invisibleswim

Longtime lurker on the forum and have been following along intently. Finally created an account... Coming from: California with a mix of professional experiences in nonprofit and government Deciding between: MPA programs USC: Price School- (50% tuition) Texas A&M: Bush School- (full tuition) University of Washington: Evans (~60% tuition) George Washington: Trachtenberg (~50% tuition) Other factors: Interested in a career in local government. Looking to specialize in public management/leadership related concentrations This decision has been made more difficult because I am currently in a full-time job that I enjoy that is tangentially related to government/public affairs but is not directly related to local government. I am not as interested in quant-heavy programs but recognize this as an area of growth. Not being in too much debt is important to me. How I'm leaning: Fairly undecided at this point. Throughout the process I tried not to get set on a favorite in case funding did not pan out. In retrospect this may have backfired in making this an easy choice. I did not make what I consider the best decision when choosing my undergrad institution so I have some anxiety that I am not going to make a good decision or let some factor overwhelm my decision making. Going to USC would allow me to continue my current job, at least for now. Living in D.C has been a long term goal of mine but I am not sure if it is the best place to focus on local government. Texas A&M is very appealing with the cost and student support. I am planning to visit a few of the remaining programs to make my decision. I don't quite have impostor syndrome but I am worried about chickening out and convincing myself not to go to grad school. Trying to keep the eye on the prize and to remain as motivated as when I wrote my applications. I am not sure if anyone feels the same way. It has been reassuring to see the thought processes of others on this thread.