Public Policy + Data / Analytics / Quant focus programs

[va731]

Hey y'all - After 6 years in the private sector, contemplating taking a mid-career break and pivoting to public sector / non-profit role. I dont have much of a quant background - some basic SQL knowledge - absolutely no programming  intermediate Excel user and want to start acquiring analytics skills.

 

A lot of these terms "Machine Learning" etc. can be quite daunting. I did take a grad level stats class back in college and did OK - not averse to math - its just the programming part that I am concerned about - i feel an ideal school should have a good combination of resources and a support system to help me through it. Location is somewhat of a preference - prefer an urban campus.

 

Here are my choices and first impressions - please challenge my biases

 

• Chicago's MSCAPP - 2 years seems like a heavy lift - way too much commitment I feel and seems like ALL-programming.
• Johns Hopkins - Government Analytics - 1 year program - but DC focus seems too federal
• CMU Heinz - looks interesting - 2 yrs and not a dedicated degree program. Pitt / DC - meh
• NYU Wagner - NYC!  They appear to be quite involved in the NYC policy -  doing smart cities in a big way through CUSP  ?
• Michigan Ford - strong public policy but weak in quant ? Also  Ann Arbor ?
• Harvard Kennedy - Harvard
• Berkeley Goldman - SF area - cool school
• Georgetown - M.S. in Analytics with a concentration in Data Science - sounds great but good faculty ?

Any others Im missing here ?

 

Thank You!!! - your opinions may shape my academic life!

[went_away]

When I was researching these programs I was most impressed by far with Carnegie Mellon. 

 

Johns Hopkins program is new and while I'm sure it's at least decent quality (it's JHU!), it looks a bit like a money grab. If you are interested in public sector though, I'm not sure why the gov focus of JHU would be a negative. 

[ManBilla]

Did you apply to NYU CUSP? Any inputs about that program?