LotusEater

Hey Casey, Wow, I checked this website while procrastinating on writing a paper and just came across your post! So, I'm currently at Fletcher and could not be happier. I think that, ultimately, the name recognition was the major factor in my decision, and I was never comfortable with the fact that AU accepted me to a program slightly different than the one I applied to. Looking back, I'm certain that this was the right decision for me, but don't know what would be best in your particular situation. If you do have experience on the field / have a job more or less aligned, maybe AU would be better. But Fletcher is an awesome school, I must say. Good luck with your decision!

Yes, I did, and I'm really happy about it. I just wish the New School had sent their answers in time for me to have the complete picture before making an decision. The official letter arrived, and they granted me a 20% scholarship, which makes the New School cost a lot less than Fletcher...

So...turns out I got an email today, and they accepted me to the MA in International Relations! The official letter will come in the next days, and info on financial assistance will be mailed in 7-10 days. This seems like such a great program, now I'm wondering if they'll award me any scholarship...

I haven't heard from them...but the waiting is over for me. I did apply to other schools, and was fortunate enough to be accepted by a couple, so I had good choices - ended up enrolling at Fletcher, which I'm really looking forward to! Still, as I said, it would be nice to have some sort of closure, this is the only school from which I have not heard. I have no idea why it's taking them so long! You must have sent a hell of an application BD, to get a special phone call from them!!

I sent them an email on Tuesday and they did not answer it...it would be nice to have all my results back, but I'll have to decide without knowing my application status with them!

Hey everyone, I have been accepted to Fletcher (MALD) and to American University (MIS), and I'd love to hear what you guys have to say about these programs. Here's what I've been considering: Fletcher: - great school, has been amazing throughout the whole process, but offered me very little money, so it is still very expensive. - it’s located in Medford, so I worry a little about this making it difficult to arrange internships in DC or NYC, although many people believe this shouldn’t be a problem considering their very strong alumni network. - it’s a 2-year program, with 42-credits – heavy workload, but allows for some part-time jobs during the school year. American University: - I had applied to their M.A. in International Politics, but was instead accepted to the Master of International Service, which is a 1-year program geared towards people who are mid-career. I don’t know exactly why they thought this might be a good fit – I have worked for a few years now, but I do intend to change careers to international relations, not to use this degree to further my current career. But hey, they should know what they are doing, and if they think it is a good fit… - considering it is a 1-year program, it is shorter than MALD and SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper – this is really appealing, as you all can imagine. - it is in DC, so the location is great. However, this degree takes 30 credits to be finished in one year, so I’m worried that I won’t have time to network or even to take up a part-time job to help with some money. - if anyone has attended this program, please let me know – the website doesn’t say much, and I want to know if I can take classes with every other student in their other master programs (it appears so), or if I’ll have a set of pre-determined classes, which I’ll attend with other people getting this MIS – this worries me, as I want to be exposed to as many people as possible, and not just to people who might be getting this degree just to further their already existing careers. - it is also a great school, but maybe not with the same name-recognition as Fletcher? Plus, I’d be competing in DC for internships with students from other heavyweights as Georgetown and SAIS, for instance, so I don’t know how much help just being in DC really is, as opposed to having a more recognizable name behind you. So, it might seem like I’m more inclined to accepting Fletcher’s offer, but the money thing worries me a lot (I should add that I’m an international student), and I’d love to know if I should look into being accepted to MIS as a positive thing in the sense that my “employability” won’t be hurt by attending a 1-year program instead of a 2-year one. Thanks a lot guys, and good luck to everyone making their decisions as well!!

I second this - I'll also not be able to attend, and would love to hear about it from those who'll be able to go. Thanks!!

BD, this is awesome! I'm really happy for you, congratulations!!

BD, thank you so much! I get the feeling my answer is not there yet, considering my application was sent at the very last minute...also, I'll prob wait a few more days, I just don't have the guts to email them right now and ask, even though I'll have to decide something until April 15th.

BD, I'll probably be locked in a meeting, try to ask about when we, people from far away lands, might hear back from them!!

Hey Anxiousapplicant, don't take their lack of a reply to your email as a rejection: I emailed them once before the application deadline with a question about my writing sample and they never replied! I'm also going crazy with all the waiting, and still have not seen any post on the results page about my program.

Rolling admission...considering that I sent my application at the last minute within the deadline, I'm sure it will take forever to hear from them. BD, did you refrain yourself from asking them about your results??

Wow, if it took 2 weeks to get to Texas, I wonder how long it will take to arrive in Brazil... Plus, I don't want to email them and jinx it (yeah, from the results page you can see that most people who sent emails asking for their status were rejected ) Congratulations on your acceptance!

Well...no email for me so far. Does anyone know if they also notify rejects/waitlists by email together with the acceptances?

Hey LeeLee, so you already heard from SIS? Was it email or mail?? Would you mind saying when you got the word? Thanks and congratulations on all your acceptances! I'm in another country, so I'm pretty worried as to when I'll get a notification in case they only send it through the postal service...

I only got an email from them on March 3rd informing that my application was complete for review and that's the status I've been getting since then...I have no idea why it took so long for them to send that email, and that made me worry that they might also take a long time to inform about the results, let's hope I'm wrong!! I applied to NSGS, Georgetown SFS, American SIS, and the Fletcher School. I've just been admitted to Fletcher (got the results on Friday, really happy about it!!), but I still have not heard from the other schools. So only one school? I can imagine how anxious you are! I'm interested to know what appealed to you about NSGS that made this school your choice. Their program seems great on paper, but I haven't met anyone that actually attended it and would love to get more info on this. Let's hope the waiting ends soon with great news to us!

Hey BD, I also applied to their MA in International Affairs and can't wait for a decision...it doesn't seem that there are many of us out there, though - I think I only saw another one that applied there. I have been trying to gather more info on their program, so anything you know and is willing to share will be much appreciated! By the way, where else did you apply to? Good luck to us all!

Me neither, why don't they send emails beforehand just to put us out of our misery??? All this waiting is killing me!

I sent them an email in early February to check why my status online was still incomplete, and they replied right away that they were still updating the system, but that they had located my transcripts and would update my online status as complete, which they did. Maybe they are still behind on that front due to the whole office closed/snowstorm thing? If they sent you that email, it should all be fine!

Someone posted on the results page today that they were rejected by mail received on the 11th... I still have not heard anything, and just checked their system and nothing is different, it just says my application is complete. Anyone else got any results?

Accepted to MALD with a US$ 5,000 scholarship award. I'm beyond myself!! I also did not get an email, checked the system directly. Good luck to all!

That paragraph has more to do with me trying to convince myself in case I only get accepted there... But I admit that their program sounded really interesting to me, it is just a shame that I cannot hear from anyone with firsthand experience there, especially to know how good the program really is and if the fact that the course is new/not well-known has hurt their chances in the job market.

Hey PaleGreenStars, I also applied there and have been trying to get more info on their program. An acquaintance who recently got her master at SIPA is familiar with the New School and highly recommended it (she had a professor who taught at both schools, and I think students at Columbia may cross-register at the New School and vice-versa for a few credits, but I cannot confirm this 100%), and I also read somewhere that they have some sort of internship program going on with the UN, but I haven’t heard/read anything more “official” other than this is a school heavily leaning towards a more leftist approach, and geared towards more independent studying. It also (somewhat) helps to know that they have great programs in other areas (Parsons, and their drama dep., for instance), and maybe this lack of info has more to do with their International Affairs Program being a fairly recent one rather than being a bad one…but it does concern me the fact that they are not an APSIA affiliated/member school. But, hey, NYU is not a member as well, and it doesn’t seem like someone would use that point against NYU… Anyways, I’m also looking for more info, so if there is anyone out there who could shed some light on this subject, that would be highly appreciated!! Out of curiosity, where else are you applying to, PaleGreenStars?