WhatAmIDoingNow
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Posts posted by WhatAmIDoingNow
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On 11/6/2016 at 3:28 PM, dollybird said:
I've read in general forums that it's a good idea to name drop faculty member names in your SOP/Personal Statement, ESPECIALLY ones you know personally or have reached out to. I've read advice elsewhere to reach out to faculty members ahead of time.
I'm confused about what I would actually say. Like, what would I say in the email to a faculty member? "What opportunities exist to work with you?" "Hi, my name is XXX and I admire you"???
I'm not one to be uncomfortable reaching out to people, but I don't want to give a bullshit reason when it's really to be able to name drop in my application. Maybe I am being short-sighted?
Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
Wait, what are you asking?
Do not name drop if you have no relationship with them. You do need letters of recommendation so I would reach out to a prof with whom you had a good classroom relationship. If you want to work with a prof, you can write an email about how you are interested in research and enjoyed their class, ask if there are opportunities to gain experience working with them. But do not name drop someone who would not write you a recommendation.
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It depends on what you want to do with your career. I see planning as fitting with administration well, where you balance planning and implementation. With policy, you would have more quantitative analysis and planning. If you want to do more analysis then the MPP would be beneficial, if you want your planning to be implement-able then an MPA would be beneficial.
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Tip on finances for research and career. Work on your credit to make sure it is in good standing before your graduate. Have a personal credit card that has at least $1500 limit for work related expenses. Most funding for conferences are reimbursements that you receive after the event, same for work travel expenses or emergency work purchases. If you don't have a credit card with a decent limit on the ready, you can lose on career opportunities. Different employers have different policies on p-cards. Depending on what account is funding a purchase, you may be required to work with reimbursement system rather than the organization directly purchasing the item.
I have two domestic conferences this semester and they have cost about $2000 combined for registration, flight, room and board. I will be reimbursed, but the lag would have destroyed my checking account if I did not have my personal credit card ready for cushioning these costs.
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On 3/16/2016 at 6:43 PM, aslabchu said:
Advice: do some serious research on your #1 reasonable school and move there right now. Few offers are as good as in-state tuition.
Caveat: Instate only works for public universities. There are many great public university programs, so angling for in-state at public institutions is a good idea.
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Not that this is the only source or even an important source for deciding on a program, but many people on here reference this ranking as a decision factor. There has been some shake up in rankings, worth a look.
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Are students expected to be traditional students or working students? Some programs only hold class 9am-6pm, M-F, and hold required courses at the same time. Some schools have flipped classes, while other have options for online or in class lecture. Some programs expect that their students work 25-40 hours per week while other do not cater to part time work, or have part time student specific programs separate from their regular programs. I have seen programs where many students have families, children, and careers. There are other programs where the vast majority of students are mid twenties, no children, and not fully employed.
How flexible is the curriculum? Do you have a prescribed course load or many electives that allow you to tailor your education to your career goals?
Where have recent students been placed for internships? Did students have to find their own internships or did program staff facilitate finding placement. If you, a student with little to no network, are expected know the field landscape and coordinate internships, bail on that program.
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As I thought about it more, if you are truly interested in pursuing a PhD and being a professor in Europe, check into Public Management Research Conference (PMRC) 2016. Public Management Research Association (PMRA) holds their annual conference, alternating between US and international, every year. Two years ago it was in Seoul, last year in Minneapolis, this year in Aarhus, Denmark. Check who the speakers and presenters are. If the subject interests you, contact the presenters who have PhDs and are professors. If the academic is at a US institution and is presenting in Europe, you can deduce that they have a network in Europe or just really good funding to go to European conferences. The conference is in June, they usually have a twitter handle during the conference that you can track and start following academics on twitter too.
http://ps.au.dk/en/research/conferences-and-lectures/pmrc-2016/
Edit: Also, the best Public Affairs and Policy schools in the US are not all housed in private universities and Ivy League is likely not what you want if you want "public innovation". University of Indiana, Ohio State University, University of Kansas, Arizona State University, University of North Carolina, University of Minnesota, University of Arizona, etc. are all excellent and competitive. I know I missed many other excellent institutions.
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On 3/4/2016 at 5:31 PM, Ben414 said:
That is an interesting question. Looking at the Hertie School of Governance, here are the Masters held by the first 10 PhD students listed on the website:
- MA in Political Science with research specialisation from the University of Manchester
- Master’s degree at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa
- MPhil in Economics, University of Cambridge
- MA in Public Policy. Hertie School of Governance
- M. Sc. In Political Science, University of Gothenburg
- Studies of Political Science, Law, French Language and Literature. Freie Universität Berlin (MA equivalent)
- Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Magister in Sociology and Economics
- Master of Public Policy (Hertie School of Governance, Berlin)
- MSc in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science
- Master of Public Policy at the Hertie School of Governance
It seems like the vast majority received their Masters in Europe. This doesn't mean that a U.S. Masters would be devalued, but it seems more common to get both degrees from Europe (if Hertie is representative of other schools). Personally, I don't think it would be worth the extra money to go to Harvard.
In my PhD program, there is almost a 50:50 split between international and US domestic students. All of us current students have at least one masters. The international students all have undergraduate and masters from highly prestigious public universities in Asia, USC,and University of Chicago. US domestic students hold masters from highly regarded public affairs and policy schools at public and private universities. One new admit is coming from undergraduate but she is exceptional and has publications.
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On 3/3/2016 at 6:24 PM, ChocChoc said:
My dream job would be to work as a professor doing research public innovation in Europe with active engagement in the public policy field as a consultant or perhaps working in government temporarily.
I have been recently reading a lot about the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. I love the great array of courses they offer, the network they give you access to, the events, the faculty, the can-do spirit of the school and the forum they have (I think it has to be such a great space for intellectual interactions!). Also, I really like the work of the Ash center on public innovation and find that it really fits my interests.
Now, somehow I have the feeling that getting an MPP at HKS would not be the "right" way for me to attain my professional goal. Especially because according to their website they are a profesional school. I could not and would not want to say in my statement of purpose that I don't want to be a professor, because I do.
I also fear that being an HKS alumnus the network I'll have access to will be mostly US-based, while I am almost a 100% certain that I want to spend my live in Europe.
Any thoughts?
If you want to be a professor, you need a PhD and to speak the language of where you reside. While graduate schools in Europe tend to speak and write in English, you need to be able to teach undergraduates in most situations. If you want a position at a university in Netherlands, you need to speak Dutch.
If you want to research public innovation, I would look up scholars on the topic and contact them or the admissions people at their program to see what your options are and learn about the program. The scholars' network is more important than a school's network. You will need a highly regarded scholar on your topic as an adviser and to train under in a PhD program.
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On 3/8/2016 at 2:28 PM, aslabchu said:
I hate to be that guy, but it's not always about this kind of raw biographical and statistical data. (I know law school tends to be that way, but MPA/MPP seems different.) We're talking about the very best schools, and it has a lot to do with how you presented yourself to them. It's very easy to get put in the "high achieving empathetic white dude" pile and never find your way out again. Did you have a solid narrative across all your documents? Did your letter writers back you up on it? That kind of thing matters more than you'd think.
I will second this. Entering into a master's degree program, MPP or MPA, your quant score is not a problem. If you were applying for a PhD, I would recommend retaking the GRE. You are competing against hundreds of overachievers. Your narrative and recommendations matter.
Did you take care to meet the requirements of the applications with the correct ratio and number of academics to professional recommendations? When I applied to my graduate programs, the people who wrote my recommendations had me outline what they should write, make sure they hit the important projects and achievements I accomplished. The recommendations should corroborate, not conflict, with you overall narrative.
Did you show understanding of the programs and how they fit with your goals? Schools want to see that you are committed, and showing that you actually took the time to learn about them, their program, and work is important. Also, these are Ivy leagues that you are applying to, you need to show that you are applying for more reason than prestige.
What will an MPP education do for your and your career goals? Did you show that you took this into consideration. What differentiates you from the hundreds of other overachievers who want to change the world, make better policy, or administrate an effective government? Maybe what you want to do is not a good fit for these programs. Maybe they want a year more of experience. Maybe the applicants from your region were more impressive and your region is over represented in acceptances and on the wait list. Maybe 50 Malalas applied this year. Only the admissions people know.
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On 2/28/2016 at 6:18 PM, LLCoolJ1585 said:
So what do you folks think are the top 10 schools for policy in our country, and of course why?
It really depends on what you want to do with the degree. What are you interested in doing with your graduate degree? Where do you want to do it (Geographically, secotor, level)?
If you want to work in DC, getting an internship in DC is logistically easier if you live there. It is a good idea to check out the internship opportunities in the area. If you want to do city management, go to KU for an MPA. If you want to do nonprofit work, you should go somewhere with a robust nonprofit scene. If you want to do a specific policy area, make sure the program has profs working in that area, a track in that area, and at least courses in that area. If you want to get a PhD, then check to see where assistant and associate professors went for their graduate schooling.
There are so many aspects to what makes a program great and terrible.
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On 2/19/2016 at 0:55 PM, xXIDaShizIXx said:
You are absolutely right. I don't think that it would really change anything. Would a DPA be a useful degree to pursue? Just trying to bolster my resume for Upper Management positions.
Masters are fine for upper management, experience is necessary. Once you get experience, there are executive programs, such as the Harvard program. But you need to get the experience through work. Doctorates are useful for research and psychologists.
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On 1/13/2016 at 11:36 PM, Jiani Shen said:
Hey ,
I'm looking for a roomie to spend my fabulous study in Minnesota. I'd love to rent a two bedroom apartment/deplex and make friend with you.
I'll be study in MSBA program in Carlson since June 2016. Hope my roomie can be a girl and study in Carlson as well.
Anyone interested please contact me. skype: jessieshen0303@hotmail.com
Thank you all !
If you are at Carlson, it is right next to the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and there are usually a good amount of students looking for roommates. The best housing deals are the University Graduate housing complexes.
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On 1/30/2016 at 10:34 AM, enzyMancer said:
I am considering ASU for my PhD after doing my undergrad at UC Davis and I am wondering, is there is any co-op style housing or alternative living relatively near ASU campus? I am looking for something with a little bit more community than your average apartment complex...
I have not heard of this, other than student complexes which tend to be rowdy. Will your program be in Tempe?
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I recommend working for a year or two within an NGO or public organization. See what the landscape is and find your interests. Work experience helps when grades aren't great, and real world experience provides context that is not found in MPA/MPP courses.
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On 2/7/2016 at 4:11 PM, prairie_canuck said:
So, after realizing this isn't going anywhere and will only get worse I've decided to switch programs to Political Science in 4th year (I know) because while surfing the web I came across schools which produced foreign service officers (or civil servant in that capacity) for Canada I came across programs like NPSIA giving me the idea there is something I can do with Pol-Sci other than just academia and that I can make a living off something I truly enjoy.
Now for the first time I look forward to school, library on Sunday mornings, volunteer work, I'm in the process of starting an NGO with friends and mentally I'm in a good place. My goal now is to get in to IR programs like NPSIA or MUNK. Also I'll apply to MPA programs.
Just say this more concisely. If you are interested in grad school, do a year or two of work for a NGO, advocacy organization, or some sort of foreign program. I don't know what is available in Canada, but something similar to the US Peace Corps. Showing initiative and motivation are important. You weren't motivated because the topic had no meaning, now you found something motivating and you are excelling. Real world experience is important and can help with cushioning bad grades.
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Do not pay for a PhD. Why do you want the PhD? You already have 3 masters, what would the PhD do for you?
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On 2/10/2016 at 8:13 PM, goforthegold said:
Anyone heard back from U Washington Evans School?
I applied for the MPA and just found out I was accepted! Though I've yet to hear anything about fellowships or scholarships. Fingers crossed.
I'd love to hear about who my future classmates are, what they did in the past and hope to do in the future, and your thoughts on U Washington and Seattle. Post away!
From my past experience, Evans is one of the last programs to inform applicants. Take a breath and start the anxiety in mid March.
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It depends. Most of the quant in an MPP program (statistics, multivariate regression, advanced modeling) are enough. Calculus and linear algebra are not necessary, I have never seen them used in policy or public affairs research. The issue is you need to be doing research and connecting with a couple faculty on their research to get into a PhD program.
That being said, I do know of a couple policy programs that do require Calc I prior to application. But in talking with people at those programs, it is a filter for bringing in applicants that are able to learn math rather than needing to know calc.
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On 1/8/2016 at 10:11 PM, mrs12 said:
I should specify that I'm curious about it at the Master's level.
As far as masters level, Public Affairs schools have different degrees within them and different schools have different emphasis. They can focus on fianance, city managagment, local to federal level government, international development, etc.
hese are professional masters programs with intent of working in a public or nonprofit organization upon graduation.
MPA- Master of Public Administration. This is governmental administrative practice. City management, public budgeting, your public administrative roles, public management, contracting, etc. Translates nicely into nonprofit too.
MPP - Master of Public Policy. Auditing, public policy analysis, policy centers, policy development, etc. Works will with advocacy, nonprofit, or government jobs.
There are also masters of development, nonprofit, international relations, etc, that can be housed in these schools.
You will learn about public value, management, finance, policy process and implementation, governance, accountability, structure and institutions, etc.
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Different schools of public affairs have different specialties within public affairs - management, finance, social policy, science and technology, planning, policy analysis, implimentation research. For the most part Public Affairs is an interdisciplinary field focusing on public value, democracy in practice, safety nets, governance, public management and administration, finance, policy process and implementation, public and private partnerships, government structures and change etc. How government works, how nonprofits work, how policy works, how levels of government interact, etc. It pulls from sociology, political science, organization studies, social psychology, business management, anthropology, its own normative works, and more. Public Affairs is Western European and US-centric at this time, but there are many students and academics from Asia who are changing this and confronting Western assumptions right now, very exciting.
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I am just adding to the growing list.
Arizona State University also has a great MPA and you can specialize in nonprofit studies. I have a friend who did the program and he recommends the program.
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For a masters, being unfunded is not a rejection.
For a PhD, most programs will just reject you if there is no funding. If they don't fully fund you, you should not attend as they don't have enough resources for you in the first place. That is unless you have a unique circumstance, such as working for the university or bring your own funding.
Each school has its own amount of funding, some have more funding than others. Once you find out what is provided, then weigh the total cost. State schools tend to have less funding than private, but private tend to have higher tuition than in-state tuition.
Unorthodox Recommender
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I would still try for the professor, even if you have to write the recommendation for the prof to sign. The position of prof is important.