Standing out, getting in, and staying level headed while applying for a postgraduate program especially to an Ivy League University may seem like a daunting task when you are not well informed about the intricacies of the admission process and the minimum requirements for admissions. Hence, this calls for the relevance of attending information sessions organized by such colleges. On the 12th September,2022 EducationUSA in collaboration with @Princeton University held an information session on Post Graduate Courses in Public and International Affairs at the American Corner, Agbogba
THE BIG PICTURE
Steven Petric, the director of Graduate Affairs Admissions of Princeton School of Public and International Affairs ( SPIA) facilitated the session with comprehensive information about all that entailed SPIA. To usher the participants into the great ambience of the school environment : a virtual picture slide tour together with which the overview of the university was showcased.
GRADUATE PROGRAMS
He went further to elaborate extensively on the graduate degree programs SPIA offers which are:
- Master in Public Affairs (MPA) : 2 – year degree which offers 16 courses
- Master in Public Policy (MPP) : 1 – year Mid-career degree which covers 8 courses
- P.H.D, Doctor of Philosophy in Public Affairs: 2 Clusters of study which are Security studies and Science,Technology and Environmental Policy (STEP)
Adding to that, He also made mention of the Optional Certificate Programs of the school which are Health and Health Policy(HHP), Science,Technology, and Environmental Policy(STEP) and Urban Policy(UP)
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FINANCIAL AID
“ We literally pay you to come to school, We invest in you!!” Steven Petric emphasized that Princeton and the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, who are distinguished for aiding their students in the pursuit of higher education and being leaders in service, funds all the tuition and health fees of all their enrolling students over the duration of their programs. Which is 2 years for the MPA, 1 year for the MPP and 5 years for the PHD.
He said “along with it ,we offer generous, need based-living stipends”. The why? is to ensure that all our students can commit their energy and time fully focused on academics and social life at the school. Stressing emphatically about the tuition, He proceeded to clear the air that the tuition is not a loan nor is it based on or linked to any campus job.
THE APPLICATION PROCESS
Delving into the requirements for application, Steven elaborated that, a completed application must include a Princeton University Graduate Application,personal statement, supplemental essay, certificate statement ,policy memo, curriculum Vitae/resume, transcripts, GPA, Academic & Professional Recommendations, statement of financial resources and TOEFL/IELTS(If you a citizen from a-non English speaking country)
“ We look through our admissions holistically” He said, cautioning the participants to avoid being stoic in their personal statements write-ups and avoid leaving loop-holes in any of their application requirements but rather encouraged them to write their unique stories because the school celebrates diversity of perspectives.
He urged the participants, “Princeton is possible, our graduate programs are distinguished by diverse cohorts of dedicated public servants and we will love to have more people from West Africa” .
It was a bewildering experience for both the participants and the organizers of the program. Attendees expressed how they were intrigued with the insightful knowledge they had gained and were super elated about the application fee waiver they had from attending the session. The climax of the event was characterized with a serene atmosphere of networking and photograph taking.
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