Berkeley vs. Ford vs. Wagner

[overwhelmed412]

Hi! Looking for opinions about MPP/MPA options at the Goldman School, the Ford School, and at NYU Wagner. Would love to hear different pros/cons!

About me:

• Have been working in affordable housing in Pittsburgh for about four years, and would hope to continue housing policy work in grad school
• Ideally looking for a cohort of smart, experienced peers to gain insights from
• Likely want to return to local government after graduation
• Looking for a "meaty" program (i.e. rigorous)
• I went to Wagner's open house and didn't necessarily love it (seemed like they were really trying to sell a brand w/o much depth), but liked how it was housed alongside the MUP program 
• Moneywise -- Goldman (0, but could be cheaper if I teach/establish CA residency), Ford ($), Wagner ($)
• Don't have a strong preference to end up anywhere in particular, but would likely be on either of the coasts following graduation

Any insights would be appreciated!

[woolscarves]

Your list screams Goldman tbh. Obviously money is a factor (especially with CoL being as high as it is in Berkeley), but Goldman would be the best fit by far.

[3dender]

Have to disagree with woolscarves.  Ford seems like the best fit exactly because of cost of living.  You're talking about a difference of $20k for school alone + maybe another $30-40k for difference in cost of living between Ann Arbor and either Berkeley or NYC.  That's $50-60k more debt that you'll have for a degree that is worth as much as Ford, with a marginally easier time getting a job on either the West or East coast.

Ford is every bit as good an education as Berkeley or Wagner - some people would say even better.  The difference certainly wouldn't be worth $50k to me.  And the Ford network is plenty strong in policy circles nationwide.  You may not have such an entrenched network as you would with Goldman/West or Wagner/East, but those networks are only for a leg up, it's not like a key to a locked door.

I tell people that the networks can help, but they only make life easier.  You can get almost any job you want from any of the top 10-15 policy schools.  You may just have to take a little more initiative if the network isn't as strong.

Edited April 9, 2019 by 3dender

[pubpolgal]

Cost-wise, I can’t really give you advice, but your combo of interests in housing policy, local government, and a meaty program sounds like Berkeley to me! I’m considering Goldman as well and it looks like a lot of grads end up in local government in CA (apparently they love GSPP grads), but of course that’s my biased view since I am not considering Wagner or Ford. Any of those sound like great choices, especially with funding.

[City Stripes]

Have you looked at the work the Furman Center does at Wagner on housing policy? Being a research assistant there would put you in a smaller group of smart, experienced peers and would give you a chance to do more rigorous work than you might find in some of your classes. And Wagner had great connections throughout local government in NYC.

[rakitarakita]

On 4/9/2019 at 5:36 AM, overwhelmed412 said:

Hi! Looking for opinions about MPP/MPA options at the Goldman School, the Ford School, and at NYU Wagner. Would love to hear different pros/cons!

About me:

• Have been working in affordable housing in Pittsburgh for about four years, and would hope to continue housing policy work in grad school
• Ideally looking for a cohort of smart, experienced peers to gain insights from
• Likely want to return to local government after graduation
• Looking for a "meaty" program (i.e. rigorous)
• I went to Wagner's open house and didn't necessarily love it (seemed like they were really trying to sell a brand w/o much depth), but liked how it was housed alongside the MUP program 
• Moneywise -- Goldman (0, but could be cheaper if I teach/establish CA residency), Ford ($), Wagner ($)
• Don't have a strong preference to end up anywhere in particular, but would likely be on either of the coasts following graduation

Any insights would be appreciated!

Hi! Hoping you'll see this four years later. I've applied to all 3 of these schools for a Fall 2024 start. If you ended up taking any of these offers, would you mind sharing your thoughts on whether this school might be a good fit for what I am looking for?

About me:

• From India; got my undergrad degree in architecture in 2021; transitioned to urban policy and governance with a post-grad study/research programme from 2021-22
• Interested in policy design and programme implementation for public transit (with intersections in housing, basic infrastructure and social safety) for low-income populations
• 2 years of work ex right now; worked at a planning firm advising state and local governments in a metropolitan Indian city on how to plan/deliver a new metro rail line for the city
• Want to use the masters to: a) build strong quant skills (econometric analysis, data analysis) + skills in public finance, programme eval; b) explore whether I want to be a generalist working at the intersection of the areas I listed, or if I want to dive deep into one
• Want to build a career in India but keen to work for 2-5 years in the US/internationally to gain experience/pay off possible loans
• Want to work at non-government organisations/think tanks/research organisations where I get to both do research/contribute to policy analysis and design but also do fieldwork and drive implementation. Think World Resources Institute or Mathematica
• Funding is a HUGE deciding factor. I cannot afford to study in the US without at least 70% tuition covered by internal/external scholarships or fellowships (all of which I have applied for)

Would be super grateful for any insights!! Thanks:)

Edited March 7 by rakitarakita