[Fall 2015 Wrap-up (Profiles, Results, and Decisions)]

Previous Schools (Name, type, or tier):  Midwestern satellite public school

 

Previous Degrees and GPAs:  Sociology (3.8/4.0) & Psychology (3.8/4.0)

 

GRE Scores (Verbal/Quantitative/Analytical Writing):  162V / 154Q / 4.5W

 

Previous Work Experience (Years, Type):  Marine Corps - 5 years, telecommunications - 10 years
 

Math/Econ Background:  Trigonometry, Stats/Micro and Macro
 

Foreign Language Background (if applicable to your program):  Intermediate Spanish
 

Intended Field of Study in Grad School:  Foreign Affairs, International Economy
 

Long Term Professional Goals:  FSO, Congress

 

Schools applied to and results: Georgetown SFS - Rejected, American SIS - Accepted, Denver Korbel - Accepted ($30k total), Harvard KSG - Rejected, Pittsburgh GSPIA - Accepted, Kentucky Patterson - Accepted ($7.5k total), Michigan Ford - Accepted ($20k total), Penn State SIA - Accepted ($10.5k total), Marquette GS - Accepted (25k total)
 

Ultimate Decision & Why:  University of Denver.  If AU had offered some amount of merit aid, I might be DC-bound, but I couldn’t turn down the chance to live in Denver for two years.  Luckily they offered a scholarship, because the GI bill does not quite cover DU's tuition (and I don't want to be loaded with student debt).  I have been juggling work, school, and parenthood for the past eight years, so it will be a great experience to live in the mountains and have only school to demand my time.  Since I’m striving for the Foreign Service, I’m not too concerned with not being inside the beltway.  Besides, Korbel offers a quarter in DC and the dean of the Korbel School is a legend in the field I want to enter.  All signs point west
 

Advice for Future Applicants:  Don’t apply to so many schools if you have a strong record.  I could have spent less time researching schools and filling out application materials, and more time working on the GRE if I had only applied to three or four schools.  Everybody told me I should apply to at least eight schools to make sure I had a good chance of being accepted somewhere.  I guess my friends don’t know anything about grad school admissions.  Unfortunately, I didn't find this forum until after the application process.         

[Security Studies: Denver Korbel vs Pitt GSPIA]

I am having a similar problem deciding.  The question I have is about degree requirements. Gspia is a 48hour degree while Korbel is a 90 hour degree??  I understand that Korbel is on the quarter system, and not semesters, but how does this add up?  Are Korbel classes still 3 hour, or are they more?  Any insight highly appreciated!

 

Korbel classes are 5 credit hours per.  Most students take 3 courses per quarter.  

[Security Studies: Denver Korbel vs Pitt GSPIA]

I was accepted to Korbel and GSPIA, but I chose Korbel.  I don't have any insider information, but Korbel offered me 15k a year and I would rather spend two years in Denver.  You have a tough choice though.  From what I found when I was researching schools to apply to, both programs are very similar in quality and substance.