flyingjellyfish

I've been comparing American to SAIS too.... I've been offered full tuition at American and a very generous amount of money at SAIS resulting in a $20k difference between the two. I feel that going to SAIS for $20k more is worth it. Any less from SAIS and I'd be going to American. Honestly, I was floored that I got so much from SAIS... it's made me seriously reconsider my options!

I totally agree and am actually in the same position as you! I love the idea of exploring whether I want to return to Europe. I unfortunately can't make any of the open house events... I'm too far away on the West Coast and swamped at work :/ It's also kind of funny and exciting to think that some of us agonizing on these boards may end up in the same classes.

No, it's not required that you take out a PLUS loan. You can choose to pay for grad school in whatever way makes sense to you. Like many students, I plan to pay for grad school through a mix of grants, loans, and personal savings. I'm not too familiar with other student loan providers, though I will say that many former big lenders closed down over the past few years (due to the recession??). I recently consolidated my undergrad loans so that they are all managed directly by the Dept. of Ed. rather than different lending entities- consolidation is definitely the way to go! And remember, international students can't receive loans through the U.S. government, so either have to go through a lender in their home country or from a standard private lender. There are many options to pay for school. It's obviously important to research them carefully before signing that Master Promissory Note! Finally, for U.S. students remember that the U.S. Government allows you to deduct student loan interest off your taxes (has made a big difference for me!) and over the past couple years via ARRA has offered the American Opportunity Tax Credit that allows students to get up to $2,000 of their tuition amount back on their tax returns. So, make sure to always look out for opportunities to get some of your money (especially interest!) back at tax time.

Yes, you absolutely can. Sorry about the link, it was supposed to take you to the page on loans, but looks like the link didn't copy properly. You can use loans to cover the full "Cost of Attendance". From the studentaid website (see page on "how aid is calculated"): "What does cost of attendance (COA) mean? Your COA is the amount it will cost you to go to school. Most two-year and four-year colleges will calculate your COA to show your total cost for the school year (for instance, for the fall semester plus the spring semester). Schools with programs that last a different period of time (for instance, an 18-month certificate program) might give you a COA that covers a time period other than a year. If you're attending at least half-time, your COA is the estimate of tuition and fees; the cost of room and board (or living expenses for students who do not contract with the school for room and board); the cost of books, supplies, transportation, loan fees, and miscellaneous expenses (including a reasonable amount for the documented cost of a personal computer); an allowance for child care or other dependent care; costs related to a disability; and/or reasonable costs for eligible study-abroad programs."

I've been accepted into the SAIS Bologna program too and am also interested to hear peoples' thoughts. The other SAIS thread has become pretty negative and devolved into a debate about MBA programs, so I'd love to discuss Bologna in more detail here! PROS: Personally, a big draw of the SAIS Bologna program for me is the smaller and highly international community of 200 students that meets my "good fit" test. I think the intl economics and language-focused curriculum would challenge me and be good preparation for a career in public policy and intl affairs. I'm also excited by their courses on human rights, as I hope to go into advocacy work. I received some funding, which helps offset my concerns about cost. I would still be taking on quite a bit of debt, but I'm beginning to think it would be worth it... Finally, I've been so impressed by how attentive and helpful their staff and faculty have been so far. They have been very responsive and clear in their responses to me. CONS: The cost is still intimidating despite the fellowship I've been offered, particularly because it seems difficult, if not impossible to work while at SAIS. I would like some focused management training and am not sure I'll get that at SAIS. I hope to go into nonprofit work and feel that the program is more geared towards government and foreign service. I've been working in domestic policy for the past 3+ years, so returning to intl relations (what I studied in undergrad) is a bit more uncertain for me, then going a more domestically focused route. However, I think SAIS presents an ideal opportunity for me to break back into international affairs considering my current resume. Finally, on the career services side, I think SAIS will open a lot of doors for me and I'm excited about the career services program they seem to offer. But I don't have illusions that any school is going to get me the exact job I want. As I've learned working in the real world, where I land after graduate school will be up to me and how well I leverage opportunities. devstudies- What are YOUR pros and cons?

SkyStrike- the $20,500 per year limit is for a Direct Unsubsidized loan (6.8% interest rate). Students then cover additional costs through a PLUS loan (7.9% interest rate). More info here: http://studentaid.ed.gov/types/loans

To clarify, just over $1600 if you combine those two courses, which would be my plan.

Pre-term courses in Bologna are 840Euro for econ, 420Euro for survival Italian. That equates to just over $1600. The cost is a pain, but it's such a small piece of the overall SAIS education... seems worth it to get off on a good foot!

waltlaa9: Thanks so much for affirming what I'm thinking too. I was starting to agonize over it, but you put it very simply and I agree.

Anyone else here on the waitlist and get the email with more info today? I'm beginning to think SAIS Bologna is for me, but on the slim chance I'm accepted into WWS from the waitlist, I just don't see how I could turn that down. I was so looking forward to some certainty after decisions came out, but looks like it's going to be uncertain for a while yet...

Thanks jm08 for the great info! And here's what I've determined so far... When I interviewed for the Bologna Center, the professor who interviewed me encouraged me to take econ during pre-term. I followed up with him last week for more information... The pre-term micro and macro courses are intermediate, graded as pass/no pass, and they do not count towards the 16 class total. If you pass, then you have effectively tested out of either micro or macro, opening up room for more electives and easing your transition into SAIS due to the pass/no pass deal. Personally, if I go to SAIS, I would take micro along with survival Italian in pre-term. I haven't taken economics beyond two Principles of Micro/Macro classes, so a pass/no pass start is appealing to me and would allow me to focus my energy on a different class during my first semester. None of this was listed in my admissions letter- it just stated that I'd passed the intro micro/macro requirement (yay!).

Accepted but with no funding. Makes my decisions a little easier.

Also from California here

"Plus, attractive well-educated women LOVE guys at top MBA programs, and they probably won't take me seriously if I'm just a ir/policy student." What? Well personally I'm a well-educated woman, and I'm not interested in any man's huge MBA. I really do hope you realize your MBA dreams and wish you much luck. But can you please stop posting such ridiculous drivvle on this particular forum thread? Many of us on here, men and women alike, ARE deciding on policy/IR programs and your big MBA mentality is getting in the way...

Thanks for sharing dyavrom!

Hi fellow SAIS admits! (Moving away from the MBA/IR debate...) What career are you interested in going into after SAIS/grad school? What job do you see yourself in right after and perhaps 10 years after graduation? Sorry for the super Personal Statement kind of question, but I'd love to know what your goals are. Personally, I'm trying to decide if an MA from SAIS is a good choice for me or if I should go the Public Administration route. I'm interested in ultimately working in the nonprofit sector in human rights advocacy work (hopefully internationally focused) and/or in the provision of basic services like affordable housing, healthcare, and/or education. I received my BA in IR but have spent the past 3+ years working in public finance- basically at the intersection of government and the affordable housing industry. Whatever school I decide on, I'm committed to working in public service and find public policy fascinating. Thanks!

JFactor- thanks so much for sharing! I'm an immigrant to the US (from the EU actually and finally got my US citizenship about a year and a half ago) so I completely sympathize with visa and immigration issues. Best of luck with your decision!

JFactor- if you don't mind sharing, about how much aid did you receive from SAIS? I received almost full tuition for year 1 in Bologna, but $20k for year 2. I'm weighing whether I should take on the remaining year 2 tuition plus living expenses- around $50-$60k in debt. I'm really interested in the program, but obviously wary about the overall cost!

Thanks fenderpete for the really helpful information! I'll look out for that letter.

Also on the waitlist. Really proud of myself for getting that far, but of course not the news I was hoping to get. I second waltlaa9's questions to fenderpete. I've heard that it is particualrly unlikely to get into WWS from the waitlist, as most people who get in go due to the generous financial aid and quality of the program... A huge congratulations to everyone who got in!

I applied and was just accepted into General IR and received funding. Personally I wasn't committed to any more specialized major and am interested in learning about the many aspects of IR. I'm not too worried about the perception of that- SAIS has an amazing reputation regardless and my reason makes a lot of sense to me. Good luck with your decision

I'm also into Bologna with funding! I'm still in shock that I received money, I had just about ruled SAIS out already on financial grounds. You're all so right- even with money it's a huge financial decision. Lots of soul-searching and number-crunching ahead of us! And aren't Nelson and Amina so nice?

Traveling New Zealand to visit family and Thailand to visit friends. Super excited for a long vacation between leaving work and starting school. Using air miles for the NZ flight and my tax refund for Thailand, so should work out ok!

Hi emadison- I applied at the very end of December and heard at the end of January, so right around a month. I would contact them, as it can't hurt to ask!

Same here- no aid from NYU. Oh well, it was one of my reaches. Good luck everyone else!