Apply to MPP/MIA programs in 2010?

[joerandom28]

Hi All, I'm new to the board (obviously), I'm wondering if anyone could give me some insight as to whether or not it would be a good idea for me to apply to MPP programs this fall or to wait.

Here's my background:

Academic - GPA: 3.56; Top 10 Liberal Arts school; Political Science/Political Economy major; studied abroad in Scandinavia for a semester; took stats/calc/intro econ/econometrics.

GRE - Taking it in two weeks, I'm anticipating something along the lines of Q750 V700 (+/- 20 points)

Work Experience - Currently working for an economic consulting firm (2 years), looking at a variety of issues (healthcare, litigation, intellectual property). During undergrad I interned for the NYC City Council in the Policy division, interned at a research foundation at a major public university and worked a research assistant for a professor on a paper published in a top journal.

Volunteer Experience - At school I organized IM sports and was a writing tutor, since graduating I haven't had time to volunteer much, although I'm looking into starting a couple of things this fall.

Taking all that into account, I have three main concerns:

1. My academic quant background is not very strong, the courses I've taken I haven't gotten great grades in, only 1 A in the bunch.

2. My work experience since undergrad hasn't been very focused on public policy issues or international issues. The consulting is generally private sector focused. Some cases are for government agencies or have a vaguely international focus, but I haven't been able to get staffed on any of those.

3. My volunteer experience since undergrad is non-existent.

In every other respect I feel good about my quant abilities (my job is very quant focused, I've done quant research in the past, and I think I can do quite well on the GRE Q section). I'm taking calculus this fall and linear algebra next spring to try to spruce up my academic background. I know that the marks won't be in for lin. al. when I apply but at least I can mention it on the app. I'm trying to start volunteering this fall again and so I'll be able to have something to put on my app for that, although it won't be for very long. As for work experience, this is my biggest concern. My job has given me great training in econ./stats, but I have a hard time connecting it to public policy/international affairs.

Is it possible to overcome these weaknesses, assuming I stay in the same job and apply this fall, and get into one of the top programs (KSG, Columbia, WW)? If not, and I don't apply this fall, what could strengthen my application for next fall?

Thanks!

[riz1]

When did you graduate? I ask because WWS, from what I can see, typically takes a slightly older class, where min age is around 27-28. I have a friend on the HKS adcomm who told me the age range there also saw a trending shift upwards by a few ticks this past admissions cycle. I think SIPA's typical min age is around 25, about the same as Fletcher / Elliott / MSFS / etc.

MPA and MPP schools do take people out of the private sector -- but you'll need to be very clear and convincing in your SoP when discussing why you want to switch into public / government sector. I had no professional experience outside of private sector when applying to grad school, but I made an honest and convincing case as to why I needed to make the switch.

With a less-than-stellar quant background, your chances of getting into HKS might be hurt, even if you do score over a 700Q. Hopefully, though, the classes you're gearing up to take now will help offset that.

Good luck!

[joerandom28]

Thanks for the thoughts, I appreciate them. I graduated in 2008, so if I were to apply this fall I'd be entering grad school after 2 full years of experience (24 yrs old at matriculation). I took the GRE and ended up with Q790 V730, so I'm not worried about my test scores. Hopefully they'll help address some of the mediocrity in my academic quant background. Also, my current job is heavily quantitative and involves a lot of statistical modelling, so I'm not worried about my quant abilities at all, just that I haven't always managed to demonstrate them in an academic setting.

I'm thinking that ultimately this fall is a little too early to apply. I think I probably need to refine my goals a little bit more before I can go to school and feel like I'm getting the most out of things.

Riz1, if you don't mind my asking, what did you do in the private sector before you went to school? What kind of a program did you do/at what school? I'd love to hear a little bit more about your path, since obviously it's one I think I'll be taking too.

[le_neocon]

joerandom

You have a very similar background to mine. However, I am going ahead with my application at quite a few places including HKS ( left out WWS though ). I had a look at the ages for the programs and the average age is around 25, which does mean that there are people at our age ( and there has to be quite a few to explain the avg. ). As you rightly said, the toughest part of the application process is convincing them that you are up for it and that you really mean it. Given that we don't have any experience in either policy making or development work, it is a tough shot, but I believe they will be looking for a diverse class profile as well. I also hear that a lot of people go into finance/consulting after their mpp, so its not as if its entirely different either. Postponing your application only makes sense if you're going to switch jobs and do something thats going to make your chances 100%...

[riz1]

Joe, I'll answer your question in a separate reply, but first let me address something neocon just said:

I also hear that a lot of people go into finance/consulting after their mpp

While this is true, you shouldn't think it's a trend that public policy schools want to encourage any longer. There is more emphasis on people going into government and MPP programs for the RIGHT reasons: serving the common good. Evidence, aside from what I've learned from friends who are students and in Admissions at WWS/HKS/SAIS, is the LRAP, or Loan Repayment Assistance Program, now offered by multiple schools. Here's an excerpt from the HKS page, which can be found at http://www.hks.harvard.edu/degrees/sfs/student-resources/lrap:

"The purpose of Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) is to assist graduates engaged in public service in paying their monthly student loan payments. Graduates working at public sector and non profit organizations with missions consistent with the mission of the Harvard Kennedy School, and earning up to $60,000 for single applicants or $80,000 for married applicants, may apply to the program."

The trend is towards equipping students with the tools to serve the people, and while there will always be grad students in MPP programs with an eye on lucrative consulting contracts, the schools themselves are working harder to screen applicants who are interested less in personal profit and more in public gains.

[riz1]

Riz1, if you don't mind my asking, what did you do in the private sector before you went to school? What kind of a program did you do/at what school? I'd love to hear a little bit more about your path, since obviously it's one I think I'll be taking too.

My time in private sector included two years cumulative with Bank of America (business development internship rotations) while in undergrad, and about a year and a half with an IT consulting firm after graduation, including six months with the company in India. For my application to grad school, my time actually working for them had less impact on my academic and professional goals than my experience abroad. So I explained in my application that my IT consulting gig wasn't really relevant to what I intended to study in school, but my time in India catalyzed my ambitions because of certain elements I experienced while there. The truth of the matter is that I only took the job in the first place because the company was paying me a princely sum to send me to India for a half year! And now, in retrospect, it might have been one of the best decisions I ever made.

To get the answers to your other questions, you can get my full background here:

http://forum.thegradcafe.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=16905&p=105942&hilit=georgia#p105942

Good luck!

[pea-jay]

Extra time away from your graduate wouldnt hurt, especially if you can find that public sector angle. Problem is the public sector isnt hiring, though you must not discount the private but non-for-profit organizations...many MPA programs have non-profits in their focus. I tried grad school right after college and was kinda directionless in what I was going to focus on in this area and so when my money ran out, I couldnt find any compelling reason to continue. But since then, I put 4 years in the educational sector (teaching and administration), 2 for the largest utility company in CA and by May of 2010, 8 working for local government as a planner (transportation, energy, housing and land use). I can honestly say I did not feel "ready for grad school" until this past summer when I was finally able to focus my past experiences and future goals in a more cohesive manner. Im not saying it extra time is needed for everyone, but with MPP programs at least there is less pressure to press on to the master's level right out of an undergrad program.