3dender

Take my comments with many grains of salt -- I'm only responding because you said ANY comments are appreciated: FWIW, in your "Cons" section for School 2, you list several logical reasons for NOT going to your "logical" choice. Also, I think quality of life sometimes gets short shrift in these decisions. Your post makes it seem obvious where you want to go, but it also might help to remind yourself that both of them will likely work out well for you.

I think this comes down to what you want to do for your career. If you know you want to do IR, then Georgetown seems like the place to go. If you're not set on IR, then few places are better than Harris for an MPP, especially going into private sector outside of DC. If you definitely see yourself in DC, then Georgetown would probably be the way to go (though tbh Harris's DC network is nothing to scoff at either). Something to complicate your decision is Harris's relatively new Pearson Institute for Global Conflicts. They are trying to ramp up their brand in IR as well, and a significant amount of students at their Admitted Students Day were there specifically for Pearson. My impression (though I'm no expert) is that the Harris brand will open more doors outside of DC, possibly even internationally. Have you attended the Admitted Student events at both schools? Because I think gut reaction is an important factor too. I was personally pretty turned off at Harris -- I just sensed a pervasive snobbery about the place. Friends I've talked to in academia have corroborated that feeling. If you've attended events at both places then you know how they made you feel. Otherwise, you may try to talk to people who attended each one.

I'm an amateur, but my understanding of Berkeley is that while it's policy school, Goldman, has an elite brand, neither the school nor university are known for their international training. SIPA, on the other hand, is considered more elite for programs of international relations/development. Georgetown and Johns Hopkins are also top programs. Just geographically speaking, even if both programs were equal it would make more sense to study on the east coast for its proximity to Europe. But take this with salt. Somebody please correct my inexpert impressions if they're way off.

I don't know the field specifically, but I'm a reasonably intelligent person so my off-the-cuff reaction may be helpful. I think it's totally worth it to pursue it ASAP, with either the elite programs or the cheaper options (I consider the question of debt v. prestige as somewhat separate, considering the difference in salaries you'll be able to command with each degree will probably be negligible). Even if you have your heart set on a dream job at the EPA or elsewhere in FedGov, by the time you get out of school you will have only 1-2 years left before Trump's probably out of office, at which point they'll start hiring again. In that time you can build your resume at state/local level, or even with an NGO. Incidentally, existence of these last is why I don't think jobs will really go anywhere -- there will be a lot of slack for non-profits to pick up. So yeah, at the worst you will only have to find something to do for a year or two after graduation -- potentially a good opportunity for a job that includes debt forgiveness. At the best -- maybe with the help of an elite program? -- you can find that dream job right away. It's a solid gamble, win or lose. As an aside, I experienced something similar to your second thoughts as I was applying last year. I was really interested in journalism, but seeing the state of the field during the election made me realize it would be a somewhat . . . let's say challenging career move. I applied for Public Policy instead and it has definitely been the right decision. You can feel grateful that your desired field is at least in better shape than journalism.

I currently live about 20 minutes from Duke, got half-tuition paid there, and see myself ultimately settling on the East Coast. Last and least: as I understand it, Sanford's degree/network has more cache on the West Coast than Goldman's has in the East. (I might be mistaken on this, and feel free to correct.)

Well I will not be going there, so maybe my hypothetical funding will trickle down to y'all. . . you're welcome

FWIW, it has felt ridiculous to me from the outset that LBJ has a deadline of 12/1 but then doesn't get back to you until 3 months later. It doesn't take that long to review an application. I applied to schools with Jan. 5th and Jan. 15th deadlines and heard back from them before LBJ, some of them a little more than a month later.

Yes via email, but she did take a few days to get back to me.

I attempted to negotiate w/Martha and was kindly rebuffed with what I took as a boilerplate "We'll have to wait and see if our extant fellowship offers are accepted, and then reconsider allotment. . . we'll get back to you in early April if we decide to offer funding." She did mention the myriad GSI opportunities available and said they can cover up to 60% in-state tuition and 40% out-of-state. Basically I don't think your chances are very good, but it also couldn't hurt to try. I guess she could be adding peoples' names to a list in the event that more funding shows up in April. . . so why not get in line?

My bad, I thought SAIS was in Baltimore with the rest of JHU. But yes, DC not as cheap as Balmer for sure. Still, cheaper suburbs available with very quick access to downtown.

I imagine it has occurred to you that cost of living is a significant factor. Check out the housing differences and reflect on how much extra debt you are willing to accrue just by living in NYC.

Finally heard back and they're offering me full funding (split between granting me in-state tuition, a GA, and stipend), renewable for my 2nd year. It's by far the most generous offer I've received. Would anyone who knows care to elaborate on how Maryland SPP compares to the other main schools I'm considering: Duke-Sanford and American-SPA? the money is pretty even across the board, considering living costs in DC vs. NC.

I feel you on this and have the same thought re: anxiety. . . then again if we can't get a B in our Community College Econ course, we probably don't deserve Sanford anyway, amirite?

I didn't mean any disrespect, and your observations align closely with what I found at AU's Top Prospect Day. It was an incredibly warm welcome and I got a great, diverse vibe from the rest of the invited students. Honestly the "what I heard" part of my statement above was actually heard from AU themselves, along the lines of "We know that GWU and GT get the accolades for DC-area schools, but we're determined to prove that our program is just as good." It was a solid message and it's evident that they're putting money where their mouth is (i.e. they offered me by far the most generous package out of all 8 schools I've gotten into). Basically, I feel lucky to be in the position that I can consider AU my backup. I didn't mean to indicate otherwise, but I certainly appreciate your defense.

Thanks both for your replies. Yes I've been a little flustered lately so I went and outed my source anyway -- I wish there were an edit or delete feature, but oh well. I appreciate your thoughts Buck. They align with what I've been feeling as well. On the one hand my wife and I ARE intrigued by the possibility of spending some time post-school in CA, but that's way too big of a decision to make in spur-of-the-moment fashion, especially with two children and having family support here. I'm looking forward to the Open House on the 31st and hope to see you there. If you want to find me just look for the oldest guy in the room :-) Honestly, I'm almost certain I'm going to commit to Duke unless I somehow get a weird vibe at the Open House that turns me off. Not likely, I know, but it actually happened when I went to visit Chicago-Harris. To put it diplomatically: it became apparent very early that I was not a good fit for their culture. Anyway, I appreciate your help, and thanks to sturdy for pointing me to the Gov't Affairs board, which I hadn't known about. Cheers!

I found the disorganization very off-putting, as well as the repeated claim "I can't believe how many people came!" That comes off as a weak excuse for their disorganization, but it also doesn't even make sense, unless they're admitting how poor of planners they are. They knew how many they admitted, and they could figure out percentages of how many would likely show up. It's not rocket science. I got the feeling they were trying to dazzle us with their wealth and prestige, and I definitely picked up a "cash-cow" vibe (mentioned from last year's thread). But it was inconsistent because they cut corners in other ways if you were paying attention -- e.g. not having any place for us to sit down and eat lunch, having mediocre food, etc. (Downright terrible, gas-station level coffee was not a good first impression either.) The lunch arrangements can't honestly be blamed on size of turnout either, as even 100 people would have struggled to find adequate seating in that particular facility. Ultimately I was glad to go, just to help me better figure out what I need in a program. I didn't know cohort size would matter as much to me as it does now, but yeah I don't want a cohort of 200 and class sizes of 50+. The faculty and career services dept. were impressive, and by far the most attractive aspects presented. But all in al I'm pretty sure I will go to Sanford instead (tbf: they offered me $50k vs. Harris's $20k).

It is currently my 2nd choice behind Duke-Sanford. I also received the above offer but currently live in NC so relocating to DC plus their housing costs would still make it significantly more expensive. I'm waiting until Duke's Open House (3/31) to make my final decision, just to make sure I don't have a dealbreaker experience there. I'm not sure how the program rates -- I've heard among DC schools it is probably behind GWU, Georgetown and GMU, more on the level of Maryland. They are certainly making a push to attract quality students with these aggressive funding offers they've been handing out. Some things I like about it are a) small class size, 2) the Applied Politics concentration and d) the certificate in lobbying/political campaigns.

This is the only of 9 schools that I haven't heard from yet.

My wife's getting her MSW right now at UNC. I have a friend who is a professor in the program as well. I'm no expert, but my layman's impression of the field is that if you get a PhD it's basically to become a professor. For anything else in the field you only need a Master's (even if you just want to do research). Her program divides its candidates into "Direct Practice" and "Macro/Organizational", so anyone who doesn't want to do straight therapy does the Macro. My wife is doing Direct but thinks that eventually she will want to move into Macro. It's easier to do that than the reverse. FWIW, she has found her field placement to be by far the most rewarding part of her experience. My (again inexpert) opinion is that if you're sure you want to be a professor, go ahead as planned. But if you think you're going to want a job outside of academia you should strongly consider the field placement -- that real-world experience is invaluable.

Another interesting tidbit I forgot to mention in my OP: In addition to the above, I've been accepted at Harris, SIPA, GWU, LBJ, and American, with money offers from a couple. In attempting to negotiate with one of those schools (which I will keep anonymous so as to protect this person's job), the dean told me that if she was getting offers from all of the schools I listed, she would go to Duke "in a heartbeat." She later elaborated:

I've browsed old threads here and seen discussions on the merits of these two programs from years ago, as far back as 2010. But I know a lot changes in seven years, and I was wondering if there are any fresh perspectives around. I've lived in NC for about 15 years and have a family here. We are comfortable but are highly intrigued by the possibility of shaking things up. I've gotten into Goldman with the possibility for a G.A.ship that would reduce tuition by 40%, and I've gotten a half-ride from Duke. With differences in housing costs I'm estimating that I would spend an extra 60 or 70k by moving the family to Berkeley (a highly appealing destination for our family). Sanford is clearly the path of least resistance as we currently live in Chapel Hill. Beyond the dubious wisdom of uprooting my comfortable family, I'm really curious about a comparison between the programs by people who might know. I understand that both are "top 5," by whatever arbitrary standards US News uses, but the more I look around the more it seems that Goldman's prestige is more regionally-based, while Sanford's is more global. Am I understanding that correctly? Also, as far as I can tell there is not anything that one program has that the other does not. I'm impressed by the faculty at both, but the smaller class size at Duke is more appealing. For obvious reasons I'm leaning toward Sanford, but I'd love to hear other knowledgeable perspectives on what I may be overlooking from Goldman. The main draw is the Bay area itself, along with UCB's great reputation. Basically, I guess I'm wondering if living in the Bay area will be worth an extra $70k in debt, and then what my job prospects on the east coast will be like after getting out. My desired area of concentration as it's still a little nebulous, but I'm most passionate about political/corporate reform, campaign finance reform, and applied politics. I appreciate anyone who can drop some wisdom.