Ok, so I'm applying to Grad schools (UH, UT, Tech, A&M) to get my Masters in American Government, starting Fall '05. Does anyone have any tips? Application stuff, GRE advice, etc? How was your Grad school experience? Where did you go? What did you study? Please share your thoughts. Any advice, anecdotes, or encouragement would be appreciated.
Well, I'm a current student at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at UT Austin. The LBJ School is a great program, but whether it's a good fit depends on what you want out of it. If you're interested, send me an e-mail. I'd love to talk more about the program with you.
I got a Poli Sci degree (Guvment... what's that?) and then was accepted into SWTSU Government graduate program in 1999. Got awarded an assistantship... then decided not to go. Took a LONG break. Just started law school instead. Good luck in grad school wherever you end up.
I looked at the LBJ school of Public Policy and the MA program in Government both. I decided that the Government program was more to my liking, however, I wouldn't be opposed to giving the LBJ school a shot, I hear it's more competitive than the Government grad program though.
I know someone who got into every top 10 Public Admin program in the Nation, including Syracuse which is #1, and guess what, LBJ waitlisted his ass. What is up with that school.
Who knows, school admissions can be really weird sometimes. It wasn't graduate school, but my sister got turned down by Berkley and Stanford, but got a full ride to Harvard. Whatever. :shrugs:
If you end up going to UT, you should definitely consider taking a class or two at the LBJ School. Styles of teaching vary considerably, so definitely try to get a sense from someone what it's about rather than rely on the course description. There are a lot of dual degree students, so it doesn't have to be one or the other. A characteristic of the LBJ School like many policy programs is that it's very "applied"-focused. I'm a big fan of a solid liberal arts education, but there's something to be said as well for programs structured to help you be more effective in the workforce. PSJ, m_cable pretty much said it. I've heard of flukes at practically every place of higher education I've come across. If anything, the LBJ School strikes me as more inclusive than some programs.
The GRE sucks. Well I didn't study for it so its probably not that bad, but they make you take it on a computer and you can't change any answers or skip questions and come back to them. Not fun. But I got in regardless.
