UC Berkeley - MPP Fall '22

[acacia27]

Hello everyone. No thread for Berkeley this year. What's the status?

[Black_Sesame]

Got Waitlisted. I only applied so I could apply with my GRE to Berkeley Law but shocked. I got into both Columbia SIPA and Johns Hopkins SAIS with Scholarship. Emotionally a bit confused. Does not bode well for HKS.

 

I guess MPPs are a little different than MAIR or MIA's but they're 80% the exact same degree.

[acacia27]

9 hours ago, Black_Sesame said:

Got Waitlisted. I only applied so I could apply with my GRE to Berkeley Law but shocked. I got into both Columbia SIPA and Johns Hopkins SAIS with Scholarship. Emotionally a bit confused. Does not bode well for HKS.

 

I guess MPPs are a little different than MAIR or MIA's but they're 80% the exact same degree.

Did they mail you about the portal update though? The fact that MPP at Berkeley is anyway cheaper than Columbia or Hopkins should be accounted for too. I got the acceptance mail without fellowship but no portal update yet. 

[indiapolicy]

15 hours ago, Black_Sesame said:

Got Waitlisted. I only applied so I could apply with my GRE to Berkeley Law but shocked. I got into both Columbia SIPA and Johns Hopkins SAIS with Scholarship. Emotionally a bit confused. Does not bode well for HKS.

 

I guess MPPs are a little different than MAIR or MIA's but they're 80% the exact same degree.

How are you deciding between SIPA and SAIS? What are the main factors?

[Black_Sesame]

I'm probably not going to go to either of them, but the people I've networked with at SAIS make it seem like a joke. If you have an ivy league degree from undergrad, then it doesn't make any sense to take a step down in terms of challenge. 

I'm maybe considering SIPA just since I want to stay in New York and can take Columbia classes for Stats and Applied Data Science, but unless I get into Kennedy, I don't have an easy decision.

[Enkay]

Hello everyone. Please is there anyone here who got accepted to the Development Practice programme at UC Berkeley?

[acacia27]

How do you guys compare Berkeley MPP with McCourt? Especially for international students. Anyone in the same boat?

[dev0900]

On 3/17/2022 at 9:40 AM, Enkay said:

Hello everyone. Please is there anyone here who got accepted to the Development Practice programme at UC Berkeley?

Hi, I got accepted but with only 2k aid per semester so will probably have to decline. What about you?

[GradSchoolGrad]

On 3/18/2022 at 1:10 AM, acacia27 said:

How do you guys compare Berkeley MPP with McCourt? Especially for international students. Anyone in the same boat?

Its two very different schools. McCourt grads generally stay in DC (even International students) and generally focus on things related to the Federal Government. Berekley is a California school with a good DC presence but is strongest for California jobs + West Coast. Believe it or not, it might actually be easier to find a job serving state and local government (since they generally pay less and are less prestigious, but often don't have a US Citizen requirement) as an international student. That is especially true for things Data related or tech related. It is next to impossible to work the in the US Federal government and things associated with US Federal government contracts without at least a GreenCard

Edited March 24, 2022 by GradSchoolGrad

[Enkay]

4 minutes ago, dev0900 said:

Hi, I got accepted but with only 2k aid per semester so will probably have to decline. What about you?

Oh wow when did you hear about the aid? I am yet to receive and was told if I don’t get any after March 28th, it means I didn’t receive. Was the aid recently given or it came with your offer letter? There’s a WhatsApp group though 

[dev0900]

2 minutes ago, Enkay said:

Oh wow when did you hear about the aid? I am yet to receive and was told if I don’t get any after March 28th, it means I didn’t receive. Was the aid recently given or it came with your offer letter? There’s a WhatsApp group though 

I got a separate email from the program with my aid award letter 3 hours after the initial email saying I was recommended for admission. Could you send me a link to the WhatsApp group?

[Enkay]

https://chat.whatsapp.com/K7k6mCIV05G6dinQ1OFDIk. When did you receive your recommendation though? I received mine since 16th or thereabout. Let’s talk more in the whatsapp group 

[acacia27]

6 hours ago, GradSchoolGrad said:

Its two very different schools. McCourt grads generally stay in DC (even International students) and generally focus on things related to the Federal Government. Berekley is a California school with a good DC presence but is strongest for California jobs + West Coast. Believe it or not, it might actually be easier to find a job serving state and local government (since they generally pay less and are less prestigious, but often don't have a US Citizen requirement) as an international student. That is especially true for things Data related or tech related. It is next to impossible to work the in the US Federal government and things associated with US Federal government contracts without at least a GreenCard

Yes, considering I do not intend to work for the federal government anyway Cal makes more sense. However, I hope that won't put me at a disadvantage when it comes to multilaterals or think tanks. What do you think? 

[GradSchoolGrad]

12 minutes ago, acacia27 said:

Yes, considering I do not intend to work for the federal government anyway Cal makes more sense. However, I hope that won't put me at a disadvantage when it comes to multilaterals or think tanks. What do you think? 

I would say in terms of think tanks (at least the big national ones) and multi-laterals (I'm assuming you mean IGOs and stuff like the UN), its a wash.

Its not like Georgetown exactly has much of an advantage. Yes, people do enter think tanks, but the best I have ever heard someone recently get is Urban (and is like one person that I have ever had). Mathmatica is more Georgetown's level of think tank access. Also, please keep in mind that Think Tank work is relatively low paying and not the best professional development culture (at least from the research side). I think there are so many better ways to make impact than working at a Think Tank. Also, as a non-PhD, you'll be a 2nd class citizen at the major Think Tanks. That being said, going to Berkeley opens you up to the West Coast area Think Tanks. They might not be as big branded, but by going for focus, they arguably have more impact.

As for multi-laterals. Stuff like the UN is next to impossible to get in unless you know someone. Your GPA can be perfect, and no one will care. World Bank is doable from Georgetown ( like 2 people a year), but you basically have to be a Professors sidekick for 2 years or so and ride his/her coat tails and get a Consultant position that you hope will convert full time. I don't know of an MPP covert full time yet as most people burn out from frustration with Consultant experience. 

[acacia27]

7 minutes ago, GradSchoolGrad said:

I would say in terms of think tanks (at least the big national ones) and multi-laterals (I'm assuming you mean IGOs and stuff like the UN), its a wash.

Its not like Georgetown exactly has much of an advantage. Yes, people do enter think tanks, but the best I have ever heard someone recently get is Urban (and is like one person that I have ever had). Mathmatica is more Georgetown's level of think tank access. Also, please keep in mind that Think Tank work is relatively low paying and not the best professional development culture (at least from the research side). I think there are so many better ways to make impact than working at a Think Tank. Also, as a non-PhD, you'll be a 2nd class citizen at the major Think Tanks. That being said, going to Berkeley opens you up to the West Coast area Think Tanks. They might not be as big branded, but by going for focus, they arguably have more impact.

As for multi-laterals. Stuff like the UN is next to impossible to get in unless you know someone. Your GPA can be perfect, and no one will care. World Bank is doable from Georgetown ( like 2 people a year), but you basically have to be a Professors sidekick for 2 years or so and ride his/her coat tails and get a Consultant position that you hope will convert full time. I don't know of an MPP covert full time yet as most people burn out from frustration with Consultant experience. 

Thanks for your response. I had almost decided to go for UCB considering financial and program fit but had a small doubt location wise. Your reply definitely helps. I guess I'll just go to Cal and figure it out later. I am sure there will be impactful roles in west coast that I can explore. Besides, I really loved how close-knit the Berkeley community is 

[AGCA]

I got the UCB MPA admission.