US News Policy Analysis Rankings (Grad School & US Context)
New US News Rankings Just Dropped: Best Public Policy Analysis Programs in America
Key things to note. US News has lately been emphasizing this ranking is for MPP, while in the past it has been emphasized for public policy analysis at large, which negatively impacted Grad Schools without a PhD policy program.
What I Like:
a. The top 10 broadly make sense. Although I would change the order + Add Princeton. Mostly, I vehemently disagree with UC Berkeley Goldman being #1. #9 or so could make sense. It is academically a great program, but it is very much a regional school.
What I Don't Like:
a. American University sitting at #11. I view this as riding the halo effect from its undergrad program. Its graduate program is hugely problematic in terms of student quality and academic rigor (I have only met 1 of 10 students I met that I would consider hiring + I know AU policy instructors who confided in me how much they let students slide on academic rigor). Should be 20 something at best.
b. Princeton out of the top 10. I view Princeton tied with Michigan and HKS as the most academically rigorous program and definitely top 3 in terms of student talent. They are hurt by being removed from a major metro center to get semester side internships, but their graduates hit way above most of the top 10.