Mills College Reviews of Master's in Public Policy

"Mills College Lorry I. Lokey School of Business and Public Policy Graduate program is an amazing program. One of the reasons why I decided to apply here was because of its location and the relationship it has with the community. Being apart of the Mills family affords me the opportunity to be hands on with local communities and make a change. For example I was given the opportunity to be included in a jury internship program that is trying to diversify the jury pool in courtrooms for Alameda County. What I love most about the program is that it offers small class sizes which creates a very interpersonal education. The school does a fantastic job with creating relationships between Alumnus and current students to provide more insight of life after graduation and personal experiences of working in the field. I'm given the resources and tools needed from faculty, my cohort and Alumnus to tailor and personalize my education. Furthermore, I am being taught by professors who are and were elected officials in local government which ensures me that I am getting a quality education. This experience is much different from my experience in undergrad. I obtained my Bachelor's degree at San Francisco State University. I did learn a lot from being exposed to a highly diverse environment with lots of passionate people, but I was not afforded small class sizes and my professors weren't as available as they are at Mills. SFSU is a very large campus with lots of students and I didn't feel as important there as I do at Mills. Now, I receive the attention needed to excel while studying for my Graduate degree, then I was just a number, not a valued student."

"The Mills College Graduate Program in Public Policy would provide the opportunity for formal training to improve my skills to be a better public servant. I believe the best way to affect positive change in our community is through good, well-founded public policy. I hope to continue working with policymakers, and through this program gain the ability to provide better advice and counsel. A graduate degree in public policy from Mills College will elevate me to a whole new level of understanding. The only reason I am where I am is because someone sacrificed to provide opportunities for me. My forbears set public policy that allowed my family and me to move up the socioeconomic ladder, though there are still significant barriers to upward mobility that are entrenched in our practices. There is more work to be done. I want to ensure that those opportunities are protected and expanded to allow others (and future generations) to have the same possibilities my family had. I believe receiving an education from the Mills College Graduate Program in Public Policy will help me further this goal."

"This is a small program, however, the professors are amazing and come from diverse and qualified backgrounds -- they have taught and studied at some of the most distinguished schools in the nation. Since it is a small program that means the networking is smaller than what you may receive at a more established larger program, but those who have graduated are more than willing to network and connect with current students. Living in the Bay Area means the surroundings are great and there are tons of things to do off-campus... just not much on campus."

"pros: small program, excellent student/ teacher ratio, hands on experience cons: local focus, favoritism"

"Great school, great teachers, great program. The bay area is expensive to live in...so that is the main con!"