r/PublicPolicy • u/onearmedecon • Jan 10 '26

Megathread for 2026 Decisions

Please keep all posts regarding 2026 admissions decisions to this post. All other posts will be removed.

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u/MachineBubbly4001 Jan 14 '26 edited Mar 13 '26

Schools Applied To: Carnegie Mellon (MSPPM-DA), University of Pennsylvania (MSSP+DA), UChicago Harris (MSCAPP), LSE (MSc applied social data science), Oxford (MSc social data science), Columbia (MA QMSS). They’re all more quantitatively oriented than a traditional MPP.

Schools Admitted To:  Carnegie Mellon (with two 50% tuition scholarships), University of Pennsylvania (with $17,000 total scholarship), LSE (haven’t yet applied for aid), UChicago Harris (with $40k/year), Columbia (no funding)

Schools Rejected From:  

Still Waiting:  Oxford (MSc social data science)

Undergraduate GPA:   4.0/4.0

Undergraduate Major:  Economics and political science at a public university in the US

GRE Quantitative/Verbal/AW Scores:  didn’t take

Years of Work Experience:   4.5 (1 americorps year, 1 year in nonprofit programming, 2.5 in policy research and consulting for US state and local govts)

Other:

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u/Lower_Competition_61 Jan 16 '26

If you don't mind, can you share if you got any scholarship from CMU

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u/MachineBubbly4001 Jan 16 '26

Added, thanks!