chiquitito

So are y'all still liking UCSD? I'm working on my app now and am a little intimidated by the secondary essay question about leadership/initiative and the fact that they don't give a word limit for their essays. Also, does anyone know if most funding comes from the San Diego Fellowship? Or is funding doled out separately by the IR/PS school as well? Of all the grad school possibilities out there, only UCSD and SAIS Europe are hitting the sweet spot for me at the moment. Thanks, tito

TimB, Peace Corps isn't a particularly competitive program. It is, however, time consuming. Think about a minimum of 6-9 months from application to arriving overseas (for many it is closer to 12), and then a 27 month commitment. I doubt having a graduate degree would make that process go faster, and I'm not sure it would make an impact on the type of assignment you would get (if you are applying with your wife, PC will have to find two jobs in the same location you are both qualified for). Also, I believe Peace Corps requires couples to be married for at least a year before they begin their service together. If you feel like you can wait three years before starting grad school, I would recommend Peace Corps because having that international experience will make you that much more desirable as a candidate for graduate programs. However, as hedong123 said, if you already have lived and worked overseas, you could probably apply to grad school now. As for your quant score, I think you're falling just short of the middle 50% for the better programs, so I don't think you need to take it again. However, math is important (especially if you want to study international development) and taking a night course or two in calculus or economics would be great (and maybe necessary) for your application.

I'm having trouble phrasing this question in my head, but I'm wondering if any FSOs leave the Foreign Service for the private sector, and how the private sector might value their skills. Does it make sense for someone to want to start a career in the Foreign Service and then after 5-7 years try and use that experience for work outside of the government?

CurrentFSO, Thanks so much for volunteering your time to field questions. Do the majority of FSOs you've encountered stick with the Foreign Service for the long haul, or does there seem to be a fair amount of turnover? Also, if you've ever had problems with bureaucracy or had to work on policies you didn't agree with, how have you made the best of your situation?

Finalists, what's the latest?

Congratulations and good luck to the finalists! I'm so excited/nervous for you all, and cannot wait to apply next year. Quick question: The Pickering/Rangel Fellowships are for study at US graduate schools only, but does anybody know if fellows are allowed to participate in the SAIS Bologna program?