Any advice for 2023 applicant?

[Podrick Payne]

Hello All
I'm just starting the process to apply for MPP programs for Fall 2023. I currently work at a FAANG company and I have about 7 years of work experience split between it and another FAANG company.
I plan on applying to HKS, Yale Jackson, USC Price, and possibly UChicago Harris, all for MPP. I'm still open to considering other schools.

Random Stats:

• 7 Years of post grad work exp 
  • Currently working in an Admin/Program Manager role at FAANG on a "Policy Team"
  • Other work experience in HR, Recruiting
• 4 UG internships (business related)
• Agri-business degree from Big Ten School
• Trash UG GPA
• Diverse candidate (Black American)
• Letter of Reqs have been informed and are ready to write strong recommendations
  • All are professional reqs 
• Years of volunteer and leadership exp
• 1st gen college 
• Have not taken GRE yet but studying 

Questions:

• Any advice on the application process?
• Anything you wish you would have done more/less?
• Which should I focus on more: GRE, Letter of Req, or SOP/Essays?
• Should I spend money to attend in-person events such as UChicago's in-person speaker series? (They waive the app fee if I attend)
  • Second, should I tour schools while in the application process? Does this help get you "known" by admissions?
• Should I bother with reaching out to professors? If yes, does anyone have a template?
• Does school ranking matter? 
• What MPP/A programs should I absolutely not look at? I've heard Penn Fels is a no-go.
• Are you happy about pursuing your Policy Degree? 

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank You

[GradSchoolGrad]

8 hours ago, Podrick Payne said:

Hello All
I'm just starting the process to apply for MPP programs for Fall 2023. I currently work at a FAANG company and I have about 7 years of work experience split between it and another FAANG company.
I plan on applying to HKS, Yale Jackson, USC Price, and possibly UChicago Harris, all for MPP. I'm still open to considering other schools.

Random Stats:

• 7 Years of post grad work exp 
  • Currently working in an Admin/Program Manager role at FAANG on a "Policy Team"
  • Other work experience in HR, Recruiting
• 4 UG internships (business related)
• Agri-business degree from Big Ten School
• Trash UG GPA
• Diverse candidate (Black American)
• Letter of Reqs have been informed and are ready to write strong recommendations
  • All are professional reqs 
• Years of volunteer and leadership exp
• 1st gen college 
• Have not taken GRE yet but studying 

Questions:

• Any advice on the application process?
• Anything you wish you would have done more/less?
• Which should I focus on more: GRE, Letter of Req, or SOP/Essays?
• Should I spend money to attend in-person events such as UChicago's in-person speaker series? (They waive the app fee if I attend)
  • Second, should I tour schools while in the application process? Does this help get you "known" by admissions?
• Should I bother with reaching out to professors? If yes, does anyone have a template?
• Does school ranking matter? 
• What MPP/A programs should I absolutely not look at? I've heard Penn Fels is a no-go.
• Are you happy about pursuing your Policy Degree? 

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank You

Why are you seeking an MPP? I am asking to understand how I can better advise you.

Edited August 12, 2022 by GradSchoolGrad

[Podrick Payne]

1 hour ago, GradSchoolGrad said:

Why are you seeking an MPP? I am asking to understand how I can better advise you.

My career since UG has been all over the place and honestly my saving grace has been my current FAANG job. Good pay and it's secure but it's not really fulfilling and growth has stopped. I've reached the max level I can get promoted in this position and unless I take a new role I can no longer move up. I cannot get a new role on my team as I do not have a Masters (or higher) degree.

Over the past 2 years I've researched what would work best for me, MPP/A or MBA, I landed on MPP. 
I'm hoping I can use the degree to career pivot into either the Foreign Service or to work for a Federal Agency such as the Dept of Energy. Dream goal is to research and work on immigration reform both in the USA and EU. 
 

[GradSchoolGrad]

20 minutes ago, Podrick Payne said:

My career since UG has been all over the place and honestly my saving grace has been my current FAANG job. Good pay and it's secure but it's not really fulfilling and growth has stopped. I've reached the max level I can get promoted in this position and unless I take a new role I can no longer move up. I cannot get a new role on my team as I do not have a Masters (or higher) degree.

Over the past 2 years I've researched what would work best for me, MPP/A or MBA, I landed on MPP. 
I'm hoping I can use the degree to career pivot into either the Foreign Service or to work for a Federal Agency such as the Dept of Energy. Dream goal is to research and work on immigration reform both in the USA and EU. 
 

Okay a few things.

a. In terms of getting in, your background is Golden... I just don't know how bad your GPA is and if you might be flagged as potential academic graduation risk (people get washed out of MPP programs academically - most often for failing quant... it doesn't happen a lot, but it does happen). If you got weak quant grades or no quant grades (stats, calc, engineering - whatever), unless you do quant directly at work, I recommend you get a strong GRE at quant and maybe take a few online college classes at a public university (state school minimum) in stats and get an A in it.

b. So if you want to do Foreign Service, MPP is an option, but honestly, you would be better off doing an IR degree. The most non-quant one (but still sufficiently quant based) is Georgetown's Walsh School of Foreign Service. There is also GW Elliot School. 

c. If you want to work at a Federal Agency, the easiest way is to get a PMF - it used to be really competitive, but it is much less so. Honestly, you can go to any top 20 policy or or IR school and achieve that.

d. If you want to do immigration reform, if you are doing it from the political side, you don't need a degree, you can jump in now. If you are trying to do it from the law reform side, it helps to go to law school. If you want to do it from the research angle, you need to be a numbers guy.

Bottom line is that MPP can get you your basket of options, Foreign Service, Federal Agency, or Immigration reform, but you aren't going the most direct route except for Federal Agency - which you don't need to go to the best schools for, just a good enough one. What are you willing to risk? 

[Westpolicy]

Agree on the above esp. the quant.    

If you want to pivot you might explain why/ what you have done in order to start achieving that goal.  If you write about immigration, have you done anything in your roles? Did you work on visa sponsorship in your previous HR/ recruiting job?  Did you volunteer at an immigration non-profit/ ACLU, etc?  

I agree on GW Elliot and Georgetown Walsh.  Also, look at Princeton SPIA, they give full tuition + stipends to all enrolled students.  Yes, they focus on public service, but if you look at student + alumni bios some have worked at FAANG jobs. Yale Jackson has good funding, too.  

Admissions have in-person and virtual sessions some with just admissions some with students/ alumni/ faculty.  I would attend if you are able even virtual sessions as it gives you an idea of the program. 

[clairemattockskth67]

4 hours ago, Podrick Payne said:

My career since UG has been all over the place and honestly my saving grace has been my current FAANG job. Good pay and it's secure but it's not really fulfilling and growth has stopped. I've reached the max level I can get promoted in this position and unless I take a new role I can no longer move up. I cannot get a new role on my team as I do not have a Masters (or higher) degree.

Over the past 2 years I've researched what would work best for me, MPP/A or MBA, I landed on MPP. 
I'm hoping I can use the degree to career pivot into either the Foreign Service or to work for a Federal Agency such as the Dept of Energy. Dream goal is to research and work on immigration reform both in the USA and EU. 
 

so great

[Podrick Payne]

On 8/12/2022 at 12:41 PM, GradSchoolGrad said:

Okay a few things.

a. In terms of getting in, your background is Golden... I just don't know how bad your GPA is and if you might be flagged as potential academic graduation risk (people get washed out of MPP programs academically - most often for failing quant... it doesn't happen a lot, but it does happen). If you got weak quant grades or no quant grades (stats, calc, engineering - whatever), unless you do quant directly at work, I recommend you get a strong GRE at quant and maybe take a few online college classes at a public university (state school minimum) in stats and get an A in it.

b. So if you want to do Foreign Service, MPP is an option, but honestly, you would be better off doing an IR degree. The most non-quant one (but still sufficiently quant based) is Georgetown's Walsh School of Foreign Service. There is also GW Elliot School. 

c. If you want to work at a Federal Agency, the easiest way is to get a PMF - it used to be really competitive, but it is much less so. Honestly, you can go to any top 20 policy or or IR school and achieve that.

d. If you want to do immigration reform, if you are doing it from the political side, you don't need a degree, you can jump in now. If you are trying to do it from the law reform side, it helps to go to law school. If you want to do it from the research angle, you need to be a numbers guy.

Bottom line is that MPP can get you your basket of options, Foreign Service, Federal Agency, or Immigration reform, but you aren't going the most direct route except for Federal Agency - which you don't need to go to the best schools for, just a good enough one. What are you willing to risk? 

First off, thank you so much for your insight! This was great and I truly appreciate it.

A. So my GPA in UG was a 2.72. Yes, yes, awful. No excuses but I honestly dealt with a lot in UG -- major depression, working 3+ jobs to support myself and send money back home, 1st gen college and poor so no help from family, and my cousin was killed in our dorm freshman year by someone from HS. (I completely left the school for a semester after that incident) 
While my GPA is awful I do plan on explaining why in my optional essay.

B. Would you recommend Columbia's Masters of International Affairs? Also, I've heard mixed reviews regarding Georgetown but I am giving them a look soon. 

C. I would like to work in a federal agency or the foreign service but I'm honestly open to whatever career path graduate school leads me to. 

Random Question: Are there any schools I should absolutely avoid? 

[GradSchoolGrad]

11 hours ago, Podrick Payne said:

First off, thank you so much for your insight! This was great and I truly appreciate it.

A. So my GPA in UG was a 2.72. Yes, yes, awful. No excuses but I honestly dealt with a lot in UG -- major depression, working 3+ jobs to support myself and send money back home, 1st gen college and poor so no help from family, and my cousin was killed in our dorm freshman year by someone from HS. (I completely left the school for a semester after that incident) 
While my GPA is awful I do plan on explaining why in my optional essay.

B. Would you recommend Columbia's Masters of International Affairs? Also, I've heard mixed reviews regarding Georgetown but I am giving them a look soon. 

C. I would like to work in a federal agency or the foreign service but I'm honestly open to whatever career path graduate school leads me to. 

Random Question: Are there any schools I should absolutely avoid? 

Your continuing with the unanswered question about quant is making it challenging for me to advise you. What is your background/interest/and desire for quant?

You can have a low GPA, but if you have a quant background, or want a quant based career that changes the conversation (potentially drastically).

I am going to assume that you don't have an interest in being quant heavy (as you have yet to express so), and advise you accordingly. However, if that is not true, and you do want to lean quant, please let me know.

1. Unless you have more quant background, I don't see you getting into HKS, SPIA (Princeton), or basically the Tier 1 of graduate schools. I know people with 3.8 GPA with 0 quant background and lack of quant experience compensation from work (and most schools are willing to take loose definitions of "quant experience"). This is because if you don't have indications of being able to handle the quant heavy course load, you may struggle to graduate. 

2. At this point, I would say schools like Georgetown MPP, George Washington Elliot IR would probably be the higher end of school options for you in a normal year (however, as long as the economy is doing good, admissions should be in your advantage). A more reasonable target would probably be like American SIS or SPA. I do know people who did get into Georgetown MPP with 20K scholarship with sub 3.0 GPA, and since they are flush with money from a rich donor, they have the ability provide funding. 

3. You don't need to know exactly what you are interested now, but you should have an idea, because your policy interests can determine how easy or difficult it is for you to get a job. The reality about Immigration policy is that it is generally not a popular policy area (for both policy schools and for funding in general) to study or work in (not to get confused with migration and refugee policy, which are policy). The most feasible way to get a job tied to immigration policy is be a lawyer, labor economist specializing in immigration, or immigration enforcement, but it sounds like you don't have an interest in those routes. However much the American right or left may be loud about immigration, neither really pay that much attention to exploring immigration policy making as it is the 3rd rail of American politics, often reduced to grand sweeping political notions rather than careful policy solutioning.

This is important to know because if you aren't sure what policy matters really interest you, you want to apply to school with a really strong professional culture, or else she can be screwed in getting a job, despite having worked in FAANG (I worked in FAANG prior to my graduating my MPP, and no one cared in the policy space). 

4. Georgetown MPP - good for getting a quant role, not much else. Unless you want to be a quant person, and seek a quant focused career role, Georgetown MPP does not make any sense for you. 

a. Since the curriculum is heavily quant, you could easily lose your scholarship if you struggle with quant and get below a 3.0 GPA (It happens more than people think).
b. It does not have a professional culture and outside of quant roles, Deloitte, and PMF, people generally do not get good jobs or get jobs disconnected from their graduate studies. 
c. As a person of a color myself, I will tell you that I encountered a fair amount of prejudice (that I did not encounter in my other graduate schools) at Georgetown MPP. Ironically, most of it came from the international students. Georgetown MPP is more willing to get international students with less work experience and world experience (mostly straight from undergrad) and bring their biases to campus without the good sense to keep it in check as professionals. However since international students mostly pay full price of admission, Georgetown MPP values their presence and protects them, regardless of the behavioral issues that arise. When I highlighted behavior issues of select International students to the administration, it was pretty much implied for me to excuse them for cultural misunderstanding and that I should watch myself or else I could be perceived as being biased against international students. 

The prejudice against me made it harder for me to get international students to work with me on problem sets, since they preferred those from their own region of origin or Americans they assumed had physical characteristics that suggested intelligence.

5. There are no schools you shouldn't apply to, its more like know each schools pros and cons, and what you are willing to risk - even Georgetown MPP. 

Edited August 17, 2022 by GradSchoolGrad

[Podrick Payne]

On 8/12/2022 at 3:15 AM, Podrick Payne said:

Hello All
I'm just starting the process to apply for MPP programs for Fall 2023. I currently work at a FAANG company and I have about 7 years of work experience split between it and another FAANG company.
I plan on applying to HKS, Yale Jackson, USC Price, and possibly UChicago Harris, all for MPP. I'm still open to considering other schools.

Random Stats:

• 7 Years of post grad work exp 
  • Currently working in an Admin/Program Manager role at FAANG on a "Policy Team"
  • Other work experience in HR, Recruiting
• 4 UG internships (business related)
• Agri-business degree from Big Ten School
• Trash UG GPA
• Diverse candidate (Black American)
• Letter of Reqs have been informed and are ready to write strong recommendations
  • All are professional reqs 
• Years of volunteer and leadership exp
• 1st gen college 
• Have not taken GRE yet but studying 

Questions:

• Any advice on the application process?
• Anything you wish you would have done more/less?
• Which should I focus on more: GRE, Letter of Req, or SOP/Essays?
• Should I spend money to attend in-person events such as UChicago's in-person speaker series? (They waive the app fee if I attend)
  • Second, should I tour schools while in the application process? Does this help get you "known" by admissions?
• Should I bother with reaching out to professors? If yes, does anyone have a template?
• Does school ranking matter? 
• What MPP/A programs should I absolutely not look at? I've heard Penn Fels is a no-go.
• Are you happy about pursuing your Policy Degree? 

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank You

Just wanted to follow up my post from a few months back.

Just took the GRE for the last time and I received a 162 V and 170 Q. 

I'll be applying to HKS, Yale Jackson, Columbia SIPA, and UChicago Harris. 

Wish me luck!