nh23

It looks like you've been admitted to a different program than the one you applied for. I'm not sure how close the two programs are, but I'd recommend contacting the school to get clarification. Good luck to you!

No, it just said Program: Master in Development Studies

I'm admitted! This was my first choice, and I'm over the moon. Good luck to everyone else, and congrats to those who have already been accepted!

Program/Institutions : Graduate Institute Geneva / IHEID & SOAS; MA Development Studies Areas of Interest: Education in displaced populations, forced migration, humanitarian policy & aid Undergraduate Institution: University of California, Los Angeles Undergraduate GPA: 3.4 (low due to poor grades in my initial course of study. marked improvement in my grades once I changed majors.) Undergraduate Major: History (3.8 GPA) , with a minor in Education (4.0 GPA) Awards: Dean’s List Honors for 5 quarters GRE: n/a for selected programs Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): 8 years Years of Work Experience: 8 years, 6 of which are in international development Describe Relevant Work Experience: 2 years working as project manager in South Asia for a social enterprise consultancy. Following my return to the US, spent 1 year working as an impact fellow for a social enterprise then worked for 2 years for an education nonprofit. Most recent position was 1 year as consultant the World Bank. Currently living in Europe, looking for work and studying French. Languages: English - fluent, Spanish - intermediate, French - beginner Strength of LOR: I have strong professional recs from past employers, including one in Bangladesh, but weak academic references. I did not remain in touch with any of my professors after graduating, and it's been almost a decade. IHEID in particular places a high weight on the academic reference, so I'm worried about this area of weakness. Concerns: I'm primarily concerned about my academic profile - while my major GPA is high, my overall score is on the low end. This, plus my weaker academic reference, makes me concerned about my chances of getting in to IHEID, my top choice. I'm somewhat more confident about my chances of getting into SOAS. While I've had an impactful development career thus far, my positions have been more on the consultancy/strategic side, and I haven't had many opportunities to develop a strong quantitative or research background. Any advice would be much appreciated!

@Autumn Springs Thanks for the response! I reached out to the admissions office today with this question (and a few others) and they were incredibly patient and helpful. For anyone else wondering, they recommended I submit one academic reference, one professional, and use the optional third spot for an additional professional reference. It seems like most of the people on this thread are current students. Are there any other folks applying after working for a few years? Particularly to the MDEv program.

Hi all! I'm applying to the MDev program on a somewhat last-minute basis, and wanted some feedback re: references. I graduated undergrad 8 years ago, and haven't maintained academic relationships from my alma mater very strongly. The application checklist mentions that academic recommendations are preferred and but professional ones are accepted, if you have been out of school. I have heard a lot about how IHEID places a premium on academic records and references. I have great professional references in the development sector that can speak to my strengths with detail, whereas my academic references, while overall positive, will be somewhat more superficial. Any idea whether I'd lower my chances if I were to submit two professional recommendations instead of one professional, one academic? I appreciate any insights - after being out of school for so long, this decision between what's "preferred" and what's "accepted" is really making me anxious! Best of luck on your applications!