BTF

Your best bet is to look up alumni of this program/programs on LinkedIn and ask them.

You pick the one that gets you a job. If you already have a job, you pick the one that will help you get a better job/promotion. In both instances, I'd pick UBC. LSE is good for PhD programs and a few masters degrees if you want to work at international organizations or think tanks. Past that, I don't understand the allure.

Accept OGS and then accept SSHRC if you get it. Your university will sort it out. The rules say you cannot hold both awards simultaneously, they do not say you cannot accept both and then retroactively decline one.

@Liv987 Read this to get a better idea of the various Ontario public policy programs and how they work. If you have more questions, feel free to message me. Congrats on your acceptance!

Pick the one that has the best coop placement rates, most offered funding to you, and cheapest tuition. I have a feeling NPSIA will meet all three of these over GPSIA.

Carleton's MPPA program participates in the OPS's Policy Coop program that runs each year. You could attend Carleton, get a job in the OPS and live at home. Yes, a handful of people in my network completed Carleton's MPPA and work(ed) in the OPS, but you're right in that it's not many. Likely because most Carleton students only apply for Federal government coop jobs. Seems like you just need to decide if you value living at home and living your desired lifestyle over money and better job prospects (at least on average; OPS jobs are likely easier to attain from UofT's MPP given its proximity).

I graduated Carleton's MPPA but was also admitted to UofT with some funding. I couldn't get past UofT's lackluster funding in addition to their near 50k tuition costs, no coop option (internships are unpaid while coops are paid), no research options (thesis and major research essay), and Toronto's high cost of living. An MPP is a professional degree, you'll be learning largely the same information (aside from electives) at any program you choose. Choosing a program that costs you least the amount of money and has the greatest chance of getting you a job should be the goal. UofT costs the most amount of money out of any MPP program in Canada and doesn't exactly have the greatest chance of getting a job (at least compared to schools like Carleton, where almost all of their students get full time government jobs before or just after graduating; as they're "bridged" into a government job).

1. Yes, but I wouldn't. Take as many pre-reqs as you can this summer. The MPPA program is 14 courses (or the equivalent if you choose to do a major research essay or thesis). Fitting in extra courses is difficult. 2. Take the ones you can at Carleton and the poli sci one elsewhere (check Athabasca, many students take their pre-reqs through them) 3. Yes. See answers 1 and 2 4. No. They're first/second year undergrad courses, they shouldn't be difficult for anyone beyond first/second year undergrad.

Hey, I'm a Carleton MPPA alum. Happy to chat if you have any questions about the program, coop, etc.

Likely because it's only a few years old.

https://graduate.carleton.ca/application-status/

Post this in the Government Affairs discussion

When selecting references for grad school applications, choose those who can speak most to the qualities desired by graduate schools (people who work independently, are curious about their field, and that have a demonstrated track-record of excelling, whether academic or work-related) and that you've had long relationships with (research project supervisor, a professor that you've taken 3+ courses with and done well each time, or managers/bosses in jobs that you've excelled at and held for over a year). Make sure you are sending your transcripts, CV/resume, personal statements, and research proposal (if applicable) to your referees. You can also ask them to speak to specific qualities. The more they know about you and your experiences, the better their letters will be.

Gotcha, I have no idea. In either case, if the goal is to work for a provincial government I'd target schools in the cities that provincial governments are located. For instance, Toronto is where most of the Ontario government is based. Targeting schools like Ryerson, York, or UofT (although I'd never recommend UofT to anyone) would be more realistic than Waterloo. Not that Waterloo is bad, it's just not located near Toronto. Why move twice when you can only move once?

More likely to hire who?