greenapplesea

I believe it's about 50-60 students.

@RPVC - define private sector. DC has a thriving private sector international development scene (Chemonics, Deloitte, DAI, etc. etc. etc.). If you're looking for the private sector outside of federal contracting, to be honest, you're going to have a tough time at either school - grads at both schools definitely land commercial jobs every year, but often you need to go through a long networking chain to get there. A lot of people have luck with start-ups in the global south, but that's often on your own as well. But if you are looking for federal-contracts in international development, either school will be fantastic. If you're targeting an organization like Deloitte that does many things besides int dev, SAIS would likely be better, as the Big 4 often hire in classes of general consultants, and then it's up to you to transfer into the emerging markets team. For any int dev-only contractors (DAI, Creative, Chemonics, ACDI/VOCA), people jump between private and non-profits all the time, so any top IR school would be fantastic. @QuintiliusMaximus - I was in the midst of professional growth, and while I felt at the time that Fletcher was my top pick, there was a definite opportunity cost to going back to school. I sent them a formal letter detailing this situation, as well as including some financial details about cost of living and how my original scholarship would not be sufficient for my goals. I don't think they typically go above about $20k, but sometimes they will offer a little bit more if the reasoning is sound and if they've had money freed up. But send in your request early.

Disclaimer: I'm actually leaning toward MBA programs myself, but I've looked extensively at Fletcher and SAIS. However, after several years of government related work, I personally am seeking a break from the public sector. Long and short, it really depends where you want to be when you graduate. Like you said, SAIS pushes private sector (federal consulting particularly). Here's a run-down as I see it: SAIS Pro: You're in DC. One of the first lessons you learn about DC is that if you want a DC job, you need a DC address. So you're able to be constantly networking during the program and you know the players. Neutral: I don't know much about SAIS alumnae getting jobs outside of DC, but I'm sure it's common. But the stress is Washington. Pro: If you want an econ/quant-heavy career, SAIS is excellent, perhaps the best. This heavy quant training is what lends SAIS grads to the private sector (*again, note that private sector almost always still means federal contracts). Con: The price, and the DC cost of living. I'm currently negotiating with the admissions office, but they're less likely to budge than Fletcher. Neutral: People love the Bologna program, but I'm not sure what it really gets you career-wise. You'd be in a historic Italian city, removed from the hustle bustle, with a more academic focus for a year, and you'd come back with a very tight-knit group of colleagues (on the other hand, some see the Bologna folks as a bit cliquey when they return to DC. Understandably so). After multiple studies abroad and working abroad, I decided that Bologna really wasn't for me - if I was going to a university overseas, I wanted to be in a capital or economic hub for the value of networking. Bologna is great for academics, and the courses are fantastic, but you won't be job-hunting there. Fletcher Pro: Probably the best school for diplomacy. There are a surprising number of former foreign ministers and such that come to Fletcher to study. You also have a lot of former military folks. This was just my impression, but the student body that I met at Fletcher felt more diverse than at SAIS in the sense that most SAIS students I've met were targeting jobs in DC whereas Fletcher students were truly global in their goals. But again, that was just my impression. Con: You are in suburban Boston. Fletcher is one of the more academic IR schools. You're removed from NYC, DC, etc., so the job hunt can be a bit tough. That being said, Fletcher sponsors trips for their students to the major cities for informational interviews and networking. And Fletcher is a very globally-respected brand with a tight-knit alumni community, so doors will open for you. But it might require moving down to DC first, for example. Neutral: Whether or not it's true, Fletcher's reputation is more on the soft skills than hard quant skills. They have started offering more practical workshops, but it's behind some of the other schools in that sense. But again, quant is not everyone's goal. Neutral: My impression is that Fletcher folks tend to steer toward public or non-profit work. Not exclusively by any means, but at least for the first couple years, it seems to be the trend. Pro: Cost. Fletcher is affordable in comparison (and cost of living is lower than other cities), and they're admissions department is very open to considering additional funding. Last year, I was offered an increase of $2k late in the game when I was debating schools. Pro: Personalized. Perhaps the admissions department is just that good, but Fletcher goes out of their way to know you and personalize your requests and needs. My hope is that this would translate into their study. Pro: If you want a European study, Fletcher has a lot of great options for a semester or year overseas. I was looking at the Diplomatische Akademie in Vienna, but I know that there are others. They also have great support for overseas internships (as does SAIS). I loved the vibe at Fletcher, but it does feel more academic/more in a bubble (you're on Tufts' campus). SAIS is in the heart of DC, which brings its own pluses and minuses - it really depends on your goals which one would be the better fit.

Any other potential dual-degrees out there, specifically MA/MBA? Regarding the division per program, I get the sense that IDEV is one of the larger concentrations, but I cannot confirm that with any stats. As an industry, international development (in DC at least) also leans more heavily female. Interestingly, my offer letter said nothing about the intermediate micro requirement (which I believe I would still need to fulfill, unless my first micro course was sufficient?).

I'm also curious if anyone can speak to the admissions cycle for the MPhil in Politics.

And for those of us on an earlier time zone, we'll enjoy the fact that it's already the weekend. Admittees, can you also post which field/program you applied for? Admissions blog is very helpful, but it would be interested to see what the exact admitted percentages were for each program, not just the number of applicants. But quite a diverse bunch!

Question for those who admitted/current students: Did you meet with admissions representatives (on campus or elsewhere) prior to applying? I figured it would be an uphill battle to get in this time around, but want to be sure to make my application as strong as possible for next time. Are any of the admittees re-applicants and if so, any tips on how that process went and the likelihood of getting accepted at for a later year? Thanks and congrats!

It depends on the school and there's no right answer to any of these questions. Once you're accepted, they won't rescind the acceptance, but there's no guarantee that they'll budge. That being said, if they really want you, they'll bend over backwards to show it, and funding may materialize. It's probably easier with another monetary offer in hand, but at least in my book, it can't hurt to try regardless of what your status is. Earlier is probably better; there may be limited funds available for flexibility and the longer you wait, the more the admissions officer will be fatigued from having received similar requests. I'd recommend calling within a week or two after receiving acceptance. If you have to email, perhaps email asking for contact information for a rep to talk to to answer some additional questions. If you're in the same city, you may even consider trying to meet in person.

They may be referring to a loan assistance program for the U.S. government. I'm no expert, but in short I believe that you need to work in non-profit or public sector for 10 years and make all of your payments on time for your loans, and after 10 years you will be eligible for loan forgiveness (given the fact that you're working at a lower-salaried job). I'd ask Google for more details, and I believe this is only available for US citizens. Others: was your scholarship information included in your admissions email? I'm currently overseas so I'm not sure if I received anything in snail mail as well, but I was waiting on aid information.

P.S. Regarding the likehood of finding well paid work: many DC firms have gotten better about paying their interns, but it's still usually a stipend of $10-$15 per hour for 20-30 hour weeks. You can get better pay by working in a restaurant, but this is a trade-off that many students must face. Additionally, many Elliott students choose to live far from the collosal rent prices of Foggy Bottom to try to minimize costs, but be sure to factor communting in. You can save hundreds of dollars in rent per month by living at the end of a metro line, but you will also likely need to pay about $5 per one-way ride, thanks to DC's metro. Once getting settled in DC, it's much easier to find the hidden gems of a lower cost in the city itself.

Call them up, make your case, and see if they'd be willing to negotiate. Elliott seems to be one of the most flexible schools in terms of offers, particularly if you have money from other schools and can use that to leverage. In terms of prestige, you're right that Elliott tend to feel like a step down from SFS, SAIS, and that crowd, but in my opinion, it's also the most practical IR degree that I've seen anywhere. Almost every student is working part- if not full-time while studying-- oftentimes that is unpaid or pays minimally, but that can be a huge asset when graduating, as you may be able to use that internship during school as the testing ground for a company and transition into full-time work immediately upon graduation. No guarantee, but IR grads from any school these days tend to go through a long testing/internship period AFTER graduation for a few months. That trend may be changing, but I observed it firsthand after 2012. Disclaimer: I'm not applying to Elliott myself, nor any DC schools for that matter, so most of this is hearsay. Good luck!

I'm looking at US and European IR programs and weighing different pros and cons. While I've thought about a PhD at some point, for now I'm primarily looking for a master's program that will accelerate me to the next level of my career and open new global networks. I currently have a strong network in DC, but I would like to move my career to London, New York, Brussels, or Geneva/Vienna, though I'd be open to 1-2 year posts pretty much anywhere. Any second years or recent alums lurking around these forums? I'd be interested to hear your thoughts, as well as those of other prospies. In an ideal world, my first pick would be Oxford followed by DA Vienna for location. However, I've already experienced the rough job hunt, and I'm concerned about the post-graduation transition. As a US citizen, I am well aware that the prospects of staying in the UK or EU as a mid-level recent grad are very slim. Can anyone speak to the career preparation or specialization provided by the UK and European schools? Additionally, I'd be interested to hear more about students' experiences with foreign language study at any of the schools below and whether there are opportunities to increase linguistic and/or regional abilities in a general IR program. Woodrow Wilson Tufts Fletcher Oxford MPhil IR and/or Global Governance LSE MSc IR Georgetown SFS I'd also be very interested if anyone can provide more insight into the following programs: Diplomatische Akademie Wien Central European University Sciences Po Hertie School of Governance Thanks!

Fulbrighters heading to Poland, we now have a facebook group! Look forward to meeting you all in person soon. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=133684126662415

Is anyone familiar with the details of the Fly America Act? I'm booking my flight to Poland (Poznan, anyone?), and the city is not serviced by U.S. airlines. I've read through all the documents a number of times, and from what I can tell, I just need to go to a European hub via an American carrier and then change airlines. But how strictly does it matter which one? I'm specifically looking at flying into Frankfurt or Munich and just wanted to get a second opinion before booking. The original language reads that one must use a U.S. carrier "to the furthest interchange point on a usually traveled route" and "Where an origin or interchange point is not served by U.S. flag air carrier, foreign air carrier service should be used only to the nearest interchange point on a usually traveled route to connect with U.S. flag carrier service". Geographically, Berlin is the nearest metropolis to Poznan, but this is not a usually traveled route from my origin in the U.S., so I'm guessing Munich or Frankfurt, being approximately equidistant from my destination, would be fine. I've asked Fulbright and IIE, but haven't gotten clear answers. Thoughts? Also, does anyone know if it's a problem if I choose to stay in Germany for a day before catching a connecting flight to Poland?

I'll be heading to Poland as well (ETA). Any word on when ETAs (from Poland or from other countries) might learn more details? I'm currently in the dark on this... I have received no word regarding where I've been placed, when I'll be leaving, what age group/English level I might be teaching, etc. ETAs from previous years, do you remember when you heard? Also, does anyone know if Poland offers any language-intensive training prior to the start of the grant?