Hi,
I'm hoping that this is the right place for this. I'm planning on applying to an MPP program, and while I'm sure that there are some schools out there that would take me, I'm having a hard time 'placing' myself. That is, I'm not sure which schools are out of my league, which I should apply for, and which I shouldn't bother with. Any advice on this or on otherwise bolstering my profile would really be appreciated.
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Program: MPP
Education: Undergrad at Oberlin College, 3.2 GPA, Major in Russian/Eastern European Studies. (Bonus: Middlebury Summer Language Intensive, studied abroad at the Bard/Smolny program in St. Petersburg)
GRE: I haven't taken it yet, but my most recent practice test score was 166 quant, 162 reading. None of my essays have been judged, but I'm fairly confident in my writing.
Work Experience: I'm a little worried that this lets me down. I spent ~1 year in ESL administration (in the US), ~1 year in marketing and 5 months in a FOIA journalism internship. After this, I lived abroad for almost a year in New Delhi (with my folks), doing a little bit of freelance journalism, a brief internship with Reuters India, volunteering at a dog shelter, travelling, and preparing for the GRE. I'm moving to DC now, and plan to find a job doing policy research or (ideally) writing for a policy org. The only plus is that a lot of my (handful of) published work is mostly policy oriented.
Language: I speak and read decent Russian, but it would be a stretch to call me fluent. I also took a little Hindi in Delhi, but my Hindi isn't even conversational.
Additional Questions:
1. First and foremost for me is getting a sense as to which schools I'm qualified for, and how qualified. (i.e. Which programs are a reach? Which are safe? Where would a student like me normally find himself?)
2. I'm particularly interested in innovation policy. I read Mazzucato's The Entrepreneurial State when it came out, and it really helped to solidify what I want to accomplish with public policy. Are there any schools that would be particularly well-matched for this focus?
3. I've read that I'll need economics and probably statistics. Really kicking myself for not planning my career better while I was still in school. I've heard that some schools will accept you provisional on your completing pre-req courses before matriculating. Is that something to bank on, or should I take the classes first and apply in a year? (I'm already 26 and looking at starting a program at 27, so I'm a little unhappy at that prospect, but if I have to...)
4. It's been a while since I graduated, and I haven't stayed in touch with my professors. Any advice on getting back in touch with my professors and convincing them that I'm a good horse to back?
5. Does anyone know anything about the RANEPA public policy program in Moscow? I met the head of that program and he encouraged me to apply. I'm attracted to the idea of studying in Moscow, but I'm a little uneasy at how new the program is.
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Thank you so much in advance for any advice you can give - it means a lot.