<p>Hi, CC boards: This website was incredibly useful for me as I applied for undergrad eight (!) years ago, and I've lingered about offering advice here and there to those going through that process. I'm hoping CC may be just as useful as I plan my graduate school application/decision trajectory.</p>
<p>After having gone through so many changes of heart -- and of jobs! -- I've ditched ideas of law school and am instead committed to a more "practical" grad school path: combining a dual-degree MBA with either an MPA or MPP. (If you're curious, I'm interested in non-profit management, social enterprise, and public policy because I want to start and run my own development organization.)</p>
<p>I was wondering whether anyone on the site has any first-hand experience with this sort of dual-degree program -- both in terms of attending and applying. I currently have the obvious schools (Harvard, MIT, NYU, Columbia, Penn, etc.) on my list, but would like to know if there are any I am leaving out that I really ought to consider.</p>
<p>I'd also like to know a little about the manageability of an MBA/MPP (or MBA/MPA) -- will I be stressed beyond belief the whole time? I live in San Francisco and have many friends who attend Stanford GSB and they just seem to socialize all the time. Not that I want an easy-breezy, party lifestyle at all -- but I don't want to breaking my neck while everyone is just "making contacts." ;)</p>
<p>Also, given that I want to apply to both programs, I'd rather just study and pay for only one of the graduate examinations -- the GRE. (Most of the business schools I'm interested in take the GRE now.) This may be silly, but is the GRE looked down upon in the b-school admissions process? I would guess not given that they accept it in the first place, but I figured I'd ask.</p>
<p>I'll have lots more questions, but figured I'd start here. :) Thanks!</p>