Four Harris School of Public Policy Myths: Debunked

Myth #1: It’s a race to the top of the grading scale and people are throwing elbows to get there.

When I came to the Harris School of Public Policy, I expected the students to be cutthroat competitors stepping on each other to get that A+. Fortunately, this could not be farther from the truth. In the first quarter, many professors require that you complete problem sets in groups to ensure everyone is on the same page, more or less. I remember sitting in the Harris lounge one Saturday morning choking back tears because I didn’t know how to complete a pset in Stata (something I am very good at now) when one of my classmates offered to help. Moral of the story: you’ll get your psets done and make long-lasting friendships along the way.

Myth #2: We’re all looking to work in the private sector after graduation.

The summer before Harris, I thought I needed to buy myself a few suits, a copy of the book Case in Point, by Marc P. Cosentino, and start preparing for interviews at consulting firms. I assumed Harris students were only interested in this sector. I quickly learned that many policy people have a wide variety of interests, while others are still exploring what sector they’d like to work in, which is totally okay. Harris provides resources and a support system to help narrow down your interests and get you ready to enter the job market, no matter what sector.

Myth #3: Harris students can take a derivative in their sleep on the first day.

If you’re asking what a derivative is, the ME from first quarter would have sat right next to you at Math Camp, because #SAME. The core has a quantitative mysteriousness attached to it where you hear war stories from students who made it to the other side (plot twist: we all make it). Have no fear, Harris provides Jumpstart and Math Camp to ensure that you are introduced to these quantitative concepts and have a smooth transition into your first quarter. However, if you’re looking to at least hear the word ‘derivative’ by Day One, check out khanacademy.com. You’ll be maximizing a function in no time.

Myth #4: UChicago is where fun comes to die.

I resent this statement! Yeah sure, we sit in a lecture hall and drink ungodly amounts of coffee to stay up and finish our problem sets, but we make up for lost time in many ways. Harris, informally deemed one of the most social of the UChicago professional schools, puts on events like Harris After Hours, Party in the Sky, Follies, and the End of the Year Party located at the Chicago History Museum this year! In between these major events, you can catch us across the Midway getting our beer passports stamped at The Pub. Bring your passports and those econ flashcards people, it’s called balance.