USC MPA 2011

[ero89]

I believe SPPD tuition cost is based on number of units. The cost per unit last year was $1,360.

12 units x 1360=$16,320. That's how I calculated, but I'm not sure if that's how SPPD does it. Simply speculation.

My $20k is split for the fall and spring semester. The balance I have to pay on my own.

From what you've seen, what's the tuition cost for 12 units per semester? I perused some of the stuff they sent and didn't see an answer to that question.

[Benefactor]

Just got the SPPD packet and holy shit, full tuition! Time to start looking for airfare to LA....

What were your metrics, if you don't mind me asking.

[GrandRaggedy]

I finally got my packet! 20k per year Dean's Merit, and information about the scholarship, my advisor, etc. I applied to the MPA/MPL dual degree program, and I'm still waiting on word about the MPL application. I called admissions and they said those should be getting out soon.

Congratulations everyone!

[coffee_fan]

I received full tuition as well. I have a 3.87 GPA with an 800 Quant and a 670 Verbal, 4 years of work experience. Does anyone know if we can take more than 12 credits at USC? I'm thinking a fun class..photography or a foreign language!

What were your metrics, if you don't mind me asking.

[oogabooga]

What were your metrics, if you don't mind me asking.

I had a 790Q/ 750V/ 6.0AW, 3.78 GPA, 4 years work/unemployment experience including Peace Corps.

It seems like SPPD is really letting the money fly! Congrats everybody.

[Benefactor]

Was there somebody on here that mentioned something about a travel credit for attending the dean's merit event for the students who were chosen for it?

[ero89]

Benefactor,

Yes there is a travel credit for those students who are selected to attend the event. Northern CA and Out of State students will have a portion of their airfare reimbursed.

Was there somebody on here that mentioned something about a travel credit for attending the dean's merit event for the students who were chosen for it?

[oogabooga]

Benefactor,

Yes there is a travel credit for those students who are selected to attend the event. Northern CA and Out of State students will have a portion of their airfare reimbursed.

Ero - where did you see that? Maybe I didn't read my packet carefully enough. That would increase my likelihood of attending.

[ero89]

I don't have the Deans Merit invitation with me, but I believe written on the invitation is the web address for the Deans Merit Scholar Event.

It has the Schedule of Events, SPPD Travel Reimbursement Form & some other stuff. You also can submit a brief bio about yourself to be included in the published materials.

Ero - where did you see that? Maybe I didn't read my packet carefully enough. That would increase my likelihood of attending.

[oogabooga]

I don't have the Deans Merit invitation with me, but I believe written on the invitation is the web address for the Deans Merit Scholar Event.

It has the Schedule of Events, SPPD Travel Reimbursement Form & some other stuff. You also can submit a brief bio about yourself to be included in the published materials.

Thanks for the info!

[indisabelle]

As so many of you have heard the good news, I'm pretty freaked out right now cause I checked my online status and it STILL says ,

"Your file is currently in the first stage of our evaluation process. We will notify you if additional information or materials are required. Please contact your intended academic department directly to make sure all supplemental application materials have been received."

How can that be possible? I submitted my application on mid-Dec. Should I trust the online status???Is it possible that they haven't updated it for a long time?

I really appreciate some comfort here...

[keroscene]

As so many of you have heard the good news, I'm pretty freaked out right now cause I checked my online status and it STILL says ,

"Your file is currently in the first stage of our evaluation process. We will notify you if additional information or materials are required. Please contact your intended academic department directly to make sure all supplemental application materials have been received."

How can that be possible? I submitted my application on mid-Dec. Should I trust the online status???Is it possible that they haven't updated it for a long time?

I really appreciate some comfort here...

Mine still says that it's been forwarded to the academic department for review! I'm really nervous at this point...I wasn't too worried about getting admitted, and thought I had a decent chance of getting some funding, but now I don't know...

[Nimesis]

As so many of you have heard the good news, I'm pretty freaked out right now cause I checked my online status and it STILL says ,

"Your file is currently in the first stage of our evaluation process. We will notify you if additional information or materials are required. Please contact your intended academic department directly to make sure all supplemental application materials have been received."

How can that be possible? I submitted my application on mid-Dec. Should I trust the online status???Is it possible that they haven't updated it for a long time?

I really appreciate some comfort here...

I honestly wouldn't put much stock in what it says on the online page. I got admitted on Thursday but the online status didn't say anything about a decision coming soon or anything. It just had some generic message up there.

As far as your chances of getting in, SPPD has a 70% acceptance rate based on last year's numbers. Keep your head up, I'm sure you'll hear good news soon.

[plohani]

Just got my acceptance letter. Apparently the school has some delay in mailing my letter. I received the award letter as well ( both in email). I received the dean's scholarship with $17,000/year funding. Most likely, I will not be accepting the offer.

[fifa0001]

Indisabelle, you are not the only one. Mine shows the same message

As so many of you have heard the good news, I'm pretty freaked out right now cause I checked my online status and it STILL says ,

"Your file is currently in the first stage of our evaluation process. We will notify you if additional information or materials are required. Please contact your intended academic department directly to make sure all supplemental application materials have been received."

How can that be possible? I submitted my application on mid-Dec. Should I trust the online status???Is it possible that they haven't updated it for a long time?

I really appreciate some comfort here...

[keroscene]

has anyone just received the USC packet but no SPPD packet? The USC acceptance came on Friday...but no sign of the SPPD one or funding info...also no email.

[Nimesis]

has anyone just received the USC packet but no SPPD packet? The USC acceptance came on Friday...but no sign of the SPPD one or funding info...also no email.

If you don't want to wait for the SPPD packet and you know you got in (so you have nothing to lose) you could try calling SPPD admissions and asking if you received any funding. There's no harm now that you're already admitted. They're not gonna throw you out just for asking a question.

[underthegun31]

has anyone just received the USC packet but no SPPD packet? The USC acceptance came on Friday...but no sign of the SPPD one or funding info...also no email.

I received the USC Welcome Packet yesterday, but no SPPD Packet or e-mail either. Have you received your SPPD packet yet?

[keroscene]

I received the USC Welcome Packet yesterday, but no SPPD Packet or e-mail either. Have you received your SPPD packet yet?

I did. about a week ago. No funding though :{

[underthegun31]

I did. about a week ago. No funding though :{

I got mine yesterday (one day after welcome packet). No funding either.

[Nimesis]

I wanted to bump this thread in the hopes of getting the impressions of those who went to USC's Dean's Merit Event today. Please post your impressions for those of us who couldn't make it.

[fishpoo]

I wanted to bump this thread in the hopes of getting the impressions of those who went to USC's Dean's Merit Event today. Please post your impressions for those of us who couldn't make it.

(hey Nim!)

Okay, first of all, this thread should be renamed USC SPPD

Attended the Deans Merit Scholar event and was extremely pleased with what I learned (and the beautiful campus!). Here are some of my basic assessments/things I learned:

- For MPPs, the analytic courses are EXTREMELY PRACTICALLY based. You use everything you learn. An alumni on the guest panel (currently working for GAO) indicated that she used everything she learned at SPPD, in the same exact way she currently conducts analysis at GAO.

- Current students are really friendly! Truly! They all seem like a fairly close-knit group and they do a lot of socials (weekly or otherwise). I think many of the SPPD courses may be tailored to give students the opportunity (mandatory opportunity, actually) to work in groups and learn how to compromise and finish projects in team settings.

- The Trojan Alumni network. The network was emphasized by many of the presenters.. this may be the pushing point to bounce me away from what were my former top choices, and to USC in the fall.

- Career Services: they provide A LOT of services, but not only that - the services (mentoring, informational interviews w/ alumni, etc) are MUCH MORE effective than for other schools due to the wide reach of the Trojan network. They also have a program called "Trojans helping Trojans" that they seem to really promote... great for connecting with Alumni.

Some other things other students might be interested in (from my own perspective):

- They encourage you to find external funding even if you're a merit scholar

- looks like their hands-on international programs focus on China.

- Consulting: 2 people on the ~8-person alumni panel were consultants (ICF, and somewhere else). Deloitte provides a case-challenge competition. I dunno... they didn't seem that strong in this area... maybe i'm biased twds CMU.

- They have a decent PMF track record.

- Mostly focuses on local issues, channeling grads into local and state placements. I'm not too much of a fan (would prefer federal), but DC connections seem sufficient.

[Nimesis]

(hey Nim!)

Okay, first of all, this thread should be renamed USC SPPD

Attended the Deans Merit Scholar event and was extremely pleased with what I learned (and the beautiful campus!). Here are some of my basic assessments/things I learned:

- For MPPs, the analytic courses are EXTREMELY PRACTICALLY based. You use everything you learn. An alumni on the guest panel (currently working for GAO) indicated that she used everything she learned at SPPD, in the same exact way she currently conducts analysis at GAO.

- Current students are really friendly! Truly! They all seem like a fairly close-knit group and they do a lot of socials (weekly or otherwise). I think many of the SPPD courses may be tailored to give students the opportunity (mandatory opportunity, actually) to work in groups and learn how to compromise and finish projects in team settings.

- The Trojan Alumni network. The network was emphasized by many of the presenters.. this may be the pushing point to bounce me away from what were my former top choices, and to USC in the fall.

- Career Services: they provide A LOT of services, but not only that - the services (mentoring, informational interviews w/ alumni, etc) are MUCH MORE effective than for other schools due to the wide reach of the Trojan network. They also have a program called "Trojans helping Trojans" that they seem to really promote... great for connecting with Alumni.

Some other things other students might be interested in (from my own perspective):

- They encourage you to find external funding even if you're a merit scholar

- looks like their hands-on international programs focus on China.

- Consulting: 2 people on the ~8-person alumni panel were consultants (ICF, and somewhere else). Deloitte provides a case-challenge competition. I dunno... they didn't seem that strong in this area... maybe i'm biased twds CMU.

- They have a decent PMF track record.

- Mostly focuses on local issues, channeling grads into local and state placements. I'm not too much of a fan (would prefer federal), but DC connections seem sufficient.

Thanks for the report. I heard from another poster a lot of similar things and it seems like they put on a pretty impressive event. I look forward to checking it out myself in a couple weeks and I'll post my impressions then.

[pushpin]

I also attended the event and like fishpoo I was pretty impressed with the event. I had a lot of the same observations as fishpoo so I won't be redundant. Random thoughts from me -

I sat in on a classroom session and they had student presentations (not sure if it was planned in conjunction with our visit). Students were working on interesting research projects like linking obesity and junk food at schools, rail construction and traffic, homelessness/Skid Row, and redevelopment. Students seemed competent and knowledgeable of their research during their presentations. Their peers engaged them in critical questions regarding their research plans and the professor was pretty encouraging of them.

The MPP program was touted to be very quant heavy, though to the dismay of some of the attendees, calculus isn't used in any of the quant/econ classes. They tried to emphasize that there classes were rigorous but unlike other programs, they teach for application/practicality, hence the absence of calculus.

Apparently career services even helps students land internships or work in professional development even before the start classes so they end up with internships the summer before they even start (something to take advantage of if you plan on going and moving to LA a little early).

All courses virtually have a group-work component which some students remarked was frustrating but also practical since it reflects the nature of the real world.

Current students of all programs were very approachable and friendly when I was wandering in the hallways and very friendly with each other. Lots of greetings exchanged in passing or while on a break. Very nice atmosphere.

For some reason I ended up mingling with more current and alumni MPAs than MPPs, so I got a little perspective from them and their program as well. While MPPs are total cheerleaders for their programs, a few MPAs remarked that they were a little disappointed with their program in that it wasn't rigorous enough. I guess this goes for all programs but the SPPD network is only strong in certain areas (LA local government, non-profit and consulting).

Although SPPD has pretty interesting and organized international labs, it seems like SPPD is just beginning to get a foothold overseas which might be a turnoff for those interested in international issues. SPPD has previous int'l labs in China and Brazil and if i understood correctly the coming year's lab will be in Hong Kong.

USC's campus has a friendly vibe and the architecture is beautiful (though those undergrads on skateboards or beach cruisers riding around carelessly seem kind of annoying).

USC's location, however, is something else and LA in general might seem a little daunting due to the horrendous congestion (which I learned from a student presentation is just 3rd worst in the nation), safety concerns, parking and high cost of living. Current students recommended not using a car since parking permits are in the hundreds per semester and to try to stick to public transportation. USC has on a lot of bus routes so I guess with some research and creativity, going carless can be done. A light rail is being built that would connect USC to a neighboring city (though who really knows when those things actually reach completion.) On the flipside, it's a vibrant, diverse city with a lot to explore.

[NolaPlanner]

I'm a MPL (doing dual degree w/ MPP) and I also attended the Dean's Merit Event a couple of weeks ago, and I can confirm all the other things mentioned by the other posters.

The one thing I would like to add is that USC seems to be a polished, well-endowed and university supported school. I think that's something important to consider - I figure if I'm about to sink over $100k into this school (for 3yrs since doing a dual degree), I better be very sure that the program is going to be around for a long time, they will provide resources for me to utilize as a student, and are on an upward trajectory. I think SPPD fits those criteria the best.

I was admitted to Tufts (UEP) and Rutgers (MPP) and I think Rutgers is similar in its cushy position, but it's a state school, which in the time of budget crises is a little scary. Tufts is a wonderful school, but the program isn't nearly as well supported as SPPD or Bloustein. It looks like most people have offers from other top notch private universities, so I don't know how helpful that might be. I got the same feeling about UC Berkeley - the CED building is in rough shape, and I've heard a lot of other universities brag about snatching up professors from the UC system (didn't SPPD announce something like that at lunch?)

I have another more general question as well, especially for those not in CA - I won't be staying in LA or California after school, so the "name" or "brand" or prestige of USC is really important to me, not out of vanity, but to ensure that I'm paying the premium for a top 10 program for a good reason. How well do you find people in your field recognize USC as a top school, or SPPD as a top program? Is it well known that it's one of the best in the country?

Edited April 3, 2011 by NolaPlanner