MPA Programs not mentioned much...

[Helpplease123]

I only found this part of the forum a day or two ago, so a bit late to change my applications but i'm a bit curious about schools people have chosen..

My list was narrowed down using rankings I found and then by the programs I liked the look of but I seem to have a list that i'm applying to that I've barely seen mentioned in the context of mpa/mpp here but i'm missing almost all the schools you are talking about!

I've applied to: USC SPPD, Columbia SIPA (ok this one i've seen mentioned but I highly doubt i'll get in anyway..), NYU Wagner, Texas LBJ, UNC Chapel Hill and LSE (all MPA).

Is there a reason why no one else has seemed to apply to most of these schools...did I miss something important (i'm international)?!

I'm also wondering, as I didn't realise this was such a problem until too late but I don't have any public affairs full time work experience...

I volunteered a lot on the side at Undergrad and while I was working full time. Also been part time at an elderly persons home volunteering since Sept and studying economics and maths because I realised I was missing those pre-reqs.

i'm now applying for research positions in public affairs/public policy type places but that won't be relevant unless I got on a waitlist and could update them..

My full time work is 1 yr events, 1 yr management and 10 months operations type job - is anyone else applying with irrelevant work experience?

[Fell4Ever]

In my personal opinion, a lot of people have a "go giant or go home" mentality and only apply to the top top schools. I really do not agree with this mentality, because it implies that only the professors and administrators at 10 schools (The 'top 10') in the country are capable of teaching you the skills and knowledge related to an MPA. Obviously, that's not true.

I personally do not believe that going to a school not in the TOP TEN will hurt you in the long run. Maybe you wi get more networking experience at a top ten school just because be famous or useful people with busy schedules will only have time for these schools, but if you're a hard worker and interview well, I personally believe you have just as much chance to get hired at a government office then a SIPA graduate. And then once you get hired, its not about your school - its about your work ethic, experience and ultimately luck. Have faith in your ability and your school choice. Apply, get in, learn, live your life.

Often time, the people on this forum freak out over the littlest thing ("Omg the envelope I sent my Personal Statement in had a smudge - will they not accept me?"). We all admit that this is a big deal in our lives - we ALL want to get in and help make the world a better place - but we should remember we're all human, even our potential teachers, and should do our best to enjoy our lives before we die. There is NOTHING wrong with your school choices. Power through, my friend.

[CreamTea]

I had NYU on my shortlist but ended up crossing it out. I felt like the admissions office couldn't care less about students. For me, the support students get throughout the program is very important. I was looking for something close to the level I got at my undergrad college. Also, I wanted a more international focus.

For LSE- I did a semester abroad in London and my university had it's own school building. I would go to LSE for public events and you could tell that the university was strapped for financial resources to keep up facilities. I prefer to go to a school that can give me grant funding for research projects so I didn't consider LSE even though I love London.

[aspiringmaster]

Albany is one school that doesn't get talked about much here but has a great MPA program (highly ranked) that is very affordable

[Sammy22]

I too am surprised at how little play UNC gets on this forum. Especially considering it is identically ranked with American, Columbia, and GWU. UNC's in-state tuition is incredibly more affordable than almost all other top-15 programs.

For the record, I applied to both UNC and American.

[Helpplease123]

Thanks for all the responses!

How about USC? From what I could see it was 7 in the rankings and the program content looked really good..

Also does the lack of responses about work experience mean i'm the only whose work exp. is not in a public admin/policy field?!

[Fell4Ever]

Thanks for all the responses!

How about USC? From what I could see it was 7 in the rankings and the program content looked really good..

Also does the lack of responses about work experience mean i'm the only whose work exp. is not in a public admin/policy field?!

From what I remember from other posters, the problem with working in the Private sector but wanting an MPA is that you have to prove that you care about the public sphere? Just put something in your cover letter - stress the kills u've learned in your Private Work Experience and how they've helped prepare you for a career with an MPA.

I'm applying straight out of Undergrad so my work experience is super limited. But you just have to roll with it my friend.

[Rexbocker828]

I've seen USC quite a bit on this forum. I think it really comes down to what program is best for you. Yes it's true as someone mentioned above, big name programs will be able to offer you a wider network of alumni in addition to the "wow" factor of having that school on your resume but the most important thing is how you apply the knowledge that you've learned.

[bgreenster]

Surprisingly (to me), a number of the schools I've applied to aren't talked about much on here. Even Duke doesn't get too much mention, and it IS top-ranked. I think it's just that the people on thegradcafe going for the MPP/MPA are high achievers, tending to either go for an Ivy-type school or be around DC. Yes, it's nice to have a "high" ranking, but I went with whichever schools felt right for what I wanted to do.

I think you knew best what was good for you, and now it's just that time that we don't have anything better to do than second guess everything we have done. Don't worry about it

[jc08c]

Interesting stuff. I applied to Florida State University MPA although I have not heard from anyone on here even considering it! I wonder if some people only show a partial list of where they applied to, conveniently leaving out the not-so-impressive schools in the hopes that the impressive schools will accept them, and they can forgot they ever applied to mediocre schools? IDK. I am proud of all the schools I applied to and will consider them equally!

[MYRNIST]

Maybe you wi get more networking experience at a top ten school just because be famous or useful people with busy schedules will only have time for these schools, but if you're a hard worker and interview well, I personally believe you have just as much chance to get hired at a government office then a SIPA graduate.

So in general I totally applaud and agree with your attitude, but I would dispute the above statement.

Consulting firms (a desired employer for many people on here, apparently) often only hire out of certain top universities. Government agencies often have special hiring fairs + entry programs for their pipeline schools, which are usually the top ones in their field. That's not to even mention the massive role networking plays in getting jobs - no matter how often you cruise Monster or usajobs, the job you end up with is likely (statistically speaking) to be one you found through a human connection, which places a steep priority on alumni networks.

The top schools are the top schools for a reason, they give you a massive leg up in terms of getting the job you want. So while it doesn't "hurt" you in a broad sense to go to a non-elite school, it does lower the odds you get the career you want. I'd also point out that for many of the jobs people on here want, there is a massive discrepancy between employment supply and demand - the WB, consultancies, State Dept., etc. all have way more applicants then they have jobs to fill. In that kind of employment market, stuff like your university's brand and alumni network becomes even more important.

Not to say a non-elite MPA school is bad or anything, just need to adjust your professional expectations accordingly.

Interesting stuff. I applied to Florida State University MPA although I have not heard from anyone on here even considering it! I wonder if some people only show a partial list of where they applied to, conveniently leaving out the not-so-impressive schools in the hopes that the impressive schools will accept them, and they can forgot they ever applied to mediocre schools? IDK. I am proud of all the schools I applied to and will consider them equally!

I think the main thing is that the majority of posters on this forum are seeking international relations focused schools in hopes of an IR career. The list of MPA schools with an institutional focus on IR is relatively small, compared to those focusing on general non-profit / public management. So schools like Duke or Michigan, while solid schools for domestic-focused MPAs but not very renowned for their IR programs, don't get much play. Same thing for USC, Wisconsin, UNC, etc. All good schools, just not for professional IR degrees.

Edited February 22, 2012 by MYRNIST