marwanslm

Hi there! I've decided to join the MA IA Program. I'm a senior studnet from China and my undergraduate major is Arabic. I don't have full-time work experience but did internship in the government and some NGOs. I guess life in D.C. could be a bit challenging yet exciting for me. I've been searching for houses and that seems something tough. All the rooms near the campus seem quite expensive. Hope to see you at school!

I've finally decided to go to Elliott School. My program is MAIA. Anyone with me?

Hi, @ceid90, Thank you for the information. It's quite interesting that IR/PS is particularly popular among international students and Elliott School seems not so attractive. Many friends of mine (like 6-7) all received ad from IR/PS with no funding and still going. I guess the environment of California is so irresistible. But many people also told me that D.C. is also a very diverse place. So there may be some other things to think about besides academics and work opportunities.

I’m really in the middle of a tough decision: MA International Affairs, Elliott School, GWU or Master of Pacific International Affairs, IR/PS, UCSD. There is no significant difference in the cost of attendance. Here is my analysis of the advantages of both programs. GWU: Location, reputation, rich internship opportunities and alumni resource UCSD: Strong focus on quantitative training and intensive curriculum I’m more leaning to UCSD. First, my undergraduate is foreign language studies, and no full-time employment experience. I guess what I need most is to learn some hard skills which can possibly lead to jobs. Though a lot of people are saying there are more opportunities at D.C. and Elliott is a great school, as an international student with limited academic/professional background, I don’t think those resources can do the most good. After all, the effect of networking still needs to be built on individual strengths. Second, I’m interested in the academia and may finally do a PhD. UCSD has stronger departments in political science and economics. I guess that may be a better fit. So I really hope to hear about any thoughts or comments on my decision process. Thanks a lot!

I’m really in the middle of a tough decision: MA International Affairs, Elliott School, GWU or Master of Pacific International Affairs, IR/PS, UCSD. There is no significant difference in the cost of attendance. Here is my analysis of the advantages of both programs. GWU: Location, reputation, rich internship opportunities and alumni resource UCSD: Strong focus on quantitative training and intensive curriculum I’m more leaning to UCSD. First, my undergraduate is foreign language studies, and no full-time employment experience. I guess what I need most is to learn some hard skills which can possibly lead to jobs. Though a lot of people are saying there are more opportunities at D.C. and Elliott is a great school, as an international student with limited academic/professional background, I don’t think those resources can do the most good. After all, the effect of networking still needs to be built on individual strengths. Second, I’m interested in the academia and may finally do a PhD. UCSD has stronger departments in political science and economics. I guess that may be a better fit. So I really hope to hear about any thoughts or comments on my decision process. Thanks a lot!

I’m really in the middle of a tough decision: MA International Affairs, Elliott School, GWU or Master of Pacific International Affairs, IR/PS, UCSD. There is no significant difference in the cost of attendance. Here is my analysis of the advantages of both programs. GWU: Location, reputation, rich internship opportunities and alumni resource UCSD: Strong focus on quantitative training and intensive curriculum I’m more leaning to UCSD. First, my undergraduate is foreign language studies, and no full-time employment experience. I guess what I need most is to learn some hard skills which can possibly lead to jobs. Though a lot of people are saying there are more opportunities at D.C. and Elliott is a great school, as an international student with limited academic/professional background, I don’t think those resources can do the most good. After all, the effect of networking still needs to be built on individual strengths. Second, I’m interested in the academia and may finally do a PhD. UCSD has stronger departments in political science and economics. I guess that may be a better fit. So I really hope to hear about any thoughts or comments on my decision process. Thanks a lot!

I've heard a lot people saying that GWU's reputation is better than AU's. I guess reputation still matters a lot in the field. Frankly, it's really hard to choose between the two. I'm still waiting for the result from AU.

Received my official ad letter this morning and no funding I really like IR/PS's strong focus on quantitative skills training. It was difficult for me to choose between UCSD's IR/PS and GWU's Elliott. But now I'm pretty leaning to GWU, since I got 20k over two years, which makes GWU even more affordable.

Thank you both for your analysis. There are really a lot of things to think about. Actually, I’m choosing between UCSD’s IR/PS (not SAIS) and GWU’s Elliott School. I guess the preconditions may have changed. Anyway, I won’t make the final decision until I receive the funding information from both schools. I’m just wondering how IR/PS’s reputation is like at D.C. Just recieved 20k fellowship over two years...can't say I'm happy or not.

I got in either. No word on funding. One of the practitioners in D.C. told me that the sequence of reputation goes like this: SAIS and SFS - above the average > GWU - average > AU - below the average. I'm not sure how credible is that. I've also been admitted to UCSD's IR/PS and waitlisted at SIPA. Actually, it’s really hard for me to choose between IR/PS and GWU. IR/PS has a very competitive tuition and well-structured curriculum (esp. quantitative skills training) while GWU's location is so strong. Considering my undergraduate major is language, perhaps I need more HARD skills to find a job. So I'm leaning to UCSD right now. I would love to hear other thoughts

Congrats to those who got in! I applied to the MIA program and got waitlisted. Anyway, I got in GWU's Elliott School and I have more interest in the nonprofit sector. So I guess I will finially go to GWU. Any thoughts?

Thanks. Congrats too! You are right...It was a nightmare. I guess I should've been more confident about myself at the beginning.

Nothing on mine either. Waiting is so unbearable

YAY! Got in, my first DC school admission. My program is MA in International Affairs. I'm probably going. Also, nothing on funding...

I haven't heard news from any of the DC school. That's a great suspense in my total application. Although received some admissions, I really hope to have a chance to see the US capital. And AU is really a dream of mine.