DaniCM

I just got an email from SIPA on Friday offering me a first year only, $15K fellowship. I was definitely not expecting anything from SIPA, and had written that school off...to the point that I already paid my deposit at Fletcher, but now I'm on the fence again!

Haha, yea. Lots of typos. I was on my phone. I'll defintily be looking for work. I got a work study award, and I want to see if I can roll that up into a RA or TA position. I'm paying my deposit today!

This advice is coming from a person who was admitted to SIPA and Fletcher and attended Gtown undergrad. I've decided on Fletcher primarily bc of funding, but I honestly think the program is the best fit for me. If you're making the move from private to public and don't have a lot of work experience in the field to which you hope to enter, Gtown might be good pick bc it will allow you the chance to intern or work with some public entities while in school. The language training also sounds like it's easily the best fit for your interests. Although DC living is expensive, you can live in Northern Virginia and easily commute to Georgetown. (Gtown has a shuttle bus that goes from northern VA to campus). I live in NoVa (in a group house) and my rent is only $545. The usually is $800/month for that area. For SIPA, it sounds like the IFP is a big deal. And it's likely you'll get second year funding - probably a similar amount, if not more. But I understand that's a scary thing to depend on. However, I do agree with you about them seeming impersonal. The career services sounds awful, the proverbial "pond" (in which you're a little fish) is much bigger, and professors don't seem as accessible as they are at competing institutions. I myself received two separate letters from SIPA after being admitted that said "Dear (insert name here)," where they had failed to put my name. And while quant is important, given your desire to focus on language, it may be hard to juggle the quant requirements with the other core requirements and still get a solid grasp on a new language. As for Fletcher, can't you take Turkish at Tufts (as opposed to Fletcher), or at least one of the Boston schools? And you can get credit for the first 2 language courses, then audit the rest. I was told auditing a language is difficult, as you'll have a full "regular" schedule, but those commited to it can make it work. In general, if you haven't taken any Turkish, I would say the Boren will be pretty difficult to get the first summer. They generally don't allow you to enter the program unless you have a moderate to advanced language level - which I doubt you'll have after two classes of Turkish. My suggestion would be to take Turkish your first year, try to get an internship in Turkey or apply for FLAS to study Turkish over the summer, then continue Turkish your second year and apply for Boren to begin the summer after your second year. You'll have to work out with your school how to defer graduation (as you have to be a graduate student at the time of your fellowship), but most schools will allow you to do this. I spoke specifically with Flecher about this and they seemed very familiar and flexible in helping me accomplish my language/Boren goals. Overall, I think you'll do well no matter where you go. But if language is the most important thing to you, I'd say MSFS or Fletcher, simply bc I don't think you'll have the same language opportunities at SIPA given the quant requirements. In terms of MSFS or Fletcher, I would weigh which is cheaper alongside which will give you the best shot of getting the career you want (so career services, alumni network, and internship/work opportunities). Good luck!

I definitely didn't get a "network-obsessed" vibe. It was more like they seemed kind of stiff and socially boring, albeing extremely impressive both academically and professionally. I just had a hard time breaking past that professional demeanor with most admits to whom I spoke. The big caveat to that is, of course, open house was only one day and everyone was very focused on getting the information they needed to make a decision about grad school. In contrast, the admin staff, professors, and current students seemed much more convivial and socially outgoing. I feel comfortable chalking up my perception of social awkwardness to open house jitters. Aside from that and what I already mentioned in my first comment, the biggest take aways from the open house were: flexibility and community. They really sold their alumni network, which they dubbed the Fletcher Mafia. Hearing how tight knit alumni are and how spread out they are geographically and professionally gave me the sense I have a leg up getting a job in whatever IR field I end up and whichever end of the earth I so choose. The flexibility of the program really allows you to tailor your education to your career interests and goals - which your academic advisor will help you do. There are many required/core classes to get in the way of the classes you want to take. Interning over the summer is very important, and 50% of the students do so abroad. Fletcher will even help fund unpaid internships (usually by about $2K). It also seems like there's lots of opportunities to get TA/RA positions directly from professors, and those pay about $!8/hour.

Where did you go to undergrad? what kind of work experience do you have? And what do you want to do after graduation? If you have limited work experience in your desire field, American would be good in that their classes don't begin until after 5 PM specifically so students can work or intern during the day. This would allow you to build the necessary work experience and network for a career immediately following graduation. If it's a paid internship or job, then you can apply that to living expenses and lower the total cost of education. However, the work thing is the only reason I would chose AU over Seton Hall given the funding. You're talking a lot of debt. And for IR schools, I'm not sure how much prestige matters outside the top 5 schools anyway. What sets AU and GW apart from the other non-top 5 schools is the location and potential to intern and network while in school.

There are some named/endowed scholarships specific to SIPA that you can apply for by writing essays. But, in terms of funding directly from SIPA, that comes in the form of TA and RA positions. You compete for those with all the second year students who have above a 3.4 GPA. They don't just give these positions to the highest GPA people, as professors get to voice who their choice in TA or RA, so networking with professors is just as important as the GPA requirement

Just based off your stats, I'd say you sound like a marginal applicant , such that if you do really well on your GREs and have a strong SOP and LORs, you could probably get in, but likely without funding. Getting waitlisted is also a strong possibility if the applicant pool is particularly strong your application cycle. Of course, with a good SOP and some stellar LORs, you could be a very choice applicant! Good luck!

I just attended the Fletcher open house and met a few MIBs, including one on the alumni panel who now works in the private sector and is one of the only people to be there without an MBA. They pretty much said that the great thing about an MIB from Fletcher is you can take all the same classes as you would as an MBA, but you also have the flexibility to throw in other stuff that interests you. The MIB alum said he brought his transcript to his interview and walked his current bosses through it, to show them he has all the skills and business education he needs to succeed. He also did a capstone project consulting an actual company and was able to show them that. Anyway, I don't know about HKS's program, but the Fletcher MIB seemed really marketable.

Hahahaha. That's funny. I actually did have the same perception in that area. My bf has been worried about me going to school and meeting someone else, and when I came back I told him he didn't have much to worry about. Yea, the girl that asked that question is someone I talked to quite a lot and did actually really like. Based off her reaction when they had no idea what she was talking about, I wont be surprised if she doesn't end up attending Fletcher. But that is an example of the OCS being more general and less helpful when you talk about specific career tracks. She was asking about a professional organization for Latina women in finance. I'm sure Fletcher is a member, as they have a big Latin American club, and they club probably has all the info she wants on the program. For instance, I'm in a professional org called Women in International Security, and while OCS probably knows nothing about it, the international security round table mentioned it when they spoke about the security club. I'm definitely not worried about finding a job after Fletcher. The Fletcher mafia sounds like a formidable force that really gets you places. My point was more along the lines of...it's odd that professors and alumni seem to be getting students jobs more so than career services. But maybe that's the way it is at all the top IR places, or maybe Fletcher is just like that because it has such a strong community. And I'm sure I'll meet some fun, socially extroverted people. I only really had substantive conversations with about 12-20 kids, and most of it was centered around SIPA or Fletcher. It's hard to demonstrate how cool you are when you're worrying about one of the biggest financial decisions you'll ever make. I hope you end up going! I'll definitely be there.

Thanks to everyone! All very useful information! So, if you don't get funding your first year, but manage to get a TA spot for your second year, you essentially have half of your overall tuition covered. Do they award these TA positions based solely on meritt as judged by your GPA your first year? Also, can you apply for endowed/named fellowships and scholarships specific to SIPA your second year?

Soaps, (or anyone that attending) did they address the issue of second year funding? I believe I read 70% of students receive some funding their second year, but what is the average size of the financial award? Did they speak about TA or RA positions...anything to help fund your education? Thanks!

Hi all Fletcher admits! To those who attended the open house this past Monday: what were your thoughts? What were you impressed with and what did you think was a bit lack luster? I was very impressed with the backgrounds of the admitted students. Their previous experiences really blew me away. I asked myself more than a few times, "How did I get admitted alongside such accomplished people?" However, I was disappointed to find I didn't really personally connect with many admitted students. I'm hoping people just seemed a little stiff because they were nervous, overstimulated, and trying to make the best (professional and academic) impression possible all at the same time. (this paragraph sounds judgy. I want to emphasize that I definitely enjoyed speaking with everyone about academic and professional interests, experiences, and goals. I just couldn't see myself hanging out or socializing with many admitted students outside of class...getting a beer or exploring Boston...doing chill friend stuff with. I'm leaving an awesome group of friends in DC, and I wont know anyone in Boston, so connecting with people on that level is really important to me.) I was also very impressed with the professors I spoke with and all the people in the admissions office (who bent over backwards to make the day wonderful). They seem 100% invested in the success of the students, and are consequently extremely available and hands on. I'm sure I'll receive an amazing and personalized education. I very much look forward to establishing personal relationships with my professors. It seems that most internship, research assistanship, and career opportunities come from professors (or alum) and their connections. Speaking of said opportunities, I was a little disappointed with the career office. Their services seem very general. They weren't able to answer a lot of my questions, or the questions posed by those in my smaller, industry-specific break-out group. It seems they mostly help you with mock interviews and resume/cover letter writing. They can also put you in touch with alumni in the fields you want to enter, and they have a list of former internships conducted by Fletcher students, with the necessary contact info. I was hoping for more guidance on what skills I need to develop to give me the best shot at reaching my carrer goals upon graduation, and which classes will provide me with those skills. In other words, I want their help to make the very most out of my time at Fletcher, so I best develop myself to enter my prefered career. I don't think they're in the business of helping students strategically align their education with their career goals. I also realized I definitely want to live around Davis Square or somewhere with more bars and restuarants. There wasn't very much going on around the immediate campus, and I can see myself getting bored in Medford fast. Anyway, in summation, I know I'm going to get a stellar education at Fletcher, while interacting with incredibly intelligent and accomplished students and professors. And I think I'll have great interhship and career opportunities as a result of their network. I just hope I can find a cool place to live and some students I can relate to on a more social level.

It sounds like you're eligible to receive second round funding, but until they know whether those who received frirst round fudning have accepted or declined their offer of admission, they wont know how much they have to offer you. The more to decline, the more funding they'll have to redistribute for those offered second round fudning. If I were you, I'd definitely ask for an extension on your deadline for accepting or declining your admission offer. It's fair to say you need to know what your additional funding offer is before you can make your final decision, and as they're the ones being so ambiguous, the least they can do is give you the time you need to make an informed decision.

I would DEFINITELY reapply next year and take the rest of this year to improve GREs, get more relevant work experience, really polish my SOP, and work with my recommenders so they can write amazing LORs. Also, and this is just as important as the former things, take a lot more time to apply to external funding sources and named fellowships/scholarships at the schools to which you apply. That way, even if the school itself doesn't give you a scholarship, you have other sources on which to rely. As part of that, you should save up money for the next year. I didn't apply to many external funding sources, which is one of my biggest regrets this past application cycle. I got in to every school to which I applied (for which I am very grateful and honored), but not being able to fund SAIS or SIPA is equivalent to rejection for me. I am not paying sticker price for any school - even the most prestigious IR schools. I am tremendously lucky to have been given a half tution scholarship at Fletcher. Had I not gotten that I would have done exactly what I just adivsed you to do.

Being in DC and having the ability to intern is enormously helpful. And, as already stated, it helps if your from the Congress person's district. I interned for a semester in AZ Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick's office while I was a Georgetown undergrad. There aren't too many Zonies (Arizonians) in DC, so I had a huge advantage. Getting a staff position, and even internship, in a more famous congress person's office will be a lot more difficult. Unless you have prior hill experience, or connections with someone currently on the hill, definitely expect to start as an intern making nothing. Hopefully after a few months of hard bitch work, and it is bitch work (mailing lots of form letters and answering constituent mail and calls), you might get a staff spot, probably staff assistant. They pay for the staff assistant in my office was something like $25K/year...and everyone worked from about 8 AM to 8 PM, taking their lunch at their desk. That said, when congress is slow, so is your office, and the conditions are better. You also get cool perks like attending White House events and cool dinners and receptions with members of Congress. I got my internship through the Georgetown career portal - there were tons of Congressional internships posted there. I'm sure that's the same at all the DC schools. While interning, I also saw a number of candidates simply walk in the resumes - although none that came into my office got a job. Good luck! It's pretty grueling work and awful pay, but if you work in a good office, with good people, it can be very exciting and rewarding.

I think I'm most unnerved by the fact the school itself responded so strongly, seemingly feeling personally attacked, to a student's personal blog...If they don't have time to provide excellent career services and a responsive administration (which is apparently a current problem: How do they have time to argue with students via comments in a blog post? A good friend of mine went to Bologna last year and is in DC this year. She only has the best things to say about SAIS and is trying to convince me it's worth paying sticker price for and passing up my scholarship from Fletcher. However, she's a Pickering fellow with the majority of her tuition covered. When she talks about Bologna, it's definitely about the people and the opportunity to travel...I haven't really heard much about the classes, professors, services, or campus itself. I should ask her about it.

Slightly related but still definitely off topic, given your funding situation with zero from HKS and 19K from Fletcher, where have you decided to go?

No, I sent a letter to the same woman at SIPA as did ASEANdumpling, but it appears he deleted his letter, hence the confusion over my seeminly ambiguous pronoun use. He was able to successfully negotiate for an $8K increase to his funding. I was not... I did talk to SAIS, though. I believe I posted a summary of my experience earlier in this thread, but it may have been the Bologna thread. Anyway, long story short, SAIS does not negotiate funds for first year students nor do they have second-round funding decisions. Bummer. But I think I'll be happy at Fletcher, and I guess it's nice that my funding situation has made this an easy choice!

I'm definitely doing that. I think Fletcher will be great, too. In fact, the more I compare the program and my interaction with each school over the last few months, the more I think Fletcher is a better fit for me. I'm just really attracted to the idea of living in Italy (SAIS) and the Columbia brand and location. But that's a stupid reason to enter into programs I'm less attracted to, especially considering the price. I know these things...then I start thinking about how fun it would be to live in NYC and derail myself. I look forward to 4/19 when I finally forced ot make my final decision so I can stop wrestling with a question I've already answered but keep coming back to

I wrote her and got a generic email from the Office of Financial Aid saying that they would be conducting second round funding begining April 19th after those offered money from the first round accept or reject their decisions. They said I would be considered for that pool of money, should it become available. I'm not hopeful.

I was just playing with the income based repayment plan calculator (http://www.finaid.org/calculators/scripts/ibr.cgi), and, apparently, should I qualify for the IBR plan and get the government loan forgivenss thing for those working in public service, after 10 years the price differential between taking out $100,000 for SIPA or SAIS or taking out only $60000 for Fletcher is only $2000. That makes it tempting to take out more loans and go to the school of my choosing. The long-term price is essentially the same no matter where I go. However, that fact is completely contingent on me qualifying for both the IBR plan and the PLSF program. If I don't qualify for both those things, the price differential is much greater. It seems like a huge risk to take and bank everything on the IBR and PLSF.

Man, that calculator kind of freaks me out. If I take out $100,000 to go to SAIS or SIPA, and IF I qualify for BOTH the IBR plan and the PLSF, I will only pay $2000 more than if I only take out $60,000 to go to Fletcher and get both IBR and PLSF. That makes it very tempting to take out more loans, and go where I want to go...b/c not only will my monthly payments be the same, but my loans will be forgiven in 10 years either way with only a $2000 difference. Essentially, it seems like the only price differntial between my three choices (in the long run), regardless of my substantial scholarship from Fletcher, is 2 grand. However, I am very wary of the PLSF. I've heard that for your payments to qualify, you have to be paying a lot. I'm not even sure if the IBR plan qualifies. Additionally, since the program hasn't been in place 10 years, there's no hard evidence of its success or ease of use. What if the thing falls apart well before I would qualify? I have at least 12 years. Arghh. I should just commit to Fletcher and stop dicking around with all this. I don't even think I want to attend SAIS, and I only really like SIPA bc of the brand name and location. I'm just torturing myself with hypotheticals.

No problem!

Loan money is dispersed each semester, fall and spring. So, in the fall, if you're taking 8 credits, 6 of which are covered by tuition reimbursement, the school will receive the full total amount of loans you requested, and take what they need to cover your direct education costs - the remaining 2 credits. If there's anything left over, it will go to you. You can use if for whatever, but it should be used on books and living expenses. Since you're working part time, you may just want to immediately repay any surplus loan money and use your own wages to pay for books and living expenses. The following semester, if you sign up for fewer credits, the same thing will happen. The school will get the total loan amount, take what they need to pay whatever your tution reimbursement doesn't cover, then give the rest to you. Even though your loan is released in two separate dispersements, you must request the total loan amount for the academic year prior to begining that first semester. That total amount is then divided in two equal amounts, to be dispersed once in the fall and once in the spring. If you're taking less credits one semester of the acadmic year, the school will simply need to take less of your loan dispersement for that semester, leaving you to pocket a higher amount. Again, I would suggest repaying what you don't need immediately

Usually, every grad student is awarded an unsubsidized direct loan for $20,500/year. If that is not enough to cover your school's projected total cost of attendance (which includes both tuition and estimated living expenses), you can also take out a Grad Plus loan to cover the remainder. For example, say you school's tuition and fees are $40K/year. They estimate cost of living expenses (food/housing/utilities/transportation/miscellaneous) to be $15K/year. You're given a $20K scholarship for the first year. That scholarship, in addition to the standard unsubsidized direct loan of $20,500 will cover your tuition and fees. For the $15K in living expenses, you'll need to take out a Grad Plus loan.Grad Plus loans have a higher interest rate (7.9%) than do unsubsidized direct loans. All loans will first be dispersed to the school, which gets first dibs on your loan money so they can apply it to direct educational costs. What's left over (in this example, that would just be the Grad Plus loan) then goes to you. The school usually just directly deposits the money into whatever account they have on file for you.