econhawk

i can see good points on both sides of the spectrum but man...if i were you, i'd just go to school. You are straight out of undergrad, international, and you got funding at a top program in this economy. can't get any better than that. You must be an impressive candidate. Care to post your profile? I agree with you that getting into another program should be no problem with relevant experience down the road BUT the question is whether or not your current school will accept you then and with funding. If this is the school you'd like to go after you accumulate your experience, make sure that the job you have lined up can show a good fit with this program.

Hi Octavia, If you don't mind, can you direct me to the SIPA page where you found the employment statistics? I've been meaning to find information on not only where graduates end up but what positions they get after SIPA. The latter has been more difficult to find. Thanks.

Bastille, Thanks for the stat. So is it HKS for you? I recall you were going to attend the SIPA open house. Did you make it out there? If so, what did you think?

I'd like to know what you thought of SIPA during and after the Open House on April 13th. I'll start with my impression of students currently in the program. 1) They seemed challenged academically and satisfied with their experience thus far. 2) Many of them did note how much the Columbia name, its location and alumni base can do for you in terms of career advancement but my impression is that job or internship placement is still difficult. (Is the current state of the economy to blame for this?) 3) Getting 2nd year fellowships is going to be quite competitive, especially for the TA positions. Better not to expect anything. Feel free to comment or add anything else.

What kind of job do you envision yourself getting (state position and name of employer) and how will you make your degree get you there (i.e. via selection of concentration, courses, summer internship, etc)?

Do you really need both? I'm hoping to understand the reasoning behind joint degrees, specifically the MPP/MBA and the MPP/JD. 1) In what professional capacity would you use both the MPP and the JD? Usually, salary expectations after a law degree are enough to push recent grads into the legal field. True, many come out looking for public sector jobs after law school debt is paid off, but I'm inclined to think the JD alone is sufficient. Assuming the MPP is not free, I don't understand the rationale for this joint degree. 2) MPPs with finance/economic policy tracks- why not stick with it or get the MBA by itself? What added benefit do you get by getting both? Theoretically, the degrees complement each other well. But in terms of getting to where you want professionally, is it worth the extra cost and time?

Thanks for the insightful comments on this thread. I have three years of paralegal experience in corporate law (top 5 in big law). i've always believed my experience would not be marketable to employers after the MPP. Does anyone care to disagree? If not, what practical advice do you have for me? I think getting an internship would help but that's next summer as I plan to enroll this fall.

Bastille, in your mind, what is the current reputation of SIPA? I thought it was high enough already. Is there more room for improvement in the reputation department? Just out of curiosity, how widespread is the notion that SIPA is the safety school for those who did not make it to HKS or WWS? Also, I'm interested in hearing more about what you like about the IFEP track.

Hi Bastille, Thanks for your helpful research. I am happy to hear that the university values the school, that a new building is in the works, etc. My question is how will it benefit you or me this year as well enroll?