Hi!
I was accepted to Columbia SIPA (no funding), Harvard Graduate School of Education (waiting on package) and USC Sol Price (waiting on package).
Ultimately, I am interested in studying urban policy and management. However, I would not mind working in consulting/private sector post-grad.
I would love to attend SIPA but the cost is just outrageous…however, if the alumni network and job prospects are worth it, I’ll consider it.
Right now, my top choice is Harvard grad considering the lower cost. I am just worried that the job prospects would not be as great as SIPA’s.
I am currently try 24 and most of my experience is in the entertainment industry. I would love to get a policy degree, and then down the line apply my background to TV/film industry somehow.
HGSE has Anne Sweeney (former Disney president) as an alum, and her journey is inspiring.
Either way, any insight you all can provide would be great.
Just a note- I would be part of the Education Policy program at Harvard. Still ties in quite closely with urban policy.
What is your career plan? That will help you make a decision. How do you plan to apply your policy degree to entertainment? What are you planning to do first, career-wise?
I have some friends who are alumni of SIPA. My conception of SIPA was always the public/international version of business school. The students there get serious policy training, but the environment seemed very…mmm, corporate-esque? I mean, don’t get me wrong, there were lots of students going to NGOs and international nonprofits and such, but it seemed like just as many ended up in the private sector or in consulting. My grad school roommate got an MPH/MPA, went to a consulting company directly after grad school (making a good salary!), then went to work at at a large bank/credit card company for 2 years, and now she works for a consultancy that helps put together teams for high-level nonprofits, NGOs, etc. She always said that she felt SIPA taught her very, very practical skills and how to put them into practice in the real world.
I don’t know much about Harvard GSE. I know some people who went there, but they were interested in becoming educators or administrators in education. Unsurprisingly, Harvard’s policy EdM is focused around education policy that creates great schools. Are you interested in a career in educational policy? I mean, I’m sure you could take a Harvard EdM outside of education if you wanted and worked hard enough - but if you’re interested in urban policy more generally and are eyeing a return to the private sector in your future, then I feel like the MPA would probably be the better bet on a theoretical level.
What’s the cost differential? SIPA is very expensive.
Thank you so much for this reply @juillet !
This is so helpful. Honestly, id rather work in consulting or in private industry than in an actual NGO, non profit setting. I am excited to study policy but ultimately I am most interested in the intersection between business and government. I spoke to a lady recently who worked at VIACOM as a the government liason and dealt with all the policy issues impacting the media industry. That’s a cool job.
And I’m poor. like poor background, poor everything type poor. I am quite mad at myself for applying too late to be eligible for SIPA fellowships. Hopefully I can find outside resources
I just realized USC provided a half tuition scholarship.
Is it dumb to go to HGSE knowing that I may not actually want to be a teacher or even work in education policy?
It’s not dumb, per se, but I’d question why you’d want to. All of your professors will be doing research in education; all of your peers will be interested in careers in education (and likely will have some kind of education-related background), the career preparation and networking and alumni relations will be largely focused on careers in education. I’d imagine you’d feel a little out of place, and it may not be the best place to get preparation for the kind of careers you seem to be focusing on, which is some kind of position at the intersection between public and private.
USC seems like it might be an excellent place to be for someone interested in media policy. USC has a focus on the industry, and LA is a great geographical location for potential internships and networking. And you have half tuition. So unless SIPA generates a miracle and gives you some kind of money, I’d take the USC offer.
Thank you! @juillet
I think I’m must concerned about…if I decide to not do media, does USC have a great enough pull outside of LA in comparison to Harvard edm? Is it tough to be able to connect with the Harvard network outside of the EdM program?
I think I was just very excited that a HGSE student could take classes at HBS, HLS, etc. These are some of my top institution choices down the line and wanted to be able to experience them
I’ve never been to either and I’m not in education, so I’m only giving my impressions as an educated outsider. But
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I think that you’re thinking the “Harvard” name in and of itself is the important part here. And don’t get me wrong - it does have some cachet. But I’m not sure how much GSE has outside of education, and I’m not sure what kind of traction you’ll get if you have an EdM and then you go try to get a job in consulting or something. Might be worth seeing how often the average alumni pulls of that switch - other than Ann Sweeney.
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If your main excitement about going for the EdM is the classes you can take at other schools, I think that’s a good sign that the program’s not for you.
Also, what do you mean, down the line? Are you planning to later get another master’s degree in a different area?
A good place to study urban policy or urban education policy at Harvard and get good job skills at the same time would be the Kennedy School of Government. Did you apply there?
@juillet these are really good points. I will reach out to alumni and current students.
Also, one reason I was leaning towards HGSE is because it’s one year…I wanted to do one year then apply this coming cycle to law school.
If I get a two year MPA, I don’t think I will pursue a law degree.
@CheddarcheeseMN I applied but didn’t get into the Kennedy School. It was my top choice
First, I think that trying to do a graduate program and applying to law school is a lot at the same time. Not that people haven’t done it, but it’s a whole other layer of stress that you don’t necessarily need.
Secondly, why do you need an EdM and a JD? I think this is another sign that the Harvard GSE program isn’t really for you. It’s clear that you want some policy-related work that’s not necessarily in the educational sector, and it doesn’t really sound like you want to be a lawyer (correct me if I am wrong!). That sounds perfectly suited for an MPA and not so well-suited for an EdM, even one in educational policy.
@juillet thank you for your response! For am update, I am close to deciding on Harvard GSE. I visited the campus, met with students and just really liked the program. Once specialization focuses on tech, media, and education and it just connected with me and I like where the alumni have ended up (disney, sesame Street, nbc, etc).
The immediate cost of the program (not including food, personal expenses) would be 30K.