GPPI or CIPA? Really need your thoughts!

[Yangtze]

Hi, everybody! It's really helpful to read past discussions and that propel me to discuss my major concern at this moment. As an international student, I am now choosing between CIPA(with $$) and GPPI. (no fellowship).

Personally, I am thinking of concentrating on international development and work in the States. Consulting firms and non-profit sectors, international organizations (which would be perfect and inspiring fro me) are my two career interests.

I see Cornell's Ivy identity. But so far just worried how worthy to choose this not first-tier program just for the name. On the other, there are quite some positive comments on CIPA.

Your thoughts will be extremely valuable at this moment...I just worn out as thinking of these two schools all day long...

Edited March 16, 2012 by Yangtze Sun

[inkzheng]

Hi there,

I can tell from your family name that you are Chinese . I am also Chinese.

I'd like to share with you my thoughts. I have 4 years working experience across the public, private and non-profit sectors in China. I can give you advices from the perspective of career development.

You are thinking about Consulting firms as your future career? I guess you must be a fresh undergraduates with limited working experiences because seasoned practitioners would never ever consider this after they get substantial experiences with governments, corporations and NGOs.

I have a lot of friends who are working for consulting firms specializing in government/public affairs, such as Booz Allen, Apco Worldwide, Bain, BCG, Mckinsey. I have to say that for most of those government/public affairs consultants, they got MBA instead of MPA/MPP. MPA/MPP will not help you much if you choose to work in consulting industry. If you really care about consulting, try to work for a few years and get an MBA then.

Honestly, I don't like those MPA/MPP programs which accpet many fresh undergraduates with pratically no working experiences. MPA/ MPP is supposed to be a professional program. A few years of working should be a must. If I were you, I would not choose Cornell CIPA since that program accept many fresh undergraduates. You would find the people around you is just like you, most of whom have limited practical working experience.

However, GPPI is a different thing. The majority of GPPI are professional workers. The environment can help you get a professional and personal relationship with your classmates whose experiences, ideas and opinions enable you to see the breath of issues affecting the global community from their varied perspectives.

You may find it interesting that some of the MPA/MPP programs admit a lot of Chinese students, such as the JHK- SAIS, USC, Cornell CIPA, CMU-Heiz, while some of the prorgams they barely accept Chinese students, such as Princeton- WWS, Duke -Sanford, UM-Ford, Upenn-Fels, Berkeley-GSPP. That's because most of the Chinese applicants just graduate from university. Now I think you know how to make a sound decision.

Edited March 16, 2012 by inkzheng

[Yangtze]

Hi, Zheng! Thank you sooo much for your detailed reply and that really helps me a lot！u r right, I'm applying directly from undergraduate. My ultimate career goal is in public sectors and organizations.As far as consultant company question, I think it just reflects the concern many Chinese MPA students who are as young as I am may share. Your advice is of special value!

I just received MPA admission from SIPA. Considering my future career and your comments, I think that's where I will go for. Best with you application!

[tianling9]

Congrats!! I'm a senior in Peking University, and got into waitlist of SIPA. Pretty depressed...

Heard it's really hard for us undergraduates... So do you have a lot of internship and working experience before? Thanks!

[inkzheng]

Congrats! It is true that SIPA belongs to the top-tier school for public affairs. But there is one thing you should know about this program. It is extremely big. It usually accepts around 200 applicants every year just for MPA and around 250 applicants for MIA. I have to say SIPA's class is the largest among all the the top-tier programs. ( WWS(MPA)-around 60, HKS (MPP)-around 120, Duke(MPP)-around 60, Upenn(Fels MPA)- around 30, Berkeley(Goldman MPP)_around 50, Stanford(Ford Dorsey Program)-around 25)

Sometimes a relatively small class will help you ensure a close friendship with your classmates, most of whom are experienced practitioners with different working experiences from diverse sectors. This is very important for professional programs like MPA/MPP

.

Anyway, for the sake of Columbia's fame and location, SIPA might be a good choice.

By the way, does SIPA offer you any scholarships? As far as I know, SIPA is extremely expensive.

Edited March 17, 2012 by inkzheng

[Yangtze]

To tianliang9: my internship experience is not that impressive in a quantitative sense. but maybe they just align really well with my future plan. best luck with your SIPA application. Plz let me if we could meet in NYC!

To inkzheng: thank you for your helpful response. Actually the program I am enrolled in is the much smaller one in development, which is exactly what I love. That also may bring me what you describe as "close friendship". Cost-benefit calculation for graduate school can always be complicated and demanding. But now I just realize the best one is the one which makes you want to explore and dare to explore at the thought of it~

btw: have u decided which one to go to? I saw u have quite some top choices！

Edited March 19, 2012 by Yangtze