No Work Experience?

[hoby]

I am an applicant to several masters in public policy and public affairs programs, but am applying straight out of undergrad.

Anyone else in this position? Which applications have been working out, and which havent?

Would love to hear peoples thoughts

[sushitooth]

Hey,

I applied to Heinz's MSPPM straight out of undergraduate economics/math degree. I had a 3.05 GPA, 750 Q 580 V GRE. Was accepted on Thursday, with 6k/year.

I also applied to UMichigan, Georgia Tech, U. of Georgia, George Mason. Still waiting, but don't really care at this point as Heinz is my top choice (unless U. Michigan offers significantly more funding or something).

I applied to Heinz because, having no full-time work experience and an economics background, my professors (I went to U. Pittsburgh, and some econ professors there do work or at least know Heinz professors, some of which are econ PhD holders) recommended a quantitative program like Heinz. They basically told me, "If you want to go into non-profit management or become a city manager, or work in public affairs, you should get work experience. If you want to go into something that has to do with economic or finance policy, you will be fine with getting a job at Heinz without work experience." I was skeptical (and posted on this board about this) and called Heinz themselves. They told me that, in broad terms, it's definitely better to have work experience, but that because I have a strong quantitative background, I will be able to excel in technical Heinz courses (or at least as technical as a Heinz course can get... I doubt I will ever be as challenged as I was in Calc 3 and Theoretical Math...) and a curriculum like this will compensate for my lack of work experience for many job positions. A direct quote to me from their director of admissions is (at least as best as I remember it), "If a consulting company is looking at you, they see you have no work experience, but they also see you did an internship while with us and they see that your curriculum was quantitative... Now, if they want someone to start a position by doing cost-benefit analysis, will they want someone like you, or someone who has had 4 years of experience working at a local mayor's campaign but has never even seen quantitative analysis prior to coming to Heinz? It all varies on the specifics of a position, but you will certainly be looked highly upon by employers, even without full-time work experience." He also mentioned that about 30% of MSPPM students have no prior work experience.

Anyways, so that's what I can tell you. My GPA wasn't very good, but I think I impressed them with a good GRE, a great personal statement, solid recommendations (one from abroad, where I volunteered for 6 weeks), and a strong under-grad curriculum (quantitative).

My best advice, really, is take your time on everything. I even had my resume done professionally. Everything in my application looked NICE, you know? My personal statement was written over a period of 6 months, my recommendations came from a professor abroad, from an econ professor at U. Pittsburgh, and from a graduate school professor from GSPIA in Pittsburgh... My personal statement read like a narrative, tying in the experience I had with all my professors as integral to my desire to attend Heinz. And I wrote my personal statement like I knew what I was doing-- Like I knew this is exactly where I am supposed to be going.

So there. Take your time, and make your personal statement sound like, "Hey, this is my name, this is why I want to study public policy, and without compromise, YOUR program is the one that is right for me."

Good luck!

[HopefulIR]

absolutely zero work experience?  what about your summers/winters?  

I'm only 1 year out of undergrad, but I wrote that I probably have at least 3 years from working this entire year (1 year) + all the part time stuff I did in school (accumulates roughly to 2 years full time.)

I have some buddies that worked odd jobs over the summer like delivering mail (even though he was pre-med), but that's at least something. 

[SpS4]

I'm graduating this spring from a state university and have applied to 3 MA programs (in IR), so will be straight out of undergrad if I begin any program this fall. So far, I've been admitted to the Korbel School (Denver) with funding. I can't imagine having gotten into this program without having had any relevant work experience -- I've completed internships with World Affairs Council, Afghanistan Embassy, Hudson Institute, State Department and U.S. Senator's office. But I guess it really comes down to what kind of program you're applying to and what kind of undergrad experiences (both academic and professional) you have to offer? Every program will consider straight-out-of-undergrad applicants if they seem well-rounded/have enough to contribute to the program (as professionals with several years of work experience do).

[natalou]

I have been out of undergrad for 1 year but have only been able to land a temporary secretary job... In undergrad I worked two months during one summer for a community justice org. and 2 years part time in what was essentially a library (political archives). I thought not having work experience would keep me from getting in anywhere, but so far I'm in at Georgetown GPPI, Maryland, American SPA, Seton Hall, and George Mason. I encourage everyone with strong stats and specific interests to give it a shot!