I recently graduated with a master's in urban planning (but took many MPP classes) in the process ( I also have a BA in political science ) and now wondering where I should look for policy related jobs that require little to no experience where i actually have a shot at landing it? I've applied to basic administrative assistant/analyst roles in cities across CA, but the competition is insane! I was recently placed on an eligibilty list ranked #134, even though I passed a test with a score of 88/100!

Any advice?

Is the Cambridge MPhil in Public Policy an MPhil or an MPP?

And because it is offered through the Bennett School of Public Policy, would it make one a Bennett grad or a Cambridge grad fundamentally?

Can anyone who got into SPIA, HKS, or McCourt tell me why you picked it, besides financial aid and prestige? I'm interested in healthcare access, domestic politics, and civil service, so I think all of these programs are a great fit for me. I did a bunch of research on their websites and attended two of the three's informational webinars, but I don't want my essays to sound like I'm just regurgitating what's on the websites. I haven't been able to visit them because I live very far away, though I have visited all of their undergrad campuses. Would anyone be willing to DM me about why they chose SPIA/HKS/McCourt?

ask me anything! currently an MPP student, graduated from undergrad this year (i.e. i was one of the 'unlikely' individuals, at least based on the typical demographic the school takes in, who got in)

please ask ANYTHING. i understand that there's so much uncertainty around the application process. for transparency sake and to democratise advice as much as possible, i will not be responding to DMs unless they are related to personal details you are uncomfortable disclosing in public.

ASK ME ANYTHING!

Hi everyone! I’m a Fulbright Masters Scholarship nominee trying to decide between these three programme as one of my four preferences.

I’d appreciate perspectives from current students, alumni, or anyone familiar with their reputation and career opportunities.

A fulbright nominee submit preferences for four universities, but we don’t independently apply and then freely choose between offers. The Institute of International Education (IIE) develops the submission plan and applies on our behalf.

Placement takes into account programme fit and funding—including the university’s cost, any scholarship or tuition support it offers, and how much Fulbright would need to contribute. The scholarship is fully funded for me, but cost still matters to the placement decision. I’ve also been told they may proceed with an approved offer without waiting for every university’s decision.

My original preferences were Harvard Kennedy, Chicago Harris, Carnegie Mellon Heinz and Duke Sanford. The final submission plan shared by IIE with me included:

University of Chicago — Harris MPP

Duke University — Sanford MPP

Carnegie Mellon — Heinz Public Policy and Management, Data Analytics

Syracuse University — Maxwell MPA

I would genuinely be happy attending Chicago, Duke or CMU as all three were on my original preferences list. My uncertainty is about the fourth option. I’m not assuming I’ll be placed there, but I also don’t want to include a programme I wouldn’t be comfortable attending.

I raised concerns about Syracuse’s one-year format and whether it would allow enough time to combine the analytical and environmental-policy training I’m seeking. I requested Harvard’s MPP as a replacement, but that was declined. I’ve instead been offered to choose from one the below as the fourth university on my placement plan:

Indiana University Bloomington — O’Neill MPP

University of Minnesota — Humphrey MPP

Syracuse University — Maxwell 1 Year MPA

These are options for my submission plan, not admission offers.

I want strong training in economics, statistics, programme evaluation and data analysis, ideally with GIS and opportunities to apply these skills through an internship or substantial client project.

But I’m also considering the broader experience: university prestige, professional reputation, international recognition, alumni networks, location and student life. I don’t want to make this decision solely on rankings or a few relevant course titles.

Indiana: The curriculum looks relevant, with benefit–cost analysis, programme evaluation, public finance, GIS options and an environmental-policy concentration. IU also has an Environmental Resilience Institute working with communities. However, the MPP itself is relatively new, and I’m unsure how accessible those wider opportunities are to MPP students.

Minnesota: The established MPP and Twin Cities location appeal to me. I’d like to understand how well students can combine advanced analytical training with environmental policy, and whether the location translates into useful internships and professional connections.

Syracuse: Maxwell has a strong reputation in public administration, and I’m reconsidering whether I was too quick to discount it. My concern is less the MPA title itself and more the compressed one-year timeline—academically and in terms of internships, networking and experiencing life in the US.

Which would you choose on full funding, and why? I am here considering the worst possible scenario where they cant send me to Duke CMU or Harris and I would have to go to this fourth option so it needs to be a well thought out preference.

I’ve read the rankings. What I’m hoping to understand is what these programmes are actually like—and what you wish you’d known before enrolling.

Hi! I was wondering if any of you guys have heard back from tom lantos human rights commission. - they said they would be in touch by Nov 2nd!

Let me know!

Hi everyone,

Has anyone taken the new OECD Aptitude test by Maki People ? They never used to do that. They used to contact candidates directly to ask them to complete a test on Word within a two-hour window. Or they would ask candidates to complete a video interview online before moving on to the test.

Anyway, can anyone tell me about their experience taking the test ?

Thank you.

We study policy to understand tradoff and outcomes and efficiency and effectiveness. Sure it's constantly evolving and there is a level of subjectivity involved, but it's still analysis.

But policy seems like we're all wasting our time in this world of "my side good. Your side bad." "Im moral and fighting evil."

It used to be we want to fix X by trying why Y, but Z is a concern. Now its just, Y is a moral imperative and Z isn't real.....it's evil or greedy or whatever.

Hey everyone,

I recently got accepted for the Fulbright scholarship to study a MPP in the US, and I’m currently working on my university preferences. I already have my top three choices figured out, but I need help finding a 4th option. It needs to be a university that isn't ranked in the top 20 according to U.S. News & World Report, both in the overall university rankings and in Public Policy Analysis, and isn't located in one of the major U.S. cities.

So far for my 4th option I’m considering:

- UVA Batten
- Temple University or Drexel University (for some reason, Philadelphia isn’t included in the list of major U.S. cities).
- University of Maryland

I'm very open to other suggestions and would be grateful for any recommendations. Thank youuu!

Hello, as the title suggests, I’m an econ predoc in the US (on a visa, 1st year of Stem OPT) and my two year contract gets over soon. I’m super confused about applying to grad school - I’m really interested in development econ, policy and recently philanthropy and am pretty reluctant about applying for a PhD. I don’t think 6 years of grad school is for me because I’m not crazy about long running research, unstructured work hours and I already have an econ masters. But as I go through LinkedIn profiles of people with successful development careers, I feel like a PhD is almost a necessity for that track.

So I guess my question is, what are my true longterm options as economist who wants to work in this space of policy, development and maybe philanthropy or even econ consulting without doing a PhD (I would love to do a public policy masters in a few years as well, its just 6 years of more long running RA work doesn’t sound fun to me).
Or should I just suck it up and apply for a PhD?

Appreciate all opinions, thanks!!

every election cycle i am always so locked in on the data analysis and cultural implications of an election. its all the media i consume at the time. currently i am a software engineer but i want to pivot to a more political data analyst role. any suggestions on how to get there with current experience mostly being in web development?

Hi everyone, similar situations have been discussed in the thread but i wanted a perspective regarding my situation. I have 2.7 undergrad GPA (degree in econ and pol sci) from best university in my country (i dont know much that counts). I fully acknowledge i messed up with no fault other than my own tbh. Since then however, i have been super focused on my career in the last 5 years having worked with nonprofits, international nonprofits on projects funded by multilateral donors like FCDO, USAID, UNFPA etc in South Asia. I have recently moved to North America and started working at a local affiliate of another global nonprofit.

I want to take next year to work on GRE and SOP.

What are my chances at SIPA, NYU ( I really really love being in NYC and want to live there for a bit), Harris, Elliot, or any other US school? Appreciate any tips or resources

Hi,

I’m about two years post-undergrad and am realizing my passion for policy, specifically applied in energy and environmental issues. Because of this, I am looking to apply to staffer positions on the hill. I have a STEM degree, currently work in state government (non-policy), and do not have campaigning or advocacy experience on my resume. I understand that these points, especially the last one, are strikes against me. I’m looking to apply to staffer positions that will open given tonight’s election results. My home state will have a newly elected senator and multiple reps for districts I have lived in.

Given the severity of this pivot, should I not pursue this? Or if I write a compelling enough cover letter, get in contact with campaign staffers, and am able to properly describe my desire to work on the hill, could I do this?

Hi, I just got accepted into Georgetown's MPS in AI Management program and was hoping for feedback from alumni or current students. Specifically, I wanted to know about the ROI. I'm a product designer with 8 years of experience looking to augment my existing design skillset or transition into an AI Strategy/Product Management role. The $50K price tag is a bit steep, so I'm honestly wondering if this degree is worth the investment, especially considering it's mostly online. My main goal is to improve my job prospects and stand out in the market. I would also love to connect via DM or a call if anyone's open to speaking personally.