Which school would you attend?

[antipas]

For what it's worth, I'd say you made a smart decision. Having to pay back over 100K in debt (with interest) is, like it or not, going to have a very real impact on your life, and probably your career, that I would think outweigh the pluses hands down. Your other two choices sound much better.

[therunaround]

Ahh, too bad. All the best to you.

[don]

Thanks for thinking of waitlist applicants MCneelified06. I'm on the wait list as well, but if I'm admitted and I don't get an external funding or sufficient funding from HKS, I won't attend as well. I've two full funding + stipend + health insurance (AIG package) . In my case, I can't dream about taking $120k loans since I'm international student and will certainly return home after my studies. I don't want my greatgrand children to place collection letters at my grave, instead of roses ....

[DefinitelyMaybe]

Having to pay back over 100K in debt (with interest) is, like it or not, going to have a very real impact on your life, and probably your career, that I would think outweigh the pluses hands down. Your other two choices sound much better.

I completely agree. My MPA program is about half the cost of Harvard's and is a great program, but even I am concerned about paying that money back.

KSG is an excellent program, but please remember at the end of the day, you are getting a public policy degree. If you're planning on working in an NGO, Government Agency, Non-profit, whatever, you more than likely will not have a salary that will allow you to repay these loans. And when I say repay, I mean being able to afford your student loan payments PLUS all your other expenses without major sacrifice.

If you were going to Harvard's Business or Law School, I might think differently. But don't let the fuzzy feelings you have about possibly having Harvard on your resume outshine the fact that we are in a deep recession and probably still will be when you graduate. There is life AFTER graduate school and if you have $130k in loans to pay back, that can be a SERIOUS issue to deal with when seeking employment, buying a home, buying a car, getting married, having kids, traveling, etc. in this sucky economy. Even President Obama and his wife were still paying their student loans up until he wrote a bestseller; ONLY THEN were they able to pay their loans off entirely.

I also don't get the impression that "prestige" matters with public policy degrees the way it matters with MBA's, JD's and MD's. I'm not sure where you want to eventually work, but the federal government is staffed with people from EVERY school you can think of (imagine the backlash if our tax dollars went to employing only or mostly graduates from "prestigious" institutions in government positions). In my experience as a federal employee, I don't believe that a Harvard graduate is any more likely to get a job than someone from a less "prestigious" school. Like other people said, after a certain number of years, your work experience will trump everything else. People want to know what you can DO, not where you went to school.

If all the programs were offering you significant financial aid, I'd say go to Harvard, no questions asked. But in my personal opinion, a public policy degree isn't worth $100k if you have to borrow all of it.

(WHY is Harvard being so stingy with financial aid, by the way?)

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EDITED: I see the OP decided not to attend Harvard because of that debt load. I think that's a smart move! Congratulations on being accepted anyhow! Now when you schmooze with people, you can say "Yeah Harvard admitted me, but I told them no".

[pritinsp]

Hello!

Wow.. I wish I had come across this thread earlier.. would have saved all that agonizing I was doing all by myself!

I am in a similar situation to linden- just that I STILL have not made up my mind .

My options:

1) Harvard MPA - no funding - I will need to borrow $50,000 (I have some saved money)

2) Syracuse MPA - no funding - N borrowing

3) U of Chicago - no finding - no borrowing

4)University of southern chicago - half tuition - no borrowing

So my situation is slightly different from lindens - my top 2 schools have not offered any funding - so though the debt I am talking abt is not $100 but $50 k - additional funding! (but it all amounts to the same right? money not spent is money saved! so I guess the opportunity cost argument would make the debt $100k or in excess of that!)

I am leaning towards Harvard due to its reputation internationally and also because the course itslef which is a very flexible program - no core courses (attractive since I already have a MBA and econ degree) . I am going for the information session on the 10th to see for myself and hoping that my gut guides me!

In another sense, I am completely convinced abt Syracuse too - its ranked no 1 - its a well known program in the US, its a one year program (a huge plus since I would need to live away from my husband only for one year,not two). I am visiting Syracuse on the 9th for their information sessions

Chicago is again a one year program and affordable and USC has the advantage of being able to be closer to my husband +half tuition help.

So well - Its been crazy deciding between these schools - need help!

What are your views on Syracuse Vs Harvard (I intend to do international development in areas such as micro finance)

What abt USC - does it even compare with the other three schools?

And ultimately the bottom line - is Harvard worth the extra $50 k compared with any of these other 3 schools.

[pritinsp]

and oh yes.. one more question...

Why is nobody mentioning RA/TA opportunities at Harvard - a student i spoke to said that there are many opportunities for taking up paid assistantships - will this not mitigate the debt problem to a certain degree... any comments on this?

[undersec]

Pritinsp: from what I understand about TA/RA opportunities is that they are very different as a masters student vs. as a PhD student. When you get accepted to a PhD program, generally you get a full tuition wavier AND you get paid for the TA/RA work that you do. At HKS, my understanding is that TAs and RAs make a decent, but not great wage ($13-17 per hour) but do not receive that tuition wavier. If you are only working 15-20 hour per week, then that still leaves quite a bit of a gap!

I would love to hear what you have to say after the info session. I am currently stationed outside of the country, but leaning strongly towards the HKS MPP program next year (with about a a half tuition scholarship).

[spitts77]

Maybe I'm way off here, but it seems like you really want to go to Harvard and you're searching for a way to justify it. Intellectually, rationally, I'd say one of the other two schools is a better choice. You already know all the reasons why that's true.

This is almost a perfect description of my own grappling re: hks

[spitts77]

Pritinsp - I am also HKS MPA admit. Were you at the open house on Friday?

[pritinsp]

hi spitts77

yes i was at the admit session!

Have sent you a PM - do have a look!

[pritinsp]

spitts77

just wanted to confirm if you got my pM - somehow the message I thought I sent you does not seem to appear in my list of sent messages!

[spitts77]

pritinsp

Hi - I just checked (I have been slow at checking these posts out this week) and I don't see a PM. If you want to email me, let me know and I will send you PM with email address.

[spitts77]

Today is decision day for me. If anyone has any last minute advice for HKS MPA I would love to hear it!!!!! I'd be declining SAIS, Fletcher and SFS.

[zourah]

Today is decision day for me. If anyone has any last minute advice for HKS MPA I would love to hear it!!!!! I'd be declining SAIS, Fletcher and SFS.

I personally declined SAIS, Fletcher and SIPA yesterday afternoon. SFS I have a very good opinion of, but as a waitlist candidate was unable to do proper due diligence there. For me, I wanted a different preparation than SAIS's 6 econ courses would offer and found that the HKS research centers and outside-of-class opportunities outweighed the more tempting course catalog and community of Fletcher, though both of those were difficult to rule out. I had laid out a spreadsheet with categories for costs, employment breakdowns, profs with interesting research, drool-worthy course offerings, etc and then talked it through with a handful of close friends/family "advisers."

Best of luck! You're going to be fine with any choice so long as you don't second-guess yourself.

[spitts77]

Did you have any concerns about not being in D.C. or the fact that many of the IR professors have defected to Washington to join the Obama Administration?

[zourah]

Did you have any concerns about not being in D.C. or the fact that many of the IR professors have defected to Washington to join the Obama Administration?

To the former, not at all. I'll get to DC (or NY or the field) soon enough. I've been in the middle of a big international bureaucracy for two years - I have a network of sorts already formed and don't feel the need to spend two years building another just yet.

As for the latter, I was concerned, but it feels like 1) they'll be able to bring in new, interesting people to fill the holes and 2) the faculty on leave could end up bringing some interesting advantages anyway - no teaching, sure, but connections for internships and employment, dragging speakers up to talk, etc. We'll see, but I think it balances out, more or less.

[spitts77]

Thanks. I think you are definitely right on the second issue and I'm glad to hear that someone else thinks the same.