Masters in Public Policy advise/opinion needed.

[Dawwr]

Hello everybody,

 

I completed my bachelors last year. I'd planned on applying to numerous public policy programs around the country, but extenuating circumstances arose and I was unable to conduct any research about programs. I was only able to apply to the MPSA program at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University.

 

My undergraduate CGPA is 3.94. I scored 164 on my GRE quantitative section, 160 on the verbal section and a 5.5 on the writing section. I had very strong letters of recommendations from my professors and decent involvement and leadership credentials.

 

I spoke with some people, and they have suggested that the MPSA program at the Bush School is a 4th tier program. They suggested that with my credentials, I can easily make it into some of the highest ranked public policy programs. To be honest, I've been very underwhelmed about the MPSA program at the Bush School after talking to some people. Do you think I should wait for the next admission cycle to start and apply to better schools, or should I go ahead with the MPSA program at the Bush School? Does anybody know anything about the Bush School?

[GradSchoolAlibi]

I'm no expert. But you've gotten quality advice. If you can use this year to get quality work experience, all the better. There's a very strong bias against applicants straight out of college, but I bet that even with that bias you could get into some top-notch schools. Throw in more WE and you'll be good.

[Dawwr]

I'm no expert. But you've gotten quality advice. If you can use this year to get quality work experience, all the better. There's a very strong bias against applicants straight out of college, but I bet that even with that bias you could get into some top-notch schools. Throw in more WE and you'll be good.

 

I wish I could've waited another year for admission cycles to open so that I could apply to some of the better schools, and work in the meanwhile, but the problem is I'm an international student. Trying to find quality work experience relevant to my field has been a very discouraging experience for me so far. The odds are stacked against me because I am international, and require sponsorship in order to be employed by US employers. But employers are really unwilling to spend on sponsoring internationals. Worse yet, I'm here on a student visa which expires in July this year. If I get admitted to the Bush School, the visa will be renewed, otherwise I will have to go back to my home country, re-apply for a new visa, once I get admitted for a different masters program. All that is a lengthy process. 

 

Btw, what does the WE refer to?

[intlrlns]

WE=work experience

I was also an international student (did my BA then worked for a little over a year in the US) and I understand your doubts and concerns. But don't attend a school that won't offer you opportunities in the future just so you can stay back. You have solid GRE and grades and with work experience you could do a lot better. Besides, if you're really serious about an MPP you will probably need some WE to get into good grad schools. 

Evaluate your priorities. If your priority is to continue your stay in the country and think about the next step after you're done with the Bush School and then go ahead and do that. But sooner or later, lack of work experiences will be an issue for employment . On the other hand, if you can get some solid experience in your home country (or another country, even if it is NGO work) go head and explore your options. An MPP program should complement your career choices so take some time to formulate that choice.

If you get into Bush and decide to attend it, explore the possibility of taking a year off before enrolling (if they offer that option). That way you are guaranteed to come back with a better understanding of your goals. Good luck!

[MPPgal]

Work experience doesnt mean US, go back to you home country, do an internship or even better find a relevant job, thats what I did, it will also teach you a lot about what you really want to do with an MPP.

[MPPgal]

And about the visa, yes it is a lengthy process but it takes 2 months....this is the rest of your life you are talking about

[cptdelorean]

What exactly are your long-term goals? If you want to work in DC, yeah, you may not want to go to the Bush School (though to be honest I am not 100% sure about its connections to other parts of the country). If location is more important - and you want to live in Texas - the Bush School is a fantastic choice as Texas is pretty much LBJ/Bush for policy (a few other schools are in Texas as well, but UT/A&M are the most highly regarded). The Bush School also is known to give pretty generous funding, which can be a huge factor if one wants to work in the public sphere because, let's face it, the pay isn't the best and racking up a load of debt may not be the wisest decision (but this is a personal choice).

 

It's a balancing act and you have to know what your priorities are.