Harvard Gov. MPP

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>Hi everyone :-) </p>

<p>So I am a French student, currently studying as an Economics major (Law minor) at the Sorbonne in Paris. I am hopefully going to graduate next and it's been more than a year that I must say I am seriously considering applying to Harvard School of Government. </p>

<p>The reason for this school and this degree is quite simple, as humble as I am trying to be, I want to have the best teachers .. and eventually have the best foundations for the future. I understand what public service is, what contribution means. I don't care about money, I don't care about fame, I don't care about recognition, I just want to make this world a better place, and I think this school (among many others) is exactly what I need.</p>

<p>As far as experience (and considering that I am only 20 years old - almost 21), I already worked at the European Parliament as an assistant of eurodeputy, at the French National Assembly (Lower House) for a French deputy, worked for a certain country's ministry of youth who organized workshops for the integration of a certain ethnicity in Europe. (I am not what we could call a ''pure'' french haha, my parents wern't born in the country), and received offers for this summer at a certain G20 country's Constitutional Court and its Grand National Assembly (Lower House, again). I also worked on part time next to my classes in a Think Tank promoting Intercultural and interfaith dialogue and integration (we raised awareness in certain communities for the last elections in France).. Other than that ... well .. I was a member of the university's delegation to the UN and won a scholarship to participate to a European Forum somewhere in the continent (I am trying to be vague so I remain anonymous haha)</p>

<p>And no, my parents didn't help me, actually none of them even graduated from Middle School haha (should I mention that to them? In France we don't really talk about our social backgrounds, it's not so much about meritocracy but republican equality, they newly discover the term ''positive discrimination''). </p>

<p>Grade wise, I can't really say If I'm good or not, I checked their site and they don't even have minimum requirements for the GPA (btw, we are graded out of 20 in France, and the best students have 14 or so - I have 13, it is considered a A- I think?) Anyway I have the minimum requirement for schools like McGill or LSE but that's because they show the requirements for each country.</p>

<p>All this to ask you guys, do you think I have a chance? And, do you advise me other schools?</p>

<p>Also, what will they think about a year abroad? (Like Rome, I kinda fear that they see this as a year of tourism). </p>

<p>Thanks for everything guys.
M</p>

2

<p>Public policy degrees are not as in-demand as other professional degrees (law, medicine, business, engineering), so there isn’t the same kind of cut-throat competition for spots, even at the top schools. And people don’t necessarily move around as much to get the degrees – many of them do it part-time while they are working at a job that isn’t likely to be in Cambridge or Boston, MA. It’s still competitive, to be sure, but not insanely competitive.</p>

<p>A qualified, ambitious European student will be attractive, especially a non-European European with a track record of achievement. And your English is excellent. That’s the good news.</p>

<p>There’s some bad news, too. Very few students go directly from college to a public-policy program. They generally work for a few years first. You are going to be very young for the Kennedy School. I don’t think that will be fatal to your application, but it will be a hurdle.</p>

<p>Second, I don’t really know that much about the French higher education system, but I have the sense that the Sorbonne is less prestigious and less rigorous than the ENS or Sciences Po. I suppose if you had gone to one of those schools, you might not be considering the Kennedy School, but that could factor in to your application. Again, not fatal, but a hurdle. If the application asks for an essay, you may want to address that, along with your ambitions and how you think a Kennedy School degree will help you attain them. (And be a lot more specific than you have been here.)</p>

<p>Because you are young, and not at the top school, your academic record may be more important than it usually is for public policy school applicants. A 13 sounds good, but only if 10-20% of your class doesn’t have 14s.</p>

<p>Another big issue will be financing. There is significant tuition at the Kennedy School, and living expenses are high. I think they have some financial aid, but I don’t know about how much or how good.</p>

<p>Other top public policy schools: Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School, the University of Chicago’s Harris School, the schools at Berkeley and Michigan . . . and a fair number of others.</p>

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<p>Hi, Thanks for the quick answer.</p>

<p>At least I know that I have a decent chance to get in. I will check for the other schools as well. Of Course I have my reasons to apply but as you mentioned, I have to send them an essay and I don’t want to bother everyone here on what exactly my motives are haha :slight_smile: </p>

<p>The Sorbonne is quite prestigious in France, but doesn’t shine as much in Paris because as you said there is ScPo or the ENA (I wouldn’t rank the second one on the same scale as the first - ENA is much much harder to get in). And all my roommates are from ScPo and I think people overestimate this school, they themselves wouldn’t even dare to compare their school to the LSE, it is also actually much easier to pass there than in Sorbonne. (I guess I am a little subjective here haha).</p>

<p>Money isn’t that much of a problem (I’ll sell a kidney or something - haha just kidding), so considering that the complications might come from my age then I will bet on the atypical student card. </p>

<p>I heard that people usually work a few years before studying their masters in the US while in Europe we are more likely to study until the very end of their studies and then work. I don’t worry much about it.</p>

<p>Anyways thanks :-)</p>