ajcafe

Last night, I flipped a coin between my top two choices (best 2 out of 3) and then slept on the outcome to see how I really felt about it. I've decided on Columbia, and am finally at peace with that decision. A part of me will wonder the "what if" of the other school, but I think it's the right choice for me. I highly recommend the coin-toss method. If you're not comfortable with the outcome, then you have your answer. At this point it's about preference and fit. Good luck!

just a quick point of information for both OP and onelove21: If you do Peace Corps - you will have to wait five to ten years before you can work directly in intelligence (though in some cases it may be as few as two years). I've heard some intelligence positions might not be accessible to RPCVs, but I'm not too clear on if that's true or how all of that works. On the flip side, if you work in intelligence first, you won't be eligible to volunteer until 10 years after your last intelligence job - http://www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/learn/howvol/legal/ I know it doesn't make it any easier, but it's not impossible. You never know

I'm not too familiar with the Counseling programs at those schools, but for what it's worth Hunter has a rock solid reputation in New York as one of the best clinical programs (for social work). It's also considered more selective than the other schools. The only reason I didn't apply was because I wasn't aware until after everything was said and done. I don't know enough about the other two schools to compare them, but Hunter is a great option. Good luck!

Just like jujubea said, Peace Corps will help you and you might get more funding. Denver LOVES Peace Corps volunteers, so I'm sure you will get the same offer and possibly even more money from them. There are several universities that participate in the Coverdell Fellowship program, not sure if AU's Int'l Affairs program does, but that's easy enough to verify on the university and Peace Corps websites. You will also get application fees waived at some schools as well, so you won't have to worry about the cost of reapplying. Denver is a great school, but if you're not sure that it's the right fit, I'd definitely go for Peace Corps. It can only help you and if you want to work in international development or for a government agency like USAID, the two years of international experience are priceless. I'm an RPCV and was able to do a paid internship with USAID in the country where I served because of a special program they have for RPCVs. It has opened a lot of doors. Bottom line, I'd go to Cambodia if I were you. Grad school can wait till you get back.

I feel your pain. It's hard to choose between great options. At this point, I think it's about personal preference. Both will provide you with the network, education, and diploma you need to advance in your career. Ultimately, the experience is what you make of it, so it's all about where you think you'll thrive. Where would you feel more comfortable? Which city/school will provide you with the type of learning and life experience you're looking for? You could always flip a coin and see how you feel about the outcome. If you're disappointed with the result of the coin toss, you'll know you're heart is set on the other school.

It sounds like you're leaning more toward SIPA. Have you made a decision yet?

@jasmine - you will probably hear within a week or two. I got that same email last week and got my admission email on Friday. Don't worry! @alex - thanks for the heads up! I also had some issues with one of my transcripts which was very frustrating.

@knp - you may be right. I moved away from DC in 2013. I found a deal in Columbia Heights 2 blocks from the metro and half a block from the 16th street buses for $850 in a very comfy 2 bedroom w/ 1 roommate. Other places in that area of NW I was looking at were between 750-850. I wasn't looking during peak season (Oct.) and was already living in the city, so I had time to find the right place, which may have helped. It makes sense that in a year and a half rent prices are closer to the $800-1000 range for room/shares. Good caveats for the OP to keep in mind.

I have a friend who applied to IR schools (Fletcher, Syracuse, Princeton, Harvard etc.), got into a couple with some funding, but decided to take a job opportunity instead, then reapplied a year later, got into the same programs and received even more funding. Long story short, if you got in once, you should get in again if you continue to work/build experience. Whether or not you'll get more funding is no guarantee, but at the very least you can continue saving. It's entirely up to you and how much debt you're willing to take on/how long you're willing to wait before getting your degree. Everything is a gamble, so go with the decision you feel most comfortable with.

I agree, and SIPA does have the edge on access to the UN/UN affiliated orgs in NYC. The only caveat is that, as a colleague once told me, NY gets flooded with SIPA grads, so if you choose SIPA you'll need to be highly proactive and network to set yourself apart for the types of jobs you want. Georgetown definitely has UN connections, so it's not to be discounted, but SIPA will provide you with the year-round access and connections as well. It sounds like you've thought about all of this, though, so I'm sure you'll succeed in whichever program you choose. Go with your gut and where you feel is the best fit

Anytime!

Funding is tough at GW. I did some internships, but they were all unpaid. I have friends who did work-study by working for different GW offices. I also know people who worked for catering companies or bartended while studying as well. There might be some RA positions available to grad students, but I'm not sure how competitive those are. There are always internships, but it can be hard to find ones that pay/pay well. DC is the capital of free labor in that regard. That being said, GW is definitely doable, but money will be tight and you'll definitely take on some debt. You can always appeal for more financial aid (scholarships/grants), if you haven't done so already. GW is not known to be particularly generous with funding, but they might be able to find something to make it a little easier.

I can't really speak about the sociology department, but I attended GW for undergrad. I also lived in the area off and on for a little over 2 years after graduating in Downtown Silver Spring (MD), Columbia Heights, and Bloomingdale. I also have friends that lived in Dupont, Shaw/U St, and the Southwest/Waterfront area. Diversity: DC is a pretty diverse city, there's some de facto segregation between northwest and the rest of the city, but even within the northwest quadrant you'll find a range of ethnicities (predominantly latinos and african americans, fewer asians). Columbia Heights/Mount Pleasant, U Street, Shaw, Eastern Market are some neighborhoods to check out within the city, also H St. NE (the Atlas District). It's also a very LGBTQ friendly city. Things to do: GW has pretty much taken over Foggy Bottom, so while the campus is very urban, there is definitely a 'bubble'. They have two or three big campus events each year with popular artists and food, etc. Basketball is a thing, but as far as I know, we haven't done particularly well since 2005/2006ish. That being said, DC has soo much going for it: lots of FREE things - museums, jazz in the sculpture garden in the spring/summer, ice skating in the winter, movies and events at the national mall, the cherry blossom festival I also recommend walking around and exploring, it's a very walkable city with lots of neighborhoods and culture. Nightlife - this is where DC can get a bit pricey, but there are lots of happy hour specials and cool bars to find. Most GW students tend to stick to Foggy Bottom and Georgetown, maybe Dupont Circle, but I highly recommend breaking out of the bubble and going to U St., Columbia Heights, H St. NE, and SW Waterfont. Things shut down relatively early in DC (the bars and metro close at 3:00 am on Fridays and Saturdays). House parties are quite common. Foggy Bottom is expensive. I imagine there will be plenty of students in your situation, so it really depends on what you want. I know of students who will rent out 1 or 2 bedroom apartments and divide it in such a way that 2 - 5 people can live there. I'd recommend looking at places in Shaw or up around Columbia Heights, where rent might be more affordable and there are always people looking for roommates. Honestly there are a lot of places to look for affordable options, but it depends on what kind of commute you're comfortable with. I'd budget for $700-900/month for rent, you might get lucky and find something cheaper, but that's the average range. Living alone in the city will cost you $1600+/month, so roommates are definitely the way to go. GW is a pretty expensive school between tuition and cost of living in DC, but it's manageable. It also depends on what you're looking for. Washington, DC is a great city and there's lots of opportunity there, particularly for work with non-profits, international organizations, or government, so it might be worth it if those are areas that interest you. Sorry I can't answer more questions about the Sociology department, but feel free to PM me if you have more specific questions about living in DC/GW campus.

Hello all! I just received my acceptance to USC's San Diego campus. Is anyone familiar with what the differences are between the SD and LA campuses? How does cost of living compare?

I have friends who graduated from both. The MSFS grad works for a private company in DC and the SAIS grad works for the gov't, so it depends on what you mean by private sector. If you mean any of the 'beltway bandit' type gov't contractors, MSFS will be just as strong as SAIS. If you mean more development/finance/economic sector companies, then SAIS might have more of an edge. Both schools are highly regarded in DC and international policy/development communities. Congrats on getting into some great schools!

I have a friend who is in a similar situation. I'll start with this: grad school isn't going anywhere and neither is whatever funding package you receive. It sounds like you're not ready to leave your organization in Houston just yet: Will any of the schools allow you to defer for a year or two? You could tell them your situation (the ED resigned and you're filling in for now and want a year to ease the transition, or whatever makes sense to say). That way if after a year or two, if you decide the ED position isn't right for you or that you're ready to move on, you won't necessarily have to go through the whole application process again. Taking on this leadership position could help you both in terms of saving $$ for grad school as well as improving scholarships you receive (though it's not a given). If you enjoy what you are doing, don't feel the need to leave it to meet the imaginary deadline we all seem set for grad school (myself included!) That being said, depending on where you want to go with int'l development, it will be very difficult without a master's degree. I work for a donor agency right now and EVERYONE there tells me that I will hit a ceiling (and can't join the foreign service) without a master's degree. If you want to focus more on implementers/NGOs, your experience may make up for the lack of a master's. The Int'l Development field is continuously professionalizing itself, so unless you are able to leverage your unique experiences properly (and network like crazy), it will be hard to break into the industry without the higher degree. Like I said, though, grad schools aren't going anywhere. There is no need to rush into a program if you're happy where you are now.

I was confused by that at first, too. The Alternative Eligibility basically means other federal or private loans.

I currently work overseas in Int'l Development with USAID, so I'll share some of the professional advice I've received in case it helps: Either program will get you jobs in the NGO and IGO world. The education degree is more specialized, so it will allow you to brand yourself as an 'education technical expert,' especially with your teaching background. The Int'l Development programs will be broader and expose you to various aspects and elements of int'l development. SAIS and Harvard have a heavy economic focus for their Int'l Dev programs, so that's something to keep in mind. If you know you want to specialize in Education Policy, the education programs might be better (and more cost-effective), but if you're looking to round out your education background and get a handle on the broader picture of 'development' then the other programs would provide you with that exposure. Either one will provide you with the credentials and connections you need to continue with your career in international education. I can't speak to opportunities in Dublin/London, though there are a number of strong int'l dev NGOs that operate there, but if you stay stateside - definitely try to do an internship or two in DC or NY where most of the UN and Aid organizations are located. Regardless of which program you choose, internships and networking will be key for post-graduation employment.

Man you have some tough decisions! I don't know how much help I can be, but I will say that LSE is highly regarded among IR professionals in the US. I wouldn't worry about the fact that it's only one year (less $$ overall - I'd consider that a plus!). If you're goal is to get a job in China, I'd look at which program will provide you with the best network, exposure, and opportunities to get you there: - Do faculty members do research or work in your area of interest? - What types of internships/field practice options would you have access to while you study? - What is the alumni network like? Where do most alumni from the program end up? I'd also weigh in cost-benefit - how much debt are you willing to take on for any given program and what kind of salary can you expect to earn after graduating to help pay that off? The good news is, there is no *wrong* choice here. Grad school is all about professional development. Unless you're going into academia, employers will not likely be looking at your grades, they will be looking at your skills and experience. The working world is also about who you know. The best school is the one that will provide you with the types of skills and experiences you need to advance in your career as well as the professional connections to help you get in the door. Good luck!

I just got my financial aid notification, so they should be sending them out today. Has anyone had success extending their notification deadline beyond March 15? I'd really like another week to think about my decision...

I have some similar questions, so thanks for posting! I want to focus more on clinical practice and less on policy/macro-level social work, so that's what I'm trying to examine when I look at different programs. I don't know that certificates or concentrations mean a whole lot, but I'm sure it doesn't hurt to have it on the resume. I'm placing more weight on what courses/requirements different certificate/concentrations entail to see if they will really provide me with the skills and exposure I'm looking for. Field placements seem to be pretty critical to both the MSW experience as well as post-graduation preparation/job placement, so that's the other thing I'm looking closely at. I think if your goal is to go into more policy level/advocacy work then the UPenn program sounds like a good fit. International Social Work is still a pretty broad field that covers a range of practices/applications, so it really depends on where you see yourself working after your MSW. I don't think you need to worry too much about a degree that specifically says "International Social Work." I imagine employers focus more on whether you have the experience and academic background that highlights your exposure and understanding of applying social work to international contexts.

I contacted the financial aid office and they said that they were just starting to review applications this week. It would take about two weeks to put together the federal aid package. The guy I spoke with also mentioned that OFA still hadn't received any scholarship notifications from SSW yet (this was Tuesday). I tried contacting the GASP program to see if they extended their timeline, but no word. I get the sense that they're taking a little longer for the scholarship decisions. Hopefully we'll hear about financial aid soon!

I don't think it's taboo to contact them and ask about a status update. I wouldn't place any pressure on them, but call or email them and ask if there are any updates/what the timeline is for their decision. No harm in that.

Thanks!!

@Nochal and @ theatricalmadi When did you both apply? I'm still waiting on my financial aid package, which I was told I'd receive by March 1st. When I contacted the OFA they said they were only just starting to review applications this week.(!) What do you think, should I contact the SSW?