<p>I am an international student from a sciences background and want to brake into international development. </p>
<p>I have received offers from the following schools: georgetown (MPP); georgetown (development management & Policy in Buenos Aires); LSE (MPA international development); Hertie School of Governance (MPP in Berlin) and waiting to hear from Oxford (MSc Nature, Society & Environmental Policy).</p>
<p>I am finding it very difficult to chose.</p>
<p>Some of my questions are:</p>
<ul>
<li>GT appealing but is worth the fees (without scholarship) if you don´t plan to work in America?</li>
<li>Has anyone any experience with Hertie? Seems good but not many people know it</li>
<li>LSE (MPA) career prospects?</li>
<li>Has anyone heard of the course in Argentina? Any comments from international students?</li>
</ul>
<p>My first response is due on 15 April (GT)... any thoughts?</p>
<p>This is a very subjective matter but I’d say: don’t go to Hertie if you don’t speak German or intend to invest much time on it. While it is possible to get through social life in the big/cosmopolitan cities in Germany nowadays, it will still be a major struggle. As for the name… as you said, it’s not well known (even in Germany).</p>
<p>If I may ask, have you got any work experience yet? I was quite interested in the LSE MPA myself and got to know two McKinsey consultants who were doing their MPA there and they let me know that at least 2/3s had a couple of years work experience. I think, the name and degree would give you a major edge almost everywhere (maybe except the U.S.). From a European perspective, only Oxbridge and Harvard are on par/exceed LSEs reputation in business/public service. Old money will hate (or at least dislike) it, though.</p>
<p>You are right. Looking at LSE MPA´s career profiles candidates have 2/3 years of experience which probably leads to improves the course and makes it more interesteing, and therefore leads to good networking opp. I have 1/2 years of experience, some of it in the field and 6 months with an international organization. But mainly internship. I would say it isn´t as strong as 2 years of consulting at McKinsey though. So perhaps it may limit my options afterwards.</p>
<p>So, are you at Hertie? What I liked about it is the course structure of course but also the chance of doing the Professional year with GTZ which will help me gain some more relevant experience. At LSE options to work are limited during the course. Also exchange programs are appealing (SIPA, LSE, Duke, GT). I don´t have any idea of German though. </p>
<p>But I agree, as you say the recognition matters and since my first degree is not from an especially recognized european institutions perhaps LSE or GT might be better. I also apply for MSc in Nature, Society and Env Policy at Oxford and believe I have a good chance to get in but the scope of the course perhaps is more limited.</p>
<p>Subjective matter, but still hard to ponder them!</p>
<p>I’m not at Hertie and don’t even know anyone having studied there, but I do think that the course will be of a high standard and some networking opportunities should be there, also. And the GTZ is still a major and reputable player. For working in Germany, it would be fine as university names don’t matter that much, but the LSE (or Oxford) brand name takes you a long way.</p>
<p>I tend to believe that an MPA is a more reputable degree than the MPP. Whether to choose the MPA or MSc - well, I guess it depends on what you’d like to do. The courses are quite different and it depends on whether you’d like to rather work as an analyst, researcher etc. in the beginning or in a rather administrative position. Overall (maybe except for the Buenos Aires one - but I honestly don’t know about it), I think the universities are roughly on the same level when it comes to reputation, with GT and Oxford to be preferred in the US, LSE and Oxford in Europe. Thus, the degree itself should make the major difference for your future career prospects.</p>
<p>Last but not least: if you do your MPA now, your academic career will most likely have ended (you could do a Ph.D. but this is probably unlikely). If you do a normal masters now, you could still do an MPA (or Ph.D.) later on.</p>