Harris Public Policy MAIDP Current Student Panel Webinar

Hi. Everyone can you all type in the chat box so let me know that you can hear me OK?

Great I see that a bunch of you have said that you can hear me which is awesome. If you do experience any technical difficulties throughout this web and RI am recording this so I can always send you a recording once we're done. If you get kicked out or if you can no longer hear us, but thank you. All for joining us today. My name is Samantha Inc. I'm assistant director sooner cream at the University of Chicago's hair school public policy. I directly oversee the admissions process where are Masters of arts?

International Development Policy program and today I have a 3 current students in the MAIDP Program, who are here to answer any questions that you may have an to talk a little bit more about their experience. So far, so I will let them introduce themselves. But if you do have any questions throughout the web and R. Feel free to type them in the chat box and we will try to get them get through them at the very end. But yeah, welcome so I will let them introduce themselves Maria do you want to start?

OK, Hi everybody, my name is Maria I'm from Colombia. Uh I will talk about a little bit about what I was doing before coming to Harris, I lived in Mexico for a year and a half before coming here in there, I first work as a public policy analyst for a consulting firm specializing public policy.

Uh the topics that I worked on was basically a early childhood development and education uhm.

And that's where I basically fell in love with public policy, and after that. I work for a nonprofit organization that supports intrapreneur woman in Mexico throughout training. Uhm then I spend just a few months in Colombia. Having some rest. Getting some time with my family and then I moved to Chicago great, thanks hi. Everyone I'm magica. I'm in Hong Kong. Before this, I was in Mian Mar I was working with a small organization on curriculum development.

Um for kids working in tea shops and prior to that I was with UNESCO in New Delhi and I'm really excited to be Chicago. It's going to be a Goodyear Hey. Everybody my name is God. We are excited to meet you guys today before coming to Harris. I was serving as a country director for nonprofit called message project and we rescued children from slavery and we also employ the families with.

Alternative economic solutions and so that is what I did approach coming to Harris.

Great thank you. All I'm so my first question is if you don't mind telling us all the more about why you chose this study public policy or wired true choices study International Development.

Some.

Um tickle you want to start so basically I was always I've always been working in the area of Education and mostly curriculum development in teaching, but I was always inclined towards development of the developing sector? what I realized slowly was that I left the quantitative and quantitative skills and background in economics. That was needed to work in development in International Development policy in particular.

So I am hearing my experience and education in education.

With public policy, and that's why this course was so appealing to me because of the focus on specifically on development and the quantitative skills that I would develop after this course. Kobe yeah, so I think for Maine, 7 S Country Director Underground. I was exposed with a lot of decisions that sometimes I had to improvise. I mean, some of them were not connected to the way they were not evidence based.

And this is normal, the four different organizations that are on the ground in Ghana and so again. I was exposed to key policy issues regarding my area of interest and I then I wanted a program that will give me the policy aspect of it was, I'm also doing development and so even though I applied to many schools. This program was what was going to give me the quantitative skills.

And the developments there, Scott said that I needed to continue to work in my area.

Um in my case as I was saying before I work crap insulting pharma specializing public policy and I was very lucky because this firm is actually evidence space ribbon. So then I realize how much impact can a policy that it's evident based design implemented half in in my case since I work in early childhood development in children in Colombia, that comes from marginalized backgrounds, having this.

Uh background made me realize that I also needed to strengthen my skills, especially on the leadership side uhm. I think I did a good job of analyst but I needed to take that next step that can lead me to not only participate in this kind of projects, but also implement a project not on my own. But maybe leading this project. I have an interest in conflict because Colombia is a country that has been.

Experiencing conflict for 6 decades. Now we have a peace agreement that was signed in 2016. But we are actually taking a few steps steps back from where we want to be an I wanted to get involved in peace building also so I think that's one of the things that attracted to this to this program, the possibility of having this space to exchange ideas with people that are already leaders in that are.

Experts on this field, great and um so when you applying to Graduate School programs. What were the other programs that you're applying to an? Why did you choose you Chicago O'Hare is MAADP?

Coffee so for me, I I was decided on International Development and so I applied virtual with number of schools. George Washington and then I think it's Emery and I got into it, but I think I chose Harris specifically because of the feedback and the communication that I had that was one I think I felt I was needed here, I was wanted.

And also I think the program was what I was looking for it. It was going to give me the background in policy, and International Development, which was what I was actually looking for whereas other programs were more of I think more focused on International Development, so that was my reason why I told this program to come here. Yeah, I was inclined towards public policy. In general and I was looking at a bunch of courses including the MVP program at Harris itself.

As well as the MALT in Fletcher and I got him to both I got into Harris and the mold program. But I decided on here is just because I was in love with the program that was one year was a lot more appealing as well, and the one area that I particularly liked. It was Bitcoin so the fact that Harris is just known for that kind of vigor in quantitative methods was what appealed to me the most.

Uh for me also the fact that the program is one year long was a very important factor in the decision. I got into another 2 programs. I was looking for either Social Development or International Development in yeah, because it was one year? Why Harris have a set of personal reasons why 1st is my boyfriend was already in Chicago. So yeah, that was a big thing for me to decide.

Come to Harris process coffee was saying. Uh Harris made makes you feel like you belong here like they want you here. and I think they take really good care of us as a students in perspective. Students and for people that it's applying they make you feel that you can count on them. If you need anything. They're going if if you continue in you decide to come to Harris, you're gonna give up.

Samantha's help in a lot of stuff avisar regarding in finance regarding so they make me feel like I wasn't just a number that that that I matter for this cool great. Thank you and so this is a one year program as we have mentioned so currently you are all more than halfway through your first quarter, so how's that been? What are the classes like and?

You know what resources are you using to you know help you kind of get through the core classes.

Uh I think one of the most important things for me is that the program considered that we come from very different different backgrounds and even though it has a very strong quantitative approach they understand that some of us are most of us have no idea what this means so they consider that we have different backgrounds and they make it as easy as possible for us just to catch up with this interpreter terms of what kind of resources.

Be using uhm in my case, there's a lot of workshops.

To help you develop professionally so a cover letter workshops in resume workshops, just to be prepared to what's coming next after graduation, and also and I don't know if this is helpful helpful at all but they have a student center is also very resource that I've been using for immunizations for flu shots because it's already cold in here and some other stuff like.

Contraceptive contraceptive consultations.

Yeah, well it was good about what's good about Harris is that they offer a lot of resources in a lot of information for anything so sometimes you may find that the pace of the class might be too fast. But there are tutors available to us. We have T sessions. We have office hours. There constantly people available to help you if you ask for the healthy only thing is to obviously drop your ego, I ask for the help and.

The academics have been very vigorous like I said, but just the fact that you're getting a lot of support needs a lot. I would say be prepared to do a lot of math, so if you're coming then do reading the books that they suggest I think they're very useful and any of you all come from a quant background lower your majors in undergrad. No, I did English literature, so this is very new, yeah, I stayed population health.

Yeah, population health and my niece public bodies. I'm sorry, no no no math background, you know, so I think like like like we just said. You don't have to follow another pressure be cause. You don't have the quantitative background. When we came we had. We had a mass company that introduced us to some connotative background. I release, helping us so I would say just keep on with application and when you come Harris at.

We have a lot of resources. I personally know a friend in this program who has acquired extra tutoring where there's 1 on one so.

Like we're saying we can always give you resources to make you succeed, Yeah. I think the first 10 hours of tutoring is free. An also another new talk about the margin pressure and there's also an English program so if you feel like you can strengthen your skills regarding English, you will have the resources to do so in my case. I did English program and I think it was really useful because I was on the right track and that means you can get to experience with.

Writing that's something that most of us have no idea how to do, especially under the United States like framework that can be a little bit different from other countries and what would you say is your weekly workload? How much time do you spend outside of the classroom work?

Homework and projects and things like that. I think it depends we, we just passed a week when where we have uh assignments for the 3 four courses that were taken so maybe that's an exception. It's usually not like that. But I will say how many hours do you spend I have no idea I'm maybe 3 or 4 hours a day?

Yeah, yeah after class after her classes me twice a week right each Monday sacrifice weaken. There's 3 classes per quarter, so still time to you know have a life. Still, yeah, and so kind of speaking on that? What kind of activities or what do you do outside of the classroom or any of you working part time or part of these student organizations uhm? Yeah, I have a job as a preceptor. So I work with 15. BA students, helping them write their thesis and it's a job throughout the year so.

It takes about 10 to 15 hours a week as well. But it's relatively manageable and other than that. I downtowns little far, but they're constantly lots of socializing events. Lots of free food at Harris. Yes, lot of informative sessions very interesting things that are going on constantly on campus. So I try to involve myself as much as possible in that you have to realize that I'm coming over here and doing this program.

Is really not just about the academics so don't spend 8 hours a day doing one math problem because it's not worth it. You'll be missing out on a lot of great things that this University has to offer so yeah, I guess make the most that I'm also working part time as a research assistant for the behavioral insights and parenting lab. This means we get to do a lot of field work and this is a great opportunity to see other size of Chicago that you wouldn't see.

Otherwise, um, it's usually 10 hours a lot of work for one week. Uh so you can balance work working in starting at the same time an in my case regarding what magnetic I was saying. Is there's so many things happening that you can feel a little bit overwhelmed in my case, it has happened there events every day and I mean, every day and you think you might be missing is.

Important stuff, so take a second every week just to review how much auction. Auctions do you have an prioritize because it is impossible to assist to everything that is happening on Harris everyday but they are great spaces to hear exceptional speakers or to do workshops. So you should definitely have some time to do that, not only focus on the academic athletic were saying, yeah, so.

I think for Maine wherever I go and try to find a way to give back to the community. So even with this program. It's one year and it's Rick Ross in hand side you don't have time. But I'm serving on 2 committees on campus 7 as social committee member for Harris student government and also as a board member for the student support services. And so this comes with a lot of other responsibilities.

But I think what I've learned here in Harris is that I am improving on my priorities. I'm able to prioritize cause. You have too. and I think that is something that is really helping me to run through all of the activities that I am doing OK and for those that have the part time jobs. How did you find those others Facebook group for the incoming students here in someone posted this.

Job opportunity, I applied during the summer and I got that answer during the summer so.

Yeah, now. Likewise, yeah, there's a lot of different opportunities on the it's very active. I'm also part of that Facebook group and I had to turn off the notification getting too much is a lot of free lunches and speakers and job posting on that so we would invite you all once you receive admission to the program great and so none of you are from Chicago. Some of you have visited before you moved here for Graduate School, so could you tell us a little bit more about that? Move and

Maybe you know how did you find apartments? How did you adjust when you first got here?

Yeah, so I think for me, I'm coming from Ghana but I had been in the United States. But I was in a certain part uh. I think moving to Chicago studios and moved out. I return back home and I was living in a rural area where it's like it was very slow. Nothing is going on. It's coming. So moving back to city life and the code is going to be in some sort of trouble, but I think so far, it's been good.

How do I say so without my apartment I reach out to some wonder and then Jamie and who is our program director and so they just reach out from under office and send me different options. And then the idea grid like some of them on the bus stop so I just come in and then I'm into the bus. I don't have to face the code so that's how I got into Chicago. Yeah, yeah, looking for out there are 2 big companies here that handle a properties.

Then the biggest one actually is Mac apartments and they're very, very good. I would highly recommend contacting them once you're looking for a place to stay and finding a couple of people getting a house. They are very resourceful. You have apartments ranging from 405 hundred per person as per room to 1200. One 1500, depending on your budget and it's great, so I would highly recommend that pregnant it's been.

I've been to Chicago before on holiday so I was uh. I knew what I was expecting. But I would say by all your jackets in all your clothes over here, you'll find a cheaper and better deal over here, then and also, if you have things from before they'll come in handy here this winter is going to be quite unbearable here. Yeah, in my case, I said, I said it before my boyfriend.

Already here and what we did is uhm, we use, some of the information that other students gave us so we found our apartment through another student that just told us Oh my landlord has this apartment available on my building. You want me to getting to get you in contact with him and that's how it happened. I think you can use whatever resource I mean, if you know somebody here or if you want to. I'm just gonna.

If you want to get in contact with us joints to see we have some information about someone that is already leaving and his or her apartments available. I think it's a very useful resource to moving to Chicago. I think one of the advice I will give his consider how much that means in monetary terms because what happened to me is I didn't realize I will have to buy a trash can a hand towel these things for cleaning.

This this just add apps to your at least your first month, a budget so consider all of that and also when you're renting some of the Landers ask work among an advance so consider that also in your budget because you might experience what I did is I had no idea and I was under budget for all of that little expensive, but because I'm sorry that become this huge gap. My budget basically so yeah, consider that also.

Yeah, for sure, and going back to the Facebook group I think that a lot of people. I saw were second years would join the group and they would post Valley. Oh, I'm suddenly, saying for the summer or my building has some openings so Internet. I think they also start an Excel sheet. I don't know if you guys were part of that where where incoming students would like list. You know, I'm open looking for a 2 bedroom open to having pets like that's a good way for you to also find apartments and how did you guys lived in the US somewhere else before? No.

Uhm yeah, compared to Chicago if you looked at other cities. I would say Chicago is quite affordable right. We just say that compared to like if you ever visit. New York City or like DC or San Francisco. Chicago is quite bored by muscle not from Chicago. I moved here. About 5 years ago, so I would say it's it's quite comfortable to you can have a good life. Yeah, cool and let's see I get a lot of questions guys about how how to fund their degree so.

Paris is able to offer a partial tuition scholarships to students, but how are you all spending your time here in Chicago?

Uh in my case as you're saying I got a scholarship from Highlands that was very helpful. In all, so that's one of the reasons that I decided to come to her is because the other two schools didn't. Give me anything. So yeah, that's yeah. It is a big deal, especially if you come from abroad in considering your own your countries currency that makes it a lot of much easier. I spend my savings. It wasn't much but it was helpful.

Especially for the first month that I was here, an I have a student loan from prodigy finance, UM in my case in Columbia. There are other opportunities to ask for student loans. But since the peso devaluated. It was easier for me and it's actually cheaper to ask for a student loan internationally and also I was saying before I'm working and that it's part also my.

Monthly budget to be here and prodigy is an international student loan company so they give out loans to international students and I heard that the rate is quite good as well interest rate I will say just do that research.

A study now uh what I did was I I waited until I will get accepted an had more information, but you're going to realize that you don't have enough time to do this research really like like deeply an so you, you better. Have a range of options studying now. Yeah, that's a good tip for sure, and we recommend that for Austin said look into that. Now, especially in the winter time I think a lot of scholarships are opening up as well.

On 3rd party scholarships and I'm just so, give you plenty of time, especially as an international student. You need to show a certain amount of funds in your account before you can apply for the student visa? Yeah.

So uh I think for Maine, like I said it traces back to when I said, Harris someone tried Jamie anyway. Apart why we felt like we welcome here, so I think they really understood my situation and like the other schools didn't really listen to me that much do they offered some fonts by like I felt like. Harris was listening. To me and they were very generous and give me fund that was.

Enough for me to add a little of my savings to it to be here so for me. It's a combination of Paris, France and my personal savings as well.

Yeah, I I had a personal funds and Harris provided a little bit of scholarship, which is great and then a lot of these students right now they were in your seats last year? Are you wearing their seat last year, So what? What is one piece of advice that you have for people who are applying or considering applying to hairs or Graduate School in general.

I will say regarding the essays.

Um take your time don't do it in a rush read them several times. Um an really speak of your experience. One of vines that I got when I was doing this process was. Show me don't tell me if you're thinking if you're talking about yourself as a leader don't say yeah. I'm leader show. It really show it with your experience with examples also for those who.

English is not their first language have someone that is to prove it. I think that's also very important. Um an yeah, you're hearing about our experiences, but yeah, just talked with people that.

Been through this process, even though it may be there, not in Harris. But just someone that apply to grad school. Others perspectives is always very useful to.

2.

Make sure that you're getting the message through that you want to send.

I'm yeah, just additional note on the essays to tell a story. I've realized a little later that whatever story you had the even if it if you even if you started a start up your own company, but it failed attend. It's the lessons that you learn from it, and the fact that you're able to read the story from your experiences. That's what all graduate schools really want that you are able to tell your story and what you've learned from your experiences in your education.

Also, don't stretch make sure your drinking enough water and keeping healthy. It's not the end of the world. This process seems very daunting, but it really isn't just have faith in yourself and enjoy enjoy the journey as much as you can you can yeah, so I think for Maine being part of this weaponized? Is is if you know it's a good way to start I didn't have no possibility to be part of it and so I think.

The question itself for me in my experience was was tedious. Yes, an I think I was finding ways to put all of my experiences in just on one page and I thought that was typical. But I think what I learned from it is that like my colleagues listen. You don't have to stress about it just right.

I mean, it mean if its temperature is just right and then as you are drinking water just to go back and then let it fit into the word limit so don't stress about the word limits and the other thing is I wanted to give up at some point but I think that the only thing I want to promise that I will invite you give up and so I would say to all of you don't give up keep the application coming. I think I have another advice is an it's just have confidence and believe in yourself and what you've done.

I fall in the trap of comparing myself to others, and that's a huge mistake I'm pretty sure you'll have done amazing. Things even though there's moments that we don't think that, but truly believe that you've done amazing things smaller or little that's that doesn't matter.

Just believe in yourself and in put it put yourself in the vulnerable position of showing truly who you are.

Great thank you all, so much so we will start taking questions. I see uh some of them have already been coming in up for those of you who applied early action. We hope to have decisions out very soon within a week. So you should hear from us then our next deadline is December 3rd so that's the Round 1 den light and then. After that is January 21. I would all encourage you haven't signed application yet.

Please do so as soon as possible, there really shouldn't be anything holding you back. All we don't require an application fee. So the $50 fee is waived automatically and we also don't require the jirari so there shouldn't be anything holding back. I was actually signed application and if you can submit round one. And if not definitely by the Round 2 deadline. I sell some questions about the English program do you mind? Yeah, the English program is 3 weeks long?

It depends on your eye either total or iOS score, and you also get an interview just to see if you there's 2 trucks. Speaking Dragon, riding track and depends on your score an an interview to decide which truck are you in. It's the school. It's actually the English Institute that decides this. It's 3 weeks long. It's before the math come or math refresher, so it's during the summer I will have to be here.

On the first week of August 2 I think this it has a cost uh but it's not as much and it's really useful you get to you have classes Monday till Thursday 3 hours a day and you have actually a lot of homework to do but it's with the intention of you getting to know Chicago in being able to move around to understand what's happening here a little bit of the story up Chicago so it is it is really useful.

But I think you don't get to decide whether you participate on the program or not. It's uh the English Institute that decides if you're part of it, yeah, so they it's the it's called language camp or English camp and it's required for students who do not meet our minimum requirements for the toll full or eilts. So we will let you know from our office in the spring, if you need to take that class if you don't want to take the class. You can always also submit a new tool for I'll score it if you meet our minimum requirements you'll be waived.

Out of that, so there's that's away but it's a good way for you to come earlier. I think they have a lot of fun activities. That's why do they like they send you around the city. I think to like practice speaking so it's it's another option, but it will let you know when or if it's required for you. Let's see I see another question about the finance section of the application. So it's not going to negatively impact your application whatsoever so.

You asked us to know how your funding your degree and that's just a good way for you to cut it start thinking about that and start looking into Lowe's or start looking into other scholarships. So it's not going to negatively impact your scholarship or your application at all.

Um great and then I think I saw another question about work experience so for this program work experience is important. It isn't midcareer program and all of your classmates. They have some they have at least number of years. Yeah, I would say a majority of you all have it more than 5 years of experience so definitely work experience is important for this program, especially about the topics that are going to be discussing and you know just your classroom discussion that you have if you don't have any work experience. We generally suggest are Masters of public pool.

The program that's a better fit for students to with all different backgrounds. But those who don't have any work experience of those who have some those have more so I'm definitely look into that massive public policy. I'm seeing a lot of questions about the Obama Foundation Scholarship program at this moment. We are not accepting applications for this program for next year. However, as you can tell we are still accepting applications for the degree program an for a mid distance.

They would be eligible to receive some sort of partial tuition scholarship, so at this moment. We don't have any additional information regarding the Obama Foundation scholarship part.

I think there's a question of more funding was that briefly talk about a topic in International Development that you covered in coursework that you found engaging well. Our first semester is pretty much the core which is quite quantitative in nature. So we're learning, a lot of theories and tools essentially that we will be able to use in any area of International Development.

So what the professors do, do is uhm, they try and gauge what topics um. We're all interested in and kind of used it. A lot of these tools uhm with those topics as examples in class. But we haven't actually done a particular points work or any homework on a particular area of thematic areas, such but rather just apply. These tools in in whatever area you're interested in kind of thing.

So I guess the 2nd and 3rd quarters are where you actually get into more your thematic areas of interest and that's when different topics in International Development goal arise and you will be able to use your tools, yeah, essentially then and you guys, just pre registration rights. Did you register for next quarter yet? What is middle classes electives that you're taking next corner? I'm taking one of the conflict taking one on building states in Latin America.

With James Robinson and I'm taking it will have one that is on economic development so as mythical was saying. We're going to get really into the development topic next quarter right? Yeah, I think I'm looking at the conflict on as well. There's one modern welfare states that I'm interested or there's one cost benefit analysis. So the good thing is, you have 2 options. You can either develop more skills, AKA like the cost benefit analysis one.

Or program valuation that kind of thing or you can choose something more thematic like the conflict, one or states in Latin America. So I think I am taking a poverty and Social Welfare 'cause That's my area that I really want to go through and we have policy lapse where you can also use your skills that you've learned from the code that nuclear saying so I think that is where you actually getting to your specific areas of interest regarding International Development.

Yeah, for those of you who don't know what policy lapse our policy labs are an elective that you can take during your second or third quarter and they are essentially a consulting project. So you'll work with your classmates on a real life issue that a company or organization that has come to Harris floor and then you'll work on those issues, and then present them at the very end of the quarter and get a grade and work with faculty, but it's just a great way for you to get my hands on experience in consulting an indifferent.

Areas and I know that even policy labs are in different topic areas, so on. They have one specifically on International Development and not a number of projects coming up so that's something that you could potentially.

Get into uhm I see a question about you know families. So it can use come to Harris. If you have children or have families on our side. That's totally fine of our students are visas. We will help you in you know apply for those visas. You just need to get dependent visas. You would just need to show additional funds, though in order to bring your children or your spouse.

And Harris is very supportive, they offer a lot of different resources for parents. Yeah, I'm babysitting cities for spouses, yeah, so you don't have to worry about your children or families. Yeah, I know a number of students have yeah, yeah, so asking about the certificates. Yeah can get more than one, but since we have a very restricted district time? Yeah.

If you can do like with how many options do you have for elective courses you can do like one or 2 considering a different certificates have had different requirements so for example, the global conflict. One requires you to take at least 3 courses on the on this topic, and the program evaluation. Ask you to have another 3, so you have to balance that out, like you can have more.

You know, I mean, it's a possibility, but you have to be realistic of how many elective courses. We can take an? What are you plans for after graduation in my case? I'm planning on staying for one year in the United States. I have to to be able to work here for 2. Reasons one because I want to get the experience here into because this is very personal. Sorry but it's easier to pay the student loan, earning in dollars rather than in Colombia.

Yeah, as an international student as well. They give you at least a year of one of work experience so I do want to utilize that I hope to be in Chicago or DC working with either a think tank or I mean, I'm very open minded as to what I want to do so. I don't really have any qualms about working at a smaller or large scale organization that's really. That's fine. But hopefully in in the US for at least a year.

After after I graduate and then hopefully back to Asia. I think for me. I am a permanent resident. So I still want to be here. But I think I would like to go back to Ghana at some point after the program and as international students. Yeah, you can apply for a working visa so you can apply it's called opete optional practitioner.

Training or something like that, and that's where you can actually work in the US without having to apply for work. Each H1B Visa, so that's a great opportunity, I think a lot of interactions to take part in that and the current of Element Services, they can help you apply for jobs and I know tomorrow. There's like an International Development career day are you planning on going on that now. Some yes, so it's a It's a day in which they have panelists you know workshops speakers.

Come on specifically for students interested in International Development. So hopefully we'll have some interesting insights. After that that day tomorrow are there any more questions? Yeah, any other questions before we have to end our time.

So.

Internships turning into full time jobs, um so they are all currently in their interested in. It's quite early. I'd say, but I can tell from experience. In the past at Harrison were all her students that that is certainly been a possibility where internships do turn into full time job offers so it's not it's not uncommon to see that actually but with M ADP. I'm not all students are participating internships and it's not required just because of the short time period so.

I would say that it is certainly a possibility for that. But you're going to hear this a lot when you come here in the one word that everyone says here is network. So leverage your network. San obviously meet as many people as you can if that doesn't translate to an internship. It may just translate into a job so just meet as many people as you can many organisations contact them and that may or may not turn into something lucrative so always.

Yeah, you're doing that, yeah, and it's not just hair salon night. It's University. Chicago alumni that you have access to through here is a specific alumni website that you would have access to in order to, if you want to reach an alarm who lives in you know, California, you can search that and then search their you know their profile so that's a way for you to reach out to them. But yeah, definitely the network. I think is great regarding the question about something not sounding too repetitive. I think it's actually.

One of the challenge when you're doing your essays, just from my perspective try to use different examples of what you're trying to say on your different essay so if you have different projects that you've been on or you have. I don't know. Yeah, different projects you speak of a project in one essay so just make sure as mythical was saying. Uh at the beginning just too. You're telling a story don't deviate from that because you can fall in the mistake of.

Not showing who you are in what you've done so far, so maybe use different examples. Yeah, an half people reading this. This this is a speakers having a fresh set of eyes reviewing this is also very helpful to identify and if you're being repetitive and to see if all your for essays connect with yeah, and the monthly budget. I think it depends on I'm gonna be completely honest and in my case.

I live with a $1600 a month and I think it's usually less actually but I know there's people that live with 2500. So yeah, I mean, you come to Harris, or you. Chicago every day. You're gonna get a free meal twice a week. It's it's true. You have a lot of free food here and I kind of went back to the the essay question. I don't know if all if you can see it, but it's a on the me ID P application we require.

Or essays, which I think would be better because our MPP application may only require the yeah, the motivation statement. And then those short essays are optional essays, but I think the more information you give us the better right. I know that our motivation statement is only 300 words. That's really, really short and really challenging to write. I bet so it's it's hard to put everything that you want and just want to say so. The fact that this this application.

2 additional access I think that's just more room for you to kind of shine and let us know a little bit more about your story your background if you guys are confused. There's anyone confused between another program in the IDP. You can fill out an application for that program and take an option to also apply for the me ID simultaneously. So basically your application will be sent to type programs as opposed to one and that's a good way to wave your $50 as well.

Little bit of a hack yes, so you can select the MPP as your second option absolutely fine. I don't care. You can select a second program as your second option will automatically consider you for that program if you're still waiting between the two and you're not sure of the committee will kind of take a look at your application and we want to make sure we're finding the best fit for you so we don't look down upon if you select a second program if you select MTP is your second choice.

Then maybe committee is not going to say, Oh, they didn't want us for I say want to maybe that's not the case once so ever, but you do need to make sure that if you are applying to for example, the MPP as your second choice. You need to have all the requirements in the NPP does require the Jerian. We do not require them ATP so if you want to MPPS your second choice. You need to make sure you have that score in there and Cottages to answer your question most of us live at Hyde Park, which is where the University is based and.

And mostly by 8090% of the students and staff lived in this area. It's a very nice area very cute very family oriented. So you'll really like it and everyone sort of either takes the bus or walks to Uni. It's 1520 minutes. Max if you're walking. There's also cycles that you can take and it's just very convenient. Yeah, here. I think yeah majority of students will live here just because of the convenience and also it's a very it's very.

Other areas in Chicago, like either here or downtown downtown is insane. So it's not feasible. For Yeah, it's great for kids and there are lots of schools here? Yeah.