Was it worth it?

[Larzipan Speedwreck]

All,

I'm interested to hear input from folks who decided to do an MPP or policy-focused MA IR degree after being in the workforce for some time (especially those of you who were in a policy-related role prior to your graduate work). In particular, I would be eager to hear your experiences on any of the following issues:

1) How many years of work experience did you have before you entered your program?

2) After completing your degree, do you feel that you gained substantive new skill sets? In other words, did you feel you came out equipped to be even more successful in the policy arena than before your degree?

3) In terms of debt, it seems that many of the mid-career folks on this forum seem to recognize that debt can, in some ways, shape your post-masters options as much as the degree itself. How did you rationalize this debt vs. current income scenario and, again, was it worth it in the end?

4) One of my major concerns is finding a program where my cohort will bringing significant experience with them. With all due respect, I'm not eager to find myself in a program that has a great deal of very smart recent undergraduates with little practical policy or relevant professional experience. The obvious answer would be to attend an Executive or Mid-career MPP program, however, the number of years of experience that I have places me in the awkward zone between a regular MPP program and a mid-career program.

5) Finally, for those of you that chose a policy-driven MA IR program instead of an MPP program (e.g., SAIS, Fletcher, Fordham IPED, etc.), again, was it worth it? Or was it a waste of time and resources relative to the professional trajectory you had prior to your grad degree?

A great deal of questions, I know, but any input on any of these questions would be highly appreciated and hopefully of benefit to others, as well!

Thank you.

[pea-jay]

All,

I'm interested to hear input from folks who decided to do an MPP or policy-focused MA IR degree after being in the workforce for some time (especially those of you who were in a policy-related role prior to your graduate work). In particular, I would be eager to hear your experiences on any of the following issues:

1) How many years of work experience did you have before you entered your program?

2) After completing your degree, do you feel that you gained substantive new skill sets? In other words, did you feel you came out equipped to be even more successful in the policy arena than before your degree?

3) In terms of debt, it seems that many of the mid-career folks on this forum seem to recognize that debt can, in some ways, shape your post-masters options as much as the degree itself. How did you rationalize this debt vs. current income scenario and, again, was it worth it in the end?

4) One of my major concerns is finding a program where my cohort will bringing significant experience with them. With all due respect, I'm not eager to find myself in a program that has a great deal of very smart recent undergraduates with little practical policy or relevant professional experience. The obvious answer would be to attend an Executive or Mid-career MPP program, however, the number of years of experience that I have places me in the awkward zone between a regular MPP program and a mid-career program.

5) Finally, for those of you that chose a policy-driven MA IR program instead of an MPP program (e.g., SAIS, Fletcher, Fordham IPED, etc.), again, was it worth it? Or was it a waste of time and resources relative to the professional trajectory you had prior to your grad degree?

Okay I'm just entering an MPP program but otherwise I have some thoughts of my own

1- Eight years of direct public policy work at the local government level, four years additional in unrelated jobs in the energy and education sector. I've also worked as a campaign strategist, asst campaign manager before.

2- Cant answer this yet but course work indicates I will get new skills

3- This is easy to answer. All opportunities to advance require a masters. I have no debt now and figured I could reasonable swing up to 40K in debt. I'm hoping not to have that much. It was pretty much now or never

4- The average age of my program is 33 with just over half attending PT with a FT job. Yet there are plenty of FT students in between jobs. Yes you have some recent UG grads but there is a decent amount of distance from UG work for most students. Exec MPP I have heard are a waste of money unless your current employer pays and you benefit.

5- I'm split between pursuing the Policy end of things or the administration end. Most colleges make you take a core set of courses before specifying. I plan on making this decision after a full semester and depending where internship/job opportunities wind up. I know more of my work history has been policy driven and should find myself gravitated to working at the political level, the MPP is where I will wind up. Otherwise Im going to go for strictly administration as that is where my skill set is lacking.