Should I apply to USC MPP after deferring or doing 1 year of UMass Amherst's online MPP? Is it possible to even do that?
Background:
Recent Fulbright ETA, 2 years experience as a data analyst, 3.4 GPA in BS in Math/CS at one of the Claremont Colleges
I don't really have any polisci/public policy exp or have taken any classes except Comparative Environmental Politics, but I have worked/interned/volunteered at a few nonprofits. Specifically, volunteering as theater staff at a nonprofit arthouse theater, writing curriculum at a Cantonese literacy nonprofit in Hong Kong, helping plan an impact campaign for a climate action film. I also had/have a temporary job recruiting poll workers for my county's registrar of voters.
I was accepted to UMass Amherst's part-time online MPP starting Summer 2026, which comes out to ~29k over 2 years. I'd mostly like just to work in state/county/city government or at a nonprofit, not necessarily shooting for high policy jobs in DC or consulting/think tanks although I wouldn't turn down the latter. But I wonder if UMass's relative lack of prestige (and me living and wanting to work in SoCal) would make this degree not really worth it.
I would like to go to USC but missed the Fall 2026 scholarship deadline (it's 120k full tuition and with my background, how likely is it they even give me aid 💀), so I'd apply for Fall 2027 admission.
I wonder if I could defer UMass for a year and apply for USC in the meantime...
Then, if I get into USC with good enough scholarship, I'd go to USC.
But if I get rejected or am accepted with bad financial aid, I'd just go to UMass?
Or maybe I could just do UMass for 1 yr and then have some credits transfer over so I'd do USC for maybe 2.5 yrs instead of 3? Idk. This would be the case where I'm not allowed to defer UMass for the secret purpose of applying to other schools.
Do these ideas sound legit or would I have to withdraw other applications/not be allowed to apply to other grad schools once you defer an offer (because I guess that's like committing?). Sorry, I am a first-gen college student, so idk how this stuff works.
Thank you!