SIPA

[JFactor]

SIPA's "bad rap" might have something to do with their MPA/public policy degree. People criticize the cost and the lack of financial scholarships compared to other public policy programs that can be much more affordable and they are not that different in terms of quality. I could be wrong but this is the feeling I've got from public policy applicants here and elsewhere.

 

When it comes to the MIA degree or international affairs, I don't think SIPA has a bad rap at all. On the contrary, it's one of the most highly ranked programs in the US/in the world. Of course, how you regard it depends on your focus - if you're really interested in US foreign policy or want to work for the US government, then DC schools might be better for you. Also, if you're not into economics, SIPA's quant heavy program might not be for you. But if you're not necessarily looking to work for the US government and you're more quant-focused (and more open to working in the private sector), SIPA might be a great school for you.

 

But these are just my impressions and I could be wrong. I'd love to hear other opinions.

Edited March 14, 2013 by JFactor

[pete-mc]

But these are just my impressions and I could be wrong. I'd love to hear other opinions.

 

My wife's best friend went to Sipa. I know quite a bit about the school; if you have Qs I can try to give my perspective.

 

If you'd like my "personal" ranking of the top 6 IR schools, it would be the following:

 

1. Hks

2. Wws

3. Sais

4. Sipa

5. Sfs

6. Fletcher

[JFactor]

My wife's best friend went to Sipa. I know quite a bit about the school; if you have Qs I can try to give my perspective.

 

If you'd like my "personal" ranking of the top 6 IR schools, it would be the following:

 

1. Hks

2. Wws

3. Sais

4. Sipa

5. Sfs

6. Fletcher

 

I appreciate the offer. I'll definitely have some questions for you but I'm going to wait until I actually hear whether I get in. Hopefully that'll be the upcoming Monday.

[Pinkman]

I think SIPA's bad rap comes from the fact that they offer little or no aid for 1st year students and additionally the program is massive so many students are left without jobs upon graduation. I dont have facts but I read in the Foreign Policy that their students have the lowest employment rate out of all the top 10 schools. 

[Pinkman]

My wife's best friend went to Sipa. I know quite a bit about the school; if you have Qs I can try to give my perspective.

 

If you'd like my "personal" ranking of the top 6 IR schools, it would be the following:

 

1. Hks

2. Wws

3. Sais

4. Sipa

5. Sfs

6. Fletcher

Completely disagree with these rankings. HKS is hardly the top IR school when its not even completely IR focused. SAIS or SFS would be number one on that list followed by Fletcher and SIPA. HKS and WWS, while fantastic programs, I would consider them more generalist programs rather then specific IR programs. YMMV.

[soaps]

Completely disagree with these rankings. HKS is hardly the top IR school when its not even completely IR focused. SAIS or SFS would be number one on that list followed by Fletcher and SIPA. HKS and WWS, while fantastic programs, I would consider them more generalist programs rather then specific IR programs. YMMV.

 

I think the rankings are a mix of perceptions/prestige and the quality of the programs, which is why WWS and HKS are included. I do think both have very robust IR options, though, and given the resources both schools offer and the quality/stature of their IR-focused faculty, they offer a better branded and useful degree for IR or non-IR purposes. I really don't think SAIS, SFS, and SIPA are that qualitatively different nor will they yield much difference career-wise, but SAIS has a better reputation and footprint with the foreign service and SIPA has the biggest New York (and thus multilateral) footprint. Fletcher suffers from not being in New York or DC.

 

I would have applied to SFS but I hate DC and love NYC.

Edited March 14, 2013 by soapwater

[Tom-MPP]

Completely disagree with these rankings. HKS is hardly the top IR school when its not even completely IR focused. SAIS or SFS would be number one on that list followed by Fletcher and SIPA. HKS and WWS, while fantastic programs, I would consider them more generalist programs rather then specific IR programs. YMMV.

 

man, i dont know what world u live in, but putting sais or sfs ahead of hks or wws, thats idealistic at best..

[Tom-MPP]

I think SIPA's bad rap comes from the fact that they offer little or no aid for 1st year students and additionally the program is massive so many students are left without jobs upon graduation. I dont have facts but I read in the Foreign Policy that their students have the lowest employment rate out of all the top 10 schools. 

 

reason for sipa's relatively poor job placement is that columbia has 2 top rated grad schools right next door, business and law; its tough to shine in the shadows of such competition

Edited March 14, 2013 by Tom-MPP

[east_bound]

Does anyone know when SIPA's admitted students day/open house will be?

[Revolution]

reason for sipa's relatively poor job placement is that columbia has 2 top rated grad schools right next door, business and law; its tough to shine in the shadows of such competition

 

SIPA students try very hard to cozy up to the MBAs and attend their events, but they're prevented from gaining access to MBA recruiting events and job postings. This also happens at HKS but to a lesser extent.

[Revolution]

I'm honestly not sure why SIPA sometimes gets a bad rap, but I would say it is a step above all those programs except WWS and HKS. Speaking as a New Yorker, SIPA has a much better reputation than NYU/Wagner, and I don't think some of the other programs you mentioned are particularly well regarded (or highly ranked) at all. Why do you think SIPA is poorly ranked? It's easily in the top for international affairs, but I'm not sure about public policy more generally.

 

I think, in past years, it has been criticized for funding, but having just applied to schools this year, funding options at SIPA are much better than at least HKS, so I think a lot of the criticism is undeserved. 

 

SIPA is a cash cow for columbia that gives basically no aid and gets the full price from rich internationals who are not smart enough to get into a top grad program but wants the columbia ivy league pedigree.

[pete-mc]

SIPA students try very hard to cozy up to the MBAs and attend their events, but they're prevented from gaining access to MBA recruiting events and job postings. This also happens at HKS but to a lesser extent.

 

I can confirm that; my wife told me that some SIPA students were even successful in mingling at IB and MC mixers, and ended up scoring summer interships; but FT offers are pretty tough to get at the end; bcs firms asks SIPA grads mostly to join on analyst level due to lack of MBA and SIPA folks dont want that - which is understandable if you have multiple yrs of work exp.

Edited March 14, 2013 by PJM

[soaps]

SIPA is a cash cow for columbia that gives basically no aid and gets the full price from rich internationals who are not smart enough to get into a top grad program but wants the columbia ivy league pedigree.

 

It provides more aid than HKS does. It seems average in terms of aid overall. Guaranteed funding for maintaining above a 3.5 the second year, a new (actual) loan forgiveness program, and (just based on the aid application) more private merit scholarships that aren't ridiculously competitive fellowships. 

Edited March 14, 2013 by soapwater

[pete-mc]

SIPA is a cash cow for columbia that gives basically no aid and gets the full price from rich internationals who are not smart enough to get into a top grad program but wants the columbia ivy league pedigree.

 

That is sad but true; same would go for HKS and its MC/MPA, MPA2 programs

[Revolution]

I can confirm that; my wife told me that some SIPA students were even successful in mingling at IB and MC mixers, and ended up scoring summer interships; but FT offers are pretty tough to get at the end; bcs firms asks SIPA grads mostly to join on analyst level due to lack of MBA and SIPA folks dont want that - which is understandable if you have multiple yrs of work exp.

 

Yup. I heard this from people at both sipa and columbia business. I thought about applying to sipa but don't want to spend 2 years playing second-fiddle to the MBAs while dropping tons of cash. Also, SIPA's job placement for Americans is very questionable. Most of the good private sector jobs go to the rich internationals with connections.

[newdisplayname]

This conversation is like watching some toddlers fight over a plastic bucket in the sandbox.

[Revolution]

That is sad but true; same would go for HKS and its MC/MPA, MPA2 programs

 

Does HKS give less aid to MPA2 than MPP? Is it worse than SAIS in terms of aid?

[soaps]

Yup. I heard this from people at both sipa and columbia business. I thought about applying to sipa but don't want to spend 2 years playing second-fiddle to the MBAs while dropping tons of cash. Also, SIPA's job placement for Americans is very questionable. Most of the good private sector jobs go to the rich internationals with connections.

 

... anyone at every public policy school ever is playing second fiddle to the top MBA programs for private sector jobs. For the public sector, your pay grade isn't determined by what school you went to or what type of graduate degree you have.

 

Why on Earth are you on this forum? If you aren't good enough to get into a top MBA program, public policy schools aren't going to help you.

Edited March 14, 2013 by soapwater

[soaps]

This conversation is like watching some toddlers fight over a plastic bucket in the sandbox.

 

That's because Revolution can't get into a top MBA program and so he takes out his frustration on people applying public policy schools so that they feel as value-less as he does. He's a broken record and de-rails every thread he touches. He also thinks (naively) that going to a top PP school can be used as a backdoor to top MBA programs. He has zero interest in or knowledge of the public sector and as such is the worst qualified to tell anyone about the value of public policy programs.

Edited March 14, 2013 by soapwater

[biscuits]

That's because Revolution can't get into a top MBA program and he takes out his frustration on people applying public policy schools.

 

Easy now, everyone. Don't feed the trolls. I know this is a very stressful time for the folks waiting on these last few schools, but presumably we are all above flinging toys from the sandbox in each others' faces. The silent treatment works so much better, anyway.

[Revolution]

That's because Revolution can't get into a top MBA program and so he takes out his frustration on people applying public policy schools so that they feel as value-less as he does. He's a broken record and de-rails every thread he touches.

 

I've gotten interviews at several top mba programs and am awaiting for final results. You should refrain from making ad hominem attacks since you don't know me and my credentials.

 

Also what part of my statements are factually inaccurate? If you disagree with my points, feel free to do so in a respectful manner.

Edited March 14, 2013 by Revolution

[Tom-MPP]

That's because Revolution can't get into a top MBA program and so he takes out his frustration on people applying public policy schools so that they feel as value-less as he does. He's a broken record and de-rails every thread he touches.

 

hey guys, lets keep it cool; ok fair enough, revolution is bashing at PP/IR programs, but soapwater ur personally attacking him by saying "he's not good enough"; how do u know that; i havent seen him personally attack or offend ppl; he just complains about schools and not ppl, which is a freedom of speech;

 

i can understand though that, as a PP/IR hopeful, u dont want someone talking negatively about a school that u may attend soon, which is psychological; but stand above it, revolution wont be the first or last dude to challenge u on going to PP/IR school, i speak from experience..

Edited March 14, 2013 by Tom-MPP

[Kadisha]

Easy now, everyone. Don't feed the trolls. I know this is a very stressful time for the folks waiting on these last few schools, but presumably we are all above flinging toys from the sandbox in each others' faces. The silent treatment works so much better, anyway.

 

Soapwater is right. Go look at the HKS and SAIS thread. In every single thread he bitches about the school not being good enough and wishing he was in an MBA program. It gets really annoying, and I sincerely hope I never meet him in real life. 

[biscuits]

Soapwater is right. Go look at the HKS and SAIS thread. In every single thread he bitches about the school not being good enough and wishing he was in an MBA program. It gets really annoying, and I sincerely hope I never meet him in real life. 

 

That may be true, but bad behavior is only encouraged by retaliation. If you want to work off stress by engaging him - and somehow I don't think it's going to work - it's best to counter him on factual grounds rather than personal attacks. 

[soaps]

I've gotten interviews at several top mba programs and am awaiting for final results. You should refrain from making ad hominem attacks since you don't know me and my credentials.

 

Also what part of my statements are factually inaccurate? If you disagree with my points, feel free to do so in a respectful manner.

 

I respond and correct many of your factually inaccurate statements (usually with no response from you), and regardless, you go on singing the same MBA tune no matter what. There's a reason you have the worst reputation on this subforum. You deserve to be called out, and everyone is tired of every discussion devolving into MBA school comparisons and the prestige-driven calculus that doesn't motivate most people interested in public policy. There have even been current students at top MBA programs who have contradicted what you have said in the HKS thread and you just ignore them. You are not qualified to evaluate the usefulness of public policy programs if you think the "public" in public policy is a fundamental defect. Your posts are misleading (not to mention dispiriting), and in the first place, no one here suffers the same delusion that an MPA will get them a six figure salary. If they do, they are applying to the wrong type of school.

The fact is that you don't respect anyone here because you do not respect public policy as a legitimate career path. For you it's some kind of backup and--in your grand scheme--some kind of backdoor that MBA students have told you repeatedly does not exist. You ignore them, and you go on disrespecting everyone here by devaluing the very nature of what they're trying to accomplish. I owe you nothing in return.

 

Edited March 14, 2013 by soapwater