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newba1ance

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  1. Hi You're Fine. I had comparable GREs. Q650 V680 AW5.5. From my understanding it is in the strike zone as it comes down to quant scores and getting in. However it may be a bit outside the strike zone when it comes to getting funding from them, and that is the only way I'd ever go. Good luck.
  2. No. Not even close my friend. You are going to be making 40k – 50k a year and paying off 120 – 140k in loans? So about 1300 a month give or take (assuming about 5%) …This is ridiculous, it’s an amount that may be justified if you are looking at a top rated MBA or JD degree that is going to earn you 150k out of the gate, but an IR degree to work for a non-profit? If you want to work for the government or non-profit that amount of debt is silly, and you by no means need to go to SAIS or SIPA to get work at a top notch non-profit or government agency. I’m continually shocked that people actually go into debt to pay sticker price at those schools. Don’t mean to be harsh, but please be careful when taking out that kind of debt, it can’t be defaulted upon and I know a few people who are really hurting with debt a few years out of their MA degree w/o any discernable advantage to show for it.
  3. This would be a tough decision. SAIS is considered a stronger program in many areas, specifically some quant areas, and can help you get into some of the elite organizations in the world, World Bank, IMF etc. Since I don't have the details regarding the numbers your are talking about regarding your current and prospective debt levels, all I will say is be very very wary of heavy debt in this field. The cash these degrees earn you will usually not make up for the lack of freedom and the overall debt burden. I also want to agree with the previous poster and comment in contrary to what some students who are coming out of undergrad seem to think about some programs "paying dividends in the long run". The opposite of this is true. Your school will help you with your first job, and may or may not be a big help for about one year. After that, your alma mater is the least considered out of many factors the top being accomplishments in your field, work experience, and skill set. the usefulness of your schools brand name is usually well worn off before you have it paid off. In the end do what you feel is right for yourself but be wary of the weight this debt will be on you, and the next decade of your life. Run some numbers, look at what your expected monthly payment is going to be against what you expect to make in income. This can be a frightening but eye opening exercise. Best of luck!
  4. Seconded, there is no way the difference in cost comes close to the potential difference in opportunity. You’re talking about taking out a hundred thousand plus dollars in debt and paying 7, 8% on it for an IR degree? Take the money and run.
  5. This seems to be a common problem, I personally didn’t apply to SAIS having followed the experience of some friends who went through this prior to myself. For this particular situation you would be talking about paying an extra $47,000 for the SAIS name and the education that comes with it. Assuming you will be paying with loans (otherwise why ask) at a modest 6.7% rate over the standard 10 year period. You will end up paying $82,233 total on this debt, just under $600 a month for 10 years, more with opportunity cost considered, which would be appropriate given the heavy economic emphasis of SAIS. Now, the question is, do you expect that SAIS is going to give you a $82,000 lead in the IR world over 10 years? Personally I think that is a ridiculous question. Will it give you an edge getting out of college, yes probably, all other things being equal. Will it give you a large edge if you are dead set on working for the World Bank, it seems so. Frankly, after a year or two out of school, this degree’s staying power is very ephemeral, your work experience is going to greatly outweigh it. It is also worth mentioning that this degree tends not to pull down MBA money, and I think that a certain degree of flexibility also makes for finding the happiest employment fit. So there my $.02. SAIS is great, but thoughtfully consider the amount paid into it, against what real benefit you expect to get out of that investment, the rest is ego.
  6. Received my package by snail mail yesterday. No funding included, makes my decision a whole lot easier.
  7. 25k, over 2 years too. better than a poke in the eye, rather surprised frankly.
  8. This is one of the reasons I didn’t bother applying to GT or SAIS. $120,000 may be a good investment for a top MBA or Law degree, but I have no idea how those pursuing the type of work that comes from an IR masters justify spending that kind of money. Especially when you consider that after a year or two out of school the institution from which you obtained your degree is barely a factor next to other career accomplishments and experience, the thinking that the SAIS springboard is worth tens of thousands of dollars plus interest has boggled my mind. Those I know that ended up going to GT were basically independently wealthy. Those institutions are fantastic, no doubt, but the cost benefit analysis never worked for me. Unless you have your heart set on work for the World Bank, or IMF, and need the SAIS label to get it, I would be wary of that level of debt for this type of degree. Just my $.02, thoughts vary I’m sure.
  9. Hello all, I’ve been reading this forum over the last few months and figured I’d make this post now that the most recent application cycle is over. I’ll be applying this fall to a number of programs generally focuses on Econ. Policy and perhaps IR for development. I have seen a few posts about Int. Development, which is my area of personal interest, but little information about the job climate for post grads. It is unlikely that I’ll be going to a top program (If i manage to get in it's unlikely i get $$, and I'm not willing to take the debt.), and am wondering if I graduate from a decent or middle ground school, if my job prospects in this field will be too limiting/non-existant. One such program I’m consider is the HHH school at U of Minn. (I live in Minnea) which has a new MDP program (so if you know anything about this program specifically it would be greatly appreciated). So there it is, I speak French and my job background is in finance if that changes anything. Any thoughts out there as to the comparable job markets of getting a degree in development vs. a MPP/MPA/IR Econ. Degree? I would think that the latter choices are more versatile, but I would far more like a job in international development. Thanks! Any input is appreciated! *edit - formatting.
  10. I'd also be really interested in what people would have to say about this program's presence in the field. For various reasons I'm giving it strong consideration, and it seems to be a good program, my only concern is that it will hurt job prospects after graduation. I'm particularly interested in international development and they have a brand new program dedicated to this, just not quite sure what to think yet.
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