Rank These MPP/MPA Programs

[Baldwin_Piano]

Ok folks, so here's the deal. Thus far I've been accepted to:

• William and Mary (MPP) - offered out of state tuition credit and an assistantship totaling just over $18,000/year
• American (MPP)
• Rutgers (Bloustein School - MPP)
• Penn State Harrisburg (MPA)

I haven't received financial information from the other schools yet, but for the sake of fair evaluation, let's just ignore the money for the moment.

Also, I've been wait listed at George Washington (MPP), and am still waiting on George Mason (MPP) though it seems likely that I will get into GM.

So go at it. Can anyone offer any input into which programs are best? American is tied for 11th in the US News ranking, but I've been told they don't mean anything. Your collective wisdom is greatly appreciated.

[narius]

Ok folks, so here's the deal. Thus far I've been accepted to:

• William and Mary (MPP) - offered out of state tuition credit and an assistantship totaling just over $18,000/year
• American (MPP)
• Rutgers (Bloustein School - MPP)
• Penn State Harrisburg (MPA)

I haven't received financial information from the other schools yet, but for the sake of fair evaluation, let's just ignore the money for the moment.

Also, I've been wait listed at George Washington (MPP), and am still waiting on George Mason (MPP) though it seems likely that I will get into GM.

So go at it. Can anyone offer any input into which programs are best? American is tied for 11th in the US News ranking, but I've been told they don't mean anything. Your collective wisdom is greatly appreciated.

Many congrats on your acceptances! I hope this isn't too late.

You're right about the Pub Affairs rankings in US News - they're far and away even less useful than the regular, flawed tabulation. The public affairs rankings are based entirely on peer reviews, which means that program quality is easily overshadowed by things like program size.

With the exception of American, all of those public policy programs are considered to be fairly regional in outlook and production. That's not a bad thing - some of the best programs in the country are decidedly regional (or 'boutique'), like Albany or Fels.

Here is my ranking, with qualifiers.

1. American - American's program is pretty well known, rich faculty, and high access to policymaking in DC. I've heard the classes themselves were generally hit or miss, but I think that's truer than not of pub affairs programs.

2. WM - William and Mary's program is VERY new, which is why it's not ranked well. However, WM has a really sterling reputation for rigorous academics and producing stellar boutique programs (their Law and MBA programs are very well regarded, though small). Whatever is lacking in department recognition should be overcome by solid academics, good faculty (though probably no superstars), and a credible (though somewhat regional) university brand. It's also close to Richmond and DC and even closer to a bunch of defense contractors clustered in Hampton Roads.

3. Rutgers - Particularly well known in the NE and very highly regarded in NJ/Delaware Valley. Regionally, it can't be beat for a policy or planning degree at a public university. At the same time, it's expensive for a public univ and the (Bloustein) name recognition is limited outside of the region. Rutgers is well known but is considered by many to be a relatively middling school. Might not be fair, but it's the reality.

4. Penn State Harrisburg - I actually have a lot of respect for this program having worked with good people who went through it at the Master's and PhD level. That said, it's very much considered a commuter program at a commuter school tailored specifically for career Harrisburg bureaucrats. You aren't likely to get much of a super 'academic' experience here, but the connections to the political world in Harrisburg is very tight. Also, nearby Harrisburg is a lovely little town that's only a short (and cheap) Amtrak train ride away.

I should tell you that I like all of your choices. But, if I were you, I'd go for William and Mary hands down. You may not get as much of an 'in' as with American (although it seems they do a lot of work to get the students to DC regularly), but you'll graduate without debt and you can be sure that WM will break their backs to place you as they are obviously keen to get some really good stats for their new program immediately. In today's economy, I think that's worth a lot.

PM me if you have any questions! Hope this helps!