Rather confused with rankings/prestige importance- specialty vs overall? Rutgers? UConn?

[Ariananana]

Hello all,

 

I had an account on here but I have forgotten the login info-- I can assure everyone that I've been around these forums for hours of my life just in the past couple of days. I've read some forums discussing prestige and such, but it's almost always a top 10-15 program debate. However, there's 200+ graduate programs and the rankings between specialties and overall vary quite a bit for me. So, I have some questions. Feel free to scroll to the most important part marked below and avoid my background because I care about those questions/concerns the most.

 

Quick background: UConn student, senior (graduating a semester early), spending 6 weeks abroad in Italy, accepted into UConn's fast-track MPA program (as in, I take grad courses as an undergrad and I have a 4.0 in the program so far), my major is resource economics, minor in public policy, major GPA 3.6, overall GPA 3.3 (I originally majored in history and it didn't go too well, a couple of C's and some gen eds brought me down with low B's). Pre-test of GRE has me at 145 verbal, 160 quant without any review of what the GRE covered, so I'm sure I can bring those both up 10pt when I actually study- especially the quant. I held an internship at the RI policy office for a semester during my freshman year, but otherwise have worked a large amount of hours in part time work for pay for the past year or so. My LORs will come from two graduate faculty of public finance and a faculty member in my major's department that knows me the best.

My major does tilt some of my interests in favor of environmental policy, but I'd be happy to work on the budgeting/financial side of an environmental nonprofit/agency/NGO. ASU is the only place where I'd go the environmental route academically because I do love their program's options on the matter.

 

Okay, now for the colleges. I don't plan on applying to Harvard or Princeton or any of that. I'm not into the IR/social policy aspects and I'm coming straight from undergrad, aka minimal relevant work experience. Here is where I plan to apply:

 

*Rutgers-Newark to concentrate in public finance and earn a certificate in performance measurement (10th public finance, 23rd overall)

*UConn- concentration in public finance and nonprofit management as well as potentially a certificate or masters in their unique survey research program, one of 5 in the nation, that has resulted in wonderful placement from what I hear when mixed with the MPA (7th in public finance, 42nd overall)

*UMD- concentration in public financial management, but also tempted by the energy policy program (14th public finance, 29th overall)

*ASU- concentration(s)/degrees in sustainability & MPP (14th public finance, 10th env. policy, 16th overall)

 

I'm considering others, recommendations would be wonderful! I'm not hooked on breaking into DC, I'd be very happy to work in most cities, especially on the east coast; Phili, NYC, Boston, Providence- or even further south or west.. Just not the midwest, I couldn't see myself living there. Arizona is probably the furthest in I would go and Chicago may be the only exception.

 

 

***Most important part- QUESTIONS!!!***

The overall ranking of UConn is not comparable to the other three schools (and others I've briefly looked at), but its public finance specialty ranking is wonderful and beats the rest easily. So then, why is a school ranked so highly in its specialty so far behind overall, and how does this affect its quality? Given that I'm in their strongest field, would that make the school a better fit for me? I love my current advisor, but even he understands that I need to go wherever is best for me so I'm definitely looking to other schools. Then, there is Rutgers- it is ranked much higher than UConn overall, above UMD, so why do I always read about UMD on these forums but never Rutgers? Am I missing something? I've been to Newark and I'm visiting the actual campus to meet the assistant Dean later this week and I've never felt that it was too bad, given the proximity to NYC. Isn't that an advantage?

Then, ASU- does the sustainability/MPP (or MPA with finance focus, also as a joint with sus.) hold up on the east coast in terms of reputation? How does distance affect all of this since I'd primarily want to work on the east coast (but not ruling out the west 100%)?

Many people have posted that USNews rankings don't mean much, but all of the schools that come up over and over are the top ranked ones from USN! It confuses me endlessly!

***End most important part***

 

I'm not interested in international anytime soon, if ever- I'm looking for federal/state agencies, nonprofits, etc. I want to work for a good cause and help it financially, as well as overall to better an organization if it is on the smaller side. Are any of the above schools a terrible trainwreck of a decision for this goal? I know I'll get into UConn because they love me and I'm pretty confident about ASU and Rutgers as well. I'm not completely sure where else to look until I know if I should bother with universities that don't "make the cut" of where it is worth to get an MPA from what I read around here.

 

 

 

I apologize for the length of this, and I'd appreciate any and all input on the matter of rankings overall vs. specialty, the importance of name when it comes to non-international/smaller entities, being okay with making a middle class salary that doesn't have to approach six figures, reputation from coast to coast, and (if possible) some information about the schools mentioned.

 

Thank you everyone and I love this forum because I've learned so much about the application process and such from all of you!

[MPPgal]

You have a perfectly good chance but honestly with Public policy work experience is what matters if you already can get an MPP get it and instead try getting a job, that will let you know what special skills and stuff you might need that you want to specialize and study. After that just get an MPP from a school y would go to UMD as it si the best location wise.

[TimB]

Ditto on the work experience part; it'd be great to get work if you can find it, and since you have 6 months to do so, you should try the route first.

 

Some people will tell you that you 100% need work experience before you apply, but I disagree. If your options are school or doing something completely unrelated to what you want to work in, I'd take school provided you don't end up in major debt. 

 

Don't worry too much about rankings, decide where you want to work/live first. Connections are huge in federal, and most state hirings I've seen, even despite all the  things they put in place to make it less of a factor. Being able intern where you want to work is a leg in the door, and you'll want to have knowledge specific to the state laws in the state you want to work if you're trying to land a job with no work experience.

Edited January 6, 2014 by TimB

[Ariananana]

I wouldn't have debt, or not much debt if I did, going into most of the programs. I'm in the best position to further my education now than I may be later if I have a family and such, and my boyfriend also wants to go to grad school to get his masters in education but he has no problem waiting for me to finish up first, since education masters are everywhere and he'll just go for the closest state university to wherever we end up. I'm also very sure that I'm capable of and ready for grad school since I'm partially in it right now at UConn. It's interesting being in a class with an age range of 19 to 46 and I love the diversity! My advisor/professor doesn't think work experience is necessary going in depending on the maturity and capabilities of the student. I'm also not confident that I'd be able to secure full-time relevant work experience in what I want before grad school. I completely understand the importance of it though, and I hope to gain some more part-time before grad school with internships or something in my gap semester.

 

I want to live in a city but it doesn't have to be one of the major ones. I'd also not mind working in one place for awhile until I have experience to move elsewhere- that aspect I'm not too picky on either. What do you think of finding an internship or temporary job related to the field I'm interested in during those 6-7 months in the Northeast and then going to graduate school (those seem easier to find in and right out of undergrad anyway)? Would this allow more flexibility in terms of finding work after graduation if I went somewhere further such as UMD and wanted to head back north? Given that I'm in public finance, I'm more interested in the state/local levels of government or nonprofits. The fed is so messy to me that if I had to choose, I'd stay more local. It makes a lot of sense, your point about state-specific knowledge, and I have noticed that in my classes- we use CT as an example for a lot of things, along with California because it's the regulation pioneer it seems. I'll definitely keep that one in mind, because it could make the difference in where I end up.

 

I'm also seriously looking at Indiana University now thanks to my professor who graduated from there about four years ago and has sent me a reminder to check it out via email with some specific contacts. She said she would write my recommendation for them, which would be wonderful. I'm guessing it is a lot more competitive, but I'll give it a go- she went right from undergrad, though into the PhD program rather than the MPA. Bloomington isn't far enough south to be unappealing to me and the city looks beautiful. I'm flexible but my main standard is staying east of the Mississippi and north of Virginia unless it's in California or Arizona. I'm more concerned about finding a job that I love rather than pinpointing a certain location, aside from wanting some sort of city life and avoiding certain weather patterns! Thank you for both of your advice so far!

 

Also, is UMD's location its big selling point that gets it on these threads so often? Just wondering

[Ariananana]

No one else? Aweh. One more question though!

 

If I do go to work in my gap period and choose to stay for a year or something after having applied (and even further, being accepted), how is it viewed to deny admission (or revoke/cancel and application) and reapply during the following admissions cycle? Or, if denied, the same question applies. Is it kind of a slap in the face after an acceptance to be like, well actually I'll be back to you on this-- or is it the case that continuing experience in the working world would be viewed as positive and beneficial and they would be more likely to accept (again?) and possibly with more chances for scholarships in a second round? Thanks! I may repost this question if I'm in the wrong place for this, but any quick advice on that one here?