Dan_H

Thanks for that, ZebraFinch! It's definitely been weighing on me. I'll be 39 when I begin grad school, so definitely older than the median but hopefully not to a detrimental degree. I know that the FSOs I met overseas mostly came to that career in their 30s and 40s. It's part of the reason that I felt so at ease there. I'm really hoping that it works out for the career opportunity, but if not I've already got a great fellowship offer to my preferred Master's program here in California. Also: you are correct about the domestic study requirement for Pickering. Sciences Po was during undergrad.

I also requested the 17th, because I'll be in DC to visit Georgetown the week before and am hoping to avoid having to stay another extra night. It was interesting to read about your different approaches to the application essay. I wrote about the 13 dimensions, but I tied them to my experience as an intern with the Department and to my experience as an LGBTQ activist. The consul under whom I interned was one of my recommenders, and I asked him to try to focus on the 13 dimensions as well, so maybe our writing just complemented one another's! I am a nontraditional college student, not having begun my undergrad until I was 31 years old, and I never quite know how people will react to my age when I apply to these things. I've been successful in every academic application I've completed since I started college - including the Gilman Scholarship, admission and scholarships to the Sciences Po exchange program, and all three of the top grad schools to which I applied. Nonetheless, I do every once in a while get the sense that some academic authority figure has a negative reaction to me based upon my age. I hope that doesn't happen on April 17! Best of luck, and I hope to see you next month. I'm going to start writing daily practice essays tomorrow, catching up on my back issues of Foreign Affairs, and recruiting friends to grill me in mock interviews.

It's a difficult decision, Kitkat! I was also accepted to Fletcher and GPS, as well as Georgetown. I live in San Diego and I did my undergrad at UCSD. I also interned with the Department of State, so I know that UCSD has a strong reputation both locally and in the IR world. I just accepted UCSD's offer. Though I would have loved to live in DC, or in the Boston area near my family, I couldn't justify borrowing the enormous amount of money which would have been required. I have strong professional and personal networks here in San Diego, and I would have to sacrifice those AND incur major debt if I were to accept either of the other programs. I also found out yesterday that I'm a finalist for Pickering this year, so there's a 50% chance that I won't even have to worry about the job hunt upon graduation! Best of luck with your decision-making process. You've got some great options.

Congratulations, mrs! I'll be seeing you in Washington on the 17th or 18th :-)