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notsosure

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  • Application Season
    2015 Fall
  • Program
    SAIS, Tufts, SIPA, Elliott, SWS, SFS

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  1. I have to take an online course "Principles of Microeconomics" before the start of the fall semester. I got a list of Colleges/Universities that are approved but didn't really find a course that would fit. Also: I am international student so I can not take the final exam in the U.S. So far I couldn't find any online courses from European Universities. I would prefer to take a self paced course that doesn't cost a ton of money. Does anyone have experience with this? I appreciate any additional help I can get!
  2. Previous Schools: Public University in Austria, semester abroad at top tier US-university Previous GPA: not applicable GRE Scores (Verbal/Quantitative/Analytical Writing): 155 V / 151 Q / 4.0 W Previous Work Experience (Years, Type): five years as a journalist (foreign affairs) Math/Econ Background: Limited. No math at university, some stat courses, a few econ Intended Field of Study in Grad School: Security Politics Long Term Professional Goals: change from media industry to internat. organisation/foreign service/think tanks Schools Applied to & Results: Columbia SIPA (accepted), Johns Hopkins SAIS (accepted), Georgetown MSFS (accepted), Fletcher MALD (accepted), GWU Elliott (accepted), Yale Jackson (rejected) Ultimate Decision & Why: Georgetown MSFS. In the beginning I was overwhelmed by the fact that I got accepted at so many schools. I thought it would only be one or two. Based on the information about financial aid in the beginning I thought I would either go to Fletcher (10k p year) or GWU (24k p year). Became pretty clear early on that I wasn't going to Columbia without funding. The more I talked to alumnis, read about courses and curriculum, the more obvious it got that I wanted to go to Georgetown (bc of small class, curriculum, concentrations, faculty, campus). But since I was only waitlisted for funding I did have to wait to make a decision. It was the right thing to be patient because in the end I got a full-tuition scholarship from them. Something I never believed was possible. Advice for Future Applicants: Do start early on with your applications (I did start very late and wasn't even sure that I could submit everything in time). Didn't have much time to study for the GRE next to work, so plan ahead. The most important advice if you are an international students: ask a native speaker to revise your essays! This helped a lot!
  3. Yes, I made it clear that I was set to go to another school (with scholarship) because I already placed the deposit there.. but that Georgetown was still my top-choice. So no real negotiating, but giving them hints about what I intended to do if I didn't get any funding.
  4. Yes, I think around 5pm (Central European Time). But I was mailing back and forth before that.
  5. I am in a similar position. My favorite school has only waitlisted me for funding which makes it kind of difficult to decide. If they -in the end - give me some money - I will know what to do. Otherwise not. What's more: I have to turn down other offers before they will even get back to me. I am not sure what to do and whether it makes sense for me to negotiate (I have 3 other schools with financial aid offers - the amount differs) I have to keep one option open which would mean that I would pay one of the deposits and wait for the results from my top choice. But then again I am not even sure if it is allowed to do that - to pay the deposit and then not attend the school. Has anybody anymore information on that?
  6. I also couldn't go and am very interested!
  7. I like where you are pointing at. On the one hand D.C. is the place where all the opportunities, internships, networks are - on the other hand it might as well turn out to be a very anonymous place where you have to struggle on your own to make your way (be it at the university itself or for your potential job), everybody is solely focused on their own career, socializing might be hard. That is why in the beginning I was leaning towards Fletcher MALD myself because of the great sense of community everyone there seems talking about. But right now I came to the conclusion that I would - regardless of the program - rather stay in D.C. (because it is one of my favorite cities, wheatherwise etc). Another thing that came to my mind is the question of credits: I saw that GWU/Elliot MAIA has only 40 credits whereas Georgetown has 48. Is this one of the reasons why tuition differs so much? Is GWU/Elliot more about the work-experience/Internsthips than Georgetown is? Maybe someone can provide me with some answers! Happy to hear them!
  8. May I ask, Atlas445 - have you decided yet where to go? I still haven't but if I don't get any scholarship at all at Georgetown I will most likely have to choose GWU - albeit with regrets that I am playing it safe instead of attending the school I want to be at.
  9. I still haven't found an answer to the question of how much debt I am willing to take on. I basically am now down from five schools to two of them (taking location, curriculum, job prospects, and so on into account). I either will go to GWU/Elliott with a very good scholarship of $ 24,000 per year or to my favorite program - Georgetown/SFS - where I am only waitlisted for a scholarship. If I get substantial aid from Georgetown I am definitely going there. But what if I don't get anything: would you still choose Georgetown over GWU because it is in the end where I want to go (if money wasn't relevant)? Is it worth the burden of debt (130k for 2 years - around 50 should be covered by my savings/work)? Or should I just appreciate the generous offer of GWU and spend two years in D.C. without having to worry about money? People I asked are very divided about it. What's more: since I am from Europe my salary later on might not be as high as the ones of US alumnis if I decide to go back. So it could take me much longer to pay back my loans. (But I don't exclude staying in the U.S.) I am happy to hear your opinions!
  10. I got into more schools I ever expected but the financial aid differs hugely. Trying to figure out if it is worth to leave the schools with debt and a huge amount of loans or if I should play it safe. There are several arguments to be made for and against these schools. Keep in mind: I am an international student probably working in Europe afterwards (but I could see myself working in the US as well). I am working as a foreign affairs journalist right now but am trying to get my foot into the door of other industries (Public, Internat. Organisations) with this Master. Fletcher: 10k. scholarship per year Elliott: 24k scholarship per year (basically only 12k tuition for the two years) SAIS: still waiting for their decision on financial aid MSFS: waitlisted for financial aid SIPA: no financial aid Right now I am leaning towards Fletcher - although it is the school least known in Europe I would assume. The reason for that: I like their curriculum, faculty, the fact that classes and community are quite small. And I get at least some financial assistance. SAIS on the other hand seems to be more "international" - so it will be easier to get a network - also in Europe. But I am not into econ at all - I don't have an issue with taking one, or two courses that deal with it but I don't want to speciailize in it. (Also they dont have a campus in D.C. - which is something I really would want to have) GW - Elliott School provides me by far with the biggest funds. But as stupid as this might seem - it seems less attractive to me because of this. I know that it is a bigger school - and not having any first-hand experience - there are not a lot of things that draw me to it (regarding faculty, curriculum etc). If money didn't play a role (which unfortunately it does) - I would choose Georgetown (MSFS) because of their small classes/campus/faculty/curriculum etc. I am only waitlisted for financial aid. So it would be really risky to choose this school and then having to pay the full amount. SIPA/Columbia is basically out - I just can't afford it. And people tell me that it is really big and you have to work very hard to get the most out of it. I am asking for your opinions: Which of these schools is the most competitive? (I have stayed at University of Chicago as an exchange student - so I would be happy if it is a little more relaxed this time which doesn't mean that it shouldn't be competitive at all) Regarding deadlines/waitlists/financial aid - would you play it safe? Or should I just hope for financial aid from Georgetown?! Thanks for your help!
  11. I got a separate letter stating: By now you may already have received your official admission letter through Apply Yourself and received the news that you were unfortunately not selected to receive one of the few MSFS scholarships at this time. This is an extremely competitive process, with only 30% to 40% of first year students receiving scholarships. The committee was very impressed with your application, however, and has placed you on a waitlist for MSFS scholarship assistance. The real issue here is that they will notify me about whether I get some scholarship or not after April 21st. A date where I already have to tell other schools if I take the scholarship and spot. That really sucks. Anyone having similar problems?
  12. I got in, but waitlisted for financial aid. How likely do you think it is I'll at least get some funds? (I am an international student,so far funds differ highly from nothing at all to almost 85% of tuition) - I reallly am preferring MSFS!
  13. Wow, I expected to get 12.000 $ financial aid in total - but having read the explanation of this obscure phrasing it seems I barely have to pay any tuition at GW... Reconsidering my options right now.
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