More tips
- Be sure your program is accredited – Check for accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA)
- Talk to current students and alumni – Take advantage of alumni networks or seek out fellow graduate students online to get advice and ask questions. Visit websites such as onPhilanthropy.com’s Future Leaders in Philanthropy (FLiP) page, the AFP Blog, or Charity Blogger to connect with people who share your interests.
- Attend graduate school fairs – Idealist.org maintains a calendar of nonprofit focused graduate school fairs.
- Follow your gut – The decision to go back to school is not an easy one, especially when studying for a non-traditional degree like an MPA or MPP. As someone currently pursuing an MPA, I can say that the excitement I feel to be a part of this growing and vital field far outweighs any doubts. Each day more and more attention is being placed on how to make the world a better place; so if you want to be a part of it, jump right in and don’t look back.
