Getting Started

What We Look For

Our MPP students are a community forged from different lived experiences and represent a rich spectrum of academic, professional, and cultural backgrounds. When reviewing applications for the program, we consider:

Motivation and dedication to public service

Public policy is a discipline that centers service to others through data analysis and informed policy implementation. The program looks for applicants who have a clear vision for how they seek to serve the public good and improve the lives others.

Work experience in relevant fields

The program looks for applicants with two or more years of post-undergraduate work experience in fields related to their policy interests. Previous work experience signals to the program that applicants are making an informed decision about their pursuit of graduate education in public policy.

The program admits a limited number of applicants directly from undergraduate programs, but we would expect those applicants to display exceptional academic acumen and ideally have robust internship, volunteer, or part-time work experience in fields related to their policy interests.

academic strength

The program reviews applications holistically and does not have a minimum GPA requirement. However, applicants have historically had an average undergraduate GPA of 3.5.

Prerequisite Coursework in Microeconomics & Statistics

Our MPP program has two quantitative prerequisites: prior to enrollment, our incoming MPP students must receive a grade of "B" or higher in at least one microeconomic course and one statistics course at an accredited college or university.

For applicants who have not completed microeconomics and statistics during their academic career, they may still apply to the MPP program, but will need to satisfy the prerequisite courses prior to August 1st of the year they begin the program.

Faculty and employer evaluations

Good letters of recommendation show that the recommender knows first-hand the applicant, their interest in public policy, their demonstrated skills and abilities, and their character.

For applicants with fewer than two years of work experience, we recommend two academic recommendations and one professional recommendation. For applicants with three or more years of work experience, we suggest one academic recommendation and two professional recommendations. Applicants with four or more years of work experience may provide three professional recommendations.

Current Student Profile

Image

• Post-undergraduate work experience: 2-6 years
• Age Range: 24-32 years
• Undergraduate GPA: >3.4
• GRE (optional): Top 25% 
• TOEFL (iBT): 110-115 (preferred)
• GMAT Median (Dual-degree MBA students): 80th percentile/ 640-760
• LSAT (Dual-degree JD students): 165-168