lala1640

Yep Lo & Sons is a bit pricey but you should like them on Facebook, mine had a coupon for 20% off to make it a bit more justifiable, at least that's how I reasoned it out in my mind!

Super helpful @sateria143!! I was between the OMG and the OG Lo & Sons, but from seeing friends with the OG, I thought it was a bit too big! Yay, cannot wait to order, thank you!!

Love that Brookline as well, I'm having the hardest time deciding on size and color for mine! They're really fantastic bags, I've had quite a few friends buy the OMG and OG bags, and store everything in them! A bit pricier but definitely worth it in the quality and I find they're a bit more unique than the Longchamp bags I've had for years and years!

This is definitely something I've been tossing around as well! In undergrad I carried the typical longchamp and found it was good, held a lot, kept clean, but still felt a little weighted as far as carrying with thinner straps. I've also gotten a really cute knomo London bag from TJ Maxx which was super durable as well and had better straps for carrying laptop, books, etc than my longchamp. This time around I'm actually going to invest a bit and buy a Lo and Sons bag, which I can store more stuff in, laptop, books and really love the concept behind the bag! Depends on your price range but those are some bags that have worked well for me!

Looking forward to meeting others that will be heading to Brandeis this fall! I'll be at the Heller School for the Sustainable Int'l Development program. Any advice from alums on housing search, that seems to be next on my list of to-do items!

Let's talk all things Brandeis for those that have accepted!

Yeah, I'm turning down the wait list. I can't imagine the funding will be all that great even if I get moved to accepted, especially since it seems they won't have this figured out until after mid-April! Good luck to everyone still waiting and with your decisions!!

Anyone else find out they were waitlisted today? Nice to find out what the status is finally but what a crazy timeline! Any thoughts on staying on or hopping off the waitlist here?

@katrun, these are some good points! I've heard mixed reviews on the praticum search experience and am hoping to get a better sense of how it works at the admitted student day next week! As for the "it's not DC" deal, this isn't a huge concern for me, as I think (perhaps naively, I don't really know for certain!) the program, faculty backgrounds and expertise areas are an ideal fit at Brandeis, more so than other schools for my interest areas! Good luck in your decision-making, it sounds like SAIS is a great fit for what you're looking for!!

Congrats, @Katrun!! It seems like waiting paid off for us! For me there are a few aspects that make Brandeis my top choice: - the two-year practicum layout: to me I saw this as the biggest pro to attending Brandeis and still do! My focus has been really to gain as much theoretical coursework in the first year then be able to apply it and start focusing on getting hired in the second year; I also think there's something to be said about saving $$$ not having to pay for a second year of grad school and having a full-year int'l internship experience - programmatic focus: from what I can gather from others, the SID program is really focused on more discussion-oriented classes, which I really value; I was also impressed with the faculty and found a lot of support in my potential area of interest - random factor: I participated in anational service program after college (probably like many others) and really valued that Heller has a strong partnership with my orgs and selects like-minded students with diverse, social sector backgrounds. Just some things I thought about in my decision, I'm interested to hear what others thought as well! Congrats on Hopkins too, @katrun, that's fantastic! Tough decisions!!

@bleu929 congratulations to you as well!! Look forward to meeting you this fall! Thanks so much for the information on assistantships, very helpful in clarifying! Looks like I have some research to do this weekend! I'm hoping to attend the admitted student day next Friday (pending some over the weekend flight switches) and would be happy to share my thoughts with you if I go! Also, is there already a Brandeis page for students to connect here? Congrats again, @bleu929!!

Just received my email from Brandeis - MA SID program (finally!) was accepted with a scholarship! Incredibly happy as this was my top-choice program! Will definitely be attending this fall, anyone else? Does anyone know how TA or RA work at Brandeis, if available?

Yep, same here @carefreewritingsonthewall, rejected! Totally okay with it though, felt like I knew it was coming since most had received their info last week or so!

@bwalke99 I got a similar email yesterday about the Ford Institute, not sure quite how to interpret it! Is anyone attending admitted student day on April 4th? I'm interested if there's more info given as to opportunities for assistantships!

@tunaonrice I'm also still waiting anxiously to hear! Good to know they're still reviewing applications! This is truly March Madness...good luck to everyone still waiting as well, all the best!!

Yeah same here @carefreewritingsonthewall! Haven't heard a word and I'm not seeing anyone share rejections, only acceptances and waitlists! I'm not feeling particularly hopeful at this point knowing I'm still waiting and no one has posted a rejection...feels like I'm awaiting the inevitable!

For those who haven't heard, has anyone checked their online portal? (I feel like this is a rhetorical question, but thought I'd ask!) Mine hasn't changed from saying "submitted", is anyone else's still saying this as well?

Same here! Just got admitted this afternoon, so incredibly happy!! What program did you apply to?

Congrats pep mocha, that's fantastic!! Just curious, when did you apply to Brandeis? I also got into Clark IDCE last week, but that's the only school I've heard from so far! Any thoughts on your decision?

Have you heard from either American or Georgetown? I'm not expecting to hear anything from them until mid-March but am curious if you had heard anything? Glad to have someone in the same situation during all of this, makes things a bit less stressful!!

Hmmm, I double-checked their sites and they said 4-6 weeks on the applicant status page and 6-8 weeks via email! Let me know what you find out via email. Wow really interesting about your "better fit" status, I'm glad to hear universities consider that, but the waiting game is so painful!! I just continue to think in a month from now (which seems like forever at the moment) I should know all my statuses. Hoping for great news for you!!

I was just about to send you the same...I haven't heard anything I'm worried now, but I guess my application was complete with transcripts and everything on 1/17 so it's been just over 6 weeks, I could be waiting a few more weeks. When was your application complete?

Haven't heard, was thinking the same...I feel like we'll find out this coming week, since we haven't heard already! Relieved to hear I'm not alone in still waiting...

Same here, I'm having a hard time finding others applying to int'l dev programs as well, especially Brandeis to speak on the experience, so glad to find this thread! I think once I learn accepted/rejected on Brandeis, I'll be able to visit and would be happy to share thoughts on my visit, since your a bit further! I unfortunately don't have any references for applying, and was hoping someone on this thread would be able to speak about it b/c I'd love to hear their thoughts and experience! I was really set on applying at Brandeis bc of their flexibility and balance with theoretical approach and practicum experience in the SID program, I really liked the option to spend the entire second year in an internship or at Brandeis. I also previously worked for a year in international ed in Ghana and Brandeis has a partnership for students to do summer internships at an NGO in Ghana, so that was a big part of my decision as well. Our lists of schools look a bit similar, I applied to Georgetown and American as well, along with UPitt's GSPIA, UofMinnesota and Clark University (accepted). What did you like most about the Brandeis program? I'm so interested to hear back, I hope decision comes March 1st! Good luck Katrun and let me know how Brandeis turns out for you!!

Super interesting to hear chigirl2014, thanks for your insight! What program did you do and if you don't mind sharing, are you from Chicago for undergrad? This has a been a huge debate for me with the location and needing a car, etc to get around, as I'm used to the New York accessibility and have heard boston is far from it, but the programs seem so great at Brandeis!