MPA confusion, multiple questions

Well just so you all know, I'm not at all associated with USC or Embanet, and I'm sorry you had that negative sales experience. I've actually only dealt with the admission staff at USC SPPD and found them to be very professional and helpful, but this was back in August before the official launch of the program in January 2011. You might consider contacting the SPPD recruitment and retention office to let them know about your negative experience so they can do something about it. It is absurd to presume someone could prepare an application to a top ranked program in less than a day, and I am certain the admissions committee would rather not waste the 10 seconds of time it would take to round-file such a hasty application. Only 85 people are going to be admitted into the new USC SPPD MPA in 2011, so encouraging haphazard applications is definitely a problem if that is what Embanet is doing. USC SPPD likely does not know what's being done in its name. As far as what I posted before, that information is simply the facts as I have been able to establish them following exhaustive investigation. The USC SPPD tuition is high, but not out of line with what other similarly ranked programs cost at private or non-resident rates. Total tuition for a full-time student without scholarships at the USC SPPD MPA is about $54,000 for 40 units, 41 if you will be required to take an internship. And like I said, USC offers way more financial aid to students of qualified merit than other top 10 public affairs schools - including to online students, which is incredible really all things considered. The praise of the program opportunity is not over the top... it is just the facts. It's probably not the right program for someone middle-aged or looking for a career change in their late 30s, but it is a huge opportunity for younger people who for whatever reason cannot up and move to attend a top-ranked program in person.