MPA at SIPA or NYU Wagner?

[nycmpa12]

I applied to MPA programs with the goal of being in a COO-type position at a direct service nonprofit one day. However, I get tired of jobs that entail do the same thing every day/week and I've worked with a few nonprofit consultants whose jobs I would love--except that I like to have some contact with the people my organization is serving. Long story short, I want to go to a school where I can study nonprofit management and social policy. I need to improve my skills, broaden my policy knowledge, and keep my options open.

SIPA has the Urban and Social Policy concentration and Management specialization, which is why I applied. But it seems like a lot of the courses I'd take are not offered SIPA, but Teachers College, Mailman, etc. Do you think that's an issue? I'm trying to set up a meeting with a USP student at SIPA to get their take--I don't want to go to a school where my concentration is significantly lower on the totem pole than everything else. The MPA at Wagner on the other hand is clearly focused on what I want (not to say that SIPA doesn't have what I need, I'm just not certain yet that it does). And to what extent should the Columbia name play into my decision? I know from experience that Ivy League degrees do generally get noticed by hiring managers, and I don't know if people notice a Wagner MPA.

I already live in the city, and I won't be paying rent while I'm in school. Neither school offered me funding and assuming that I don't get funding the second year either, I'd be paying about $75,000 for NYU and $98,000 for Columbia (probably $30,000 out of pocket, and the rest borrowed). This is obviously a lot of money and I'm optimistically looking at earning $60,000/year after grad school.

So, thoughts? Help! Thank you!

[greendiplomat]

Go to Wagner (and this is coming from someone who went to Columbia for undergrad). Wagner and SIPA are probably on opposite ends of the spectrum as far as MPAs are concerned, both in terms of domestic vs international, as well as management vs policy analysis. You're right to say that there are options at both, but I think there is a right choice here, since nonprofit management is definitely NYU's strong suit, and especially since it's cheaper.

[policywonk]

I am also choosing between SIPA at Columbia and Wagner at NYU. I've been working in the field of social and economic policy in NYC for a while and want to use this degree to expand my work beyond nyc nonprofits to public-private partnerships, national orgs, etc. I also want some really technical skills in policy/quantitative analysis...Does anyone know which program would give me these types of connections and offer me rigorous training in quant analysis?

[greendiplomat]

I am also choosing between SIPA at Columbia and Wagner at NYU. I've been working in the field of social and economic policy in NYC for a while and want to use this degree to expand my work beyond nyc nonprofits to public-private partnerships, national orgs, etc. I also want some really technical skills in policy/quantitative analysis...Does anyone know which program would give me these types of connections and offer me rigorous training in quant analysis?

Knowing both Wagner and SIPA students, I'd say that if you're looking for more analytical rigor and a broader geographical scope, then SIPA might be the better choice.

[Poniess3]

@policywonk I could have written this word for word. So what did you guys decide? How did it turn out? 

Edited March 22, 2018 by Poniess3