sdonovan77

I'm going to PM you with the details but as I understand it (I'm financially illiterate so keep that in mind.) the loan can either be an expensive one or an extremely cheap one depending on income. Basically, if you're under 30k per year you pay nothing at all, after that I believe it moves to 3065/year with a 9 percent of income cap. So if you plan on making a lot of money after graduation, it's an expensive loan. If you want flexibility to try new things or plan on interning or travelling or just working in an industry that doesn't have great pay, it's a good option. Another thing to keep in mind, is the possible implosion of the Euro. Hopefully that doesn't happen, but it's something to consider. Personally, I think I'm going to do a FAFSA/Brain Capital mix. I've liked working with the federal lenders before, they offer similar income based repayment plans, and the interest rates are fine. Also, if anyone who is actually good at understanding these things wants to chime in here feel free.

Hey seaglass, Sorry about the wait, I had the date wrong (it was actually early this week) and they're actually making me do work at work this week instead of hanging out on gradcafe and looking at apartments in Berlin (bummer). The interview was really two parts; an introduction/background portion followed by a pretty thorough walk through of the contract. During the introduction, the interviewer, Johannes, wanted to know about my background and why I was choosing to pursue a degree in Europe rather than the states. The contract walk through was pretty helpful in most areas. You'll go through a few possible income scenarios and discuss what your payment will probably look like. The whole thing took about an hour and fifteen minutes and was really pretty painless. I think the main point of it is to put a face to a name and to make sure that terms of the agreement are fully understood. Following the interview, the next step is to request the real contract (the one specific to you with your name and tuition amount on it). After that, Brain Capital will handle payments to Hertie and your financial responsibilities all pass over to B.C. All in all, a pretty easy and informative interview.

Sciences Po is so aggravating! I'm preparing myself for a long wait, possibly into June. If I were to get into Sciences Po I would have to take a long look at the financing options I would have (and factor in the 2 grand I already dropped on Hertie). The finaid I was offered would just barely cover living in Paris(and it wouldn't be easy) and the Brain Capital aspect at Hertie is a really big plus for me. Like I said before, I'm really liking Hertie the more and more I read about it and speak with alumni. Regarding FAFSA, my documents were successfully submitted to Hertie maybe a couple of weeks ago and I assumed they were making their way through the bureaucracy there. What did you hear from Hertie about them? I hope they know what they're doing because at this point I think it's mostly in their hands. Maybe I need to get a little more proactive in this area. Brain Capital interview is tonight! I have no idea what to expect and nothing prepared! (I asked and they said not to) I'll write up a post tomorrow and let you know how it went though.

While I'm stilling waiting on my response from Sciences Po PSIA, I'll be sending in my deposit next week. I would love to hold out until I had a reply from Sciences Po as it was my initial first choice school but the way the deposit deadline is scheduled I don't think I'll be able to. I'm actually taking it as a kind of blessing in disguise as the more familiar I get with both programs the more I like Hertie.

I was afraid you would say that! Thanks again for the thoughtful response. I'm happy to hear that the school is essentially on par with the other GPPN schools. I really like the Hertie program and have been very impressed with their administration's work during the application process, particularly compared to other schools. (I'm looking at you Sciences Po). Really my only concern is the "prestige" factor, but if you've been happy with your experience that certainly helps put me at ease.

First off, thanks for offering up your expertise, it's much appreciated. Your response above is really helpful for those of us trying to make a decision in the coming weeks. I was wondering if you could get into more specifics regarding what an international student's (I'm an American) career path may be after Hertie. Are there some specific companies or organizations that Hertie alum tend to succeed with? Where have your friends who have graduated ended up? I'm open to working in Europe or the States but really want to make sure there's a quality ROI on the degree. Thanks again for your help. I'm leaning really hard toward Hertie for pretty much the reasons you listed above but want to be absolutely sure that I'm employable after graduation.

Seaglass, *high five* right back at ya man! I am pretty confident I'll be attending in the fall. I just want to work out the best financing plan first and would really like to get some concrete illustrations of an international student building a career after attending the school (I've found a couple but am still not totally convinced). Berlin sounds incredible and the program, while a little young, seems like its really headed in the right direction and has a great focus on quality. I also really liked the Trade and Finance track in the MIA, it's something that's always interested me and the fact that I could get into it without real prior financial experience was big for me. I've also applied to Sciences Po PSIA (app went in yesterday) but am a little doubtful of my chances there. I was a French major and lived and studied in France for about a year so it would certainly be my first choice but I know it can be very competitive. be409, For an American student, the terms of the brain capital loan are fantastic to the point where I thought it might be a scam. It's funny to hear someone say it's "nothing but a loan without interest" like it's not a big deal. That is incredible to an American student! I'm glad to hear that the program is well established in Germany though. I'll probably be pursuing it as well as FAFSA funding at home. Thanks for the reply.

Hi All, Great thread. I am an American who was accepted on March 8 to the MIA program. I had a couple questions: I've noticed that some of you were in touch with international alumni. Was this through your own devices or via the Hertie website? I would really like to know what kind of career prospects the university holds. (I'm happy to work in Europe) Did anyone else receive a letter from Brain Capital to fund their tuition? I was wondering if anyone had experience with it. The terms (I haven't really seen specifics) seem pretty generous and I'm curious to see if anyone else has participated. Looking forward to seeing everyone in the fall!