MPA / MPP / Phd Policy Admissions 2008

[mppwannabe]

How do you know they're sending out their decisions? Has anyone posted? I feel like I'm having a panic attack.

I got in today -- got an email from "appstatus" a couple of hours ago. No financial aid info until 3/20 though.

[ama3d]

I'm at the decision-making portion of the evening now:

GWU (no money) and

UM Ford School (25K/yr)

Harris School (no money)

In some ways this seems like a no brainer (Ford), but I wonder if the advantages of living in DC outweigh the money offered by the Ford School.

Any thoughts or recommendations? Also, I applied to Carnegie Mellon's Heinz School (which I haven't heard from) and they seem to be well-respected, but I haven't read ANYTHING about them on this site. Did anybody else apply there?

Thanks!

[jayhovah703]

Now that I've officially been rejected from WWS I can give up hope of getting into the program.

No biggie though! Life moves on, it just would have been cool. Also, I have to say, the caliber of people on here make me think that this program in particular was very very competitive. Where ever you go I'm sure you'll do great!

[brlbrl]

I'm at the decision-making portion of the evening now:

GWU (no money) and

UM Ford School (25K/yr)

Harris School (no money)

In some ways this seems like a no brainer (Ford), but I wonder if the advantages of living in DC outweigh the money offered by the Ford School.

Any thoughts or recommendations? Also, I applied to Carnegie Mellon's Heinz School (which I haven't heard from) and they seem to be well-respected, but I haven't read ANYTHING about them on this site. Did anybody else apply there?

Thanks!

Go to Ford!!!! It's a terrific program and you don't want to be saddled with debt whrn you leave. Congrats!

[ama3d]

thanks for the words of encouragement! there are so many pros and cons it's sometimes tough to figure out the best route.

[desigrrl]

Hi everyone,

I'm new on this site, joined with the hopes that you can give me some advice with my decision-making process, now that letters are in.

I was accepted to the following MPP/MPA programs:

Harvard Kennedy School (waiting on fellowship decisions)

NYU Wagner (waiting on fellowship decisions)

UCLA School of Public Affairs (awarded $10,000 for the first year)

Columbia SIPA (no fellowships)

UC Berkeley (no fellowships)

And I was waitlisted at Princeton Woodrow Wilson School (which offers full fellowship aid to most admitted students).

Some background on me:

I have a lot of credit card debt and undergrad loans and though I am paying it all down, I am not sure I want to take out more loans. I have been working full-time for 8 years and live in New York City. I have a good job working for the City, with great mentoring and definite room to move up. My entire career has been in the nonprofit and public sector...I do think about running for local office eventually, and realize that prestige is important in opening doors (though not the only factor). I went to Georgetown SFS for undergrad. I am also in a committed relationship, and my partner has decided not to move with me if I leave NYC. We could do long-distance NYC-Boston or NYC-NJ but I don't think we could survive NYC-CA for two years.

So here are my questions:

1. what do you think my chances are of getting into WWS off the wait list? it is my first choice, because of fellowship aid

2. if I don't get in to Princeton, and I don't get aid from Harvard, but I get a fellowship at NYU, should I go with the NYU fellowship, or take out loans to go to Harvard?

3. if I don't get in to Princeton, and I don't get aid from Harvard or NYU, is it worth it to take out loans to go to Harvard? or should I keep my job and go to NYU part-time?

4. if by some miracle I get into Princeton AND get funding from Harvard and NYU, what to do? Harvard is highest ranked in the areas I am interested in (urban policy and administration), and NYU is right up there too, but Princeton not so much.

Thanks so much for your advice. All the waiting on fellowship/wait list decisions is killing me!

[winkatme]

Desigrrl,

Everything you said in your post circled around money. I would wait and hear about offers from Harvard and NYU and then make your decision. Whichever school gives you the best offer, take it. It is no fun being in debt, especially if you already are. Plus, those two schools are closest to home, your relationship, and they are high ranking in your field. Both are amazing schools so you would not have to worry about credentials. I hope all goes well for you! Let me know what you decide. I am kind of in the same boat. I am waiting to hear about funding before I make my decision.

[desigrrl]

thanks for the advice, winkatme!

what schools are you deciding between?

i still haven't heard anything, but the admissions offices of KSG and Wagner say i should know by the end of this week. how nerve-wracking! i also called WWS to ask how the waitlist works (i.e., is it ranked?) but i only got through to a voicemail message.

so far i'm still leaning towards part-time Wagner and full-time work because, as you say, being in debt sucks.

[winkatme]

I am deciding between UGA and UKY. My top choice is UGA and they said they would make their funding decisions today so hopefully I will hear some good news later this week. I have not heard about funding from UKY either and they are far less responsive when I email them questions regarding money. They have not even told me when decisions are to be made, if they haven't already been.

I fully expect the worse, though, because my test scores are not that high. I hate to think about it that way because all of my other stats are way above average but I know that my scores are low enough to drag down my chances. I still have a drop of hope though

Waiting stinks.

[unknownscholar]

accepted into American's MPP...almost forgot I applied, but when I filled out my AU law school app, I checked the little dual degree box.

[erin85]

accepted into American's MPP...almost forgot I applied, but when I filled out my AU law school app, I checked the little dual degree box.

Did you pull off any law schools/both programs for the dual degree? You seem very focused on that... But it seems from your signature only MPP programs have been kind so far...

I thought about law school for about a week... and then I shadowed a lawyer for a short time. Ugh, never again will I think of law school...(same went for clinical social work though too). Some people are just built for that tedious work though.

[xnormajeanx]

Did you pull off any law schools/both programs for the dual degree? You seem very focused on that... But it seems from your signature only MPP programs have been kind so far...

I thought about law school for about a week... and then I shadowed a lawyer for a short time. Ugh, never again will I think of law school...(same went for clinical social work though too). Some people are just built for that tedious work though.

do you really believe policy analysis/research is not going to be tedious much of the time? compiling data sets? running mathematical models?

from being a research assistant for a prof doing policy research, i know this stuff is DAMN tedious much of the time!

[Banana_1]

Hello,

This is my first time posting here.

Was hoping if anyone has any thoughts on SUNY Albany or George Mason for MPA? From what I've been reading here they are not exactly the prestigious schools people have been talking about, so not sure if anyone has any info., but I would really appreciate it. I'll be going from CA and can't decide. Tuition in SUNY for out of state will be about $10,500 and GM about $20,500. I've interned in DC as an undergrad and feel it offers more opportunities (non-profit / federal), but thought maybe there's just as valuable opportunities in Albany? I REALLY appreciate any feedback. Thank you!

Also, I'm assuming it would be more competitive in D.C., being amongst the higher ranked grads?

[unknownscholar]

do you really believe policy analysis/research is not going to be tedious much of the time? compiling data sets? running mathematical models?

from being a research assistant for a prof doing policy research, i know this stuff is DAMN tedious much of the time!

I haven't pulled off a thing with law schools. Every rejection I've received thus far has been fromthe law schools (I've applied to 10 and heard back from 8...and they are all of the same schools I applied to for the MPP program too with exception to UMD, GM, and Howard).My LSAT sux too badly, which is what I expected. But I needed to be sure that someone with my credentials couldn't accomplish a law school admission before I would force myself to take the test again. So I've moved forward with the MPP to help me get into the law school the following year (2009). I signed up for a LSAT prep course which starts this weekend (which is why I can't go to ASW at any of the DC schools) and I'll be taking the June LSAT and apply to the law program super early to whichever school I'm in this fall (and I'm also planning to take a law school course at either Gtown or GWU to help my case if there are a few spots open). I think I'm essentially right where I need to be because I already know what I need to do to get into law school, and I'm not at all behind to graduate in 2012 (dual degree program is 4 years). My preference was to start the law school program the first year, but this way works too because I'll be able to keep my job for another year if I go to GWU. Let the loot roll in!

Also, regarding the policy research...it is very tedious work. I concur, as I'm currently doing this kind of work and have been for almost the past 2 years. But I'm on the technical side---the data research side, which is likely the same as norma, but while it's likely you'll have to do some of this in school, you may not have to delve into too much in practice, as there are several of my colleagues who "out-rank" me who never touch the stuff...they get closer to the policy implications than I ever will in this position. But when I do get into such a position, I'll be able to do both! I'm excited! Eventually I'd like to move into a full blown policy making career, not just analyzing them but developing some. ahhh...the day....

[erin85]

do you really believe policy analysis/research is not going to be tedious much of the time? compiling data sets? running mathematical models?

from being a research assistant for a prof doing policy research, i know this stuff is DAMN tedious much of the time!

compared to my friends in law school...

Policy looks amazing.

Seriously, their work is tedious because it's boring, even to the ones very interested in law. Tedious I guess was not the right word, moreso "interesting". My boyfriend is in an MPP program now, and even the harder problem sets, stats work and such I find interesting...

[peppermint]

Hi everyone. I'm finishing up my second year at Berkeley's GSPP. I've been lurking around these boards because I applied to PhD programs for next fall. I've noticed some of you have been admitted to GSPP. Congrats! Feel free to send me a private message if you'd like to chat. It's spring break, so I have a little more time on my hands than usual.

For what it's worth, I applied to several programs. I decided to turn down some offers of full funding to attend GSPP without funding (and out of state). Honestly, I've had no regrets. It's much more affordable than it seems, when you take into account the ability to work as a TA or RA.

Good luck to everyone!

[Quarex]

Was hoping if anyone has any thoughts on SUNY Albany or George Mason for MPA? From what I've been reading here they are not exactly the prestigious schools people have been talking about, so not sure if anyone has any info., but I would really appreciate it. I'll be going from CA and can't decide. Tuition in SUNY for out of state will be about $10,500 and GM about $20,500. I've interned in DC as an undergrad and feel it offers more opportunities (non-profit / federal), but thought maybe there's just as valuable opportunities in Albany? I REALLY appreciate any feedback. Thank you!

Also, I'm assuming it would be more competitive in D.C., being amongst the higher ranked grads?

Obviously, there are good public policy schools in many areas of the country. But every piece of advice I have heard, both from people in the D.C. area as well as my master's institution and home (Illinois), is that it is almost a given that you will have more outside opportunities in public policy if you are in D.C., not to mention that all of the D.C. schools are well-ranked (George Mason is currently only a upper-middle ranked institution, but by all rights it is on the way up [yes I certainly want to believe this since I might well end up starting a Ph.D. there myself in the Fall]) and have plenty of talent to go around. But, well, it is also half the price to go to Albany, and the educational experience itself would likely be comparably good.

[namrata]

Since there is a lot of discussion going on about DC-based schools, I would like to get your views on U Maryland, College Park vs GWU. I had applied for PhD programs in Public Policy, and am in at GWU and U Maryland-CP with funding. At GWU I have a very lucrative fellowship for the 1st year but slim chances of renewal as it is offered by a foundation on a yearly basis. Also, GWU is extremely uncertain on the chances of funding from other sources such as RA or a TA for subsequent years. It seems most students take up jobs outside campus to fund themselves.

On the other hand, I have guaranteed funding for the entire duration of the PhD program in the form of a RA from U Maryland-CP, and the advisor assigned to me and the students have been immensely helpful. I am an international student from India, so it was impossible for me to attend the welcome weekends. But the interest and helpfulness shown by the faculty and students at U Maryland-CP has really impressed me. I received personal emails from Carol Graham who is the Director and an expert in international development which is my interest area though she is not my advisor.

I personally think the networking and job opportunities being in DC are going to be great.

Couple of my top schools Chicago and Columbia, put me into their Master's program without funding. I already am a double master's student, so am not inclined towards these offers.

The choice for me now is U Maryland-CP vs GWU. Any thoughts?

[Quarex]

Maryland is a great school for public policy, and as you recognized, the department is full of very friendly and helpful people. Perhaps you should feel fortunate that you live somewhere that made visiting campus impossible; I had a great several-hour meeting with the department last summer before applying, and got rejected flat on my face.

While I am hardly an expert, everything I have seen indicates that, all other things being equal, you would potentially go with Georgetown, but your funding at Maryland combined with a good research overlap suggests you should go to Maryland instead. I would do anything for a research assistantship right about now, though, so this could be biased.

[erin85]

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[namrata]

Hi quarex and erin85...thanks for your inputs! I have made up my mind to go to U Maryland. If some of you do end up there or anywhere else in Washington DC, do let me know.

Thanks again!

[Banana_1]

Obviously, there are good public policy schools in many areas of the country. But every piece of advice I have heard, both from people in the D.C. area as well as my master's institution and home (Illinois), is that it is almost a given that you will have more outside opportunities in public policy if you are in D.C., not to mention that all of the D.C. schools are well-ranked (George Mason is currently only a upper-middle ranked institution, but by all rights it is on the way up [yes I certainly want to believe this since I might well end up starting a Ph.D. there myself in the Fall]) and have plenty of talent to go around. But, well, it is also half the price to go to Albany, and the educational experience itself would likely be comparably good.

Thanks for the response! Makes me feel more comfortable leaning towards GMU even though Albany will be more affordable, as out-of-state. I agree, being in D.C. will put me in a better position for work, even with all the other students. Also, I'm getting the impression from people that the winter weather in upstate NY is unacceptable... I guess being from CA seeing it on the news doesn't help much. Thanks for your help Quarex!