N0MudN0L0tus

Thanks ZebraFinch. I really appreciate your advice. I'm leaning in the direction of taking a year to acquire more relevant experience and to strengthen my candidacy overall. If I do go that route, I will certainly use that time to think this through very carefully before I actually apply to MPA programs. These topics are far too delicate and fraught to approach them in any which way. Your point is well taken indeed. Thank you.

Thank you Sigaba. By no means do I "have it all figured out". I'm sincerely looking for advice on how to most effectively convey that I'm seeking to explore alternative frameworks and paradigms to development. The main weakness I can intuit is that I haven't sufficiently engaged with the prevailing frameworks and approaches specifically as an MPA student or professionally in the fields of development and policy. I'm not saying that I refuse to engage with orthodox development theories. Of course not. That would be impossible even if I wanted to. I'm just wondering what the most strategic way would be to approach this issue in my applications so that I don't alienate committees but also don't put my values on the back burner for the sake of not rocking the boat. There has to be some middle ground that will allow me to stand apart from the folks who are primarily looking to go into, say, development consulting. There just has to be...

Although, to be fair, a common criticism that graduate students who speak up about the problems with the aid/development status quo is that "they don't have enough experience." Here's how the author I quoted earlier responded to this common criticism levied at her while she was studying in the SIPA program. ZebraFinch, your point is well taken that I shouldn't go in, metaphorical guns blazing as it were, when I don't concretely have experience to back up my critiques. And yet, the issues are nonetheless systemic, and observable, and not above critique. I may not be an MPA student just yet, like the author of that post was, but I actually do have enough scholarly and personal knowledge about the problems with NGOs and the aid industry to hold my own in a discussion with people in the policy realm. The "you don't have enough experience" angle is partly reasonable, but also partly a silencing tactic, depending on who says it and to whom. I sense that you were coming at it from the former angle, but more often than not, the latter is the rule rather than the exception.

You make very fair points, ZebraFinch. Thank you for commenting. I could frame it in a way that draws out the positives of the approaches I'd like to pursue, while emphasizing that I'm eager to learn from as wide a variety of perspectives and approaches as possible. I'm sure that I could accomplish that without necessarily having to downplay or hide my values. But you're right about not being so negative and critical without the experience to back it up. Do you, or does anyone else, happen to know of any programs that present a greater variety of development frameworks and paradigms? Thank you again for your advice and guidance.

Hey everyone. I'm looking into MPA programs to apply to this year or next year and I'm desperately hoping to find programs that are critical of the aid/development machine and that don't flinch around topics such as slavery, colonialism, the racial wealth divide, capitalism and neoliberalism, etc. This post greatly resonates with how I feel about the field of international development, both academically and professionally. I was pursuing a PhD in a humanities field but have gotten so tired about just talking, writing, and teaching about these topics. I'm ready for a degree that will equip me with the actual skills and background I need to have more of an impact. That's where (I'm hoping) the MPA comes into play. I'm of the solidarity mindset: "nothing about us without us"; working "for" and "with" as opposed to "on" or "about" communities; global economic and social justice as opposed to decontextualized aid, charity/philanthropy, and consulting. The idea of making a living by telling people in "developing" countries what to do is a huge turn-off. I'm hoping to find meaningful work where my role can be that of a well-trained and well-connected ally, leveraging resources and my sphere of influence, and working directly with vulnerable, marginalized, oppressed, and exploited communities, to reach the goals that they themselves wish to see come to fruition. I also want to avoid the whole Global North/Western/white savior narrative. Is genuine Global North/Global South solidarity even possible, despite being so fraught? A relevant piece of personal context: while I grew up in the U.S., my family immigrated from Latin America (I was actually born there myself), so I can relate to feeling a profound human connection to these topics beyond the statistics and policy memo bullet points. Also, I pass as white (I look unmistakably Western European) and am very conscious of the privilege this gives me. I would love your advice on which grad programs to consider. I'm looking at some of the usual suspects: Princeton, Harvard, Columbia, Georgetown, Tufts, Johns Hopkins, the LSE, Sciences Po, etc. I was pleasantly surprised by the MA in ID at the University of Sheffield, as it seems to approach development from a wider spectrum of perspectives, but it's a one-year program and isn't specifically an MPA program, even if it does have a lot of overlap. The LSE has a really awesome MSc in Empires, Colonialism, and Globalisation, but it's more of an academic MA. However, it seems like MPA students can take some of their electives through that program, which is an exciting possibility to me! Harvard's MPA-ID program doesn't necessarily give me major woke vibes, but they do offer a cool course called "Getting Things Done" that focuses on participatory development that actually benefits those whom it purports to serve. Do you think that being overtly critical of development in my application (like in the Statement of Purpose) is too risky, or worth a shot? I can't tell whether I should "play along" with the mainstream development framework just enough to get accepted, and then seek alternatives to it once I'm in. Or, instead, whether I should be bold and true to my values, but risk alienating most programs from considering me. I'd love some feedback from like-minded folks who care about social justice, especially if you're also pursuing an MPA or a similar degree, or, have been there, done that, and feel similarly disillusioned with the field of ID. Thank you for reading, friends.

Hey there! I got far in a humanities PhD program before realizing that academia isn't for me. Fortunately I've been able to find work thanks to my teaching experience and foreign language skills. I love teaching but I'm wondering what else I can be doing for the world that might have a greater reach and impact. I'm considering applying for MPA programs with a focus on international development. As a humanities person, I don't quite feel like I have the quantitative background that a lot of the folks who go this route do. I had been active here at the GC with a different username when I was applying for PhD programs way back when. And now I'm back, like a phoenix, rising from the ashes. I would definitely appreciate fresh perspectives on my new grad plans, especially from folks who are pursuing or have pursued a similar degree. It's great to be back, GC! Here's hoping the second time's the charm... Not sure the grad school rat race is something I'd want to do three times! ?? A little more context: I went to an Ivy for undergrad, and another one for grad school (two of the HYP schools). I took the old GRE right before it changed, so I need to retake it. Converting my old scores to the new score range, I scored 168 on the verbal and in the low 150s on the quant section. Only the verbal mattered for my previous humanities studies. But I need to up my quant game to be competitive for the MPA programs. I speak seven languages, from the intermediate to native and near-native levels. This isn't necessarily an "am I competitive" post, but I figured some context could be useful. Here are some of my main concerns overall (jumbled, but, I hope, coherent): I'm feeling a bit daunted by the prospect of re-taking the GRE, applying to several programs, and also applying for fellowship/scholarship funding, all by the end of this year. Also, applications are expensive ?, and I'm not sure the investment makes sense if I don't feel ready and prepared. I'm not in a position to just gamble my money away as it were. I wonder whether taking a year to acquire the econ and stats background these programs emphasize might make better sense than just taking a stab in the dark and hoping they'll accept me without this background. I feel like I do have promise and potential as an applicant, but I don't feel as confident as I would with a stronger quant background. I've been self-studying these subjects through free online resources like Khan Academy, edX, and MIT's OpenCourseWare. But I can't shake the impression that programs look down on self-studiers, preferring that people pay for expensive official courses instead. edX does sell affordable certificates that show that you've completed the coursework and passed a given online class, but I feel like somehow this isn't enough. At the moment, however, this approach works better for my finances than paying for classes. I do have work experience, but not exactly directly related to the MPA field. I have two part-time positions: one teaching foreign languages and the other doing online tutoring for a pretty high-end college prep company; the former doesn't pay very well, but the latter makes up for it. I could certainly reframe my work experience in a way that draws out its relevance to my new career direction, but I just don't feel competitive in a pool of applicants where lots of folks have NGO, policy, etc. experience. I did interpret at the UN, but it was just once, and as a volunteer. It was a cool experience though! I also interned at UNESCO in college while studying abroad in France, and had an internship in Costa Rica after graduation. In addition, I studied in China for a summer. I'm fortunate to have lots of really interesting experiences abroad, but I still feel like they don't quite stack up against the more formal work experience of the other applicants. The past few years of my life have been a protracted "transition" period. The time between leaving academia and, hopefully, starting an MPA in international development, has felt, sometimes, like an aimless limbo period. I did only just recently zero in on my specific MPA goals, but I've been dreaming about going back to school for at least the past year. Part of me wants to just apply and put an end to my ambiguous transitional phase... I'm 30 years old and don't want to stay in limbo for much longer. Another part of me feels like I should take one more year off, to strengthen my quantitative background. I could switch my focus from applying to MPA programs this cycle to applying instead for fellowships, like the Fulbright, among others, with an eye towards pursuing some one-year MA program, in the U.S. or abroad (hopefully with funding), which would help me get the econ and stats foundations that I need to be competitive for admission to MPA programs. I can dream, can't I? ?? Fortunately my undergrad institution is fantastic about guiding alumni through fellowship applications, and lets us apply with a direct affiliation to the university! Alternatively, I could see about acquiring more directly relevant work experience. But it feels like such a Catch-22: it's hard to get the work experience without the relevant academic background, but it's hard to get into MPA programs without the work experience! ? I feel like I'm stuck in a teaching rut, thanks to having pursued my BA and MA in the humanities. I don't for a second regret the intellectual stimulation my studies provided, nor the cultural capital and openness to the world that they have given me, but practically speaking, it wasn't the wisest professional decision. I also feel like the extra time would help me to score considerably higher on the quant section of the GRE. I'm not sure how drastic of an improvement I can make in just the next three more months, but with more time, I have hope that I can rise to a more competitive score range. I thought I was done with standardized tests when I pursued my previous grad studies. It's sad to feel like one exam can make or break your chances of pursuing your dreams. And yet, here I am again, prepping for the GRE... Also the extra time would allow me to continue saving money which I will certainly need eventually if my goal of securing external funding doesn't quite go as planned. I'm afraid that a possible reason why I may be putting off applying is that I'm scared of being rejected from my dream programs. But I also feel like maybe I do honestly need the time, not only to be more prepared and competitive, but more importantly to put my life and goals into perspective. And yet, I can't help but be haunted by the thought that this "one more year" could be part of a series of continued deferrals that might keep me from ever taking the leap and actually undertaking my MPA studies. Also, while I've maintained ties to folks from academia, I feel like it'll be a stretch to put together recommenders for my MPA applications. I also don't feel like my current professional network would be all that helpful as far as my MPA goals are concerned. I do have folks both within and outside of academia who could say good things but I just wonder whether I might be better off making new and more relevant connections. My DREAM would be to get into Princeton's fully-funded MPA program! Or to go to another strong program in the U.S. or abroad (the LSE, Sciences Po) with significant funding, whether from a fellowship and/or from the programs themselves. Sorry for the rambling, friends. So should I suck it up and just get some MPA applications out there this season? Or play the waiting game for one more year so that I'm a stronger applicant next year? I would greatly appreciate any and all advice. Thank you for your generosity and guidance!