Vaishnavi, a Political Science student at the University of Delhi, is facing the difficult choice. She is choosing between Sciences Po and LSE (London School of Economics) for her master’s. She wrote me:
Hi! I was researching PSIA [Sciences Po’s Paris School of International Affairs] and I chanced upon your blog. I’ve been accepted into the Master’s of International Development. I’m in a huge dilemma as I have also been accepted into the MSc. in Development Management at LSE.
To start, I want to note that this is not an uncommon dilemma. I have met several students at PSIA (Sciences Po) who also applied to LSE. I have also reviewed CVs and cover letters for applicants applying to both programs. After all, both Sciences Po and LSE have some similar programs. They are also both in Europe and both very well-known.
Vaishnavi writes that she is currently leaning towards LSE for 3 main reasons:
1. Recognition
I assume LSE is a more recognised name globally as compared to Sciences Po which is highly regarded in Europe. Coming from India and without any work experience I believe I have few chances of gaining employment in Europe/UK, and thus LSE becomes more attractive to perceive employers in Asia/ Africa/ South America.
First of all, if you are interested in working in Europe or the UK, don’t sell yourself short!
If you complete your master’s degree in France, you can get something called an APS (Autorisation Provisoire de Séjour) which allows you to work in France for up to one year. During this time you generally work short contracts until you find a permanent job offer (called a CDI). As soon as you have that offer of employment, you can automatically convert your APS into a work visa. There are practically no questions asked. A similar program exists in the UK. This has got to be THE easiest way to get a work visa in Europe. In addition, the Sciences Po program features a 6-month internship. That means you can gain the work experience you need to find that first job.
It can be easy to fall into the “recognition” trap.
LSE does tend to rank slightly higher than Sciences Po in terms of numbers. However, they are both very highly regarded institutions and probably equally impressive to anybody who knows about good development programs. For someone who isn’t really familiar with either program, Sciences Po might gain some weight simply because it is a full 2-year program.
That said, I encourage you not to make your decision based on which institution you think might impress a future employer. In the long run, employers are more impressed with what you actually do with your education than with the name of your school.
Therefore, rather than thinking about the prestige of a school’s name and what employers in different areas of the world will think, consider this:
- Which school is going to give you more hands on experiences?
- In which school will you be more likely to get involved in a campus organization, or pursue publishable research?
- In which city do you think you’ll find more interesting volunteer opportunities?
Ultimately, those are the kinds of questions that will truly lead you to a highly regarded education.
2. Academic rigour
I read in a few places and have spoken to a few students who complain of PSIA courses being too ‘basic’, and that thematic and regional concentrations along with language courses often prevent one from specialising in their actual field itself. Does this stand true?
This sounds backwards to me.
The thematic and regional concentrations don’t prevent a student from specializing– they actually help you to specialize.
These concentrations allow you to take classes focusing on specific aspects of development that interest you (like project management or migrations). The language courses allow you to gain access to an area of the world where you might not otherwise have had a chance to work.
What I will say, though, is that it is important to choose your concentrations wisely. For example, I know a student from Colombia who initially chose a concentration in Latin America. For her, it was way too basic– she had already lived, studied and worked her whole life in Latin America, so taking courses about Latin American politics with a bunch of foreigners from other places was, understandably, way too basic for her.
One last thing to consider:
Development is a huuge field that covers tons of different topics. You’ll probably have plenty of classes that– if your only goal is to get a passing grade– will seem fairly easy. In fact, grades are often based on just one or two term papers. That said, if you take the right courses or join a projet collectif, you might come out of your degree having developed your own mobile app or earned a grant for a project overseas or started your own NGO or something else equally as impressive.
3. Cost
What comes out to be the average cost of long over two years? Although London is more expensive than Paris, the course at LSE is only 1 year long.
Without a doubt, living in Paris for two years is expensive.
The one saving grace about it all is that in France you can work part-time on a student visa. I believe the same is true in London. This might also be a good way to gain some experience!
To give you an example, for a 500€ apartment you might get about 150€ in CAF refunds (making your rent only 350€/mo).
During your second year at Sciences Po you have the opportunity to do a 6-month internship. While anything having to do with the UN is unpaid, there are also paid opportunities.
Most gigs in Paris (if you decide to stay in Paris) pay the minimum of roughly 550€/mo + half of your metro card fees. That said, it’s not uncommon to find a job paying 800€, 1000€ or even more. For me, 800€/mo is roughly the break-even point to live in Paris (school tuition aside).
At the same time, MID at SciPo remains attractive to me because of the chance to do an internship (Does the school help you get an internship?) and the opportunity to learn French, which is highly useful. Also, what are the chances of getting employment post completing my course?
The internship is a really cool thing because:
- You actually have to be a student in order to get an internship in France, and
- Lots of times internships lead to jobs!
The school hosts recruitment events with employers specifically looking for interns (and employees) from Sciences Po. They also have a very good website where employers can list job and internship opportunities for only Sciences Po students to see (that’s how I found my internship), and the OECD also has a separate portal for Sciences Po intern applications.
You still have to do your own leg work of writing your motivation letter and CV (although they hold workshops in case you need help) and actually sending in your application.
For students with lots of previous work experience, a 6-month internship might not make a big difference.
However, in your case, this should be given serious consideration. More than 80% of employers want candidates to have work experience.
Your chances of finding a job after completing the degree are very, very high. Sciences Po estimates that 81% of students who decided to join the work force after graduation found a job within 6 months, and nearly a third of them were recruited even before graduation.
Learning French is also a huge asset.
This is especially true if you plan to work in West Africa or if you’re interested in a French NGO (and there are a lot of big ones– like Doctors Without Borders and Action Contre la Faim).
4. Other Factors
Could you please provide me any information that would be useful to make a decision between these two schools? Are there any absolutely compelling reasons to not forgo Sciences Po that I may be overlooking? Thank you
Choosing between Sciences Po and LSE is difficult for a lot of students.
You might decide that, because you already speak English, it would be easier to find part-time work in London. Or, you might decide that the internship opportunity at Sciences Po is really essential. Consider: Where do you prefer the weather? The food? Where do you think you’ll be happier or more motivated?
Ultimately, the most important thing is not school recognition, academic rigor or cost. After all, LSE and Sciences Po are really more or less comparable on those points.
Rather, I urge you to consider where you will be the most motivated. Where will you best take advantage of opportunities and build your resumé?
In the long run, no matter where you choose to go, it will only gain you one measly line on your CV– that line that says you have a master’s. And in the development field, experiences, projects, languages, and publications are much more valuable than any degree.
Feel free to send me more questions, leave comments, or read more of my posts about Sciences Po! If you’re applying to Sciences Po, why not ask me to review your CV or letter of motivation?
