Gov2School

It's really hard to say (especially regarding how it impacts funding, which I think is essentially impossible to predict). I did decide to take stats course the fall that I applied. I got into all the programs I applied to, but I don't know if the stats course made the difference. I also had lackluster GRE quant scores, so that made me feel like it was extra important that I have the additional math course. A lot of schools want you to list out specifically what math and econ courses you've taken and I didn't want to have NOTHING to put on that list, so I opted for the stats course. Plus, beyond applying, I knew I was going to have to do stats whereever I went, and I wanted to know a little less than nothing. But ultimately I think that had less of an impact than my work experience, which was very relevant to what I wanted to study, and the fact that I had a very clear sense of why I was applying and what I wanted to get out of my programs, which I think came through in my SOP. I don't think the stats course hurt at all, but i couldn't tell you how much it helped.

While impossible to know for sure of course, I doubt re-taking Macro will make much of a difference in whether you're accepted or not. Maybe it would if you were just finishing undergrad, but since you have 10 years of work experience, they're going to be more focused on that than your grades. Plus a B minus is pretty close to the required threshold. What they may do (this happened to me) was after accepting you, include in your acceptance letter that you have to take a Macro course and get a B or better prior to the start of fall semester, but at least at that point you know you're in the school and the money won't be a waste.

Most schools will let you provide just proof of enrollment in a course when you apply and some will even let you submit grades after the application deadline, as long as you were enrolled in the course when you applied. For example, I was in a similar boat (no math and little econ in undegrad, no math or econ since), and I took a Statistics course at a local community college the fall that I applied. Even though the course was ongoing, I listed it on my application. I got my transcript in January and was able to submit my grade to Princeton and a few other programs for consideration even though their application deadline was in December. Every school is different though, Harvard doesn't take ANY materials after the application deadline. They won't even accept updated resumes if you change your job after the application deadline. So for HKS I just submitted proof that I was enrolled in the course, but didn't submit any final transcripts. Best course of action is to just shoot the school you're applying to a quick email and ask how they want you to handle it. It's not uncommon so they usually have a policy. Also keep in mind that if you don't meet their criteria right away, but they think you might otherwise be a good candidate, they can give you a conditional acceptance, where they accept you into the program, but they require you to take additional math/econ courses before you enroll so they can be sure you'll keep pace with your peers.

Those a really great GRE scores.

And let's not forget that it's a lot cheaper to live in Texas than in lots of other places, so even if you get less aid it goes farther. I agree though, it's important to keep in mind that the GradCafe is a very biased sample. Not everyone reports their financial info, lots of people here are international students (and therefore not eligible for some aid or scholarships). Take it all with a block of salt.

You might want to try applying anyway. Your policy experience could be a real X factor. Maybe it doesn't seem like much to you, but as you'll see from these boards, lots of people apply who have no relevant experience, so even a little can be helpful. Honestly, I think trying to figure out funding can be a little bit of an unknown. A lot of people will say that your GRE score plays a heavy role in how much funding you get, which might be true. But I got a huge scholarship from one of the notoriously stingy programs (SIPA) despite having not great GRE quant scores (in the low 150s). I think my work experience really made a difference there. I also didn't think I would get in to WWS (no math classes in college and oh boy, that GRE score), but I was accepted. A lot depends on what the schools are looking for, and you can't know that until you throw your hat in the ring with the programs you're most interested in. Another thing to look for is what resources they offer BEYOND scholarships for tuition. For example, do they offer funding to support student internships? Conference travel? Language study? What is there career service support like and how involved are they? These are all things above and beyond tuition costs that you might incur and can really add up. It's one of the reasons I didn't choose SIPA, even though I was getting a great offer on my tuition, I didn't get the impression there were a lot of other resources available to support students once they were there.

One school that I heard about too late to apply to but then kind of wished I had was University of Minnesota (the Humphrey School). Not always on the top of everyone's list, but I understand they have a lot of funding available. They also offer an MS in Science, Technology, and Environmental policy, which might be of interest to you.

Not sure how that relates to what we posted? But you should really read the Blattman article, it's instructive.

A lot depends on your goals and how you use the program to meet those goals. It's one of the reasons why work experience is helpful, because it helps you get a better understanding of what's out there, what you've done, what you want to do, and how to use the program to get where you want to be. Several people have previously posted this article in this forum; http://chrisblattman.com/2013/10/04/what-ma-mpa-or-mia-program-is-for-you/; I think it's pretty accurate reasoning. Basically the author (who is a professor at Columbia SIPA) argues that how elite your program is can matter a lot if you have only a modest background in the subject area or you're aiming for a job with a major organization in Washington or New York. If your goals are more modest, or you have a lot of professional experience, he argues, how elite your program is may not matter as much. Also, he notes that the further you get away from grad school, the less it matters what kind of program you went to, but then again those first few years when it does matter can be critical in setting you on a particular path to where you want to be. An elite program may jump start your career and push you further, faster. But that doesn't mean you can't have a satisfying career with an MPA from a less elite program. The biggest X factor is honestly less the school you attend and more how much planning and preparation you do so you're in the best position to take advantage of the program you choose. One thing to consider also is trying to add some volunteer experience to your resume, while you're working and applying. Getting a little more familiarity with the field you're interested in may help you build contacts, clarify your expectations, and position you to get the most out of your program.

I believe it can be helpful for financial aid purposes. If you're a strong candidate, and the school knows you're applying to several other peer institutions, that may influence how much scholarship aid they offer you. However, that can be both for bad and good: they might offer you a better aid package to try to convince you to choose your school, or they might think you're likely to be accepted to and pick a more prestigious school on your list, so they might offer you a smaller package and save the money for someone who they think will definitely choose their school. I think it doesn't hurt to fill it out, it could work in your favor (see above about a better offer), and if nothing else it gives the school's a sense of what universe of schools you're looking at. I got a really big scholarship offer from SIPA, and I think it was at least partially because they saw I was applying to WWS and wanted to make me an offer that would be at lease competitive with what WWS gives every student (free tuition plus a stipend). I did end up going for WWS, but the SIPA offer was incredibly tempting and made me think about them more seriously than I otherwise thought I would (I assumed I would have to discount SIPA even if I got accepted because of the cost). But again, this is all really just speculation. I got no money from Harvard Kennedy, so either they thought I wasn't likely to pick them over my other schools (true) or they just didn't make me an offer for some and completely unrelated reason.

The best thing to do would really to be to contact the grad schools you're most interested in and find out what their policies are re: considering online courses for submission. Every school may be different.

University of Phoenix courses might be accepted, but as I recall from looking into this they're expensive. BYU has some courses that I recall are pretty cheap, and there's a University of Illinois online program as well. You might check out University of Arizona, they offer a lot of online degrees, which suggests you might be able to take some individual courses online as well. Did you try community colleges or city college of NY? I would think in NYC there would be lots of options, beyond CUNY.

To state the obvious, it would be helpful if you could take some kind of math course between now and next January. You should take another look at community college, extension courses, adult education courses, or accredited online courses (not Coursera) in your area. Keep in mind that you don't have to have completed the course by the time you apply, you can list yourself as enrolled even if you don't have your final grade yet. Most schools will allow you to submit your grades after the application deadline (since many fall courses don't wrap up until late December), and even those that won't let you turn in a grade after the deadline will at least be able to see that you're applying yourself to filling in obvious skills gaps. A bigger issue than having no math might be having no economics (you don't say if you've taken econ courses). Intro economics courses in both Micro and Macro are pretty light on math, and I say this as a fellow math allergic person. So if you only have a chance to do one course, I'd look at either econ or statistics. My other tip (this worked for me) is just to address your math shortcomings head on in your statement of purpose. You can be honest about not having a strong quant background, it's one of the skillsets that you can really expand when you're in grad school. After all, it's not about coming in as the perfect student, but coming in with some strengths, some weaknesses, and building on it. But having at least one additional course under your belt might help convince the committee that you're capable of doing the work they need you to do, even if you don't have a really strong background in it.

Public Affairs to me connotes a program that's focused on media/press/public relations. Generally in the government the office of Public Affairs at an agency is the office that deals with media/public outreach. The MIA programs at most schools are very similar to the MPA programs, except that they have a more explicit focus on international issues. So they're more likely to require things like a language requirement or look for overseas experience. But I don't think there's a particular advantage to doing an MPA focused on international affairs vs. a specific MIA degree in terms of your future job prospects. The letters in the name of the degree don't mean as much as the skills and training you get in the program and through your internship. So the important thing is to choose the program that provides what you want, and not get too hung up on what the degree is specifically called.

If you're really interested in a program, it's worth applying even if you're not sure you're going to get financial aid. I was pretty sure I wasn't going to get aid anywhere, because I had some savings and low GRE scores, but I was pleasantly surprised by my actual results. I think there's no way to really judge in advance how likely/not likely you are to receive financial aid, it just depends if schools feel that you have the particular thing they're looking for.

I can't think of any off the top of my head, but there are a lot of midcareer MPA/MPP programs where you could focus on counterrorism/national security issues. If you specifically want to do pure regional studies though, you'll have to research the programs that are best for you. Keep in mind though that regional studies programs aren't necessarily pre-professional in nature, so if you want a program that will help connect you to future work in government, you'll want to ask a lot of questions about career services when you're talking to the admissions staff.

Another option to consider, since you've sited budget as a concern, is to do a program aimed at mid-career professionals. If you graduated from college in the 1990s, you'd probably be much older than most of your cohort in these masters programs. A mid-career program might make more sense both for where you're at and where you want to go. And since most mid-career programs are one year long, you only have to pay half as much tuition.

You should definitely contact the schools that you're most interested in to find out. I would be surprised if they said they would treat the Coursera courses like a regular university course, but different schools may have different policies. Generally, universities want to see official transcripts from accredited institutions in order for your course to "count". Whether a school chooses to recognize a certificate of achievement from Coursera or not is up to them.

I agree with chocolatecheesecake, if any of the schools you're applying to require that you have macro/micro they probably won't see Coursera courses as sufficient. That being said, if the programs you're interested don't state that it's mandatory for you to have those courses, then you can probably still list your Coursera courses as evidence of your overall background in these subjects, but just be aware that most schools won't count them as seriously as if you took a course (even an online course) through an online extension program or community college. If you're based in DC, you can look into taking courses through Graduate School USA, which are very affordable and they provide official transcripts for school. The classes meet once a week at night so it's easy to do after work. And don't worry about your professor recommendation. Do start reaching out now, when they're likely to be less busy than in the fall. It might be helpful if you could dig up one of your old college papers to help remind them of who you are. But ultimately, you shouldn't be embarrassed. Professors understand that this is part of their jobs and most of them are good spirited about it. You should offer to do an outline for them if they want or else to send them your statement of purpose (good motivation to help you get started on your SOP!) so they understand what you want to highlight and what your goals are for school. And don't forget to send a thank you note!

Having a Master's degree in public policy isn't like having a law degree or a medical degree in that there's no requirement for you to have one in order to enter or practice in your chosen field. In fact, you'll meet/probably have met lots of people who hold senior positions in the government who don't have any kind of advanced degree whatsoever. The value in the degree is really all in what you bring to it and how you use it. That's why it often makes sense to wait a bit before going after this kind of degree. It's more useful once you yourself understand how to use it, and you can only really get that understanding by working more in your chosen field. I also think it's not entirely true that having a Master's degree without other relevant experience improves your prospects in the policy field. A Masters degree with experience, definitely a plus. But if you don't have contacts or experience, even an MPP won't significantly increase your available opportunities. In some cases it can even shrink them, as people may be reluctant to offer an entry level position to someone with a graduate degree, out of concern that they'll become bored with the work and leave sooner. It's nice of your parents to offer to help you out financially and it's good to keep your options in mind, but working will help you clarify what you ultimately want to do. If you know you don't want to get stuck in a cycle of campaign work, there are other ways to avoid that besides going to grad school. It's smart to think proactively (as much as your campaign schedule allows) about what you want to do after November. But don't think that it has to be grad school or a career of never-ending campaign drudgery. Other options are out there.

Obviously you should check the websites of the programs you're interested in, but from my application cycle I recall that most programs said that if you're working they prefer to have at least one professional reference. If you don't get along well with your boss though, it doesn't necessarily have to be that particular person. Maybe you could get someone else at your office to write a recc for you? Or your Fulbright program director? Or if there's someone higher up in the organization who you could convince to write a letter, that would be a possibility as well. You have some time before you have to turn in your applications, so you can put some thought/planning behind it. You could also ask someone who you've worked for previously, if you've had professional jobs prior to doing the Fulbright. I changed jobs in the middle of my application cycle, so even though I referenced my new job on my apps, I didn't have my current boss write me an LOR because we just didn't know each other well yet. Instead, I had previous employers who I knew well act as my professional references.

Yes, I plan to come back, though I'm looking forward to a change of pace for a few years. I have a pretty good sense of the lay of the land in DC, so I didn't feel like I needed a DC program to get that "DC experience." I think it will be interesting to study elsewhere and get a new perspective on the city. All of the "top" programs (and I use that term very loosely) have good pipelines to DC, and like most things I imagine you get out what you put into it. No matter where you go, if you put the right pieces in place (cultivate and expand your network, get a good internship, take advantage of DC oriented trips and sessions offered by the program, etc.), you'll have a good chance of success. And I do believe that even if you go to a big name program, but don't put some intentional thought and strategy into how to use your experience, you may still struggle to get to the next step. I don't have any insights on the GWU or American programs specifically. I had a friend who did the part time communications program at GW (her employer contributed towards this, which made it a great perk) and enjoyed it. I know the Georgetown MPP program is really new. If you're already in DC, you might just want to go and visit the schools, or email them and see if they can set you up with current part time students that you can talk to about their experiences attending part time. It's also worth talking to your supervisors and colleagues who have Masters Degrees about their experiences and advice. If you know people who have the kind of job you're aiming for, who would be willing to talk to you about their path, that's always a good perspective as well.

In my opinion, part time programs are only really worth it if they're comparatively cheaper, if you're getting your employer to pay part of the bill, or if there's some really compelling personal reason why you can't go back to school full time (i.e., you have a family to support and uprooting your life isn't realistic). One other reason might be if you're trying to completely change careers, and you want to keep your current job in case your chosen career path doesn't work out. I know for example, people who work in the tourism sector in DC who want to switch to something more academic, and have done part time masters in their desired field while continuing their tourism job. Though as a note of caution it doesn't seem to have yet helped them make the transition they're seeking. Otherwise, it doesn't seem like you'll gain much benefit from a part time program, especially if you're already working in your field of choice. You've worked on campaigns and on the Hill so you know that experience, judgement, and reliability are real prizes in DC worth probably more than any advanced degree. At your age and stage of career, if you have a reputation for those qualities, you can still have a lot of career growth in DC before you hit the "Masters Degree Ceiling." If you're not ready to go back to school full time, then rather than try for a part time program, why not just wait a few years and see how you feel then? There's no rush, grad school will always be there. I had a lot of the same anxieties as you vis a vis grad school. I have a good career in DC that I love, a strong network of contacts that I worried about losing touch with, and frankly, I enjoy working and wasn't sure I was ready to give up a steady paycheck for a graduate program. I was really ambivalent for a long time about going back to school, so I waited. By the time I actually start my grad program, It will be six years since I graduated with my BA (I don't know where the time went!). I don't regret waiting, I think my experience helped me in a lot of ways. I got into all the schools that I applied to, and even though my GRE quant scores and quantitative background were not the best, I got generous merit aid packages at most of my schools. But beyond that, it's only now that I'm several years out from undergrad that I feel a) ready to go back to the academic life and b ) poised to get the most out of my two year program. I'll miss DC, but I'm ready to immerse myself in a new experience. And I plan to take full advantage of my chosen program's financial resources to get back to DC a few times a semester and keep in touch with my contacts.

You should keep in mind too that not all parts of every quadrant are the same. For example, when people say "SE DC is dicey," they mean areas in DC south of the Anacostia river. Much of Capital Hill is also in SE DC and it's a very nice area (also kind of expensive, but there are group house deals). And when people say "NW DC is a nice area" they generally mean places like Woodley Park, Cleveland Park, Georgetown, etc. Whereas there are some parts of NW that also have a lot of crime. Ditto for SW and NE, so it can be hard to generalize by quadrant. Even in so-called dicey areas, it can vary a lot block to block (there are parts of Petworth I would definitely live in and parts where I'd feel unsafe, ditto for Bloomingdale, Truxton Circle, H st NE etc). You should really try to carve out some time to come and visit DC and look at apartments in person, so you can get a good sense of the neighborhood and your personal comfort level. Ideally you'd come for a few days a month before you move in and try to set up appointments to see several places. Or at least come a few weeks before school starts. Apartment hunting, especially for rooms $1000 and under, is very competitive, and most people will only rent to people that they meet in person. Expect to be disappointed a few times before you find the right place. Also, keep in mind that you don't need to be tied to metro stations. The bus system in DC is pretty good, and we also have Bikeshare city wide (and car share programs). Smartphone apps make it easy to navigate both the bike and bus systems. The closer you are to a metro station, generally the more pricey things will be, so being willing to use buses will save you a lot of time. DC is a small city and it's relatively flat so it's very easy to get around without needing to rely on metro. Georgetown is not by a metro station anyway, so most likely you'll be walking/biking/taking the bus there. GWU is by foggy bottom, but it's also connected by bus to almost every other neighborhood in the city. Much more important than the metro station is to find out where the nearest grocery store is. DC has food deserts, so places close to grocery stores (especially upscale ones like Trader Joes or Whole Foods) are highly valued. The 14th and 16th St Corridors, stretching from SW Waterfront to Columbia Heights are very popular areas, especially in the Logan Circle/U Street/Columbia Heights portion (also I disagree that CH doesn't have a nightlife, I go out there all the time!). That's sort of the center of young/hip/fun DC right now, so when you're not in school, you'll be spending a lot of time in these areas anyway. You can find good housing deals there if you're willing to share a group house. If you want to live on your own or with one other person, these areas will still be pretty expensive. NoMA, Bloomingdale, Petworth, and the area by the Convention Center can also be good places to look, but again, those are "up and coming" neighborhoods, so you may need to visit to see how you like a particular block. Woodley Park, Cleveland Park, and the upper NW areas (Friendship Heights, etc) are nice areas, but they tend to be more family oriented and IMO are a bit far from the center of the action, but 1) that may not matter to you and 2) that may be my personal bias. But they have their own vibe, and it might suit you. You can live in Virginia, but chocolatecheesecake is right that honestly, you don't save very much money living in VA unless you have a car and are willing to live waaaay out. Places in Clarendon, Courthouse, or Old Town that are close to the metro and in desirable areas are pretty much just as expensive as DC, and you have to spend more time commuting in. If you want to spend under $12-1400 per month on rent, you'll need to plan to live with a roommate. If you want to spend under $1000, you'll probably have to live with more than one roommate, unless you find a good deal. It's expensive, but don't be discouraged! There's lots of options out there.

Honestly, the best thing to do is just to go through the websites of the APSIA member schools and see which schools offer strong programs in your field of interest. Don't just look at the specialization, but do they have research centers that interest you? Do they sponsor publications/journals on refugee/humanitarian problems? Do they have Faculty members you recognize from your own research in the field? Another good idea is to go to the websites of some organizations where you could imagine yourself working and read the bios of the people there. What schools did they go to and what did they study? Speaking generally, MPP/MPAs are more professionally oriented; MAs tend to be more focused on research. But some schools have their own specialized degrees (like the MALD at Fletcher, the MIA at Columbia, and the MSFS at Georgetown), which are still professionally oriented. Whatever the degrees are called, in most cases the programs are really about 95% similar, so don't get too hung up on the specific letters. It's really about the curriculum and support that you want.