LS529-
I went to Rutgers as an undergrad and of course didn't want to go when applying to colleges. I'm from NJ and nobody wants to go to there state school (not that Rutgers isn't a fine school-we just tend to look beyond what is in our own backyard) We all had elaborate dreams to go elsewhere and spend tons of money. I ended up loving it there and in hindsight wouldn't have done it differently. And now I, unlike my colleagues, do not have a tremendous debt burden to carry. I think a Rutgers MPP is a fantastic idea (is this with the Bloustein school or do they have a similar program in Newark) and if anything you are close to NYC. Yeah yeah people make fun of Jersey but you will come away loving the state and the school.