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Was accepted to both schools for Public Administration (NU) and City Planning (BU).
Both programs aren't even really ranked in their field, so I am really going for the reputation of the school to pick up the slack. Which school is more well recognized and has ample academic reputation behind it?
Both cities interest me, so I wouldn't mind living in either Chicago (program is not in Evanston) or Boston.
It's a tough choice but I think eventually I'll make the right one. I just want to make sure the school has a strong alumni network, great career services, and ample opportunities for internships and research.
Which one is the best fit?
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So Northwestern University's national reputation is higher than BU?
What other schools can NU be compared to just so I can understand it's reputation? Same with BU.
Thanks
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Jude84 Wrote:So Northwestern University's national reputation is higher than BU?
What other schools can NU be compared to just so I can understand it's reputation? Same with BU.
Thanks
Yes Northwestern has a higher reputation, Chicago is also way cheaper to live in than Boston and a better city.
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Chicago cheaper than Boston? That is quite hard to believe but none the less great news!
It's also better than Boston? I figured Boston had ample opportunities because of all the schools there for internships and jobs in research? Is it also just a more lively town?
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06-04-2011, 06:45 PM
(This post was last modified: 06-04-2011, 07:36 PM by alleycat.)
Jude84 Wrote:Was accepted to both schools for Public Administration (NU) and City Planning (BU).
Both programs aren't even really ranked in their field, so I am really going for the reputation of the school to pick up the slack. Which school is more well recognized and has ample academic reputation behind it?
Both cities interest me, so I wouldn't mind living in either Chicago (program is not in Evanston) or Boston.
It's a tough choice but I think eventually I'll make the right one. I just want to make sure the school has a strong alumni network, great career services, and ample opportunities for internships and research.
Which one is the best fit?
Jude is this about your brother again?
These are two different degrees.
The Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree provides professional education for students interested in public service careers. The interdisciplinary program is designed to stress the knowledge, skills, values, and behaviors essential to the successful public servant.
Urban, city, and town planning integrates land use planning and transportation planning to improve the built, economic and social environments of communities. Regional planning deals with a still larger environment, at a less detailed level. Urban planning can include urban renewal, by adapting urban planning methods to existing cities suffering from decay and lack of investment.
A Masters in Urban Planning is considered a terminal degree.
What does he want to do for work?
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Yes, this is about my brother who was accepted to both programs. The MPA program offers a concentration in urban planning and policy so it's not that different. He says he wants to do urban planning more than administrative work and feels it's a more lucrative career too.
He likes the Northwestern name but feels there is more to offer with BU in the field he likes. Plus, he can cross register at MIT and have the option of finishing his thesis there according to one of his advisors. So he has that going for him.
What do you guys think?
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FilMor Wrote:Yes Northwestern has a higher reputation, Chicago is also way cheaper to live in than Boston and a better city.
What? How dare you! Boston is way better than Chicago.
Having said that, I think Northwestern is the more recognizable school.
Lyanne
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I agree that Northwestern has the more recognized name. He need to go to whichever school will give him the best training for the job he wants to do. The name recognition I think will be far less important than whether he can do the job or not. If he plans to stay in the area of the school for work employers will know the quality of the education of either program regardless of the school name. Just my two cents!
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He understands that Northwestern's reputation is tops in the US but he is planning to work abroad for some time and BU seems to be more well recognized, at least according to most if the international students I've met.
Both schools offer a great level of education and practice but they're not top ranked at all, so on terms of specific departmental reputation, there is none for either program. It mostly depends on the schools rep at this point.
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