monocle

How much work experience do you have? Have you asked for the reconsideration form for funding?

What are your more specific goals? Do you have enough money that you wouldn't have to take out massive loans?

First of all, congratulations on being accepted into so many wonderful programs! I have done hiring for my NGO in Asia. The quoted sentiment is partially true. Thankfully, you can get some experience in IDev doing a summer internship which may test your mettle somewhat.. but you should consider deferring and working for at least a year or two and seeing whether you truly like the work. In my experience meeting graduates of programs like this, if they have no experience I'm not really interested in hiring them, or I'd hire them for an entry level job, which TBH could be filled by someone with a B.A. (and they are drastically underpaid). Working abroad will also probably mean you'll be drastically underpaid. I definitely don't care about the name recognition as long as it doesn't seem like a scam university, which none of your options do. The network effect of strong schools seems to help if you have an idea of what you want to do. Lastly, NGOs abroad is a HUGE swath of organizations doing extremely diverse things, so you should consider narrowing your focus based on geography, job responsibilities, even salary if you expect to take out loans (perhaps to something that requires the MA and the training you'd receive from the MA and then seeing which programs can help you advance toward that goal).

Nope, no preference--though again I'm in Asia. Haha, once you're working it really doesn't matter where you finished, but whether you impress me. I think reputation maybe matters more for large private sector firms, (and maybe PhD programs? because you'd presumably be working with the best researchers in that field? Idk). I wouldn't make my decision based solely on reputation, but based on wherever is going to help me advance my career/life goals the best. Those two factors may be correlated.. regardless, i would try to find more direction before spending however much money during grad school

You both should ask nicely whether your top school would reconsider their funding for you. I just got my top choice to say yes they would reconsider (not that they have given me more yet though). Maybe things could work out for you.

It sounds like youre in love with Cambridge, so more power to you if you go... However, might I suggest that you defer for a year, maybe try to move to the UK and find gainful work there? It doesnt seem like a good idea to go to grad school right now if you dont have a clear idea of what you want to do. Especially in a one-year program in IR. Ive done hiring in Intl Development/human rights (albeit im based in Asia) and have come across many who hold UK masters including LSE and Oxford (no Cambridge unfortunately). And they were looking for unpaid internships/low paying entry level jobs still.. I guess it could be the norm, but I still find it a little bizarre anyways, without a good idea of funding and what kind of job you want after, it doesnt sound like a sound investment.. Yet If you dont want to defer, one thing you could do instead is quit your job now, find a summer internship in a field of interest, or cultivate your passion for something and improve your chances of getting that job afterwards (rather than an unpaid internship/entry level job)

What I understand is that on the application form you have to designate which type of degree program it is? MPP or MPA? Is that right? If so, you could just put down MPA and then apply to both, then if you get in and end up deciding Duke is better... You can convince them that theyre functionally the same, or rather that you still deserve the scholarship but you want this MPP I find it hard to believe the scholarship people would say "No! Ridiculous! you lied that you were applying to only MPA programs. We must rescind your scholarship offer now that youve changed one letter!"

Thanks! This is very helpful. It's nice to know there's a Y nearby (because it should be pretty affordable, if a bit crowded)

I found this thread/stream of consciousness from a few users to be pretty helpful.. Since I'll be doing IDEV. I was kind of happy to see that Fukuyama still recommended SAIS over Stanford (though I'd be curious to know his answer now that he's been at Stanford for a while). http://forum.thegradcafe.com/topic/12195-best-program-for-intl-development-saismsfssipafletcher/

Since Sais is only a few buildings, what do students do for gyms nearby? Or health insurance/hospitals? I'm trying to make myself feel comfortable that I won't have access to the amenities of a big university if I choose SAIS... Or at least that the amenities will have to be a la carte and around DC. Do you have any recommendations?

I think I've pretty much made up my mind on SAIS. I am going to wallow in that decision for a couple weeks before I make it final, but honestly I'm getting a little excited about it. I'm excited about the heavy econ lol. Has anyone else decided they are going?

Does anyone know how accessible are some of the superstar professors at Columbia and SAIS? I've been reading a lot of Stiglitz lately... so that is potentially a plus for SIPA. just curious whether I should factor faculty into my decision on where to go and to what extent..

Maxwell can stake its claim for being the oldest, which is really cool. While maybe there's some consensus that public servants should be educated in Public Universities like IU? Maybe it's the cream of the public uni crop, so gets a big bump from that? I suspect that both are fantastic programs that don't have much downside or negative reputation (whereas TGCers throw a lot of shade at SIPA, for example.. as I expect do profs at peer unis)

Woops! Meant to write APSIA the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs. Good catch!

I am in almost the exact same predicament! Except I applied to SAIS-Tsinghua (Tsinghua notifies in April).. For what it's worth I don't think there's a right or wrong answer. The differences in employment outcomes will likely depend on your personal initiative. Though I suppose your Mandarin skills would be better having gone through Hopkins Nanjing if you were posturing for a career in China..

Oh, these should be good. I think the Public Affairs rankings by US news are some of the worst of all the rankings lol. They only rank MPA programs, and its based on an average score of the perception from academics at other schools.. lol why? it's just a rating system from 1-5? No other data was recorded/considered? And they don't include NPSIA in their considerations.

I hope I don't get flagged for posting this three times for different groups... This was advice posted in the wrong forum about making the most of your time at SIPA, but I think it is probably useful for SAIS as well. Hope it helps!

Found this in the Architecture/planning forum from a couple years ago. I think it is some of the most sound advice I've read on TGC Hope it helps!

I somehow happened across this in Architecture and planning Hope it's helpful to others!

This should be stickied for a lot of people to see. You might not be able to plan your future career to a T, but you can plan your education to put you in the best position for your future career goals.

Sounds like SAIS offered you the most based on debt incurred. 67k over two years still leaves 75k+ in loans for SIPA, whereas full funding for one year at SAIS Bologna means (at most) one year of full attendance costs at SAIS DC (71k based on their estimate). SAIS has been responding saying that second year students can reasonably expect to receive the same funding as the first year given they keep-up grades (ie not get straight Cs or fail)

It's worth the email. If you don't ask then you definitely won't get any more funding.

They will likely give you a canned response that they do not reconsider awards (but there's probably a very very miniscule chance that they could, though youre competing with 75% of the class for whatever money, so don't count on it). If you ask for an extension, they will probably give it to you. Just let them know your circumstances. It's probably unwise to accept two offers and then turn one down.. but ultimately you could and no one can force you to go if you accept but change your mind. Maybe it would just be better to request extension for decision-making at both schools.

What is your background? What are your goals?

Hey. So I really like SAIS and am on the cusp of choosing to attend. But is anyone else freaked out that they rejected literally no one on gradcafe?