Current Duke Sanford MPP to answer questions

[kyeulsa]

I'm a first year MPP at Sanford, and I'm happy to answer any questions you might have about the school. I chose Sanford over Ford, Harris, GPPI and others, and I have been happy with my decision. I'm in the energy/enviro policy area, but I'll try to answer any questions you have about other policy areas, the school or Durham (which I think is great). I was out of school 5 years before coming back, including 3 years as a policy analyst in DC.

[undecided12]

Hi kyeulsa - thanks for making yourself available!

I'm deciding between GPPI (25% scholarship) and Duke (50% scholarship) and I'm seriously divided (I also got into Harris, but eliminated them because I'm less into academia and more into practical skill-building). A few questions:

1. Why did you pick Duke over GPPI? Were any of those reasons NOT related to your specific focus? I'm interested in international policy (though not totally decided on that focus yet) and they both seem really strong in that area.

2. Is the Duke alumni network as strong as they claim? If I want a job in DC when I graduate, will I be able to get one? Obviously this is largely contingent on my own initiative, but I'm asking the question relative to the fact that Georgetown is literally IN DC and capable of getting me a job fairly quickly as part of my education.

3. I'll be 24 in September when I start. I figure I'm on the younger end of things... Would that be an issue for any reason?

4. Do Duke students work part-time at all while they're at school? Debt is scary, and any opportunities to mitigate that would be welcome.

[kyeulsa]

Hi Undecided,

Sure, happy to talk about my decision.

1. Why did you pick Duke over GPPI? Were any of those reasons NOT related to your specific focus? I'm interested in international policy (though not totally decided on that focus yet) and they both seem really strong in that area.

I think you're right that they're both strong in the international area. I picked Duke over GPPI because I think it's a better skills program, and that was my priority, too. I think GPPI is great if you want to try to do internships and stuff, but I think the academics take a back seat to internships and networking. I think Sanford offers a good blend of practical skill development without being overly quant-y, so you come out with hard skills that are in demand. In the policy world, Sanford definitely has a better reputation - but people in DC will think just as highly of GPPI. What I tried to do was really think about the outcome from going to the schools I was choosing between - do you think GPPI and Sanford will get you some place different? If so, is the difference you perceive worth the extra tuition?

2. Is the Duke alumni network as strong as they claim? If I want a job in DC when I graduate, will I be able to get one? Obviously this is largely contingent on my own initiative, but I'm asking the question relative to the fact that Georgetown is literally IN DC and capable of getting me a job fairly quickly as part of my education.

Yeah, the alumni network is great. The majority of the alumni go there straight from school, so most of the Sanford grads are in the area. The school coordinates a couple of trips to DC to network with alumni there, and I've found them to be valuable contacts (and very responsive to Duke grads). At least half of my year, it seems, has locked down internships for DC this summer (everyone who wants to be there, I think) so I don't view it as a disadvantage to be 4.5 hours away. And, to be honest, some internships prefer people not from the DC schools since they get so many apps from those places. I wouldn't have moved from DC to live here for a couple years if I thought it would be a disadvantage. At least a quarter of my class moved here from DC, so I don't think I'm alone in thinking that.

3. I'll be 24 in September when I start. I figure I'm on the younger end of things... Would that be an issue for any reason?

No, I don't think so. Our year has a couple folks fresh out of undergrad, and a lot of people in their early 20s. I'd say average age is a couple years older than that, but once you're in school age doesn't seem as important.

4. Do Duke students work part-time at all while they're at school? Debt is scary, and any opportunities to mitigate that would be welcome.

I don't know many students working part-time, but there are a few. Everyone gets offered the TA/RA/GA position for two semesters, and most get it second year spring, too. So that's $4000 for the semester. I don't think people work at GPPI, either - they might have internships, but I bet a lot are unpaid. One plus, though, is that Durham is super cheap. You can live in a really nice house close to campus and downtown for 1/4 what it would cost in DC.

Hope that helps! Let me know if you have other questions.