Texas LBJ vs Texas A&M Bush

[Ingo93]

I'm just wondering how the job outcomes between those two schools measure up. LBJ does certainly seem to be ranked higher, but as far as the job outcomes they both offer I can't seem to be able to do a good apples to apples comparison as LBJ shows salary/internship outcomes while Bush shows job outcomes.

Also I've been accepted to both with slightly better funding from Bush (about $7k more over two years), but I'm leaning towards LBJ due to the fact that they're more prestigious and likely well-established. Can anyone attest to the relative standing of the two Texas schools when it comes to public affairs?

[CakeTea]

5 hours ago, Ingo93 said:

I'm just wondering how the job outcomes between those two schools measure up. LBJ does certainly seem to be ranked higher, but as far as the job outcomes they both offer I can't seem to be able to do a good apples to apples comparison as LBJ shows salary/internship outcomes while Bush shows job outcomes.

Also I've been accepted to both with slightly better funding from Bush (about $7k more over two years), but I'm leaning towards LBJ due to the fact that they're more prestigious and likely well-established. Can anyone attest to the relative standing of the two Texas schools when it comes to public affairs?

What are your areas of interests and goals? Generally speaking, LBJ is more established with larger faculty, more research centers, larger intake and alumni base. Some profs such as Galbraith are known outside Texas. Bush is smaller with fewer electives with MIA/MPP. But you can take electives outside Bush (example: business classes at Mays Business Schools). Strong areas are security and maybe niche such as China certificate (Language plus Trek). I would also think that Austin would offer a better networking environment for internships or jobs with local government and non profits. 

$7K over 2 yrs is not a huge difference and it depends on yr priority. Bush tends to have good funding. Maybe you can ask LBJ to raise FinAid or even match Bush's offer.

[Ingo93]

On 4/11/2017 at 6:58 AM, CakeTea said:

What are your areas of interests and goals? Generally speaking, LBJ is more established with larger faculty, more research centers, larger intake and alumni base. Some profs such as Galbraith are known outside Texas. Bush is smaller with fewer electives with MIA/MPP. But you can take electives outside Bush (example: business classes at Mays Business Schools). Strong areas are security and maybe niche such as China certificate (Language plus Trek). I would also think that Austin would offer a better networking environment for internships or jobs with local government and non profits. 

$7K over 2 yrs is not a huge difference and it depends on yr priority. Bush tends to have good funding. Maybe you can ask LBJ to raise FinAid or even match Bush's offer.

My main areas of interest are security studies, international relations, and whichever school offers the strongest quant program. I've got a passing interest in healthcare/educational policy as well and experience in those sectors as I've worked briefly as a primary school teacher and for Medicare.

As far as goals are concerned they're as follows: FSO for the State Department, intelligence analyst for one of the agencies, acquisitions for the DoD, or a job with the SEC. I could just as well settle for a consulting gig of some kind in the private sector provided it paid well enough, working as a lobbyist, an administrative job for a political party, or just join the military and try to make it as an officer (though this is an option I'd rather exercise if everything listed fell through).

I'll be honest when I say that the prestige is probably drawing me more than it should as I imagine it may be helpful in the event that I opted to pursue a phd at some point. I understand that professional programs are nothing like academic programs, but I do wonder if their relative prestige has any impact on the success rate of candidates.

Edited April 13, 2017 by Ingo93

[UnawareInGeneral]

On 4/13/2017 at 3:22 AM, Ingo93 said:

My main areas of interest are security studies, international relations, and whichever school offers the strongest quant program. I've got a passing interest in healthcare/educational policy as well and experience in those sectors as I've worked briefly as a primary school teacher and for Medicare.

As far as goals are concerned they're as follows: FSO for the State Department, intelligence analyst for one of the agencies, acquisitions for the DoD, or a job with the SEC. I could just as well settle for a consulting gig of some kind in the private sector provided it paid well enough, working as a lobbyist, an administrative job for a political party, or just join the military and try to make it as an officer (though this is an option I'd rather exercise if everything listed fell through).

I'll be honest when I say that the prestige is probably drawing me more than it should as I imagine it may be helpful in the event that I opted to pursue a phd at some point. I understand that professional programs are nothing like academic programs, but I do wonder if their relative prestige has any impact on the success rate of candidates.

So I found your post here about a month late I suppose but if you haven't made up your mind yet, you have a PM with some information in it that you might find useful. 

[went_away]

On 4/13/2017 at 4:22 AM, Ingo93 said:

My main areas of interest are security studies, international relations, and whichever school offers the strongest quant program. I've got a passing interest in healthcare/educational policy as well and experience in those sectors as I've worked briefly as a primary school teacher and for Medicare.

As far as goals are concerned they're as follows: FSO for the State Department, intelligence analyst for one of the agencies, acquisitions for the DoD, or a job with the SEC. I could just as well settle for a consulting gig of some kind in the private sector provided it paid well enough, working as a lobbyist, an administrative job for a political party, or just join the military and try to make it as an officer (though this is an option I'd rather exercise if everything listed fell through).

I'll be honest when I say that the prestige is probably drawing me more than it should as I imagine it may be helpful in the event that I opted to pursue a phd at some point. I understand that professional programs are nothing like academic programs, but I do wonder if their relative prestige has any impact on the success rate of candidates.

Both should serve you about the same. I would highly, highly, highly recommend you join the national guard or military in some form and pair that with the MA if these are really the jobs you want. You'll struggle to break into any of those fields without military experience; it's kind of a mafia.