wolfie53

I apologize for the double post. I'd figure it would be better than starting a new thread for a new question. Based on anyone's experience what do you all think would be more beneficial for "professional work" to have on a resume for graduate school. As I stated before, my two leading options right now are research with a professor on international policy or working directly in public policy at the state level. While the research aspect would look good academically, I would figure some schools focusing on professional degrees in International Affairs might also look favorably on actually being in the public policy process. Would anyone have a take or perspective regarding this? I just ask because the area where there might be a potential lead for research work is very expensive. (California) While public work can be done in my state capital (Madison) at half the cost for living expenses.

Thanks kaneisha, I can assure you however that I use that current format for my CV/resumes as I have taken a class on it and I have undertaken various other work experiences as well. To the poster below the OP. I had another research position in Germany but it was for a summer and wasn't anything substantive other than that. I often focused on my position at the UN since I had access to the complex and followed 1st committee. At any rate, it's good to hear from your experience that people who enter the workforce first have better chances of doing well in graduate school. Though I have taken the GRE two times, and wod dread taking it a third, I might give it another go if it potentially means a better shot at funding.

So after a round of applying to graduate school, I am thinking about trying to enter into the workforce because of the complete lack of any financial aid I received. I also saw that other various users here might have gone the same track and I was wondering their experiences. Furthermore, anyone is welcome to offer insight about attaining work before graduate school. Basically, my situation is that I have a lackluster GPA with average GRE scores. I already interned at the United Nations with a NGO which boosted my resume and got me into schools like Denver. I am thinking about trying to gain a position as a research assistant since I have already contributed to the publicized work of a few professors. I have also looked into serving in public service for my state (Wisconsin). My ideal situation is to work for 2 years than try to reapply to some schools I already did this year and might shoot for some higher ranking ones to see if my chances improve. Thoughts? Supplemental advice?

Up. Anyone admitted to GSPIA looking to start a Facebook group for those entering into the 2014 Fall Cycle? Could be helpful for finding roommates and relaying information.

Hello everybody. I was recently admitted to earn my MA in international affairs. I was looking into the Department of State Student Internship Program, especially being placed in an overseas embassy. It might be a long shot if anyone has a vague idea of what I am about to ask so here it goes. Overseas embassies can sometimes provide housing at no cost for interns. This is circumstantial however, given that different embassies have different costs. Generally the website said Western Europe has limited availability for housing while most other regions are listed as "typically can provide housing." Though this gives guidance there is still no guarantee or idea of what countries specifically offer housing. For example, I believe the cost of living and rent in Berlin might be lower than some countries in other regions though Western Europe as a whole is still more expensive than every other region thus limiting housing. Does anyone have any idea of what specific country embassies usually offer housing for interns? This might be better situated in the government affairs section but since this deals with jobs, I'd figure this section meets the correct criteria.

Seems like a tough call, but judging from what you have stated Tufts or SIPA seem to be your go to schools. I congratulate you for going for what you want to go as I would have a difficult time turning down a fullride scholarship. Overall if you feel Tufts might be a great fit I would say go for it. Networking might seem tough because of its less than ideal location but my mentor and advisor from undergrad said Tufts is among the best schools for networking and funneling professionals into the federal public sector. Given Tufts reputation networking shouldn't be too much of a challenge despite the New England based locations. You will still have access to numerous practitioners, think tanks and various other organizations and institutions to help assist your career and academic goals.

Previous Schools: Mid tier Wisconsin State School Previous Degrees: BA in International Studies with emphasis in Security, Geography and Africa / Minor Political Science GRE Scores: Verbal: 156 Quantitative: 148 ANA: 5.5 Previous Work Experience: Research internship in Germany and Internship at UN based NGO (Both Seasonal) 6 months research assistant for DePaul Professor, two summers of teaching assistant for Johns Hopkins CTY Math/Econ Background: Very poor, just took basic Algebra in undergrad, I know what econ I do from research and Model UN Foreign Language Background: High intermediate German and basic Spanish Intended Field of Study in Grad School: Security Studies Long Term Professional Goals: Work in international affairs for a public institution addressing emerging and regional security issues (State Department or IGO, looking into Think Tanks as well) Schools Applied to & Results: Denver Korbel (Accepted) Pittsburgh GSPIA (Accepted) GWU (Rejected) American SIS (Rejected) Ultimate Decision & Why: Pittsburgh GSPIA - First of all the location is much more ideal than Denver AND the program costs 20-30K less a year even if I am out of state. Most of all though, GSPIA has a solid security studies program and I can also fluidly work towards a regional and language emphasis which can add more flexibility to my career goals. Additionally, GSPIA has many centers where you can apply for fellowships while Denver mainly offers base pay research positions, which would put a scratch into the loans I would have to take out. Advice for Future Applicants: Target the schools you know for sure you WANT to go to. Schools, such as Denver, looked good on paper to me but when faced with a decision the cost is too cumbersome without a scholarship. Make sure the ones you apply to match your needs based on program, funding and location. If you don't otherwise, you might as well throw another $65 into a hole.

Rejected as well. Oh well, I'm focusing on enrolling in GSPIA anyways.

Ah ok. Judging from the posts here and on the results page, it appears they are in the process of sending many notifications out.

Were you the recent conflict resolution studies addition to the result page on grad café?

Hate to jump in since Gov2School seems to have more expertise in this, but I think employers would be rather indifferent towards the rankings or prestige of your school and would rather care about what applicable skills you have. I think what he meant was employers would be confused if you were to go to school overseas only to end up working back in the United States. Economically, it is not a very sound decision given transportation costs. Otherwise it shouldn't "hurt" you by any means. Its just that if you think you are likely to end up working in the States, odds are it would make your life easier to attend a University in the States. The logistics are simpler and the networks are more connected with where you want to be.

Basically what Gov2School said. It is also worth noting, especially if you're not Australian, that Australian Universities are VERY expensive to attend if you are not a national. On top of that, cities in Australia are very expensive to live in these days and Sydney ranks as the most costly. You can expect the cost of living to be higher than in New York or DC. If you have the funding or if you qualify for merit aid than by all means go for it if it fits your interests. Just be wary that overseas education can be cheaper in some realms, but Australia is definitely NOT one of them.

Going into international affairs, I noticed these two criteria are what often influence stronger students in the field for applying to universities. Ivory Tower Rankings: Done by professors, professional and practitioners in the field to determine what school is most beneficial for students in international affairs. APSIA: Full member schools must meet certain criteria to be acknowledged as a top independent program that provides a quality masters degree in the field. Going in students usually base where they send applications based off the rankings, APSIA status or a combination of both. Almost all schools on the rankings are full APSIA members but not all APSIA members are ranked. In all honestly, from what I have witnessed in my short time here, I think too many people take the whole "school name" thing too seriously. Whether you would go to X (ranked higher) vs Y (Good but not as well known as X) I think students often forget to see what program fits their needs. When it comes down to it, you should base your decision off of what you see in the program, its professors and its network. No one is going to hire someone based off the fact they went to a top school alone. Sure the top ranked schools often have a decent network to go along with their prestige but with that said, I think students often overlook the fact that pretty much all APSIA schools have decent networks that just requires you to be active and productive with the faculty. Long story short, I think students sometimes put too much weight on the ranking and prestige of a school. If its APSIA odds are it can benefit your career goals, especially if you are a solid student who can work well with faculty. To me, aspects such as financial aid, the fittingness of the program and the network of the faculty should always take precedence over the whole perception of rank and prestige.

Some people already heard a week ago that they received funding. Check the thread on GSPIA admitted.

Hello! I was wondering if you knew the process for hiring on officials who would work within missions to international organizations? Would it fall in the realm if civil service or foreign service? I am highly interested in working in the field of weapons proliferation and international organization.

I have yet to hear anything as well. Good news to those who have heard something. What's sad is, despite all if this I would still likely choose AU if accepted. It would cost less tuition than my other two choices and has a better program. One can hope though.

We would need to flush out some more information on your interests. What specific areas do you enjoy working in other than "US Middle East Policy" specifically. Do you enjoy the security aspect? Development? Trade? Politics? etc. With that, focusing on what aspects of policy you are interested in regarding the Middle East region should assist you in deciding what type of program is right for you. If you are more interested in the cultural aspects and how it impacts the US relationship with the region than a regional studies program would likely be more beneficial. If you fancy geopolitics more, than perhaps looking into IR related degree might be better suited, especially since many will offer courses with regional emphasis or are on a topic that heavily pertains to the Middle East Region. (IE Energy Security)

Alright guys, I do have an update. (Albeit a small one) So I decided to call the admissions office again and this time someone more helpful decided to magically answer the phone and she explained the entire situation to me in a very blunt manner since I pressed her a little bit. Basically, the admissions committee is reviewing additional applications they received with others they are considering for admission in the final stage. She said those who the committee found outstanding have already been offered admission and to expect rejections to come out at this stage. However, she said that those who are still waiting should still pay attention given the fact there is still more room for admission, its just that the committee is being diligent in who they want to select for the remaining spots. This is why the process is being held up for so long. Hope this clears things up with some of the applicants here.

I was also admitted last month to the security studies program. Recently I have been in contact with a few professors through email about potential leads on research. The Ford Center contacted me but their opportunities are not paid but still worth looking into for networking. A particular professor told me to call him but when I did he didn't answer and he didn't respond to any follow-up emails. I'll assume he probably slipped into a busy period.

Hello all, It appears these types of thread plague the forum so I apologize but it appears everyone is gearing up for admissions deadlines and what not. Basically, I believe that there is a strong chance I will receive a rejection from AU SIS. I already got rejected from GWU Elliott so it basically leaves me with my two acceptances: Denver Korbel and Pitt GSPIA. Both are with no intial merit aid and GSPIA will be out of state tuition. From first look Denver seems to be more attractive at the moment despite the higher pricetag. They appear to have more connections in the MA in security studies than GSPIA does but GSPIA is conviently located closer to DC and NYC, but I don't see that making much of a difference as both programs have semesters in DC. As it stands I might just risk indebting myself if it means being able to build a network with Korbel. GSPIA is less but would still be 32K a year tuition. Cost of living seems to be similar in both cities. Since I am not familiar with "insider's views" on both schools I thought I would open it up to the floor to discuss the reputations of each.

Hey guys, I applied in December for the Global Governance and Security Program for AU. It was well within the deadline and I still haven't heard anything back as well. I saw a handful of people from gradcafe have already got accepted with funding. I have this worry that they are going to be sending out the rejections, but we will have to wait and see. Anyone have any input on how these processes work? I called in yesterday and the person on the phone was unclear and said they were "reviewing things on a rolling basis" and I might not hear back until 5-7 business days. To me this is insanely late as I have heard back from other graduate schools. I banking on American right now as I have been rejected from GWU Elliott. Denver and Pitt accepted me but with no funding. I also want to be able to have access to internships and networking in DC.