sp108

Thank you everyone for the feedback. So I will take that Intermediate Microecon class again via online. That would make sense to do this. If you have any online programs you prefer, let me know!

Following up on another thread I saw - I want to apply for MPP/MPA programs to get into private-sector consulting with a finance/econ policy focus. I have 3 years of private sector work experience by the time I apply. When it comes to policy work or work done internationally....I do not have any of that. Should I actually look to get international experience such as teaching, volunteering, etc? I know it wouldn't hurt but since I do have real world experience, would it be important? Should I take extra classes to boost my quantitative skills? I double majored in Finance/Accounting and took a Business Calc. course, two stats courses, and a few econ courses. I took an intermediate micro-econ course and made a C+ which worries me.. Should I look to take additional econ/math courses? I am taking the GREs in August and I also work full time.

I am currently working in the private sector (big 4 accounting firm) and I want to attend grad school in 2016 in MPP/MPA. My career goals are to work in either the private or public sector on finance and economic policy issues, emerging markets, etc. I am fairly new to this field so any guidance would be really appreciated. A few questions; 1) Coming in to government affairs as an outsider, are there any specific kind of extracurricular activities I should focus on? Volunteering, etc? Or any classes I should take to prep me for the program? I really want out of my current job as a Big 4 auditor and I want to get my feet wet in the policy world. Any internships, research positions that I can look into getting that might be fitting for me with my background? 2) I am worried about my age. I am 25 (3 years of work experience total) currently. I will be 26 when I apply in the fall and 27 if I start in fall of 2016. Is this common? Thank you

I am a 25 year old who wants to make a switch from the private sector (Big 4) to the public sector (UN, WB, etc.). My GPA is a 3.47 from a large state school in Accounting, Finance, and Business Economics (Triple major) with classes taken in Poli Sci and Stats. I have not taken the GRE yet and I wanted to start studying for it to start applying to schools such as SIPA, SAIS, and the like starting in the fall of this year. My work experience is composed of 3 years in consulting (Big 4 and the like) by the time I apply. I really want to make a career switch into the public sector largely for implicit satisfaction over extrinsic gains (happiness over money) and being able to do something worthwhile in the international development sector. I believe I can leverage my private sector work experience to do well in the public sector. 1) Am I out of my depth trying to aim for a grad program in IR/ID without direct work experience? What can I do from now till I apply in the fall to boost my chances given I am coming from the private sector? 2) What kind of GRE score should I aim for as I start studying for it now 3) Anything else I should be aware of as I start this journey? I would be happy to have a conversation to get some guidance. Thank you PS - I apologize in advance if I am breaking some kind of forum rule.