding the process of submitting your 2012 admission application to SIPA. This entry is focused on advice regarding the submission of transcripts. I have tried to break the entry into categories based on our process/requirements and common questions we receive.

Official vs. Unofficial

At SIPA we will accept unofficial transcripts for application review. If an applicant is admitted to our program and chooses to attend we will require official transcripts at a later time. We feel that the submission of unofficial transcripts makes the process easier for applicants and allows us to process applications more quickly. Therefore, we prefer that you upload transcripts to our application site (by definition these will be unofficial because they will be coming directly from you and not directly from the school).

No matter what, we do need the grading legend included. The grading legend shows information about the grading system used and often includes other information related to abbreviations that are used on transcripts.

You can find an example of what I mean by a grading legend by clicking here. Most universities will include this automatically when you request a transcript, however please make sure to ask for it.

What Transcripts Are Needed?

Our general response is – we need transcripts for all coursework completed since graduation from high school. We do not need high school transcripts. For those that received college credit for coursework completed in high school, this information is typically listed on the college/university transcript. If there are no grades but only credits for your high school coursework, this is acceptable.

Let’s say for example that an applicant attended UCLA for two years and then transferred to Michigan and completed his/her degree. We would need a transcript from both UCLA and Michigan – not a single transcript from Michigan showing the courses that were transferred in. In this example, both schools have their own grading systems and codes and we need to see the codes for each individual school.

Grades, Grades, Grades

The general rule regarding whether multiple transcripts completed toward a single degree are required is – we need grades for all courses completed. However, we do not need the grades translated or converted to “American” grades. What is very important is that a grading legend or key be included when you submit your transcript(s).

If your school used a 1-20 scale that is fine, you do not need to convert into a 4.0 scale. On a 20 point scale, Is 1 good? Is 20 good? We will not know unless the transcript legend is included. Each year we can receive transcripts from close to 1,000 different colleges/universities and we want to look no further than your file for what we need. Related to this . . . .

Question: I completed a study abroad program while in college, do I need to request a separate transcript for the classes I completed abroad?

The answer is, “it depends.” Ultimately we need the grades received for all coursework completed. So, if the grading system used at the study abroad school was different and there are no grades on your home school transcript, then the answer is “Yes, we need the study abroad transcript.”

In this example, if we simply saw the title of the class and a number of credits on your home school transcript but no grade, it is not acceptable – we would need a transcript from the study abroad school with the grades and legend explaining the grades.

However, if you took classes abroad and the grades for these courses are reported on your home school transcript according the grading scale used by your home school, we would not need a separate transcript.

Question: Help! I cannot get my transcript to upload, what should I do!?

First, there are four places available on the site for uploading transcripts. They are labeled as follows:

Primary Bachelor Degree
Additional Degree
Further Degree
Non-Degree Coursework/Continuing Education

Each section will accept a file up to 1000kb(1mb) in size. If you try to upload a file larger than 1mb to an individual section you will receive an error message.

Referring back to the example above, let us say that you attended both UCLA and Michigan. If you try to combine the two transcript files and they exceed 1mb, it is fine to upload two separate files. If you received your degree from Michigan, upload that in the Primary Bachelor degree section and then upload the UCLA transcript under Additional Degree and put “UCLA Coursework” in the description box.

If your primary degree file is from one school but exceeds 1mb in size, you can break it into two files and when you upload the second part in the Additional Degree section put “Second Part of Transcript” in the description box.

In an extreme example, if one transcript is a total of 3mb you can break it into three files and upload in the first three categories (Primary, Additional, Further).

As far as the scanning process is concerned, we offer advice on the application web site and I think it is well written so I will just repost it here. If you are having trouble with file size, please consider the following:

Scan a copy at the lowest dpi that still results in a legible document (we recommend to use under 200 dpi whenever possible).
Scan in “gray scale” or black and white.
Try making a photocopy first (experiment with different settings until you find one that results in the smallest file size) then scan the photocopy.

Question: I completed a few classes on my own since graduating from college, do I need to submit transcripts for these courses?

Answer: Yes, we need transcripts for all coursework completed since graduating from high school. Let’s say you took two classes at two different schools after graduating for college – it would be fine to combine these transcripts into one file and upload the file to the Non-Degree Coursework/Continuing Education section. Even if you took these classes Pass/Fail we still need the transcript.

Advice – Print and Review Before Submitting

We will be printing the transcripts you upload and if you cannot read them when printed, we will not be able to read them either. We highly recommend printing a copy of what you are uploading to the site before submitting your application. If we print your application and cannot read your transcript(s) there will be significant delays in processing your application.

GPA Reporting

We understand that not all grades are reported on a 4.0 scale. If you were not graded on a 4.0 scale, in the Previous Education Section of the application, simply put 0.0 for your GPA. This alerts us that your grades were not reported on a 4.0 scale.

Question: What if I am still in school and I have not completed my degree? My coursework is in progress so what should I do?

It is fine for applicants that are still in college to apply. Simply request a transcript that reflects your most up-to-date grades. If this means you do not have grades for the fall semester you are currently enrolled in, that is fine. If we need more information we will let you know.

For example, if we do not see fall grades reported on your transcript, we may contact you and ask for the results. We also may not feel the need to contact you. There is no need for you to submit additional grade information after our deadline passes unless we specifically ask for it.

Question: What if I completed my degree and am taking a continuing education class but the grade will not be available until after the admissions deadline?

First, please upload a file showing your registration in the course in the “Non-Degree Coursework/Continuing Education Section.” We do not need to see a grading legend, a simple screen shot from a course registration web site would suffice (many schools offer this, however if not, ask the registrar to print a copy for you).

We would also like to see this information in the second résumé. You can enter the name of the class, where you are taking it, post the class description, and list it as “In Progress.”

Question: What if I plan on taking a class but it does not start until after the admission deadline passes?

Please report such information in the second résumé. For example, if you plan on taking a microeconomics class that starts in February, you can list the class and school you plan on taking the course at in your second résumé. If there is a description for the class available on the web or via a catalog, please list the description as well. For details on the second résumé, see this entry.

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Tags : Application, application tips, grade, transcript, transcripts

Top 10 Tips for 2012 Application – #5 Submission of Documents

Posted by Columbia SIPA

· Friday, September 23rd, 2011

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This is the fifth entry in our “Top 10″ list to assist you with understanding the process of submitting your 2012 admission application to SIPA. This tip is closely tied to one that appeared in our other Top 10 Series focused on communicating with our office. This important tip directly relates to the application process so I am including it in this list as well, along with some additional important insights.

I want to emphasize once again that our preference is that all applicants submit 100% of the documents and information required to apply via our application Web site. In a “perfect world” if all of your information and associated documents are submitted online, they will print out in order all at one time and we can review your application for completion without having to look for documents that have been mailed. This is the fastest and most efficient way for us to process applications. Remember that we ask applicants to self report test scores on the application and we accept/prefer uploaded copies of transcripts. We also encourage letters of recommendation to be submitted online.

We do understand that some applicants will have to mail transcripts or that letters of recommendation may come in via mail. Some schools will only mail transcripts and some individuals are not comfortable with technology and wish to mail letters of recommendation.

If something does need to be mailed we highly recommend using a private mail courier. Columbia is a huge university with one central mail room. All “standard” mail is funneled to the main mail room and it can take a week or more for mail to be sorted and sent on to us.

By utilizing a private mail carrier the parcel will be sent directly to our office, avoiding delays. Also, we highly recommend getting a tracking number whenever something is mailed to our office. This way, the moment we sign for the package the courier will log delivery and you will be notified if you have signed up for email notification.

If you know that a letter or transcript will be mailed to our office, I offer the following advice – provide the recommender or school with a prepaid envelope for mailing. For example, if a recommender tells you that s/he will not be uploading their letter, visit a mail carrier and prepay for an envelop addressed to our office with a tracking number. Then give this envelop to the recommender or school that is going to mail the document. This simplifies the process for the recommender or school and provides you with a tracking number so that as soon as we sign for it, you will know.

Question: If all of my documents are NOT submitted online, will my application review be impacted in any way?

Answer: The answer is both yes and no to this question. First the “No.” How documents are submitted has no impact upon the decision the Committee makes. So although we prefer that documents be submitted online, we do not penalize applicants in any way if a document is received by mail.

Now the “Yes.” If documents are mailed to our office it will take us longer to track them in our system. Again, when we complete an application has no impact on the ultimate decision, as long as all of your documents/information is submitted by the deadline. However, if documents are mailed it will likely take us longer to complete the tracking process. This means that you will likely have to wait longer for us to confirm that all of your documents have been received.

In summary, how documents are submitted has no impact on the admission decision, however it can impact how long it takes us to inform you that your application has been completed.

Question: Is it okay if I mail my personal statement and résumé in addition to submitting them on line?

Answer: No. Please upload your two résumé documents and your responses to the personal statement. DO NOT send paper copies of these documents to our office.

Question: Can I mail other documents to your office? For example, a copy of my undergraduate thesis or a policy memo I composed?

Answer: No. Please only submit the documents we ask for on the application site. I know this may sound harsh, but we want treat all applicants the same and we only have roughly six weeks to review several thousand applications.

However, we do encourage applicants to list relevant skills/experience/projects in the résumé, and if this means your résumé is longer than a “typical” résumé that is fine.

So for example, if you completed a thesis would like to provide a brief synopsis in your résumé, that would be completely acceptable. For full details on our résumé preferences, see this entry.

On a final note for this entry, even if 100% of the documents/information required to apply are submitted online, it can take us up to two weeks to send out a confirmation message stating that an application is complete. Documents submitted are not automatically marked as received because we need to review each document for readability. We appreciate your patience as we work as quickly as possible to make sure all of the information submitted is readable and complete. When a file has been certified as complete, we will send an email message.

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Top 10 Tips for 2012 Application – # 4 Résumés

Posted by Columbia SIPA

· Thursday, September 22nd, 2011

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This is the fourth entry in our “Top 10″ list to assist you with understanding the process of submitting your 2102 admission application to SIPA. This entry is focused on advice regarding our résumé requirements.

The first thing to take note of is that we require applicants to submit two separate résumés. This may seem strange at first but I believe this entry will clear up any confusion.

Traditional Résumé

The first résumé is no surprise. You could refer to this as your “traditional” résumé and everyone applying probably has had a working résumé for some time. A traditional résumé includes, but is not limited to, information such as:

Positions held (employment and internships) – include specific dates please

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 readability is very important. We do no recommend using very small font and extended margins. When applying for a job many people feel compelled to use these tactics to keep their résumé to a page or two. This résumé is for graduate school consideration and the Committee encourages applicants to list all relevant information and to not use a small font or extended margins in an attempt to cram a great deal of information into a very small space. A résumé that is longer but easier to read is much preferred over a short résumé that is hard to read.

Put another way – we like white space. Committee members have to read several hundred applications and small fonts and cramped formats are very difficult on the eyes. When it doubt, use 12 point font and normal margins – the Committee will thank you for it.

On a final note, we do not recommend that applicants use graphics or non-standard fonts. Let the content of your résumé speak for you. The font chosen should be easy to read and graphics (other than bullets and bold face) do not enhance the readability of a résumé. Common fonts that are easy to read include Arial, Calibri, and Tahoma.

Quantitative/Language Résumé

The second résumé will focus exclusively on an applicant’s background with quantitative methods and language learning/ability.

Quantitative Methods

The core curriculum at SIPA includes required coursework in economics, statistics, and financial management. The Committee is therefore quite interested in the quantitative aptitude of applicants to our program. This most typically includes coursework and/or professional experience related to mathematics, statistics, and economics. Also of note can be quantitative experience as it pertains to areas such as science or engineering.

Unfortunately, academic transcripts rarely provide in depth descriptions of the actual content of coursework completed. For example, a class labeled as “Principles of Economics” on a transcript provides little detail on how much focus was placed on the use of quantitative methods. And with the large number of international applicants to SIPA, often times transcripts translated into English will just list a class as “Mathematics” thus giving the Committee little information on the actual content/level of math studied.

Providing the opportunity for applicants to list detailed information pertaining to quantitative preparation/experience will allow for better explanations of past academic and professional experience. The goal is to be able to allow applicants to list full descriptions of courses included in a course catalog or in the syllabus used in a class.

Language Learning/Ability

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.

Incoming MIA students who speak English as a native language will be tested in a second language of their choice upon entering into the program. Due to the intensity of the MIA program at SIPA, it would be quite difficult for an applicant with no previous language study to achieve intermediate level proficiency in two years of study. The Committee therefore wishes to see at least elementary level proficiency in a second language when evaluating an MIA applicant for admission.

If an incoming native English speaker passes the proficiency exam administered shortly after beginning the program, no additional language study is required. If the grade achieved on the exam is not sufficient, to prove proficiency a grade of “B” or better must be achieved in an intermediate level 2 language course during the time at SIPA in order to graduate.

For MPA students that speak English as a native language, second language learning is optional so it is not required to include language learning information in the second résumé. However, if an MPA applicant does have experience in a second language we encourage them to provide this information because it provides us with additional information on your background.

Please do note that there is one exception to the language requirement for the MPA program. If an MPA applicant chooses the Economic and Political Development concentration, second language proficiency is a requirement just like in the MIA program.

For applicants that do not speak English as a native language, the second résumé will provide an opportunity to elaborate further on time spent studying English and other languages. This can of course include academic study but can also include additional information not included in transcripts or test scores such as time spent living in English speaking environments.

Details on Quantitative/Language Learning

The second résumé is meant to provide applicants with the ability to provide detailed information which can include:

Name/level/grade/institution pertaining to classroom courses.

For classroom courses, a description of the course and specific learning objectives (best done by providing a description from a course catalog or a syllabus that was used for the class). If it has been a number of years since you graduated, a description from a current course catalog found on your school web site can suffice.

Examples of working knowledge of the subject matter as demonstrated in academic or professional settings.

Tests taken and grades/scores achieved.

Specific certificates earned.

In the case of second language learning, the following information is useful:

Information on time spent in a foreign country where the language is spoken. Or, if the second language was spoken in your home country please provide the context (i.e. did you grow up in a home where a second language was spoken but your academic training was in another language?).
Details regarding professional/volunteer/personal use of the language.
Specific details/examples regarding writing, reading, speaking, and listening ability.

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.

You can view samples of this résumé by clicking here. Do note that the sample is only a guide. The level of detail you wish to include is entirely up to you.

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.

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Top 10 Tips for 2012 Application – #3 The Personal Statement

Posted by Columbia SIPA

· Wednesday, September 21st, 2011

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This is the third entry in our “Top 10″ list to assist you with understanding the process of submitting your 2012 admission application to SIPA. This entry is focused on advice regarding the personal statement.

The personal statement is probably the most important part of an application because it helps us to learn about your passion, goals, and the impact you wish to make. As much as we would like to, we are unable to conduct interviews with applicants as part of the admission process and you can think of your personal statement as a type of interview.

If you could only spend 10-15 minutes in front of the Admissions Committee, what would you say to ensure us that you would be a contributing student in our program? Your personal statement is your opportunity to “speak” to the Admissions Committee.

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

Answer: Yes. Our personal statement is broken into three parts, each with an associated word limit (one year PESP applicants see special note below). Applicants should follow the instructions and keep within the stated word limits. Applicants that obviously try to substitute a statement written according to another school’s requirements are judged harshly in the admissions process. Following directions is an important part of the process of applying.

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

The third 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 three can focus on things you are proud of, or perhaps not so proud of. The Admissions Committee would prefer to see something in section 3 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, I would not quote anyone 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.

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?

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. Just 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.

Here again are the three parts of the personal statement we are asking applicants for the fall 2012 semester to respond to. SPECIAL NOTE: applicants to our one year Program in Environmental Science and Policy should ONLY respond to section one and have 1,000 words to do so. All other Master degree applicants should address all three sections.

Section One (500 Word Maximum)

What distinct impact do you hope to have on the world in the future? Please be as clear as possible about your future goals, the policy/public service issue(s) you are passionate about, and your personal motivation(s). Be sure to include details regarding the features of SIPA that you believe are integral to helping you in your pursuits and what skills you need to develop to achieve a lasting impact.

Section Two – (300 Word Maximum)

Please CHOOSE ONE of these options to write about – do not address both, pick one or the other. All relevant information should be included in the statement. For example, the organization information (option 1) or issue you are responding to (option 2) should be included in the 300 words. In other words, you may not submit more than 300 words so include everything in your response.

1. A competition is being conducted that will provide one million dollars as seed funding to start a new organization. The competition requires a 300 word essay/statement. Compose a 300 word essay/statement to submit in order to be considered for this seed funding.

2. You have just read a news story that has deeply moved you. Compose a 300 word response in the form of a letter to the editor. The news story you are responding to can be real or fictional and does not need to be limited to the present time – it can be framed in the past, present, or future.

Section Three (200 Word Maximum)

Please share any additional information about yourself that you believe would be of interest to the Admissions Committee. Please focus on information that is not already reflected in the other parts of your application or might not be clear in the information submitted.

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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