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FYI, HKS had a yield of 80% this year. This is an unprecedented number.

I agree with the previous poster who said to check with your cohort. This is generally not an appropriate forum to solicit this info.

There are exemption exams you can take during orientation that allow you to opt-out of the required quantitative MPP core classes (API-101, API-201). It's a fairly straightforward process. Approximately 25-35% of those who take it pass.

1) Yes, many students work while attending HKS. Unlike WWS, HKS allows full-time students to hold a part-time job. If you are indiscriminate about jobs, there are plenty to go around. Mind you, research assistant jobs can be quite competitive. I've applied to two and have nothing to show for it (didn't help that they were really cool projects on the current financial crisis). 2) Yes, many students opt to take higher level economics courses at the Yard/GSAS. In some but not all cases, enrollment requires the professor's approval. If you have the background, it usually isn't a problem. MPPs with significant econ/quant backgrounds also opt to take MPA/ID courses. But there are no shortage of rigorous electives at HKS; one super cool one is Richard Zeckhauser's course on "analytic frameworks for policy." Check out the syllabus: http://www.hks.harvard.edu/degrees/teac ... for-policy.

I don't have the precise numbers you're asking for... unfortunately. What I do have are data from the 2008 MPP class' debt burden and here's how that breaks down. Of the 2008 MPP graduates: 55% have a debt load at or below $39k 19% have a debt load between $40-59k 26% have a debt load at or above $70k Average overall debt of HKS MPP grads is $44k. Although this doesn't account for self-selection (e.g., folks with aid will choose HKS, those w/out will not), I think it does show that there is hope for people counting on aid. At least we're not stingy like SIPA! (SIPA funds just 10% of its incoming class!!!)

I think there have been a lot of good points raised and discussed in the previous posts. Even though they are all legitimate reasons why WWS is a great school, it seems like the discussion has focused too much on what makes HKS bad and what makes WWS good. I'll give a try at giving some balance to the discussion. (In the interests of full disclosure, I am currently an MPP student at HKS) As I see it, WWS provides a level of support and attention that you will be hard pressed to find anywhere else. The massive resources they have coupled with the school's small size makes this possible, and this is a major strength that I don't think can be matched. The flip side of a small program is limited breadth and diversity. This can be observed both in the smaller number of available courses, research centers, and the smaller network/alumni base. Therefore, folks with specific interests may find it difficult to find particular scholars/classes, classmates, and resources available to meet their distinct needs. In short, WWS is smaller and tighter--but relatively narrower and relatively limiting. (One particular concern I had when visiting last year was the number of undergraduates hanging out in Roberston Hall. Princeton is, first and foremost, an undergraduate institution. The effect this has on the WWS is that the undergraduate program far exceeds the graduate program in the number of students. The graduate student population at Princeton is also peanuts compared to Harvard. This is something worth talking to alums and current WWS students about to get their perspective.) In terms of HKS, I would sum it up as a place where the students/people are better than the institution. This isn't necessarily a knock on the school or the institution (well, actually it is), but relative to WWS where there are more resources available to fewer people, HKS doesn't provide the kind of personal attention that a smaller school/program can offer. That doesn't mean that resources aren't available--they are and are numerous--but you have to be savvy about finding what you need. What that means is that HKS and Harvard has everything to offer for those who are entrepreneurial and resourceful. If you want the most rigorous econ/quantitative courses on the face of this planet, you will have access to it as a student at HKS (if not via mpp, then via MPA/ID or GSAS/MIT courses). If you want to diversify your academic experience with a particular policy area (e.g., health, education, law, business, urban, etc), you will have the resources to do so. As a community, you will not find a place more diverse, more international, and more dynamic than the Kennedy School. One final item to consider is the versatility issue. The MPP/MPA is an incredibly versatile degree. This is a strength in that you can tailor the academic experience according to your interests, but is a weakness in that it is not easy to pin down what an "MPP person" is like in the same the way you can an "MBA person." For those who plan to stay in the government/public sector throughout their careers, it may not matter. But for those seeking to transition into the private sector or even politics (public knowledge of an MPP degree is awful), you'll have to do some explaining/selling of your credentials. So what does this mean for choosing between WWS and HKS? I think the issue of branding and prestige comes into play. How this plays out is interesting. Within most policy circles, WWS is probably the "best" program. Outside, however, HKS/Harvard would likely be assumed to be the "best." I think in neither situation would either school be seen as far behind the other. I suppose I'm not trying to make a judgment call on either program but am simply trying to say what I believe to be true about the reputation and perceptions of the schools. Something worth considering. That being said, my response to the original question is this: it's hard to justify HKS (no funding) over WWS (with full funding). I wouldn't have chosen HKS had I not been provided significant funding. (Again, HKS is working hard to address the financial aid issue. We recognize how big of an issue it is and are doing our best! Make sure you learn about all the financing and repayment programs.)

I second that sentiment about public schools.

Thanks--and wow, that's insane. If they are still aiming for a class of approximately 65, they are likely being conservative this year with admits in case the yield will be unusually higher. So it's possible that there is a deeper waitlist. (Although, it's also possible that the market value of the endowment has fallen so much this year to demand a reduction in class sizes.)

I'm curious, what are the raw numbers? Last year, the rate was around 13% with about 800 applicants.

The most recent 3-years (average): Public: 43% Nonprofit: 26.1% Private: 30.9% FYI: In the last ten years, we've never had half or more go into the private sector. 2000 saw the highest spike in students going into the private sector (42%), and the dot-com boom was likely the major driving force behind those figures. I will also say that 30% is still too high, and aid/debt burden is the number 1 issue Dean Ellwood has taken up as a priority. I suppose we do our best with the resources we have.

The decision calculus came down to these factors: school's emphasis on theory vs. practice, breadth/flexibility of curriculum, and quality of life. Fortunately for me, the financial considerations weren't a concern. Given my already (and unusually) strong quantitative background and desire to be a practitioner rather than researcher, I felt HKS to be a better fit. The ability to exempt out of core curriculum requirements was therefore very important, and the ability to cross-register at the Business/Law/Public Health/Education/etc schools made HKS all the more attractive. Lastly, Princeton is beautiful and quaint town--but I didn't want to spend 20% of my twenties in a place that could be socially stifling (for more family-oriented types, this is probably a plus). For years I had been on the WWS bandwagon (somewhat still am), and I still have tremendous respect for the program and do believe it provides a top notch public policy education, but given where I was at in my career/education/life, it didn't make as much sense as it did in the past. My decision went down to the wire (last day), but do feel like I made the right choice. All this is to say that the decision is an incredibly personal one and I would advise against basing the decision on rankings or even reputation (reputation does matter, but that's another issue). Do your homework, determine the factors important to you, and then evaluate the school/program through that lens.

Not at all! It's high-anxiety time, so I understand completely the range of thoughts and emotions overwhelming everyone (the job market environment isn't much different). In response to your question, Camaraderie at HKS is really difficult to pin down, but in comparison to other, smaller schools, I don't believe it's as strong or distinct. The primary reason is the larger size of the school, the diversity of students, and the multiple programs in operation at the same time. Speaking from my experience as an MPP, our class of 250 makes it inherently difficult to build close relationships with everyone. The program separates the MPP class into "cohorts" of 50 students, probably in attempt to address this issue, but it's still a challenge since folks still want to meet people outside of their cohort. I know that for Berkeley and Princeton, incoming classes range between 65-75, and so everyone knows each other fairly well. However, in the context of the Harvard community, there is tremendous pride in the Kennedy School representing the perspective of public service and leadership among other graduate programs. That, by far, is probably the strongest sense of identity we develop during our time at HKS (it certainly helps that HBS is right across the river).

Well, I certainly hope any evaluation criteria for selecting schools is based on the merits and fit of the program rather than the timing of admissions decisions. But as previous posts have mentioned, confirmatory bias can be a powerful driver of decision making! At some point, I'd be happy to field questions from folks about my experience at HKS so far and my process for evaluating programs. I, like many of you, had to choose among a set of excellent offers and found this board to be incredibly helpful in informing my decisions (in addition to other sources, of course).

Do you really think that Harvard would "lose the best students" if decisions came out two weeks from now instead of today? I think we've been pretty good at anchoring expectations and consistently saying decisions would come out at the end of the month. Anything earlier, of course, should then exceed expectations. I understand the anxiety and do hope for a more speedy admissions process for sake of everyone's sanity. But our adcoms are bit overstretched this year with the historic number of applications and we are doing the best we can. As a current HKS student, I certainly hope that care and attention to the admissions review process (and quality control) is our first priority. Sit tight folks, decisions will come soon enough. Good luck!

Actually, HKS's yield is much closer to 70%. For info about this year's application pool. see: http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=526930. Good luck everyone. Decisions will come out in the next few weeks.

You have a decent chance, but it's unlikely you'll be admitted with the lack of WE--WE, by far, is one of the most important factors both in terms of admissions and succeeding in the program. You should consider working for several years before policy school. You get much more value of out the program that way.

That seems unrealistic--either he may have misspoken or was misheard. Anyone with some sensibility would know better than to "tout" such a statistic. I wish I had an explanation for 30%... perhaps it could be that only 30% don't have job offers.

THIS IS WHERE I'M GOING TO ATTEND: Harvard (HKS) OTHER SCHOOLS I CONSIDERED: Princeton WHY I CHOSE MY NEW SCHOOL: -Breadth of courses to choose from -Cross-registration with other professional schools -Cambridge is an exciting place to be

These rankings are garbage. Take them with a fine grain of salt. One of the most important elements of a policy program, the student body, is not accounted for in these rankings. Imagine the self-selection that occurs at the more notable schools (e.g., Harvard/Princeton) and the difference that makes in the learning environment. Besides, the quality of policy school is very subjective and should be based on personal fit and goals, rather than reputation or recognition.

Let's be helpful here. The most obvious argument in favor of choosing an MA over a PhD is the kind of work you envision yourself doing. Generally speaking, an MA is a professional/practitioner degree and a PhD is research/academia degree. It's really that simple.