How should I choose between Johns Hopkins and UPenn for undergraduate public policy?

For a student centered on rigorous policy research and public-health, urban, education, or data-driven policy questions, Johns Hopkins is likely the more natural fit. Its undergraduate Public Policy Studies program sits in a university with major strengths in public health and applied research, and Baltimore provides a close-up setting for studying city and state policy. Hopkins also offers pathways into policy-relevant research through units such as the SNF Agora Institute and the 21st Century Cities Initiative, while Washington, D.C. is accessible for federal internships.

Penn may suit a student who wants public policy embedded in a broader preprofessional and interdisciplinary campus. The College’s Politics, Philosophy, and Economics major and political science options allow you to connect policy with economic reasoning, ethics, business, law, and social science. Penn’s Fels Institute of Government, Penn Washington Center, and Philadelphia location can be valuable for students seeking government, nonprofit, advocacy, and civic-engagement experiences alongside their coursework.

Penn also offers unusually easy access to courses, organizations, and peers across schools such as Wharton, Nursing, and Social Policy 6 Practice. That matters if you see yourself working at the intersection of policy and business, health systems, education, or community organizations, and want a larger campus with many different career paths represented.

For your stated interests, choose Hopkins if you are drawn to becoming a policy researcher with a strong substantive focus, particularly in public health or urban issues. Choose Penn if you want a more expansive, interdisciplinary policy education and expect to combine government internships with professional exploration across Philadelphia, Washington, and the university’s many schools.