hopeful88

Sure you can be bumped up a waitlist...because you convince the school that you really want to go there and would be a great fit. I don't think it has anything to do with how early or late you were waitlisted. The single most important thing you can do is to enthusiastically express interest in the program. Reach out the head of admissions. Let them know much you want to attend and why you would be a great fit. If possible, arrange for an in-person tour. Also, be very careful about pursuing a waitlisted position at an expensive school, as you will surely forego major funding opportunities. I totally understand wanting to get into a dream program, but please think long and hard before taking on on huge amounts of debt.

Hmm, well, I'm no expert but your GRE quant score seems fine. Analytical writing is low but it sounds like English is a second language for you. As long as you turn in technically proficient essays (which doesn't seem like a problem since your grammar and writing appears to be fluent in these posts) I would think that wouldn't ding you too much. I don't know as much about the Cornell program, but the other three you listed (Harvard, Princeton, Columbia) are extremely competitive, especially for funding . You seem to have a decent profile but I certainly wouldn't count on getting money from any of them. SIPA is a little less competitive with admissions, but my understanding is that they only give it a tiny handful of substantial scholarships. And it's so expensive that I wouldn't advise attending for full tuition unless you have outside funding. Same for HKS. It could be smart to also apply to Michigan and Wagner, as you suggested. If you're willing to go to Texas, I recall reading claims that LBJ at UT Austin sometimes gives out generous scholarships? I don't know that to be true through first hand knowledge though, and I could be misremembering. You might also look into Duke, they have a strong program and sometimes give out scholarship money I think. I would sift through the threads on this message board for scholarship recommendations. Good luck.

Why do you want an MPA if you already have an MPP? That doesn't really make sense to me, so would definitely be something you need to explain to any admissions committee. Are you aware of the degree of overlap in these degree programs that often occurs in the US? Perhaps your MPP is from an international institution, but if you want a US degree in order to try to work here, that is by no means a given. Have you considered other paths toward whatever your end goal is?

Good luck

I would not worry about age, at all. These are professional programs. More work experience is a positive. Depending on the school, you might find yourself to be a bit on the older end of your cohort, but I guarantee you won't be the only one. For U.S. programs, being an international student IS international experience. Take this with a grain of salt, because my area of specialty is domestic policy. But you say you are interested in finance policy in developing economies, and you have grown up in and worked in a developing economy. Maybe you can use grad school as an opportunity to become more familiar with other developing economies, but I think you need to sell your background as a positive when applying, rather than viewing it as a negative. Your experience seems fine. For professional programs like these, it's good to have a niche. You have a clear vision about what you want to do, and relevant experience to back up. Make sure your SOP expresses your passion for the field, and pulls together all the pieces of your background and work experience into a coherent narrative explaining where you've been, what you want to get out of grad school, and how you want your career to progress after school. Really, you are overthinking this. You seem like a solid candidate. Decent test scores, solid work experience, clear mission/area of focus. Your undergrad GPA is a bit low, but nothing too concerning. You don't mention a GPA for your grad diploma, but it's definitely a plus if that is higher. And your test scores help make up for the GPA. If you feel there are extenuating circumstances worth explaining regarding your undergrad experience (maybe your state university graded on a curve, or the engineering major was particularly challenging), I would consider explaining that in your application. U.S. admissions officers may not have the context to fully understand your educational background. But I wouldn't make too much fuss over that. Get to work on your applications, and you should be fine. Really take your time to write a solid SOP. Run it by one or two trusted advisors (but not too many people--it should express your voice and your vision, not anyone else's).

Yes, go. Sounds like you have nothing to lose. I don't think it makes a huge difference, but it can be helpful to meet admissions staff members who attend the fairs. Pick out your top programs, and make a point to talk with someone at each of those booths. Why not? Show them that you are interested in and knowledgeable about the programs you intend to apply to.

I would argue that it is actually a disadvantage to earn a professional degree without any work experience. When you finish school, you will then be competing for an entirely different set of jobs, against people who have both the same credentials AND more work experience. You will be overqualified for entry level positions where you could probably excel at this point in time, and you will be underqualified for more advanced positions (at least in comparison to the competition). If you can get a full-ride somewhere, then maybe it would be worth it to go. You sound smart and motivated, and I'm sure you will be successful as you enter the next phase of your career. But make sure you think through the potential unintended consequences of getting a professional degree without full-time professional experience (internships are not the same thing, as others have pointed out). I have known really smart people with great degrees who have struggled in the job market due to lack of professional experience. Employers want to see both the degree and the experience.

What about a joint MPP/MSW? That's a good option if you're interested in social welfare policy (as opposed to just organizational management). But it sounds like that may not be your goal.

Ok...I'll give it a try. 1. Sounds like you're interested in domestic policy, so I wouldn't worry so much about lack of fluency in another language (especially since you speak passable Spanish). 2. Quant score looks pretty solid to me. Maybe not as strong as your language scores, but those are stellar. Generally you want to hit 75th percentile or above for quant, which you've certainly done. 3. This is where you may run into problems. You are (relatively) fresh out of undergrad, sounds like you're making headway advancing in your current job. Why grad school, and why now? You will have to craft a really compelling narrative in your essays to address this point. It doesn't come across clearly from anything you've written here. You should also be aware that lack of work experience will reduce your chance of getting funding, and weaken your position on the job market post-graduation (you'll be competing with folks who have the same degree, and more experience). However, these obstacles are not insurmountable if now is really the right time for you to go back to school. 4. I wouldn't worry about this too much, especially since you have a solid quant score and strong undergrad GPA (I'm assuming you took some statistics/quant oriented courses in undergrad). You may want to consider enrolling in an online microeconomics course, which you can include in your applications so that the admissions committee knows that you are developing your experience in this subject area. It would also orient you to the concepts you'll need to know in your methods courses. Good luck!

Don't mean to imply any incompetence on your part :). I think the Math GRE maps better onto HS level concepts. Annoying, but nevertheless a barrier one must overcome. Good luck with the admissions process!

I don't have personal experience applying to Econ PhD programs, but that seems like a really low and problematic quant score, considering how quant heavy an Econ PhD is. For reference, I got a 157Q and found that I was on the bubble for top MPP programs. I did get in, but it affected my funding options. And I'm more focused on qualitative research and had a 168V. If you're posting in this forum, I assume you're interested in econometrics, which requires substantial statistical expertise. Hence the red flag from your quant score. You might want to consider pushing back your application cycle, since it is totally doable to raise your quant score if you can set aside the time to study (see Magoosh!). Plus, more work experience never hurt anyone. Just my two cents.

I agree with the above. I would also advise you to look into Research Assistant positions at policy think tanks that dabble in your areas of interest (think Brookings, Center for American Progress). The pay probably won't be great but this would allow you to develop your quant skills and gain more experience in public policy. This type of position was a common pathway into my grad program.

I should add...this advice only applies if you do not already have relevant professional connections in the area you want to live. For example, if you already are working in the right field, but need additional qualifications for a promotion--go for the cheapest option and then move back to the place where you already have ties. However, assuming that you don't currently have the right connections on the West Coast, I think it's well worth it to pay more for a strong local alumni network and relevant experiences and connections during grad school. Just my two cents

Short answer: Yes. If you know for sure that you want to work on the West Coast after graduation, go to school there. You will make a wealth of professional connections during your time in grad school that should ease your way into finding the right job in the place you want to be, and the local alumni network will prove valuable as well. Is it impossible to go to school in MN and then find work on the West Coast? Of course not. It will be more difficult, however. If this is is really a top criterion for what you want to get out of grad school, then I think it's worth the extra $.

I'd go for the two year program--that gives you plenty of time to get a solid grounding in quantitative methods a (very marketable skill set for the type of education work you're describing), and also take interesting electives. If you do a one year program, you'll need to really buckle down and take skills oriented courses only in order to get the most value out of the program, and it may limit your ability to explore content matter courses. You can map your courses out ahead of time if you're worried about getting overwhelmed by too much choice. You'll also have more time to explore different internship opportunities and build relationships with professors in the two year program.

I agree with the points made my Maxwell Alum. Although I am usually the first person to tell people to get some work experience--in your case, you HAVE work experience. Just not in the field you want. Grad school is a great way for you to get on track with a career switch. I did the same (working as a teacher and then wanted to move to a policy role, although granted, ed policy is directly related to my previous work experience). I can't speak to MIA or MA programs, since I was only interested in an MPP. However, I can say that in my program there were lots of folks concentrating on international as well as domestic policy. And I specifically chose the MPP because of the flexibility it offers. I knew I could pursue a position at a nonprofit, for profit, in local government, etc. I can't speak to your third question since I'm a domestic policy person and did not consider any international programs.

You have a strategic decision to make. If you are determined to return to school as soon as possible, regardless of where you go, then add some additional safeties like American. But I too would caution you against investing the time and money in a grad program that you're not really excited about. It seems that if you got some targeted work experience, you would have a much stronger application a few years down the road. Also, consulting is generally difficult to get into without solid work experience. Think about the professional path you will need to take to achieve your dream job, and whether the first steps of that path require you to attend school immediately. I think it's always best to get as far as you can while still earning money and building experience. But I'm sure you will be able to get into some grad programs now if you decide it's the right thing to do, assuming you broaden your portfolio a bit. Admissions is always something of a crapshoot, so definitely apply to reach schools as well. Good luck!

Yes, you should add some safety schools. Peace Corps experience is great, but you'll be competing against candidates with that experience, plus additional work experience and higher test scores. It sounds like you can produce a compelling personal statement based on your life experience, but I wouldn't bank on that alone to overcome the other factors for seriously competitive programs.

Since you want advice, I'll put in my two cents Your scores are strong, they are in the range for top programs. I don't think it's worth the effort to obsess over a few extra points. I've heard the rumor that it can make a difference for funding, but I would think that strengthening your overall profile through volunteer work would be more valuable given the scores you've already achieved. Could you make it into a top program? Maybe...sounds like you have a pretty strong profile. My question for you (and one you will probably need to answer for an admissions committee) is why now? It sounds like you're nowhere near to topping out your professional trajectory, so I'm curious why you feel like it's the right moment to return to school. I may be biased as someone who waited longer and got more work experience, but I think you will get much more out of school with some additional time working, and also be more competitive for funding. Obviously you are the only person who can determine whether now is the right time. Hope this was hopeful.

Also, if you want to go into ed policy...there is nothing more relevant than teaching experience :). You just need to show how your thinking has evolved based on your experience at the ground level. So much of the struggle in making effective ed policy is the breakdown between the regulations that are put into place and what actually happens in classrooms. Understanding where things can go wrong is a valuable perspective.

UCLA Luskin has some great ed policy faculty and courses (check out Meredith Phillips). It's less competitive than Goldman but still a solid program.

@artsy16 You have to look specifically for Vista positions, they are intended to be capacity building and are actually forbidden from being direct interaction with clients. Other types of AmeriCorps position are generally more service oriented. It is true that the pay is shit, but the experience may be worth it. Only you can decide. I will say that a graduate degree is not a silver bullet--myself and other classmates with work experience are having way more success on the job market than my classmates without as much experience. Worth keeping in mind...yes, do feel free to reach out.

As someone who has a pyschology degree, considered getting an MSW, and am about to graduate with an MPP, I can relate! A few thoughts: 1) There are dual MPP/MSW programs out there that you may want to look into (U Chicago, Columbia, UCLA, UC Berkeley all have that option...I'm sure there are others) 2) I completely agree with the advice to look into AmeriCorps VISTA. I worked in a VISTA research position with an education nonprofit that allowed me to beef up my quant skills and get a feel for analytic work that has been very relevant to my MPP experience. 3) I seriously cannot emphasize enough how important it is to have work experience--both to clarify what type of policy work you want to engage in, and also to be competitive in terms of admissions. Keep in mind that if you want to make change at a macro level, having "on the ground" experience is invaluable. It's hard to change systems that you don't really understand. Especially if you're interested in getting a dual degree or doing interdisciplinary work, it's important to have a compelling story that really ties your interests together. Feel free to message me if you want to discuss further!

The MPP program at Berkeley has lots of opportunities to engage with ed policy (check out the work of David Kirp and Jesse Rothstein in particular), but there are no official tracks. However, you can specialize as little or as much as you want depending on your selection of elective courses and project topics. Just to clarify, GSPP is very much focused on policy analysis--so there is less emphasis on management than most MPA programs. However, these courses are still present in the program as electives to some extent. Also, there is a lot of flexibility to take courses in any of the graduate schools. You may also want to check out the work of the Center for Cities & Schools on the UC Berkeley campus. They deal with a lot of the issues you've mentioned here. Based on your interests, it sounds to me like you'll want to have access to good ed policy offerings. This is important not just because of the classes offered, but also the extent to which professors, career advisors, alumni, etc. are well connected in the education community. A final thought--I also visited UCLA while checking out different programs, and they seemed to have pretty good ed policy offerings as well.

I echo the advice above--Ed Pioneers is a great path to pursue if you're interested in education policy. They offer incredible networking opportunities, and the analyst positions are definitely relevant to the work in a top MPP program.