LaughingCat

Wow, everything you've said is really helpful but this specific part is perfect. These concentrations are exactly what I'm looking for - thanks for that!

Thank you. I've only started my grad school research, so your words are very encouraging here! Appreciate it. What did you mean by networking? I realize the importance of meeting professors for PhD programs before applying to their schools, but is that relevant for grad programs as well (MPP/ MA etc)?

Whoa, I just looked into Penn Fels, and you can get a combined MPP and MA in Education. I'm gonna look into this more - thank you! After Ford, I presume most students look for work in Chicago (though Toronto isn't far away!). I was a bit hesitant because of the travel that might be involved, in the hunt for internships and jobs. Is that a valid issue, or am I worrying too much for no reason?

I was hesitant about the HGSE Masters for that reason - too many people go there. I think they accept 800 people every year (every one who applies?), for their one-year Masters. Doesn't this saturate the market? Still need to do more research here, I confess. I've only just started to look at MPP programs. That said, if I could combine a Harvard MPP with their Masters in Education, that would be something!

Ah, congratulations on the Sanford acceptance! Where do most grads look for internships/jobs etc - I'm guessing Atlanta and NC are the main job markets for you. Ah, actually, I don't have a strong preference for charter schools vs public schools. My goal had been to work in education in the third world, as I had done during the Peace Corps - one can really make a difference there. It's immensely satisfying. However, due to certain medical challenges, my Indiana Jones life is over now. So when I started to look for work in the US, I focused on schools in struggling communities, and found a charter school that fit the bill. Here, we all have drunk the Kool-Aid indeed (including a daily morning chant - no shit!)...but honestly, as long as I can work in education for underprivileged folk, doesn't matter if it's charter or public schooling (or even elsewhere in the broader education system). Stateside, this comes closest to what I wanted to do in the developing world. Thank you for sharing your thoughts here

I've gotten 2 years of Peace Corps teaching experience in South America, and have been working (in a junior admin role) at a charter school in a poverty-stricken town along the East Coast for the past two years. Now, I'm thinking of heading back to school, and would love to study at a MPA/ MPP program targeting US k-12 education challenges. Any recommendations? Goals: Post-degree, either I'll target senior roles in charter schools etc, or move into education & public policy research (got lucky with a 170Q, 332 total GRE - hope that helps!). Still pretty undecided though. Schools: I'd really like a program that is quantitatively-challenging, and has an alumni network/ reputation in the East Coast (I want to live here, long-term, though I'm open to studying elsewhere). Harvard MPP, Chicago Harris, and Michigan Ford seem pretty quant-heavy, but I'm not so sure about their focus on domestic education policy. Tufts might allow me to really customize the degree, but they seem quant-weak. Is that a reasonable first impression? I know that Stanford offers an MPP + MA Education dual degree, but are there any other schools I should research up? There is no single reliable school ranking out there, and this is pretty overwhelming. Thanks all, for any advice you have.... !