mppgal55

UMass-Amherst has a program in food policy. See: http://www.masspolicy.org/acad_mppa_food.html. I applied to their MPPA program for the FY 2010 cycle (not for food policy specifically, though) and they were very generous with their aid packages. It is a smaller program, but I've seen grads in the DC workforce with solid job placements.

When I was talking to a CIA recruiter earlier this year, they mentioned something similar. Apparently people screw up for two reasons: 1) lying about illegal music downloading, which is a federal crime and 2) the person administrating the test is combative on purpose to see how people react under pressure. For example, the woman I talked to had never done drugs. The administrator's response was to ask pointed, insulting questions like "why not? did you have friends? didn't you ever get invited to parties?" etc.

As the poster above said, a lot of times MPP/MPA admissions cycles are unique from a university's graduate school admissions (That the MA pols would be under). That said, even though admissions deadlines have passed, sometimes schools will make exceptions and still consider you. You can speak with the university I'm assuming you've already accepted, or even branch out and look elsewhere. I know that Heinz was considering one or two people who missed the deadline - they aren't positively going to get a spot, mind you, but they are being considered.

I'm at work, so don't have time to be totally inclusive of details. That said, you should consider the MSHCPM program at Carnegie Mellon's Heinz School. It's a Masters of Science in Health Care Policy and Management. It is a very well-connected program, and has a variety of econ, management, policy, and health care classes. My friends from the program are working at consulting firms, hospitals, gov't agencies, and a few are internationally focused. Or, you can do the MSPPM at CMU and focus in health policy - you still have access to all the HCPM classes. Just my 2 cents. Best of luck!

That job number is a rumor and wrong; I know two Chinese students who just got offers last week (one to PNC Bank and one to BNY Mellon). That said, as much as I LOVE the MSPPM program, you seem to have already made up your mind just in how you framed the original post. I think you just need someone to tell you it is ok, because it isn't as well-known. While reputation matters, if the fit isn't there, it isn't there. If UCSD is your dream school and is a good fit, then don't let anything hold you back.

The gym definitely kind of sucks, it is really small. The best fitness options my friends and I have decided on have been swimming at the CMU pool and hot yoga in Shadyside. CMU's been subsidizing/paying for yoga lately, but before that it wasn't that expensive. There's a gym near my house I almost joined, but it was out of my budget. When it is nice out, the parks are great for walks/hiking/running.

The DC Program Coordinator, Marie, is not our only point of contact - Martin Black, former Director of the Career Center (now he's in external relations?) is our go-to guy in Pittsburgh. Anita, the MSPPM career person in the career center, is always there for us as well. I've gotten great help/advice from all 3. Marie primarily works on helping us secure our apprenticeship. We had a meeting with her on Friday via webcam as well. She comes to DC sometimes to meet us, but that isn't always possible. FYI, internships are NOT required for DC students, but they are recommended and most of us try to find them anyways. Also, the atmosphere between current DC students is anything but competitive. I'm "competing" with another student for apprenticeship positions in the sense that we're seeking exactly the same type of work, but we still exchange job postings, share advice on interviews, hang out and get drinks, etc. It's the same within all industries. Two of my friends are interviewing with USAID friday, competing for one position, yet they're helping each other prepare. This is typical. Heinz gives us lots of free booze - sometimes they just put a keg and pizza in the foyer on friday night for us, other times they arrange off-campus happy hours, and there is a big social/dance thing each semester. We get free pizza a lot too, but you get sick of quickly enough that it loses its allure. There's also a bar across from our building where we go a lot during the week after class. ($5 pitchers!...just got back from there actually). That said, we do study a lot. Grad school is challenging, especially on the DC track. As for faculty...I've had one prof who never answered emails, which sucked, but that was the exception. Most faculty are very easy to approach, and some even give out their phone numbers. I've had some profs offer to meet one on one for coffee, and they always stay after class to answer questions. I hope y'all had a great time visiting!

Sorry, I've been computer-less (not a good plan in grad school). I'm not sure on this. I know a few dual students, but most started at Tepper. I think it is possible, but you'll have to be accepted through Tepper's program independently of all things Heinz. I do know you can take 4 courses from Tepper, no more than 2 in a semester though. You can also take classes at Pitt's GSPIA and in other departments on CMU's campus (I'm a fan of engineering and public policy classes, because it is focused a lot on energy).

CMU offers deferrals for special circumstances, and I believe you are reconsidered for funding with the new applicants (I'd check on that though). I will say that being in Pittsburgh in no way hinders people from going anywhere else. We have a ton of students in DC, Chicago, NYC, Boston, LA, and the Silicon Valley. Our career services hosts networking events in all of those cities, and we get big companies flying in to do recruiting. As for working v. school, it depends on your ultimate goal. Do you want to end up in consulting? If so, the job is a good offer. You could also try to hire in with Deloitte in a US city after graduation; this would be easier if you'd worked there before.

The DC track is limited to 25 students each year. If less than that choose to attend, then they will accept applications from other Heinz students in the first few weeks and make selections at that point to fill spots. They are willing to keep the number lower if they don't think the applicants at that point are a good fit. For example, we started the year with 19 students. They accepted 4 more, 3 of whom were on the 3-semester track (I believe something like 25 students applied to switch into it). They also accepted one girl this spring (she's in the accelerated undergraduate program, which is why it was so late). So, we'll have 24 unless anyone drops out last minute. <-- is all typical for each year the program has been in existence.

I'd suggest emailing David Krackhardt and/or Denise Rousseau at Heinz - both are experts in Social Networks and they may be able to advise you further.

This is a pretty good comparison, and reinforces the image us Heinzers have of the folks over at Harris. Most of the faculty and students will admit that Harris is very well known for theory, and Heinz is more known for practice. They don't hide it nor are they ashamed of it. If you're seeking a PhD immediately following a Masters, Harris may be a better fit. If you're looking to go into business at some point, Heinz may be a better fit. *edited to add that the above doesn't mean Harris is only worth it if you're interested in a PhD, only that it is more likely better preparation than Heinz. One of my favorite professors and I were discussing admissions (which he used to run), and we were talking about how for most Heinz students, their decisions ended up between Ford, Harris, Heinz, and Maxwell. Ford gets most of the IR folk (though ID is getting stronger every year at Heinz), and is the hardest to distinguish from Heinz. Harris is more for theorists, Maxwell is more for public administration, Heinz and Ford are more policy analysis. Heinz puts the largest focus on MBA-type skills and "practical" knowledge, Harris has more political economy, Maxwell has more on bureaucracy, Ford has more electives. That's full of rampant generalizations, but it sums up as comparing fit of each program to what your end-goal is. In general, it helps to pick a program that strengthens your weaknesses.

It really runs the full spectrum. I know a few people working in finance (PNC, Bank of America), some more in economic consulting, a few at IBM (in finance, strategy, risk, and gov't affairs I believe), a bunch in consulting positions. There are some who work in advising/analyst positions in state and local government organizations. Some people go into fundraising or research at nonprofits. Some go into government directly.

The class schedule varies. There are classes 9-10:20, 10:30-11:50, 1:30-2:50, 3:30-4:50, and 5:30-8:20. You have decent flexibility when scheduling your classes, so you can either fill up MWF and have TR empty, or have a whole bunch of night classes, or no night classes, etc. It is typical to take 5 classes each mini; some do 4 or 6. All classes, except for night class, last 1hr and 20 minutes. Night classes usually have breaks in the middle. As for working in Pittsburgh, a lot of people choose to take federal work study jobs or get internships in the city. Heinz has some great community partnerships. I'm doing FWS, working as a research assistant in one of the policy centers on campus. A few weeks after you arrive, a host of jobs get posted, and then you can apply for your favorites. I'd suggest persistently following up with the ones you're most interested in. There is also an internship fair at the beginning of the semester, if you prefer something outside of school. I wouldn't recommend working any more than 10 hrs - I'm committed to that, and it seems like too much sometimes. More would be death for a DC student (Since we have to take 60 units, we're a bit more loaded than some students). Good luck with the funding email! I'm curious if they'll increase offers this year like they did last year. I wish I'd asked for more!

Don't be concerned about job opportunities at Heinz. Everyone I know who has put in some search effort has internship and job interviews lined up. Career services is great, there is a ton of on-campus recruiting, and a great reputation in the private sector on top of the public sector connections. There are people who stay in Pittsburgh, but many go to Chicago, LA, Boston, DC, NYC, Silicon Valley, etc. Also, if you have no technical or quantitative background, it is still very possible to succeed in your classes - the program will give you those skills. That said, SIPA and GPPI are great schools, and I'm sure you'd get a great job after attending either of those programs as well. Is it possible for you to visit and check out the fit in person?

Grad school is challenging. No matter what your background, there will always be a moment where you struggle/the coursework is difficult. What gets me through the more challenging coursework is a clear knowledge of how the material relates to what I want to do. Having an end goal makes the process worth it. I know it'd be much more difficult to push through the hard moments if I didn't have an understanding of why I was doing it in the first place, how it will get me where I want to be, etc. Additionally, good schools have great networks and career connections. Different schools have different "fits" - different areas where they are stronger than other programs and have greater alumni bases, etc. If you are uncertain, you may pick a school in which the contacts you will make aren't where you will eventually want to be - and you'll have no way of determining this before hand. An MPP/MAIR from a prestigious school is a valuable degree. Even so, why would you spend $100,000+ on something you are uncertain about? The degree is valuable, but only on top of your own motivations and experience. Is any job good enough that any good school would do? That won't sell itself to an adcomm well, and it won't really sell itself to an employer eventually either. Being able to connect your degree and background to potential jobs, including why you want the job, will be necessary at the end of the road. If you are uncertain about education versus healthcare versus environment, that's one thing, but if you're uncertain about the field, I think you'll have a rough road ahead. This is just my 2 cents!

Deloitte has this same case competition at Heinz, as well as a huge hiring presence (they tend to hire 10 full time each November, and 4-8 summer each February). They also regularly have 2 DC-track students in the firm. PwC, Mckinsey, BoozAllen, and Bain all recruit from CMU/Heinz each year, and there are many alums at each of those firms. Additionally, there are a lot of students working in "smaller" consulting firms, such as ICF International, DRT Strategies, and NERA economic consultants. Heinz's focus on management (PPM, not just PP) attracts private sector employees. For the most part, you can substitute it as an MBA when applying for positions and get the same interviews. Our management science equates to optimization courses in MBA programs, and we take financial analysis, economics, statistics, etc. that are in MBA programs as well. This lends itself to the private sector easily. When you add on the policy knowledge, most company's government affairs folks are all over it. I'm sure other schools have great consulting connections, but I can only speak to Heinz. I just know that if you want to be a consultant, it's easy to do so from here. There have been 5 case competitions so far this year that you could participate in, on-campus interviewing, workshops, and networking events in DC that all lend themselves to this field.

Money is a decision that's all on you, although I will point out that you can ask for more money and they may increase your funding. I'd send an email to the admissions folks indicating where you got a better offer, and if it is a peer school and they have funds available, they will consider increasing your funding. I know people who successfully did this at CMU last year (I wish I had tried!). Both Michigan and CMU are good programs. Michigan has more electives in the international field, and you would have access to their law school. That said, CMU gives access to GSPIA and law at Pitt. Pittsburgh is a great city with a lot to offer; Ann Arbor is nice and is near enough to Detroit to make things interesting. Ford v. Heinz is usually a decision a bunch of people have to make every year; Ford is Heinz' biggest "rival" for prospective students. It really will come down to fit for most of it. It's rough that you can't visit, but maybe you can call some professors at each school to talk to them and get a good feel. Heinz has a competitive advantage in requiring management science courses (linear programming, optimization, queuing theory, forecasting, etc.) and applying it to policy, but Michigan has more electives offered in general. In terms of consulting, I don't know about Michigan, but I do know Heinz has amazing relationships in the private sector. Deloitte recruits heavily on campus, both for full time in November and for summer in February. McKinsey (sp?) hosts a case competition with Tepper/Heinz, and interviews/hires students from that. PwC hosts a networking event in New York, and BoozAllen regularly invites students to interview in DC. I know many students who are working with smaller boutique consulting firms as well, primarily in DC, Chicago, Boston, and NYC.

I can't speak to Brown or HKS field work opportunities, but at CMU, there are significant opportunities in that arena. You can intern with local economic and community development organizations, you can do independent studies in this topic, and several classes involve client-based projects (sustainable community development is one that immediately come to mind). I know that this semester, there was one opportunity to work with the Pittsburgh government about economic development regarding the airport area. There are also many Heinz alum that are in econ devel. in Pittsburgh that you could look to as mentors and for potential job opportunities.

There are a select few Heinz students that seek Phds, but it isn't common at all. The Heinz PhD program draws a few, but for the most part it's 1 or 2 per class that go that route. It isn't hard to prepare for such a degree if that is your interest - you can write for the Journal, work on research (as an RA, independent study, etc.) with faculty, and keep your grades very high. The nature of the program, however, tends not to draw as many pure academics.

1) If you want to do work study, you can. There are plenty of RA positions available. It gets a little challenging to work while taking classes, I'll be honest about that. I kind of wish I'd just taken more out in loans and not worked, since DC students have to take 60 hours and it gets pretty stressful. That said, my job is great experience, adds to my resume, and has made me some great connections, so I can't complain. Keep in mind financially that most 2nd year apprenticeships are paid, so that helps a bit. 2) The apprenticeship placement is entirely your choice. You don't have to accept somewhere you don't want to be. At the beginning of the year, you'll meet with our career and program directors, and tell them your top 5 places and what you're interested in. They'll tell you where they have connections, and where it'll be more up to you to initiate contact, or where alumni are, etc. It depends on your interests at that point - education, international, consulting, environment, etc. For me, Marie made initial contact on my behalf for all of my top choices because of program connections. That, and there were resume drops for a few of them. I don't have my apprenticeship solidified yet, but that's in part because the agency I want isn't reviewing apps yet. In DC, you take class Monday and Wednesday evenings, and have some class/workshop stuff on Fridays (2nd semester, Fridays are reserved for systems - which, if you're not familiar with the term, is our capstone project thing). You work M-Th full time. You don't have a choice over your classes, which is kind of a bummer, but they are all electives most would have chosen on campus anyhow (cost-benefit analysis, program evaluation, etc). 3) In the 2nd year in DC, class size won't exceed 25, because that is the limit on the program. In Pittsburgh, it varies, partly depending on room size. I had one elective that was 12 students, several that were about 20. Intermediate econ/stats were smaller than beginner, so my econ class had about 30 students, my stats had about 45. The regular sections were divided, and I think averaged 60. For the most part, classes don't exceed 60 or 65.

Some international students return to their home countries, some work internationally not in their home country, others do find work in the States. The most common international-student employers domestically are consulting firms, not really for internships but for full-time work. Think tanks are another popular avenue. I don't have great information on this, but there are quite a few international students at Heinz, and I've yet to meet someone who has absolutely no prospects.

I will refer you to the other thread that nclex posted about CMU, I just wrote about career services there. On top of that, the employment rate out of the DC track is 100% within 6 months (the only student not employed was in that position voluntarily, choosing to go instead to med school).

I love Pittsburgh! Then again, my undergrad was in a small town in Indiana, so anything would have been an improvement . I've lived in DC and Boston before, though, and I still like Pittsburgh. There are a ton of museums, theaters, parks, sporting events, bars, shopping, restaurants, etc. There is never a shortage on things to do. Plus, we aren't too far from DC, Canada, and a lot of skiing/hiking places. I even went whitewater rafting last semester an hour from here . The worst part of Pittsburgh is just driving, and that's only because it takes a long time to get somewhere that isn't very far away. If you do decide to come here, I can point you in the direction of good housing. I'm not sure if my experience with jobs/internships is the same as others, since I'm in the DC program. DC students have a separate career advisor, and our program director is very hands on. That said, Marie (our director) assists mainly with the apprenticeship, but that's all. Most DC students get offers from their apprenticeships; others have found them through the CMU and Heinz career sites. The career center is very hands on here, as a rule. We have at least one workshop every week, there are many information sessions with employers, and there are many employers who actively recruit through the Heinz career website. Additionally, we have network nights in NYC, DC, LA, Silicon Valley, Boston, Chicago, and Pittsburgh that are a great help in making connections. There is an alumni mentoring program you can participate in as well, and your mentor can help you find jobs. Even more, asking faculty and advisors for advice one-on-one can yield great results. A lot of the adjunct faculty will eagerly connect you to their contacts who are hiring. Personally, I had one of the advisors in the career center look up all alumni at the EIA, FERC, and Department of Energy, and then he made the initial contact on my behalf. This has led to some great connections for me. In general, last year I struggled finding a summer position. This year I already have multiple offers, as well as a DC-centric summer funding award from CMU. The only thing that has changed in that time has been my experiences at Heinz. Albeit, I'm very active on campus, I work very hard, and I network a lot/apply to a lot of things, but I still credit the contacts, reputation, and skills from CMU for where I am now. It gets my foot in the door, and the rest is up to me.

Yes, you have until the end of the 1st year to apply for the dual program. If that doesn't work out, you can take 2 classes/semester from Tepper, maxing out at 4 classes total. I think I just replied to a different question of yours on the other CMU thread too. I really love the program, so I'm happy to answer any questions you have.