HKS (MPP) and TFA

[The Other Cheek]

I'm currently a second year (2009) corps member with Teach For America, and I was wondering to what degree TFA is considered an asset on the MPP application? How much (do you believe) the admissions team will consider/value the selectivity of TFA's own acceptance process? Some of my basic stats:

Undergrad: UC Berkeley

Major/Minor: English / Gender & Women's Studies

GPA: 3.61

Last 60: ~3.8

Work Experience: 2.5 years

WE Specifics: 2 college summer internships with AmeriCorps' Breakthrough Collaborative (teaching), 6 months with Fund For the Public Interest as Campaign Manager (simultaneously 6 months freelance with green-living website), 2 years middle school Language Arts teacher, also taken on some leadership roles at my school (founded two clubs/organizations, in charge of Yearbook and English Language Learners) and with TFA

GRE: Q 730, V 680, AWA 5.5

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

[fso2k11]

I think it depends on the narrative. If you tell HKS you want to go into international security, then it makes no sense. But something domestic, ed-related, public-service oriented makes a lot of sense.

[The Other Cheek]

In my SOP, I specified an interest in the intersections of academia and public outreach, and specifically named education reform as my primary reason for applying to HKS.

[zourah]

In my SOP, I specified an interest in the intersections of academia and public outreach, and specifically named education reform as my primary reason for applying to HKS.

The only way to know if HKS admissions values TFA experience would be to compare the ratios of TFA:total applicant pool and TFA:total student body. I'll admit I can't do that, so everything else is speculation. That said, a huge number of my classmates are TFA alums. It's clearly a form of work experience the school respects, so even if it doesn't carry any additional weight or value over other professional experiences, it certainly isn't going to hurt you.