Rank... by FUNDING

[sherpa07]

So I'm a bit ahead of myself, but I'm trying to narrow down a list of schools to apply to for MPP/MPA programs. One VERY important factor is, of course, funding.

How would you rank the major Public Policy Schools based on funding generosity? Are there any, apart from Princeton, that are particularly generous? Which ones are notoriously stingy?

Here's a sampling of some schools I'm considering, but don't hesitate to add any if you've heard particularly good/bad things!: Cornell CIPA, Syracuse Maxwell, Duke Sanford, Georgetown, GWU Trachtenberg, Harvard Kennedy, CMU Heinz, LSE (for Americans..), UPenn Fels, and Brown Taubman.

Share what you've got, even if it's only anecdotal!

[IRToni]

Best: WWS. They fund everyone.

Harvard is notoriously stingy with funding, as well as LSE, from what I gather.

Don't know about the rest though.

[MYRNIST]

Georgetown is quite stingy as well.

[sherpa07]

For what it's worth, the results section here suggests that Cornell CIPA is quite generous..

[state_school'12]

Berkeley is cheap with in state tuition (by second year if out of state), plus GSI opportunities (both years) = half tuition plus $1700/month stipend.

[jflorezi]

Maxwell is pretty generous if you have a relevant background. Full tuition + Stipend is not unheard of there ;-)

[orangesplease]

Columbia SIPA provides very limited funding to first years, but scoring one seems to be decent (25-35k it seems). Then all second year students are generally guaranteed a scholarship if they are able to maintain a 3.5 (or 3.4?) or above. They report on average it's 18k second year, but it seems 30k year two is common and they offer TAships that cover full tuition.

GPPI is stingy in that the max it seems most people receive is 20k/year. If you have about 3.4 and a decent quant score, you should get at least 5k/year. No additional funding opportunities year two, so work hard to get and keep that first-year scholarship! MIDP students, however, were offered full tuition this year b/c it was the first year of the program. I imagine they will be generous to students in its next several cohorts.

[method]

Michigan Ford has outstanding funding between fellowships and TA/RA positions.

[sherpa07]

Any thoughts on Duke Sanford or UPenn Fels? They seem moderately generous from my readings here; would you agree?

[piquant777]

Yale gives good funding to its most qualified candidates, plus generous teaching assistantships if you can land one. Georgetown SFS has been known to be a bit stingy, but the new MGHD program for international development gave several full scholarships this year. Fletcher generally gives up to half-tuition for its top candidates, sometimes a bit over. SAIS in my experience was very meh, but if you can land one of their few application-only scholarships (essay contests, etc.) that could make a big difference. SIPA is notoriously horrible for first-year funding (giving NONE to the vast majority of candidates, even their best ones), and second-year funding is not guaranteed so some who count on it when accepting end up disappointed (and very, very in debt).

[sherpa07]

Any thoughts on Brown and UPenn? I'm assuming Brown's funding is quite bad, given its status as the least endowed Ivy? But how about UPenn?

[goldenbear26]

Berkeley's Goldman School is amazing. They make it very easy to secure GSI or GSR (TA positions) positions. At just 10 hours of work a week, they'll waive your tuition. At 20 hours a week or more they'll waive your tuition and give you a healthy living stipend.

I'll be entering my first year at Goldman in the fall and I secured a GSI position immediately. They'll be waiving my tuition and paying me 1500 a month (more than enough to pay for housing, food, and some books). Also, it's not like I had to try hard to get this gig. Goldman's Staff has sent out pages and pages of openings and have repeatedly said that GSPP students are incredibly sought after on campus. I applied for 1 of the many openings and got the gig immediately.

So, I'll be spending two years at Goldman knowing that I'll probably graduate debt-free.

That's how Goldman helps ensure that its students go back into the public sector.

[CreamTea]

Love this topic

I could have used it myself!

Fletcher is very generous. The offer up to the full cost of tuition (but nothing over). I was offered 80% tuition.

Maryland SPP offered a half fellowship. I forgot how many hours I was suppose to work. I was hoping for full fellowship (you can get more details online) but they said they did give any full fellowships that year because they wanted to spread the money to as many people as possible. This was in 2010 so this could have changed.

[CreamTea]

Berkeley's Goldman School is amazing. They make it very easy to secure GSI or GSR (TA positions) positions. At just 10 hours of work a week, they'll waive your tuition. At 20 hours a week or more they'll waive your tuition and give you a healthy living stipend.

I'll be entering my first year at Goldman in the fall and I secured a GSI position immediately. They'll be waiving my tuition and paying me 1500 a month (more than enough to pay for housing, food, and some books). Also, it's not like I had to try hard to get this gig. Goldman's Staff has sent out pages and pages of openings and have repeatedly said that GSPP students are incredibly sought after on campus. I applied for 1 of the many openings and got the gig immediately.

So, I'll be spending two years at Goldman knowing that I'll probably graduate debt-free.

That's how Goldman helps ensure that its students go back into the public sector.

Congratulations! That's really great of Goldman. I wish more schools can follow their example

[lost_0101]

I have absolutely nothing to contribute to this thread - I just want to pump it to the top, hoping more people contribute.

My first criteria for an MPA or MPP degree is to come out of of it debt-free, so any and all insight appreciated!

[fenderpete]

American fund pretty well if they like your profile.

[sherpa07]

Can we bump this? Does anyone know anything about the criteria certain schools use to give out aid (GPA mins, GRE mins, Americorps/PeaceCorps, etc.)?

[slb]

Duke apparently has great funding as well.

[lost_0101]

Does anyone know anything about the criteria certain schools use to give out aid (GPA mins, GRE mins, Americorps/PeaceCorps, etc.)?

One way to check: Anyone who has *received* funding from X program care to provide your stats?

Anyone with 'average' GRE scores receive funding?

[CreamTea]

What's average? To be honest, I think that work experience is that main thing that they look for but that's just my gut feeling. I think they give more to people who will enhance their overall profile. Could be totally wrong

[mppbluedevil13]

With respect to Duke's funding, Sanford provides merit-based scholarships.  Also, most students receive fellowships ranging from partial to full tuition.

[awphenomenally]

Any thoughts on Brown and UPenn? I'm assuming Brown's funding is quite bad, given its status as the least endowed Ivy? But how about UPenn?

 

Actually, Taubman is so small they they give some funding to nearly all their students according to their website.

[plenum123]

Actually, Taubman is so small they they give some funding to nearly all their students according to their website.

Hopefully.  I got my acceptance letter yet seeing a dime. 

[awphenomenally]

Hopefully.  I got my acceptance letter yet seeing a dime. 

My letter didn't mention anything either. I am going to call today.