MPPKollege

Of your two years of work experience, has this been full-time work or internships? Your GRE quant and verbal scores are fantastic so I would not worry about those at all.

I am a current LBJ student here in Austin. Feel free to PM me with any questions you may have.

I would be hesitant of going into debt for a MPP or MPA, especially when a school like Sanford is offering you a generous package.

Woof! That is a lot to unpack here. 1. The less debt the better when all is equal, but it seems like Heinz would not be too much of an investment financially compared to others on this forum. I would say that there are people from La Follette who had wanted to work in Chicago and found work. The La Follette Chicago network is quite strong. 2. To improve your quantitative skills, the top public policy schools differ on this scale (SOLELY MY OPINION). The first tier quantitative programs are Ford, HKS, WWS, Harris, and Heinz. The next tier is generally Goldman, LBJ, SIPA, and SEPA. The following tier is where you would find Evans, La Follette, and others. Regardless, you will get the quantitative skills necessary to work at a think tank at any of these schools. (Note: All of these programs have courses in which you will use Excel and STATA, as well as Python or R if you so do desire) 3. I visited La Follette...and yes, there is a STRONG focus on Wisconsin (which is going to be hard to avoid). This something you will find at all regional schools (LBJ, Evans, Humphrey). I do know La Follette has a network in DC and other big cities, but not as much as other schools 4. I assure you that you are going to find a decent number of people wanting to do public sector consulting at most policy schools, so I would NOT hold that against Heinz. La Follette has people going to Deloitte each year. 5. Be cautious of going to a school because of the ideological bend. I understand you may be progressive, but there is concern when you are in a program, and there is no one to challenge your viewpoints. Graduate school is based largely on discussion. Individuals who all share the same ideology does not lend itself to be a conductive classroom. Sure, the majority of your cohort at these schools will be left-leaning, but you will be sure to find some people at LBJ, Heinz, other programss interning for Republicans or AEI. It is not the norm, but it is there. 6. Understand that a PhD for Public Policy is not similar to many other PhDs. Overall, you have two great choices. This is simply my random opinion off of the internet. Both are highly respected schools and you need to make the best decision for yourself.

Amen brother/sister

Do not take excessive debt for a public policy/public affairs degree. Unless the school is Kennedy or SAIS, it is not worth spending close to $100,000 for a masters.

I am a current LBJ student. I would say that with any region program (i.e Evans, La Follette, LBJ, etc.), there is going to be more on an emphasis on where the school is located. However, that does not mean that you are stuck in one location for which you go to school. As someone currently a Masters of Public Affairs Student, these degrees are useful, but not worth going into significant debt. Therefore, I would immediately cross of schools that are not offering any funding. The LBJ school is a fantastic school with top-notch faculty. Additionally, people in this program are spending their summer internships all over the country. Some stay in Texas, some go to DC, others back to the West-Coast. SIPA's reputation may slightly surpass LBJ, but is a huge investment. Additionally, SIPA is a global brand, but is not HKS or WWS. Thus, do not go into debt just to go to a "name-brand" school. I may be bias, but LBJ gives you the financial flexibility and the brand required to make the most of the degree.

They probably deserve it. I am at the LBJ school and while I love it, Ford's MPP program is light-years ahead.

Think long and hard about the amount of debt you are willing to take for a career in Public Affairs. What is the other school?

How much funding are you getting from each program?

NYU Wagner moved up from 19 to 14, which was interesting to see. La Follette's drop for me is somewhat concerning.

I want to go into Economic Development policy or Education Policy. Furthermore, I would want to have the opportunity to work in DC. I understand it is competitive and not everyone can do it, but I would want it to be a possibility.

Hi all, Right now I have having trouble deciding between Wisconsin's La Follette school and Michigan's Ford school. From Wisconsin, I received a full-ride to the MPA program along with a annual stipend. From Ford, I qualified for in-state tuition, as well and 1/4 off of that price. As of now, I really do not know what to do. I am flattered by Wisconsin's offer and will be going to their admitted students day. However, I have always dreamt of going to the Ford school and know that its reputation is world renowned. Its quantitative focus, great career services, and location makes it a great place to choose. I was hoping some of you could give me some advice on what to choose. I don't want to go into extreme debt, but I also want to go to the best school possible for me. Any advice? Thanks!

You are generally correct. While schools such as Evans, LBJ, and La Follette are ranked quite well and very strong programs, their focus tends to be more local, with its graduates tending to stay in state. I am currently in the same situation, in which I received full tuition from La Follette, but I think that the Ford school would be more in line with my career aspirations.

For people who requested for more funding. When do you think we will hear the decision on that?