Pathway to an MPA

Graduate School
1

<p>Hi all,</p>

<p>First post, glad to be here.</p>

<p>I'm thinking that I'd like to pursue an MPA or MPP in fall 2010. Over the next year I'm fortunate enough to be able to travel and work on my Spanish. Starting in the fall, I'll be in Guatemala going to Spanish school and next spring I'll be in India volunteering.</p>

<p>This summer is open, however, and I'd like some advice on what would help me for applying for an MPA, and also being able to do well in the program once I'm in.</p>

<p>My stats:
Undergrad (May 09 grad) at Villanova in Psych, Minor in English
GPA: 3.96 (summa, medallian winner in my major)
GRE: 710 verbal, 640 quant</p>

<p>I'm worried I don't have enough basic business/econ/statistics knowledge to do well in an MPA program. I've been in the liberal arts world for four years. I have an option to get a minor in business this summer at Villanova. Should I do this? What can I do this summer to better prepare myself?</p>

<p>Also, how competitive am I for top MPA programs?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>You have a strong profile, so you should be competitive for some top schools. Have you taken any social science methods classes as an undergrad? If not you might want to just to prepare for the required quant courses. Programs vary in their emphases with quant, so if math is a worry keep that in mind while researching schools.</p>