kd7432

If you are set on an econ PhD I would recommend staying on for a year at UM and taking higher level econ courses (you've already more than met their math requirements I'm sure) and working with professors as a research assistant AND perhaps doing a dissertation. The latter two will get you research experience and letters of recommendation. I don't see the value of a MS in Math if you want to end up doing a PhD in Econ because that's another 5 years regardless of a Masters. Plus the US PhD is designed for you to join immediately or soon after a bachelor's degree. Hope that helps.

Hey, what did you decide and why? I am confused between SIPA and LSE myself...

I've just been offered a $12,500 per year scholarship for the MPP, even though I didn't accept a place by the April 15th deadline. Is there anyone else who got funding or is in a similar situation?

Has anyone turned down fellowship money after getting revised funding (post-April 15th)?

You should figure out where you would like to work later, and then see how Indiana's grads fare after finishing their PhD. If they place decently and aren't unemployed then I would pick Indiana because, like yourself, I found the whole application process to be extremely draining and stressful. I wouldn't want to go through that again for something that may or may not work out.

I am contemplating between Duke's MPP and a MSc in Development Studies from LSE. So I would like to know how the LSE degree would fare in the international development circle in DC/NYC as well. Any thoughts?

Haha hey! Man it's so confusing as you can tell from my posts. Yes, Georgetown increased my offer after I appealed. What schools are you considering? Thanks for your detailed and insightful answer! That helps. I'm broadly interested in international development - more specifically, i'm interested in the political economy of development, service delivery, governance, poverty alleviation etc in a South Asia context. My impression is that there is more faculty working on development issues in South Asia at Duke than at Georgetown. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Following the MPP, I would like to dabble in research (at think tanks or one of the multilateral agencies like the World Bank, UNDP etc) and if not that then maybe in consulting in international development - while obviously considering/applying fro a PhD. So, yes, it seems like DC would probably be the place to work for me. But your point on the choice of place to live is interesting. I'm from a mega city (we have almost 20 million here) and so the idea of living in a smaller place like Durham is really appealing to me. And like you said Duke has a good network in DC, which obviously is not a replacement for actually being in DC, but that would be helpful. Finally, given that I may end up moving back to my home country at some point in the future, the greater prestige of Duke might be beneficial as well. So I guess I am leaning towards Duke. Does my reasoning make sense? Please find holes in it if you can. Again, thanks so much!

Thanks, @sanraymond, that was quite helpful!

No problem. I'm in a similar situation myself, but am more interested in issues of political economy of development, governance and service delivery and poverty alleviation with a South Asia focus. I would like to do a PhD later on (although I have to figure out whether this will be in econ or poli sci). Keeping that in mind, which would you suggest between Duke Sanford, Michigan Ford and Georgetown McCourt? All three have roughly the same costs for me. Please also tell me why you pick one or the other.

Hi all. Georgetown just increased their financial offer significantly, bringing it back into contention. So now I'm confused between Duke Sanford and McCourt. Can anyone help explain the pros and cons between the two based on prestige, quantitative rigor, placements? Also, I will potentially do a PhD later on, so how does it fare on that count as well? @SenNoodles perhaps you can help out. Thanks

I know two people who graduated from SIPA and are now pursuing PhDs - one in poli sci at NYU and the other in econ at Berkeley. I am also considering a PhD later and was looking at SIPA. Both told me that SIPA allows you to take PhD level courses, and suggested that I take real analysis and advanced micro at the very least, if not more of the math/higher level econ courses. Check if SAIS will allow you that. Plus, for a PhD you will need excellent recommendations. So you should see wherever you can get more interaction with faculty (through RAships, TAships, office hours etc.) and where there are more faculty members in your area of interest.

As long as you have done the math courses during your masters it doesn't matter if you did or didn't do them in the undergrad.

Hey all. So I had settled on Duke for the MPP (where i'll have to pay ~70k over two years including living), when yesterday I found that I got into the Lee Kuan Yew School for Public Policy at the National University of Singapore...with a full scholarship! Now I'm very very confused. Can you guys advise on the pros and cons of a program in the US vs a program in Singapore? I am considering a PhD later on, so that is something to keep in mind, but not something I am completely sure of at this point. I would like to use the master's program to figure this out. Following the MPP, I would like to dabble in research (at think tanks or one of the multilateral agencies) and if not that then maybe in consulting in international development. But I would like to work abroad for a while at least (and not come back to my home country). Any thoughts to help me think this through are welcome. Thanks

Hi guys. Just as I had settled on Duke's Sanford School (where I got a 40% fellowship) and paid the deposit there, there was a twist in the tale that has left me confused once again. Yesterday, I was offered admission at NUS with a full scholarship. Now I'm not sure where I stand. Can you please advise me about a program in Singapore vs. a program in the US? I had made up my mind regarding Duke but the funding has made me double-minded. Any thoughts on this are welcome. I would ideally like to work on the research side of policy (think tanks, or one of the multilateral agencies like the World Bank, UNDP etc). Can anyone advise on whether international students can easily get jobs in Singapore or places like this elsewhere in the world? Also, how recognized would the MPP from NUS be in Europe/America?

Hey maybe you could provide some insight too