how much harder is the economy making it

[rollinstone]

with the recession how much harder will it be to get accepted to a top 10 IR/pp/mpa school? I heard with the flood of applicants there is a huge increase in the application pool. most of these people have work experience already so is going straight out of under grad going to be ridiculously tough for me this upcoming application process? or will it be the opposite and the application pool will decrease because the people with jobs want to keep it and not risk quiting their job to go to grad school.

[stilesg57]

I talked with most every school I was accepted to about this number. The lowest increase in apps over last year I heard about was 10%, the highest was 35%. I think it's safe to assume that there will be just as much of an increase - if not more since now people who lost their jobs in the downturn have now had time to put their apps together - as last year. Sorry

It's a real tough spot for fresh college grads because of the wonderful Catch-22 that you usually need work experience to get into a good IR/MPP/MPA school (and certainly to maximize your fellowship offerings) but because there's NO job market right now it's better to go straight to gradschool to ride out the storm. What a mess.

[lbjane]

What I heard about the situation at LBJ was that applications were up, but a lot of the increase came from people who had no business being in a public policy program. The adcom actually admitted fewer students this year than the past couple of years since a lot of the applicants were weak candidates. So, I'm not sure what it's like at other schools, but at least at LBJ, if you were a good candidate before applications increased then you'd probably be a good candidate now. You just need to demonstrate that in your application with strong scores, grades, and good essays that clearly demonstrate that you're truly interested in an IR/MPP/MPA program and not just going to school because you can't find a job and don't have anything better to do.

[bbq555]

i heard some of these programs like sipa are cash cows for the school. Is the thought of increasing enrollment to get more money to fund PHD students a possibility?

[90sNickelodeon]

I've actually decided to put off pursuing an MA degree to hold on to my job that gives me money and benefits.

[riz1]

... applications were up, but a lot of the increase came from people who had no business being in a public policy program ... a lot of the applicants were weak candidates ... You just need to demonstrate that in your application with strong scores, grades, and good essays that clearly demonstrate that you're truly interested in an IR/MPP/MPA program and not just going to school because you can't find a job and don't have anything better to do.

jane said it perfectly. While there absolutely has been a spike in applications received (34% at HKS), the quality of the applicant pool hasn't matched that increase. This is a great time for a young person, such as yourself, rollinstone, to take an opportunity that you may not have otherwise considered:

A recent statistic I read is that nearly 50% of students who completed their undergraduate studies in 2008 (not 2009) are living at home with their parents. If you are fortunate enough to have parents, relatives or friends who wouldn't mind you crashing with them, and if you are also fortunate enough to be in or near a large metropolitan city, there are tons of low-paying or no-comp internship/volunteer opportunities with non-profit organizations and think tanks all over the country. (On a side note, the non-profit sector actually anticipates a significant increase in the number of job opportunities over the next couple of years, so keep an eye on that too.)

Only a few years ago, when my peers and I were getting ready to graduate, we had our eyes on well-paying private-sector jobs that, we thought with drooling jowls, would undoubtedly fast-track us to fortune, fame and greater opportunities. Unfortunately for new grads, the economic situation has been turned on its head. But with these new circumstances come new opportunities. Don't neglect to consider alternative, unconventional opportunities. Remember, you have your entire life to build your professional career.