publicaffairsstudent

For more on my background read the previous thread "Econ phd with liberal arts major," but suffice it to say I'm a masters student with a liberal arts background and a few years prior to application in which i need to supplement math and econ courses. I'm already doing research for my graduate school, but there is a top 30 econ program in my current city and I'm wondering if I should reach out to them to develop my profile as an applicant. The school is my undergrad alma mater and I have immediate family members who are influential faculty, though not in the econ department. I was wondering if it would be possible to reach out to a professor with similar research interests to puruse potential paid or unpaid research opportunities. I could attend lecture series and get to know people in the department. Additionally since I need intemediate micro and macro, would it be a successful strategy to take these in this econ department and would this open avenues to work as an RA for a professor there? There is a significant financial calculation, as it is a private top 30 university and 2 courses would cost more than half of what my entire masters cost at a state school. If I pursued these courses at the local state school or one of the less elite private schools in my city the courses would be 1000 each, at the elite private they are 5,000 each. Any advice is appreciated.

That was a short response from my phone. Let me expand. You are right that I have no math or econ prep. However, looking into the admission requirements on department sites they say you can repair deficiencies in course work prior to enrollment. I plan on having calc 1 and 2, econ 101 and 102 before application and then doing intermediate micro and macro over the year before enrollment and linear and calc 3 on campus the summer before. I know I have an unorthodox background for econ, but I think I can make a contribution to the field. I am a recovering academic failure, so I know how to work around barriers. I overcame the challenge of getting into a masters with a sub 3.0 gpa in a liberal arts major with no academic recs (and quite frankly a transcript that had some very troubling notes such as multiple medical leaves and probably some disciplinary notes). Now I'm one of the top students in my program with a 4.0 and one of the only students in a small program hired as an RA. I built a successful career in a challenging non-profit town with no college internships and terrible grades and references because I had the dedication to do it. I think if I decide I want to do an econ phd I can do that too. I am open to considering other fields. You make a good suggestion about talking to people about their backgrounds. I know the CEO of the only think tank in my small city has a poli sci phd from a SUNY. I should contact U Albany and ask if they can put me in touch with some think tanks there since that's where I eventually want to work. I know I can get into a pa or pp phd program, and probably more highly ranked than if I were to go the econ route. However, I am possibly interested in a career outside of academia in public finance, IB or consulting and I think an econ phd might offer those avenues. I am also really inspired by the work of Jens Ludwig who is a leading anti-poverty public policy researcher and an econ phd. I have a top twenty econ program in my city, and the school happens to be my undergrad alma mater so I am probably going to talk to one of their profs who works in public economics and see if I can finangle some paid or unpaid research experience.

You're right about the quant score. I already have a 154 on the quant and am planning on a 10 point bump if not more. Either way I want to develop math skills including proofs and function even if I do a pp or pa PhD. Research project is a quant study of determinants of college president compensation. I may end up with a publication credit and plan to start my own project in spring.

*RA experience being experience as a research assistan.

I am in my mid twenties and one year through an MPA. My undergrad was in english. I had issues during undergrad that influenced my choice of major and my performance, so i don't consider that experience reflective of my abilities and goals. Nonetheless I got into a decent MPA program and have a 4.0 average including statistics and research methods. I have perfect verbal gres. My quants are around the 60th percentile, but I took the test after coming out of an english major, taking no math since high school and with no preparation. I am planning to invest in math tutor to up my quant scores and think i should be able to achieve a 160 or higher. Its really not the most difficult math so I think it will just take some preparation. I want to apply to an economics phd program. I am also considering a phd in public policy or public admin, but I think economics phds have better job prospects and economists' papers on public policy are more respected than pp or pa phds. I am within the SUNY system, so I hope to get into a SUNY program to study public sector economics. I would love to go to SUNY Albany, because I am invovled in NY State politics and my goal is to find solutions to the budget issues in New York where we have wonderful social services but high tax rates. SUNY Buffalo has an interesting program with focuses on urban economics and family dynamics in low income populations which really fits with my work experience as a non-profit program manager, where I have developed and expanded a new program serving illiterate populations. I also have political campaign and RA experience. Do these goals sound feasible? I am planning on taking 4 econ classes at local schools along with full stats and calc sequences before enrolment but not necessarily before applying. I would some of them during the next 2 summers and some in the year between application and start. I think i have a unique skill set for an economist, as I have verbal strengths that are less common in the demographic of applicants for programs I'm applying to. I alss have an interest in public secotr economics developed with work experience and lifetime residence in the state, which probably sets me apart from other applicants. Any advice is appreciated.

My MPA program has a very strong brand in my city and I know it's basically all I need to advance in public service here. I guess I'm just considering other degrees because I'm planning on applying to phd programs and I'm worried my undergraduate low gpa will take more than my mpa and strong gres to overcome. My plan is to apply to programs once I graduate, but I'm thinking of backup options if I don't get in/ get funding. If that happens, I'm just looking for good one year programs to strengthen my application before reapplying.

I'm looking for advice on academic direction after I finish my MPA. Heres my story: For undergrad I went to a top 30 US research university, but graduated with a 2.87 in an english major due to some personal issues that are now resolved. I'm currently enrolled at a NASPAA accredited MPA program at the local state school in my city while I work at a Non-Profit as a program manager. My program is ranked, but only around 130 out of the 200 or so ranked programs. I'm currently pulling 4.0's in all my classes. My program is more professional than academic, but next semester I'm going to do an independent study course with the goal of producing a published article and then try a few more attempts at publication after that. My GRE verbal score was 97th percentile. My math was more average, but I went in without studying after taking no math since high school. I'm confident that with preperation I could get a competitive quant score. I also plan on taking some summer courses in calc and statistics at the local community college. I'm considering my options for after I graduate. I have no debt and will get out of my mpa debt free so I'm considering attempting a more prestigious master's degree after I graduate. I will have saved enough to fund a year of study at a private school with living expenses by the time I graduate. I've looked into Chicago's MAPSS and Columbia's Quantitative Methods for Social Sciences. Can anyone suggest any other 1 year programs at prestigious schools that could bolster my credentials? I would consider 2 year programs as well. My goals are to work in Washington in government or at a think tank, go into public sector consulting or get into a funded phd in public administration/ public policy at a school like Cornell, Ohio State or UMD College Park. I would especially like to make myself competitive for admission to a phd. My dream school would be Chicago, but I also have a goal of being competitive at a school like American or SUNY Albany. I'd appreciate any advice into options for master's level study that I may be overlooking, or if you think I would be competitive after my MPA with a 4.0 and competitive GREs.