FrenchO

Not sure I understand why.
 
I'm not from the US (obviously), and I had never heard of that guy before (no, I don't watch CNN that often). So, not prejudiced.
 
But having a school bringing in a journalist, who apparently had a rather solid career do not seem hilarious at all to me. Rather something interesting, that shows that SAIS can lead to different successful careers. So, it is in fact a selling point.
 
Then maybe the guy is politically oriented and so, but even then, I think this only fact is something interesting to show the potential of a school.

Not sure I understand why.
 
I'm not from the US (obviously), and I had never heard of that guy before (no, I don't watch CNN that often). So, not prejudiced.
 
But having a school bringing in a journalist, who apparently had a rather solid career do not seem hilarious at all to me. Rather something interesting, that shows that SAIS can lead to different successful careers. So, it is in fact a selling point.
 
Then maybe the guy is politically oriented and so, but even then, I think this only fact is something interesting to show the potential of a school.

Hey MPPGal !
 
We both now we're pretty much in the same boat here. So I will be happy to hear from others as well, and I will share a few thoughts:
 
First, the "important" connections of GPPI : the connections that matter are the connections related to your field of study and field you want to work afterwards. General connections in DC won't help you as much as really relevant connections from the LatAm & Environmental departments in Austin. The question is more, do the actual expertise of Austin in those areas translate in some useful concrete connections. From the discussions I have with the faculty there, it appears they do.
 
Location : definitely DC is THE international affairs hub. That's one of my main concern with Austin. And while Princeton is also lost in the countryside, it has the name that draw world class praticioners & speakers anyway. But LBJ faculty seems really involved in many national & international research projects and there is a lot going on there. Plus, they look really dedicated to teaching. So I guess it could balance some star guest speakers !
 
I have a phone call with Kate Weaver tonight, so maybe I will be able to share more on the subject after.
 

 

SAIS is awful when it comes to answering questions on career placement. My guess is they're embarrassed about the fact that most SAIS students don't get good jobs coming out. Don't even bother e-mailing Bahar at admissions. She's one of the least helpful people I have ever had contact with.

Well, we will definitely see each other at the Open House on April 8. I am going for the MGPS as well.
Thanks for the opinion, I must say I pretty much agree. Still, I really want to take the most possible informed decision for my next two years !
 
 
MPPGal : if we don't have any answer on last Monday Open House, I will keep you posted on the one in two weeks.

Hey MPPGal !
 
We both now we're pretty much in the same boat here. So I will be happy to hear from others as well, and I will share a few thoughts:
 
First, the "important" connections of GPPI : the connections that matter are the connections related to your field of study and field you want to work afterwards. General connections in DC won't help you as much as really relevant connections from the LatAm & Environmental departments in Austin. The question is more, do the actual expertise of Austin in those areas translate in some useful concrete connections. From the discussions I have with the faculty there, it appears they do.
 
Location : definitely DC is THE international affairs hub. That's one of my main concern with Austin. And while Princeton is also lost in the countryside, it has the name that draw world class praticioners & speakers anyway. But LBJ faculty seems really involved in many national & international research projects and there is a lot going on there. Plus, they look really dedicated to teaching. So I guess it could balance some star guest speakers !
 
I have a phone call with Kate Weaver tonight, so maybe I will be able to share more on the subject after.
 

 

You made the right choice. SAIS is simply not worth it, especially if you don't get funding. I was offered half tuition fellowship at SAIS DC but will be turning it down. Unreal how a policy program can charge an annual tuition of $40K.

I think we are all making a lot of assumptions about how far the brand name of any school will take us. Alumni networks and a school's career services may certainly help us get that first job, which is indeed important for all subsequent jobs. But after that, it's going to be about the experience you gain at each position.
 
I can tell you that my dad graduated from a top 5 business school (not HBS, but another one of the programs that Revolution seems to drool over) about 30 years ago, and he recently told me that he has never once gotten a job because of an alumni connection. Most of his networking success stories have come from contacts he made at different companies by actually working there. A lot of those contacts went to regional business schools, or no business school at all. Certainly when people have looked at his resume, they have probably been impressed by the pedigree. But it's not like he can just walk his finger down the alumni directory and get any position he wants. That is a myth that a lot of these schools propogate - including the top MBA programs.
 
It can never hurt to have a degree from a school that is perceived to be elite. If we were debating between HKS and South Central Oklahoma State (I just made that up, btw), I would get it. However, I think we're deluding ourselves when we try to parse out the varying degrees of prestige between SAIS and SFS, or when we start to believe that attending HKS would put us on a totally different career trajectory than Fletcher. For those who are using the MA-IR or MPP as an ersatz MBA, then the calculus might be different (i.e. overall recognition of the institution becomes more important than strength of the program in the public sector field). But for those of us who are actually pursuing these degress for their intended purpose - to work in the public sector, or in public/private intersections - any of these top tier institutions will likely do us just fine. At the end of the day, our talent, hard work, and hussle will mean more than a line on our resumes (assuming that line is there in some form, and from a reasonably reputable institution).

I unexpectedly got some serious funding from UT-Austin LBJ. I could potentially graduate debt-free, while my next best offer would put me at least 40k extra in debt. So Texas has become an unexpected front runner.
 
Here is my dilemma: I am not from Texas, and am mostly interested in federal issues. According to the school's own data, 61% of grads stay in Texas, and 19% end up in DC. While of course there are scenarios in which I might fall in love with Texas and want to stay, I would start the program aiming to be part of that 19%.
 
So fellow Gradcafe-ers, those of you who are more familiar with LBJ (current students, alumni, people who know current students/alumni, people who have visited...): what kinds of jobs do LBJ graduates land in? For the ones that make it to DC, what kinds of organizations do they work for? What kinds of positions do they fill? How much extra legwork do they have to do considering the locational disadvantages? 
 
For those that stay in Texas - are they mostly working for state/local governments? In Austin? Or spread across the state? Etc.

Now that you say that, it's interesting because I have waited too for this moment for about 5-6 years, and now that it comes, it is not at all what I thought it was going to be. I almost have no enthusiasm left. I already got into another great program, and only the very unlikely scenario in which I get a full ride would make me weight the possibility of attending SIPA.
 
The map is not the territory, definitely.

That is precisely why you'd benefit from a few years experience, as it would greatly improve your logic.   

I'd rather attend a program that is just as good (or better, depending on the source) and finish the two years with no debt at all.

1.) Did anyone play Everquest or other MMORPGs growing up?  (Most financial engineers are nerds and geeks)  Remember how people would get in over their heads fighting orcs and then run to the zone shouting "ORC TRAIN TO ZONE!!!"?  I get the sense that Revolution is going around to different forums (zones) creating troll trains.
2.) SAIS is a great program, and at $80K it is not a terrible deal.
3.) Cause and effect.  People get into HBS because they have things (mostly learned skills) that help their careers, attract women, and give them confidence.  It is NOT the other way around.
4.) Revolution's problems are best addressed DIRECTLY by him rather than by getting an MBA or MPA.
4 1/2.) F*** HBS.  It's a school for people with better selling ability than math skills:
 

 
Apologies to that one math/stats/physics undergrad Harvard MBA who is probably really pissed right now and might know probability theory as well as a quant. But this was worth it if it gets Revolution to stop obsessing about HBS.
 
Back to my underground quant lair where I stare at a computer screen in a darkened room and mutter to myself about Ito Integrals and proving Novikov conditions.  Hopefully before the MBA train to zone starts on me.
 
-------
 
 
 
http://mmoplayer.wikidot.com/everquest

Thanks for the heads up on the email falling in the spam folder !
 
I got a $20,000 First Year fellowship, really surprised and amazed !

Well, on your online application : https://app.applyyourself.com/AYApplicantLogin/ApplicantConnectLogin.asp?id=saisjhu
 
You log in, and then you'll see " Your application decision is now available online" this displayed at the bottom of the page.

   

Hey !
I received the same fellowship as you two guys to attend the MGPS, out-of-state tuition waiver and 50,000$ award. Really excited about it !
Good chance I will be in Austin in Fall, I don't think anyone will match that up.