2013 Clinton School FAQ’s

A. The Clinton School offers the first Masters in Public Service (MPS) degree available in the United States. Concurrent degree options include a MPS/Juris Doctorate in collaboration with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (Bowen School of Law), an MPS/MBA with the University of Arkansas (Walton College of Business), as well as two variations of the MPS/Master of Public Health in conjunction with the University of Arkansas School for Medical Sciences (Boozman College of Public Health). In order to be accepted into any of these concurrent degree programs, the applicant must separately apply and be accepted into both the Clinton School and the concurrent program of their choice. The 2013 Clinton School application deadline is January 25, 2013 (postmark deadline).

A. For those Clinton School applicants who are interested in pursuing a concurrent degree, please complete the respective application for your desired concurrent degree program with whom we currently partner. Information about their respective applications, deadlines, and tuition costs can be found below.

UALR Bowen School of Law: http://www.law.ualr.edu/ (priority application deadline: January 15)

UAMS Boozman College of Public Health: http://www.uams.edu/coph/ (application deadline: March 1)

UAF Walton College of Business: http://gsb.uark.edu/ (application deadline: April 1)

If/when a student has been admitted into both the MPS and their concurrent program of choice, the student may then plan to enroll into their respective concurrent degree course program/sequence.

A. The Clinton School MPS degree is a full-time 2-year program. By enrolling in a concurrent program, an additional year or two (depending on the program) will be required to obtain both degrees. Detailed information about the Clinton School MPS curriculum and the three concurrent degree offerings can be found on our website at http://clintonschool.uasys.edu/academics/concurrent-degrees/.

A. The Clinton School offers a unique blend of academics with practical hands-on experience. In fact, nearly 30% of our program’s total credits are earned through the three required public service work in the field, conducted throughout the 2-year degree program: the group-based Practicum, the International Public Service Project, and the Capstone. The Clinton School’s distinct "real world" curriculum that educates people both in our classrooms and in the fields of service around the nation and globe, equips our students with a dimensional educational experience that is unlike any other Masters program in the country.

A. Clinton School students come from diverse personal, educational, professional and service backgrounds. The Clinton School highly values and seeks this diversity, and consequently, there are no specific prerequisite courses. In fact, within our Fall 2012 enrollment class, there were 35 different undergraduate majors represented among the 50 enrolling students.

A. The Clinton School only offers a full-time academic curriculum. We do not offer any web-based or distance-learning programs at this time.

A. Tuition rates for the Clinton School are set by the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees. Currently, tuition for the 2-year, 36 credit-hour Master of Public Service degree program, including fees, is $400* per credit hour for both residents and non-residents. Fees incorporated into tuition include orientation, instructional equipment, technology, library fees, and other miscellaneous charges. Additional charges may be assessed on the parent campuses (UAF, UALR and UAMS) for student activities, sports and recreational events, parking, housing, health services, and the like. Estimated additional costs may include approximately $400 per semester for books, and between $5000 and $6000 per semester for residential living and personal expenses here in Little Rock. *The Clinton School has proposed adding four credit hours to the MPS curriculum for Fall 2013, making it a 40-hour program (The MPS degree will continue to be a 2-year program). Also, an additional $20 per credit hour fee for student services provided by UALR has been proposed for Fall 2013. Total tuition and fees under this proposal would be $16,800.

A. No, all applicants pay the same $400 per credit hour for all classes taught at the Clinton School. Elective courses taken at our other partner campuses are charged at the in-state rate.

A. No, the MPS degree program requires a full-time commitment. Because our innovative schedule of classroom work and field work may vary somewhat from week to week, part-time pursuit of the program is not possible.

A. Many of our students work a part-time job (approx. 15 hours/week) while at the Clinton School, but the key to successful job/school balance will be the flexibility related to the part-time job. The time demands related to both the classroom work and our field work is varied from week to week. Consequently, many of our students would suggest that having a part-time job which allows flexibility of hours is extremely critical to maintaining both a successful acedemic record, and a reasonable school/life balance.

A. No, the MPS track begins only in the fall semester.

A. The Clinton School MPS program begins with a weeklong orientation in mid-August. All incoming students are required to attend orientation. Classes generally begin in late August, during the week following orientation.

A. All incoming students are automatically registered for their first semester of fall classes in the required MPS core courses. Elective course options begin in the Spring semester of the first year and continue throughout the second year of the MPS program.

A. Yes, up to three credit hours of graduate work may be transferred, if approved by the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.

A. The Clinton School is currently accepting applications for Fall 2013 enrollment.

A. All application materials must be postmark-submitted by or before January 25, 2013. Application documents postmarked after this date will result in an incomplete application file, which may not be reviewed by the Admission Committee for Fall 2013 enrollment.

A. Applications may be completed online at https://waprd.uark.edu/web-apps/grad/clintonschool/. The PDF version of the 2013 application is also available to be downloaded and printed from our website, if that is more convenient for an applicant.

A. The Clinton School requires that all applicants submit:

-          A completed application form

-          A resume or curriculum vitae

-          Official transcripts from all baccalaureate and graduate programs attended

-          Three letters of recommendation, preferably on official letterhead, with the required “Letter of Reference” form

-          Three short answer essay responses (a fourth essay is required for all concurrent degree applicants)

-          Official copies of the GRE, MAT, GMAT or LSAT score transcripts

-          International applicants who do not have an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university and whose native language is not English are required to additionally submit official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

A. The Clinton School does not require an application fee for our applicants. We invite all interested public servants to apply to our innovative MPS program.

A. Applicants may submit the required application documents in one completed-application packet, or may submit the documents in parts over time, provided that all required documents are submitted by the January 25th post-mark deadline.

A. Three letters of recommendation are required: 1) one addressing the applicant’s academic preparation, 2) one focused on the personal characteristics that make the applicant well suited for graduate education and 3) one affirming the applicant’s public/community service record. All letters of recommendation must be accompanied by a “Letter of Reference” form (available to print online). Both the recommendation letter and the Letter of Reference form must be completed by the individual writing the recommendation, and enclosed in a signed and sealed envelope. It is not recommended that applicants submit more than the three required references.

A. The Clinton School accepts the GRE, the MAT, the GMAT or the LSAT for its application requirement. Test scores more than 5 years old will not be accepted.

A. No. All applicants who provide official transcripts for completed graduate degrees are NOT required to submit graduate test scores.

A. The Clinton School admissions process is self-managed and students are responsible for ensuring that their application documents are complete and postmark-submitted by or before January 25, 2013 at the latest. Applicants will be notified in an email when their application file is complete.

A. An application is NOT complete without the applicant’s test results. An applicant may begin submitting the various components of an application file without the test scores, but an application file will not ultimately be complete without submitting a test score transcript (both a hard copy mailed to the school, as well as an electronic copy submitted by the testing service). An applicant is strongly encouraged to take their graduate test as soon as possible, preferably by December 2013 in order to ensure that the test results can be available by the January 25, 2013, postmark-deadline. Applicants may take these tests as many times as desired; the Admission Committee will use the highest score of record for committee review, provided that the required transcript submissions are received by/before the January 25th deadline.

A. Yes, all international students whose native language is not English and who did not receive an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college are required to submit TOEFL scores. A minimum of 550 for the paper-based examination or 79 for the internet-based examination is required, in order to be considered for admission into the Clinton School.

A. In keeping with the suggested minimum criteria for graduate studies at the University of Arkansas, the Clinton School recommends that applicants have at least a 2.85 cumulative grade point average in their baccalaureate-level courses. The Clinton School does not specify a minimum GRE test score. The most competitive applicants to the Clinton School will generally have academic records near or above our stated GPA and test score averages.

A. Students enrolling in the Fall 2012 entering class ranged in ages 22 - 52, with an average age of 27 years old. The average GPA of admitted students was 3.48/4.00, and the average GRE composite score was 1210 on the “old” GRE composite scoring range, and 304 on the “new” GRE composite scoring range. The Clinton School enrolled a class of 50 new students in the Fall 2012 entering class.

A. The average LSAT score for students admitted to the JD-concurrent program was 158.

A. An interview is not required, but may be requested at the discretion of the admission committee. All such interviews are conducted by telephone. Visiting the Clinton School and meeting with the Admission Director is highly recommended for all interested applicants.

A. Visiting the Clinton School can be a great way to glimpse the unique strengths of the MPS program. The best time for prospective students to visit the school (and the vibrant city of Little Rock) would be during weekdays anytime throughout the Fall semester and prior to the beginning of the Admission Committee’s application review in February. Visiting during the weekday greatly increases the ability to sit in on a class, meet current students, attend one of our renowned speaker programs, and meet with the admissions director. Planning a visit between September and early February is highly encouraged for any interested applicant.

A. All admission decision letters will be sent (by mail) to applicants by/before April 1st.

A. There is NO Early Decision or Priority Deadline. All application components must be postmark-submitted to Clinton School by the January 25th deadline. All final decisions about acceptance into the program will be made by/before April 1st.

A. Yes, both merit-based scholarships and need-based federal aid are available to qualified admitted students.

A. All decisions about merit-based scholarships are made after the Admission Committee determines a student’s acceptance into the program. The applicant’s letter of acceptance will include the merit-based scholarship, if any, that is offered by the Clinton School.

A. If you are a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident of the U.S., you may apply for need-based federal student loans and grants. You must complete a 2013 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the June 30, 2013 priority deadline in order to be eligible to receive federal loan funds. All need-based financial aid is processed for our students through the UA-Little Rock (UALR) Financial Aid office. To submit a FAFSA form, please visit www.fafsa.ed.gov. To have your FASFA submitted to us for financial aid review, please enter the UALR school code 001101.

A. Yes, but in limited numbers. While a number of AmeriCorps alumni may be admitted in a given admission cycle, each year we offer up to five single-match scholarships of AmeriCorps Education Awards (AEA) to well-qualified admitted applicants. Decisions about AmeriCorps scholarship matches are made based on committee review. In order to be considered for one of these limited single-match scholarships, an admitted AmeriCorps alum must have an eligible AmeriCorps Education Award that has not yet been used. Students who have already used their AmeriCorps Education Award are not eligible to be considered for one of the five matching scholarships. However, please note that any admitted AmeriCorps alumni, even those not eligible to be considered for the AEA match, will be considered for standard Clinton School scholarship eligibility, along with all other admitted Clinton School applicants. AmeriCorps alumni who receive one of the matching scholarships will be notified in their admission decision letter.

A. The Clinton School will do its best to work with each student to identify funding to facilitate the international service project of their choice. Typically, this has been done by offering a flat stipend to all students to help cover the costs of their individual International Public Service Project.