Grad school
So one of my other goals for this year is to “Apply to several stellar grad programs.” I’m looking to start in the Fall of ‘07 after another year of working and a little travel.
I’m looking at Public Policy/Public Administration, Planning, MBA, and, when I’m drinking hard alcohol, law school. Here are some of my thoughts on each. Some of you have done these programs and might want to chime in here. Some of you know me well, so feel free to chime in here as well if you think I’m going to make myself miserable.
MPP/MPA
Pros: It’s what I’ve been doing for the past seven years. If I got into a top program, I could make some great relationships with faculty and other students that could last a lifetime. A top program could also strengthen my expertise and credibility on the job front.
Cons: It’s what I’ve been doing for the past seven years. I already know most of the content and the rest I should learn by doing, rather than getting into debt / wasting two years.
Planning:
Pros: I’ve got a whole left brain / design part of me that I’ve been wanting to use and urban planning is about as close as I think my work will get to that given my other interests. MIT’s program also has a strong track in environmental policy, the head of which is kind of a guru when it comes to environmental conflict mediation.
Cons: I’m setting myself up to be a beaurocrat for the rest of my days. Planning is not very sexy and isn’t exactly in the fight. Hmm….
MBA:
Pros: I could learn how best to work with businesses for social change and learn how to run my own organization effectively.
Cons: I’d be surrounded by people who’s primary motivation is making lots of money.
Law:
Pros: Despite plenty of evidence to the contrary, people take lawyers seriously. Knowing the law can show you the best places to change the law.
Cons: I have no motivation what-so-ever to actually practice law and most of the coursework seems worse than Chinese water torture.
Hmm… So I guess law is out. Planning doesn’t seem to score very highly either. MPP or MBA? hmm…
January 31st, 2006 at 9:41 pm
MPP/MPA - I have a friend who’s an MPP at the Kennedy School, I could ask her about it and put you two in touch. I wouldn’t worry about your con here.
Planning - I also have a friend who goes to MIT for urban planning. I think your pro and con are about right.
MBA - I have a friend who wants to get an MBA in non-profit adminsitration and he’s been finding good MBA programs for the non-profit set, so I think your con here can be dealt with. The con I would worry about is that non-profit usually means service (museums and after-school programs and food shelters).
Law - I know people who went to law school determined to do non-profit work afterward. Lawyers have a lot of debt, and most basically can’t do non-profit work and pay off their loans. All the same, I know a good number of people in or entering law school, and two are ex-PIRG.
On grad school in general, I’d say figure out what you want to do and either do it or go to the most prestigious grad school you can for it. Honestly, from talking to people the reason to go to grad school is to network; not to downplay the learning, but it’s more about connections. It sounds like if you want to go to grad school, MPP/MPA is the way to go.
Anyway, let me know if you want me to put you in touch with any of these folks I know.
My two cents, Steve