irapplicant1776

Haha thanks Hedong. You're like a spy on the inside.

Accepted! But no funding mentioned.

I just checked my account, the financial aid update is up even though they haven't emailed. $32k over two years.

Is it even worth asking a top 3 program to match an excellent but less prestigious program?

Yep, this is certainly the question. I think talking to alumni from the the various programs can help. It also depends on what exactly you want to do.

Agreed. Additionally, my Peace Corps experience has shaped my goals for my Master's degree, and has helped me get into better schools with significant financial aid.

Accepted with no funding, lame. I'll be declining.

I wasn't questioning whether the Master's in and of itself was worth it or not. I meant that the State Department won't care whether you went to MSFS, SAIS, SIS, Fletcher etc when they are hiring or promoting you. Of course, it's possible that MSFS does the best job at preparing their students for the FSOT, but once you're in, you're in. I've met FSOs from many different schools and walks of life. I do think that, especially in the private sector, MSFS and SAIS grads will be at an advantage. But that kind of debt just scares me. Who knows what kind of things I will need/want to be spending money on besides student loans in the next decade-and-a-half?

I have also applied to MSFS, in addition to the other "usual suspects." I'm an aspiring FSO, and I'd like to study U.S. foreign policy with a regional focus on China. It seems that the popular sentiment is that Georgetown and SAIS are the best schools to go to if you want to work for State. Like everyone has said, both schools are excellent, with small class sizes and professors who are practitioners. However, I think it's unwise to get into 10-15 years of debt for an international affairs degree, and the State Department doesn't care where you went to school. If I get into either MSFS or SAIS, whether I attend or not will strongly depend on how much financial aid they offer, as American SIS, which is also a great school, has offered me almost complete tuition remission and a $12,000 RA position.

Hi everyone, On the GRE I got 165 verbal, 149 quant, waiting on analytical writing. I studied for months using Magoosh and am disappointed at my quant score, but math has never been my strong point. However, besides my quant score, I think I have a fairly strong application: 3.94 undergrad GPA, Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Honors Program 5 years abroad since graduating, including two as a Peace Corps Volunteer Two foreign languages, including one critical needs language I expect to have great letters of recommendation, including one from a former professor who also mentored me at an intergovernmental organization, and could testify to work that I did that required quantitative ability. Math for liberal studies, microeconomics, macroeconomics, Intro to Statistics - all As I plan to apply to Korbel, Fletcher, Georgetown SFS, American SIS and SAIS. I've seen that my verbal score is above average, and my quant score is below average. Do you think it's necessary to attempt to get a higher quant score?