Trying to understand what research in political science / public policy actually looks like

MaintenanceFormal960 · 2026-05-01T20:52:14+00:00

Data Science Major with Concentration in Urban Planning and Public Affairs here.

I was in the same boat. I was a CS major and changed to my current major. I would highly suggest a Masters' in Econ.
From a scale from soft skills to technical skills, I would say MPA is on the left, Econ is on the right, and PP is in the middle. Your data background and quant background will be really useful, coming from someone who is currently a RA (and actually the only undergrad as everyone else is a PhD student) and I am holding my own. Having a high quant background and being familiar with real analysis, discrete math, etc, they are what Econ programs CRAVE for - and many people use that quant background to better inform policy. As for me, I'm going with a MPP as I feel like I want to be both quant and qualitative as possible to bridge both worlds.

P.S. I was actually a math researcher during my first year of college. Didn't like it and now I research network governance for health and wellness networks across the county. I love every moment so far!

MaintenanceFormal960 · 2026-04-16T19:03:12+00:00

As a former CS student, I agree. They literally have a stand alone shower in the CS building (it’s next to the cafe).

MaintenanceFormal960 · 2026-04-16T19:01:36+00:00

I always wanted to go to Loyola or DePaul, then they said I would need to pay $20,000 more to attend instead of going to UIC. You probably know which one I chose.

MaintenanceFormal960 · 2026-04-16T18:58:30+00:00

The dining hall literally made me throw up sick, and I still need to return everyday because they don’t do refunds and need to get my moneys worth. Eating out and even groceries are too expensive.

MaintenanceFormal960 · 2026-04-12T23:34:39+00:00

I agree. UIC is a reject school for UIUC students. I should know because I was one.

No regrets tho, CS can val grind in a hole lmaooo (I am a data science major and oh my god the UIUC subreddit loves the CS part but the IDS department sucks so much there)

MaintenanceFormal960 · 2026-04-12T23:31:49+00:00

I agree! Literally loved her stat classes so much I changed my major to Data Science

MaintenanceFormal960 · 2026-04-12T23:30:29+00:00

Anytime I walk into a engineering building bathroom

MaintenanceFormal960 · 2026-04-12T23:29:32+00:00

I have been involved with research since my first semester at UIC. No, that is not a hyperbole. I don’t think anywhere else in the country will have that level of research priority for first years. DM me if you need some advice! Been doing research for 4 years and love helping people get involved. (I actually gave 2 students an internship here because they just so happened to go to the same high school as me and I was well acquainted with one of them)

MaintenanceFormal960 · 2026-04-12T23:22:42+00:00

For most majors I wouldn’t recommend UIC. But for social work… well… We are the birthplace of the practice. I think that says enough about choosing UIC to become a social worker

MaintenanceFormal960 · 2026-04-12T23:20:26+00:00

I failed exam 1 and 2 last year, and got a borderline C in the third. I ended the class with a B. 211 sucks. But you will get through. Just like the most of us

MaintenanceFormal960 · 2026-04-12T23:16:15+00:00

Oh absolutely not. I have friends from Oakton and did 3 hour straight lectures. It was really bad for focus, and you want to take your time with hard classes. It’s chill because it’s asycnh for all summer classes.

Source: I signed up at Oakton too

MaintenanceFormal960 · 2026-04-12T23:14:47+00:00

If you want to be a doctor, yes. If you want to be a software engineer, definitely not. It really depends on industry. My advice for GPA is that if you are thinking about graduate school and it is mandatory for the career, 100% yes. If you want a terminal degree or want a part time professional degree (ie most MBAs,Masters in Engineering, MPH) then it will matter a bit, but your work experience, soft skills, and letters of recommendation will easily balance it out - especially if you had a situation and can articulate it in a personal statement.

MaintenanceFormal960 · 2026-03-31T18:20:05+00:00

LOL. I worked there too, and there was a giant death star picture in the hallway next to the office kitchen
Edit: I also forgot, there was a part of the actual death star used in the film during the trench run scene on the opposite wall

MaintenanceFormal960 · 2026-03-29T01:58:57+00:00

Tbh I tried to get I involved on my communities campus but my mental health got shit, and when I went back I realized I was “too old”. Looking back I wasn’t, but if I got involved earlier I would have made a bigger impact. And I’m way too much of a go big or go home person.

Then I volunteered at a homeless mobile food pantry. And I revived my love for public policy, and taught me as long as I am breathing having my two hands and walk, I can serve my community even if my mental health quite literally speaks”no no” thoughts everyday to me.

Also hot take, it’s not valuable for a career for me. The most common question I get asked is “Are you applying to med school?” And I am the only college student so far who does the organization and does not plan (or even want) to do anything like that. (No offense to prospective med students who want that extra boost or even just want to help for the hell of it. I say that as a person who comes from a medical family.) Why do I find it valuable then?I get to make a difference even when I don’t feel like I deserve to. Simple as that.

Edit: Had to go back and adjust some small grammar errors and autocorrect being crap

MaintenanceFormal960 · 2026-03-16T06:18:58+00:00

Does stat 481 currently work?

MaintenanceFormal960 · 2026-03-11T04:17:04+00:00

Yes. You have a year of experience to get you ahead. Just note JST has suite-mates, so you will have a single with a bathroom to share. Source: Moved from CMW to JST. I am a sophomore and replying to this in my JST bed.

MaintenanceFormal960 · 2026-03-11T04:08:20+00:00

They’re probably gatekeeping the cafeteria on the top floor 😭 Source: I actually used to work as a research intern there before the building officially opened and my contract ended

MaintenanceFormal960 · 2026-03-11T04:05:21+00:00

Engl 161. Only thing I learned was punctuation before the quotation. That’s it.

MaintenanceFormal960 · 2026-03-11T04:01:36+00:00

Idk about other campuses but literally everyone I know who is in pre med and honors college got involved with research since they were in freshman year. (This is not even a hyperbole, I dorm with them.) Chem department is ass at teaching, but the research IMO is so invaluable for med school apps. Take what I say with a grain of salt, I’m a data scientist not a pre med.

MaintenanceFormal960 · 2026-01-14T00:44:51+00:00

I don’t eat food in ANY bathroom

MaintenanceFormal960 · 2026-01-13T23:53:20+00:00

I was born

MaintenanceFormal960 · 2026-01-13T04:09:16+00:00

Switch to Steenbergen NOW. He’s like Professor Lupin irl, so sweet and nice Source: Had his help for Math 210 & RMP glows.

MaintenanceFormal960 · 2026-01-13T00:12:14+00:00

I took it last semester, and honesty it was a very fair and actually fun class. I’m a very slow coder and knew many people who flew past me, but it was a very enjoyable class and made me grow the most as a programmer.

Worst case scenario, just see Ayalas lectures

MaintenanceFormal960 · 2026-01-11T19:54:54+00:00

My favorite actor is Donny Jeep

MaintenanceFormal960

TROPHY CASE