foodlover28

I was admitted to IPS this year. From my understanding, it's not difficult at all to do the dual MIPA / MPP. however, In my personal opinion there is little gain in doing so, since the core curricula are nearly identical. the MPP program at Stanford is very small and collaborate with IPS students in the final project, so you'll be working with them already. If there are particular MPP courses that you're interested in, you can take them as your electives.

mmm a bunch of you voted for Sanford--- may I ask for your thoughts on why you did? Just curious

@Nimesis -- I know you're one of the strongest advocate for GSPP, so I would definitely let you know if I go; I'm also interested in health/education in the broader sense, so it'd be great to exchange some ideas @carpecc -- I spent all of last night looking through the course lists and researching faculty; I do agree with what you said. It's interesting that the Sanford grad wasn't fully satisfied with her degree though...food policy isn't too big there, so I don't think it would be any better. I think I'm more or less set on GSPP, unless someone/something really convinces me otherwise. GSPP is a little more academic, it's stronger in analysis and I think that will benefit me if I decide to go on to PhD (which i'm considering). For people in the same situation--I think the question is: what is more important to you in terms of learning environment? Is it more important to have a super supportive network that holds your hands as you get through the two years and provide easy access to all the resources? Or are you willing to step out of your comfort zone and work harder to take advantage of a wider range of opportunities? I think Berkeley is less glamorous (no frills) than the other programs, it has less money, and you do have to fight to get what you want (i have personal experience as a Cal alum)--so it's not for everyone. But at the same time--the opportunities are there; it's a unique place that attracts a lot of interesting people and events, so it's up to you to take advantage of them if you're proactive. Turning down Duke will be very heartbreaking--I will be giving up a huge load of funding and all the pampering from faculty and amazing team (people who are going to Sanford--you will have a great time there!), but after taking a closer took I think Berkeley might offer more opportunities in the fields I'm interested in.

If you're sure you want to work in DC or in int'l orgs, SAIS will have better connections, no doubt. However, it's not impossible to go those routes in GSPP--I went to the open house and I've spoken to several people. My impression is that people stay in CA because they want to, not because they're forced to. There are GSPP grads who go everywhere, and several int'l consultancies. However, it may take a little more work on your part to get those internships/jobs since SAIS clearly has the location and network advantage. More SAIS people go to private sector/consultancies than GSPP, but I think that has to do more with the interests of the student body. I think all in all, GSPP will not "trap you in California"--the GSPP reputation will take you far, but if your heart is set on DC/int'l work, then you'll have to work for those a little more than if you went to SAIS. IS the extra work worth the 50k savings? That depends on how proactive/assertive you are, and also what your financial situation is. If money is not a huge issue, paying more is undesirable but if you like the program and it's the right fit I think in the long run it'll be good investment. If finance is a limiting factor, I'd think twice... Also, check the faculty lists and courses. GSPP is strong in energy, but SAIS definitely has an advantage in development. SAIS is weak in environ topics, but GSPP is weak in IDev

I agree with your impressions of both programs. I got the same vibes from each of them. I think one important question is-- how important is the international aspect for you? If you're determined to go international, I think IPS is a better choice. GSPP will do whatever it can to get you the job that you want, but its int'l connections is limited and it does take some proactive initiation. So if you're the type of person who is looking for a a lot of guidance, GSPP might not be the best ( i went to Berkeley for undergrad and was a student advisor, so I can tell you that you do have to "fight for what you want" sometimes). but if you know you're willing to work for what you want, and you're willing to go out and take initiatives yourself and seek out on your own, it's a great program. Stanford's program is very intimate, and you're right, its a bit young, but I believe it's going to get better as they get their feet wet They do have impressive career opportunities and you will get lot of personal attention there, though. In terms of names---if you want internationally, the Stanford brand might be stronger. However, GSPP is known everywhere within the field to be a strong policy school

So, it's finally come down to Berkeley and Duke for me. My interests are health/nutrition policies, especially in relation to poverty and economic development, both domestically and internationally. Both are very strong in domestic policies and improving with their international component. Both are very welcoming and friendly. I think I would be happy at either place, but alas, I do have to pick one over the other. So here are the factors I'm considering: 1 Both schools are very very approachable and friendly, but I think Duke is a little "more friendly"--they go out of their ways to meet my needs. I've talked to many students, faculty, and the director already and every time I get more excited about going. Berkeley is also friendly, but I guess Duke is just slightly more warm and fuzzy. I think this is pretty superficial, but I wonder if I'll get more personal attention at Duke from the faculty. After all, Duke does have more financial resources than Berkeley. 2. Both schools are not strong in their int'l component, relative to domestic policies. However, I feel like Duke is better situated for international studies, since it has a Center for Int'l Development and students can take courses there as well. There are also professors within the Sanford School who are engaged in int'l work. There is no professor in the Goldman school doing int'l policy work. There are faculty in departments (and great faculty members) doing int'l stuff, but I feel like students have to go out and seek them (though the staff at GSPP are helpful in this aspect). On a similar note, other schools have faculty in specific policy interests within the public policy school. I get the feeling that GSPP is dominated by economists, but this is counterbalanced by the strength of all the other grad departments at Berkeley (Education, public health, tech, engineering, etc)-- I don't know how much of a disadvantage it is to not have a faculty WITHIN GSPP who's working on the same thing I want to study. Anyone? 3. Both have strong career services, but if I go to Duke it'll be hard for me to come back to the Bay Area (where I am now)--if I choose to do so. 4. Berkeley attracts more events and interesting events/ideas--it's more dynamic and lively than Duke (my opinion). There are probably more opportunities at Berkeley, though it may be up to the student to seek them. They're strong in virtually everything, and the Berkeley program is slightly more well known than Duke. 5. Funding is not a major setback, for GSPP I would pay in state tuition. At Duke I got full funding and assistantship, and I have enough savings to cover at least my first year of graduate life. Anyone know about how these schools are viewed internationally? Please pitch in! Deadline is 15th>.< THank you!!!

Thanks for all the feedback everyone! I have been learning toward Duke as well. I do agree with what everyone said--Duke's reputation is comparable to the other schools and the funding makes it a huge bonus. Carpecc-- truly truly thankful for all your comments in the IPS thread. They gave me a lot of fresh perspectives on things )) I especially liked what you said about " I think people go the IR MA route because they live to work and not work to live." YES SO TRUE. I did also hear that SIPA people won't go out of their ways to help you get your dream job, and that you have to be proactive yourself. But to balance that, the Columbia name will definitely get you far. Also, I think it may just be timing of your conversation with SIPA grads. 2009 was truly a bad time, but the economy is slowly picking up and the public sector continues to grow (if that's what you're aiming for). Palabared--thanks for the encouragement I hope you got into the school of your choice as well! ca010-- yes, Goldman School definitely has a special place in the hearts of Berkeley alums! I guess i refuse to admit it, but what's really holding me back from going away is the CA sunshine & abundance of food year round. I was worried about getting internships/jobs at Duke, but I know they have strong networks and if you look at the employment stats, a few have returned to the bay area to work Greendiplomat-- I had thought that Sanford was strong in int'l policies. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to to go to the Open House, but I did hear that it seemed like its international policy concentration is not very well developed or strong, or at least it's eclipsed by the strengths of its social/health policy concentrations. :/ that was the major edge that Duke had over Berkeley for me. However, I won't make any decision before going to the GSPP open house.

Carpecc ~ Thank you for your advice and insights. It was truly helpful and cleared up many things for me. I do think that SIPA will open many doors in careers in development and international orgs, and I really like the structure of the MPA program (which I applied for) and the curriculum. The larger class size and (related) claimed inaccessibility of professors are my major concerns. I have heard that SIPA offers a lot of opportunities, but you have to be extremely proactive to take advantage of them. Another major thing is the expensive cost of the program. As you mentioned, post-MPP careers are not likely to be extremely high paying, so less debt is always better. I didn't get any funding from SIPA and several people and current students have advised against interning/working during the first semester--- I feel like that makes it impossible to decrease the amt of loan that I have to get. You said in another post: "The salaries and positions of SIPA and SAIS graduates are very similar, with SIPA grads appearing to receive bigger salaries for the private sector based on their published statistics." Do you know if that's true for other schools? Or does it just apply to these two? In terms of curriculum, I am most attracted to GSPP and Sanford, but those two have less favorable locations and job placements.

nimesis -- I'm so excited for you reading your post made me happy for some reason. You know exactly what you want to do, where you want to be, and you got into the perfect program to get you there. Big congrats!! I will be going to the Berkeley open house as well--i'm happy to share my impressions and notes, if you're interested. Compost&recycle, are you going to the Stanford open house? I'm not too sure about loans/funding for stanford in particular, but i'll look into it and let you know if I find anything. I have some friends at stanford too so I can ask around. As for the "nonexistent international affairs concentration", are you referring to Sanford or GSPP? GSPP's domestic focus is definitely one of my major concerns, but I was under the impression that Sanford had a much stronger int'l policy track. And SIPA... I definitely agree with everything you said. I just find it hard to turn down b/c of its reputation and wide range of networks in terms of career options.

Nimesis-- I think you're also from the Bay Area? I went to Berkeley for undergrad, so I have a soft spot for the school. Prior to getting all the other admissions and offers, I was determined to go to Berkeley upon acceptance. However, in the past few weeks many people (and all my former professors) have been telling me that I should leave the Bay Area for a change of perspective, which would be valuable in preparing me for my future career. I was wondering if you ever thought about that? Also, what are your policy interests, if you're willing to share?

I'm also wondering how important the school's brand name/reputation is compared to the actual quality of the program. I would be going to GSPP or Duke Sanford almost for free, but I received no funding from SIPA / Stanford IPS. I like GSPP + Sanford's curriculum, class sizes, and communities, but I feel like SIPA/IPS might have been networks for post-graduation career.... Compost&recycle, in the Stanford IPS forum topic, Globalsun did say that it's not difficult to get funding since there is less competition than larger programs. So, you probably will be able to reduce some of the debt. I get the feeling that you really want to go to IPS, and so if financial obligation is not going to be a huge burden (ie--you can pay for part of it, get loans for the rest, but it won't cause you/your family to undergo extreme financial difficulty), then I say go for it At the same time, the other programs are all great in what you want to do. Another question--what industry where you in before and do you currently live in CA? I posted all my other schools and considerations here: please help!!

Hello all, I'm usually an indecisive person, and so I'd appreciate any feedback/bouncing off of ideas that you'd like to give. I know I haven't done a great job narrowing down my choices, but in return for reading through this long post, I've listed out a bunch of main pros and cons that came to my mind I'm interested in social policies, particularly education and public health policies; I'm also interested in global social policies and poverty alleviation due to my previous studies as well as life experiences. Thus, I hope to go to a program that offer a bit of both. The biggest issue I have is balancing out school's reputation in the IR/policy world, vs. strength of the program (as you'll see below)... So without further roundabouts... [thank you thank you thank you!!!] Not considering: USC George Washington U Candidates for consideration: Stanford IPS (no $) Pro: - - Great international policy program, unique in its curriculum - - Very small (intimate and close contact with faculty) - - Bay Area and the Stanford reputation (big weight). Also…my dad’s dream school, so there’s some subtle pressure in going there Con: - - I don’t think this is the best program and it’s small size is worrisome when it comes to alumni base. - - Practical component? Limited course offerings? - - Also, I get the feeling that Stanford is more private-sector oriented. Duke Sanford (full tuition + assistantship) Pro: - - Cheapest program considering funding. I’d be paying for airfare + food, mostly. - - Strong in both social policy & int’l policies; great curriculum - - Tight knit group, caring professors - - Good reputation Con: - - Location? I know duke has strong connections in DC, but the summer/spring internship selection might be limited to just - North Carolina local/state gov’t and organization - -- - How is Duke’s reputation in comparison with the other programs? - - I feel like it’s easier to go from West Coast school to east coast job than east coast school to Bay Area job. Berkeley Goldman ($) Pro: - -- My dream school, my undergrad school (familiar with it and love it), great faculty and great location - - Strong program in everything—policy analysis, social policies, health policies, etc, great curriculum - - Great environment, student body - - LOTS of practice opportunities Con: - - Worried that it’ll be hard to get a job outside of California - - Not strong in int’l policies (though considering getting the MA in Int’l Area Studies concurrently) - - Reputation outside of California? Non-Cali folks—how is Berkeley viewed in the outside world? SAIS (20k) Pro: - - Name, reputation, great job afterward, network - - Best program in China studies Con: - - Will be doing China studies, not IDEV, not my ideal --> therefore I think this isn't the right fit for me - - Campus lacks facilities/other appeals - - Practical component not as strong as Berkeley/Duke Columbia (0$) Pro: - - Name, reputation, network---it’s hard to reject Columbia - - Faculty list, events, workshops, etc - - Large course selection, great curriculum and lots of resources Con - - I feel like although CU has a lot to offer, it’s not as strong as other programs like Goldman - - EXPENSIVE and does not encourage students to work/intern - Kind of considering: Georgetown (15k)

Sorry to post a non- program related question, but I was wondering if anyone's arriving Thurs night and would like to share a shuttle?

Thank you so much globalsun! I can tell that you're happy with the program and believe that you made the right choice (and I'm glad you did!) I do have some follow up questions, if you don't mind 1) I know there's a practicum course required. What does it involve? I assume it's not an internship but more like a case study? Besides this, are there any other source of real client experience (internship in summer/spring?) 2) It seems like more people end up in the private sector, which makes sense given Stanford's location and entrepreneurial environment. Is it hard to get connected to the research institutions/think tanks given the small class size? 3) how easy/hard is it to get funding as TA? or from other sources? 4) lastly, how are the professor-student relationships? Are professors interested/open to students' research and inquiries? Thank you sooo much!!!! Lots of kudos to you

globalsun, thanks for all the info!! There's not too much out there on the program, so I truly appreciate all your insights. Three questions are on my mind right now: 1) do students take internships during their studies or are they more focused on their school work/projects (I get the impression that the program is flexible enough to allow time for internship/work) 2) how are the career services and networking? Do graduates stay in California and work in local organizations or do many end up on the East Coast? Do people gravitate toward public/private sector or is the split pretty much even? 3) if you don't mind sharing, why did you pick IPS? Are there any drawbacks to the program (I only ask because there are lots of pros already ) Thank you again so much!