For an MPA..NYU Wagner or CUNY Baruch?

[S29]

I was accepted for the Spring 2010 semester at NYU Wagner and I'm very nervous to say yes mainly because of the cost. I was also accepted at CUNY Baruch School of Public Affairs for the MPA starting this fall. My focus at either school will be in non-profit management but NYU is about four times the cost of Baruch...what to do?

I saved on my undergraduate education by going to a state school but now I'm wondering if it really matters where my MPA is from..does it?

Thanks!

[steiner-5]

Congrats on getting in!

I don't know what your financial situation is, but a question I think it is important to ask oneself is "what do I want to get out of this program?"

Some people literally just need a master's so they can get a bump in pay or what have you. In that case, it seems foolish to spend 4x the money.

However, others really want to use their experiences in school to gain further insight into the field and to contribute to it in a more meaningful way. Something one should really consider is that these programs are interdisciplinary in nature, so you will have a diverse student background in terms of what these students studied before the program. As such, (as much as I hate to use this term) the "quality" of student attending the school becomes very important.

I can't speak to the relative strengths of the student profiles of your choices in particular, but I have taken grad level classes at a number 10 ranked MPP program that has a more liberal admission policy, and I felt the academic rigor was lacking a bit due to the type of student it attracted. I've met some very intelligent students from Wagner and it's a well-respected program, and probably one of the best for non-profit work. I do think its tuition is obscene, but I guess that's something you will have to think about.

Either way, good luck with your decision!

[S29]

hi steiner,

thanks for your insight- definitely something i was thinking about too. i've chosen to attend wagner in the spring and hopefully my bank account will forgive me!

s