UCLA vs. GPPI

[shipinabottle]

Okay, I'm looking for informed opinions. I'm trying to decide between UCLA and Georgetown for an MPP. I eventually want to work in Urban Policy, probably on the East Coast. There are things that I love and things that I loathe about both programs / schools... I guess I'm just wondering which program will be the most beneficial now, and will carry the most weight in the long run.

Does anyone have opinions on how the actual course content stacks up? Or how the reputations of each school would effect my eventual ability to network and find good opportunities on the East Coast in the future? I sometimes feel like all of this is such a shot in the dark.

Thanks!

[yogurtlover]

i have a lot of knowledge of uclas program, but i want to know what you love and hate about it so that i can elaborate more on your loves and hates lol

[shipinabottle]

i have a lot of knowledge of uclas program, but i want to know what you love and hate about it so that i can elaborate more on your loves and hates lol

Fair enough! I'm wary of the career services... that it sounds like all of the name recognition for the program is on the West Coast (I don't really know how it's regarded)... some people have said that USC has better relationships with the city / other organizations (as far as internships). But I feel like the specializations are much more suited to what I want. I also wonder if I can take classes outside of the MPP.

Any thoughts??

[yogurtlover]

Absolutely. I completely understand where you are coming from. I recently had a conversation with the director of the mpp program at ucla, since i was trying to weight the decision between ucla and cornell (my options). He told me that ucla's career service center now has a person full time working on behalf of students attempting to get jobs, but most jobs are extremely competitive (the ones they have) and a lot of them tend to be on the west coast, of course. Some of them also tend to be in DC, but these are competitive, as u may expect. He told me that if i wanted a job in NY or philly or just anywhere in the east coast, cornell would be the better option (as i would imagine georgetown would be for you). I am still unsure. I havent said yes to either school. UCLA is in my comfort zone since i have been here for undergrad but I dont know. its a tough choice! Any other questions or concerns? I am an undergrad here at ucla, so i know what im talking about lol

Edited March 17, 2010 by yogurtlover

[Putoots]

I'd also like to hear what people in the midwest or east coast think of UCLA. Here in Southern California people love Georgetown and respect Carnegie Mellon, but when I tell them I am seriously considering the Ford School at UMich they just scratch their heads (and I work for an extremely large public organization). I wonder if UCLA is like that outside of the west coast.

Like you, I want to be able to compete for east coast jobs, but in my case I don't really want to shoulder the debt of GPPI to do it.

That being said, I have perused the faculty of UCLA's Public Policy school and have been very impressed. Take a look:

http://www.sppsr.ucl...y&f=faculty.cfm

Also, for the International Policy concentration, you are free to take a number of courses in other departments as long as they are graduate level and have something to do with your area of interest. I'm sure you'd be able to find something in Urban Planning, Social Welfare, Sociology, etc.

Of course, the best thing about GPPI is that you'd have a much easier time finding an internship or something while you are at school. And the module courses sound really interesting.

Edited March 17, 2010 by Putoots