Ford School MPP versus Fletcher MIB????

[rebelslav]

Hello!

I have been recently accepted to two really good programs, the Master of Public Policy at the University of Michigan and the Master of International Business at the Fletcher School at Tufts.

Tufts offered me a $40k scholarship (20/year) however my acceptance is on the condition I take a quantitative course at community college before August (the quant section of the GRE got the best of my anxiety even after studying for a year).

UofM isn't offering any fellowships for me at the moment however I would qualify for in-state tuition.

However, my greatest priorities are the curriculum and ability to pursue a career at an international organization post-grad, ideally somewhere like the UNHCR or the IRC.

I find that the more compare these two schools/programs, the more confused I get because it feels like comparing apples to oranges.

In your opinion, which degree/school/alumni network is more likely (I know it also depends a lot on luck, etc.) to help me stand out as a candidate or bolster my qualifications when pursuing a career as a program/policy manager at an international organization that (ideally) deals with issues of human rights/migration issues.

I'm coming into either of these programs with internship experience in Michigan legislative offices, a NGO in Spain, the UNFPA, the State Department's virtual intern program, and two years at a full-time position as a technical analyst (global operations and processes) at an OEM (one of the "Big Three" auto companies).

I'm fluent in Polish (native), highly proficient (C1) in Spanish, teaching myself French, and having friends help me with Arabic.

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated! I plan on going to both open houses next month but if those don't help me make a decision, I don't know WHAT I'm going to do...

Edited March 16, 2018 by rebelslav

[gbbus03]

Rebelslav,

I'm an admitted MIB student for fall 2018 (and I've already accepted the offer) so I'm 100% partial as one of your potential future classmates. That said.

I think your plan on attending the opening houses is good and the right course of action.

For me visiting Fletcher and talking with students and professors was what solidified my decision to apply. Everyone is so open and available, I really felt the energy in the building and the MIB program is unlike anything else I found in the U.S.

I cannot speak to Ford at all, though obviously both are great programs and have amazing backings with their unique advantages.

For me what set Fletcher apart was the diversity of the students from around the world. Aside from the MIB's, you'll also be taking classes with the MALD's. It is first and foremost a School of Law and Diplomacy with the focus on international relations; the exchange of ideas which I witnessed was really exciting.

I would suggest in advance of the open houses look at the courses and electives, see what you think you would take and how they two schools stack up. Reach out to professors, I'm sure they would chat with you if you had any questions. As a potential applicant I had a professor invite me back to campus just to sit in on a guest lecturer who he thought I would be interested in.

Also look into where the graduates end up and what programs hire their alumni.

And (as a plug for Fletcher) don't discount being in Boston and the proximity to many other institutions which brings its own advantages.

I hope this helps you, and also gently pushed fletcher ;-)

What's most important obviously is you being comfortable with it personally, Good Luck!

I'll be attending Fletcher's open house so I look forward to meeting you and hope to see you in August.

gbbus03

ps. Also look up the facebook group if you haven't yet, get to know us!

[starkkk723]

Hi Rebelslav,

I'm in the similar situation to you, so I can totally understand your feelings right now. Making a decision between SAIS MA and Fletcher MIB is also a tough one for me.

Since I am still an undergraduate student, I'm not quite sure whether MIB program is suitable for me or not. I checked the current student and alumni profile page, and it seemed everyone had at least 3-year working experience. It feels like almost all students have this advantage over me and I may not feel comfortable to be there although I have several internships experience during my undergraduate stage.

[indecision18]

On 3/19/2018 at 10:35 AM, starkkk723 said:

Hi Rebelslav,

I'm in the similar situation to you, so I can totally understand your feelings right now. Making a decision between SAIS MA and Fletcher MIB is also a tough one for me.

Since I am still an undergraduate student, I'm not quite sure whether MIB program is suitable for me or not. I checked the current student and alumni profile page, and it seemed everyone had at least 3-year working experience. It feels like almost all students have this advantage over me and I may not feel comfortable to be there although I have several internships experience during my undergraduate stage.

Please- don't go avoid MIB because of the other students' experience. That experience will provide you with different perspectives, and more career opportunities post employment. I've gained the most from a job at a MDB where I was out of my comfort zone- as I've always been the youngest person in meetings by at least 10 years.

And Rebelslav, I don't know much about Michigan, but I have colleagues from the strong, tight-knit community of Fletcher alums. It can definitely get you into international orgs, but I'm not sure which ones.

Still deciding between SAIS MA (IDEV), MIB and others myself.