I can only comment as someone who spent time in St. Andrews. It is beautiful and many royals have attended there but its cold and in the middle of bum effin' nowhere. Amsterdam will have more opportunities for you and your children.
You don't have to go to grad school right away. Take a year to get some more experience under your belt. You have a year left? Do everything possible to get that GPA above a 3.0
All I can say is Georgetown SFS is ranked number 1 in the country. The networking opportunities you will get there will be unparalleled. In DC everyone has heard of both schools but I am from the midwest and no one has heard of GWU out here. I got into their Elliot school and I was so excited to tell people, they all thought I meant Georgetown. So if prestige and name recognition mean anything in your decision process, GU is the way to go.
If you are frugal, yes. Rent will probably cost you $1,200 a month if you want a decent place. The UMN will give you an unlimited metro transit pass for $100 a semester. Don't party too much and you'll be good. Part time job wouldn't hurt.
My understanding is that MARSEA is more academic research focused where as MASIA is more practical skills/professional focused. I know SAIS is a very economic focused program, requiring at least 4 Asian economic courses to be taken. What is your country of interest? For example I am interested in Korea but SAIS Korea department lost their funding last year so I opted not to apply to their program. Congrats on getting into MASIA btw!
Awesome, well I will keep the fingers crossed for tomorrow (one night left of nightmares I hope). Congratulations again, definitely an acceptance worth celebrating!
Congrats! Well deserved, you have some tough decisions ahead. I haven't received an e-mail yet, you mentioned it was from a professor? Maybe the China focus went out today...Korea tomorrow? #Wishfulthinking
Georgetown SFS is the oldest and best ranked Foreign Service program in the USA. But Fletcher isn't too shabby either. They are both well respected programs.