Help! How practical is a MPA in Develpment Practice from SIPA?

[Eclectic4]

Hi everyone,

I am very close to taking on some serious debt in order to go to Columbia's SIPA, with a focus on international sustainable development. To be clear, this is definitely my dream career.

I've gotten into an MPA at UPenn, which is much more domestic but arguably more practical and more guaranteed to lead to a decent job post-graduation.

1) Would you follow the dream at SIPA, having a higher likelyhood of being in the long-term career you want, but having to take on a ton of debt and not being guaranteed a good job?

2) Would you go to UPenn Fels, which is a solid, smaller, and more intimate program, taking on less debt due to a scholarship, but risking not reaching your long-term dream goals?

Thoughts please? Help:)

[Eclectic4]

Forgive me for my original topic title: it should read "How practical is a MPA in Development Practice," haha.

[Helpplease123]

I think you said it all in your post - live your dream and reach your long term goals all the way!

[Eclectic4]

Thanks! Yeah, I'm leaning that way but worried about the debt load at SIPA. I didn't receive any scholarship money. Second, the MPA-DP is a brand new program, albeit within the well established greater SIPA.

You are heading towards Price right?

[Helpplease123]

Yep - I love everything about Price! I want to go into nonprofits caring for a very specific vulnerable population (I don't want to mention which because people on here have gotten me so paranoid about being "identified" haha ) not government etc. so luckily didn't need to factor the DC/East Coast thing that we talked about on the other thread into my decision making because I can't wait to live in the sunshine.

Columbia is such a strong name across the world and I wouldn't worry about the newness of the program, I can't imagine Columbia doing anything in half measures.

Am I right in thinking SIPA gives more aid to second years than first? Maybe you won't end up with as much debt as you thought?

I don't know but regardless.. you may as well do the thing you've been dreaming about - you're more likely to regret not doing that than you are following your dream but accumulating some debt. Sorry... that sounded so cheesy but you know what I mean

[Eclectic4]

Yeah, I think you are right. What is the point of going to a school whose focus I'm not passionate about, just for a little extra scholarship money. It would be one thing if Penn's Fels also had an international focus, which would then cause me to pick it. Alas, it does not.

What were your final thoughts on Fels, given you were looking at that too? And how did it compare to Price?

It sounds like Price is a good program. I know it is well ranked as far as public affairs.

You are lucky to be moving to Cali, although I must say L.A. is not the best place in Cali by any means (city wise and culture wise).

I currently live around San Francisco and am sad I am leaving both the climate and the awesome progressive, laid back culture. However, going to the right school is more important:).

To that end, given that I may not want to stay on the East Coast is another argument for Columbia, in that the well known SIPA might be more transferable to San Francisco or L.A. post-graduation than the more regional Fels.

[Eclectic4]

http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-public-affairs-schools/public-affairs-rankings. You've got some good rankings there for Price.

[Helpplease123]

I didn't look too much into Fels - when I first shortlisted schools I used the US New rankings and it was lower down on the list (at the time I didn't realise that they were not very highly regarded rankings). Ultimately I discounted it because it appeared to focus more on government agencies than nonprofit management from what I could see, there isn't much research going on in my area of interest either and finally, as you mentioned, it isn't very internationally focused.... basically all of the issues I had with Fels were the opposite at Price (much more international, more nonprofit focused, research in my area), so I don't think Price is especially suited to someone that wanted to work in DC in policy areas etc.

I think that's a fantastic aspect of Columbia as you said - a degree from there is going to be seriously respected in any place in the world you might ever want to live. On top of that, it seems to be the better fit academically and the debt problem is at this moment hypothetical... you never know what's going to happen after graduation and what kind of job you'll get. The only thing you can do now is pick the school that will help you get the most from your degree.

I agree on LA not being the best place in California but there's still a beach and sun and that's good enough for me...leaving my family and friends in London is going to be hard enough, I need to at least have warmth waiting for me on the other side! Did you think about applying to Berkeley loving San Francisco so much?

[Eclectic4]

Yeah, I agree with you re Fels. It is good for regionally and domestically focused people, especially local and state in the Northeastern U.S.

I did apply to Berkeley but got waitlisted:(. It is like a 30 minute drive from my house and a lot of my friends go to the greater school, but not Goldman. It is strange because I absolutely love the town of Berkeley and school, both being extremely progressive, hip, and intellectual places. However, specifically with Goldman, I feel like they for some reason were extremely not responsive to me in any way, shape or form. No responses to practically anything, ranging from requests to visit, sit in on classes, or just general questions about applications, etc. It has turned me off a bit to Goldman, but not Berkeley.

Yeah, L.A. does have some good spots, especially Santa Monica which is nice and on the beach. Also, Santa Barbara, a small Spanish city a little bit up the coast is really nice.

I love London by the way.