Black_Sesame

I'm probably not going to go to either of them, but the people I've networked with at SAIS make it seem like a joke. If you have an ivy league degree from undergrad, then it doesn't make any sense to take a step down in terms of challenge. I'm maybe considering SIPA just since I want to stay in New York and can take Columbia classes for Stats and Applied Data Science, but unless I get into Kennedy, I don't have an easy decision.

Got Waitlisted. I only applied so I could apply with my GRE to Berkeley Law but shocked. I got into both Columbia SIPA and Johns Hopkins SAIS with Scholarship. Emotionally a bit confused. Does not bode well for HKS. I guess MPPs are a little different than MAIR or MIA's but they're 80% the exact same degree.

Hi all, My situation is I'm deciding if I should enroll in JHU Sais Europe for a global policy degree or wait a year to apply for HKS and reapply for SIPA (Dream program and was admitted but without funding). Personally I feel I should go to HKS as I've come to be really anxious about name brand and prestige (maybe I'm a bit jaded), but don't know if it's worth the risk. I have a good profile, but hate the idea of sticking with my dead end job in tech consulting. Regarding funding, my parents agreed only to help me if I get into Harvard, but I'm not too worried about how much I get from anywhere, not a question of how much but of if. I'm currently not accepting my offer from SIPA since they acted shady and claimed I never asked for aid on my application. SIPA pushed me to apply for the spring or next fall, but preferred I enroll now. Looking forward to hearing what people have to say! I'm anxious, depressed, and heartbroken-- regret not applying for more than just SIPA or SAIS and regret not doing so earlier.

For basically comparable programs and a nicer administration, you can't go wrong with Georgetown. I have a major preference for NYC and more econ focused programs so so I didn't apply to G town, but that moneys important.

Hi all! I'm currently making the decision today and tomorrow whether to accept my offer of admission to SAIS Europe w 20k yearly scholarship or wait a year to reapply for SIPA (they didn't consider me for aid as they said I didn't ask for it), apply for Kennedy, and then maybe Princeton or dual degree programs. A bit of background on me, I went to a top 3 US college and ivy for undergrad. Pulled an A range GPA with a history degree and special economics concentration. Went to work in consulting after college, but that unfortunately took me down the wrong road, and now I'm in a career I truly hate and that lacks valuable experience or prestige: tech and ops consulting. I've only been out of college since may of 2019 and love where I live in NYC and friends, but am actively depressed by my job. A policy degree has always been my goal and dream, but I decided to apply a year early in sort of a rushed manner during covid, and only applied to Columbia and JHU and was admitted to both. I'm wondering if it's worth deferring or saying no and suffering another year in a dead end job, just to have the opportunity to get my GRE score up from a V:167 Q:158 Essay: 5.5 to be able to reapply and mull over a dual degree. For reference, I'm looking to work in political risk, economic consulting, or just anything more international trade and globalization focused after Graduation in NYC. I'm also considering working in-house at a financial services firm or tech company in a more politically focused role or strategy role. Thank you all! Being tortured by this decision. I was more excited about Johns Hopkins at first, but after examining the student body, it just doesn't seem as accomplished as Harvard or SIPA.

From everything I've ever seen or heard, SAIS is considered the most serious and legitimate program as its significantly more rigorous and quantitatively driven than SIPA Gtown Tufts or Princeton. SIPA always seemed like more of a school for people who didn't go to Ivy's to get the chance to interview for McKinsey, Accenture, or Deloitte. Within the field of IR, SAIS is a bit more serious, but outside of the field, SIPA or Woody Woo certainly have better name brand and prestige.

I'm a Columbia Alumni myself, graduated magna cum laude and ended up with a 167/158 on my GRE. Had reccomendations from a SIPA professor and had my essays reviewed. Got in without an ounce of funding. Love NYC, its my home and has all my friends and loved ones, but knowing that SAIS gave me a chunk of scholarship when I bullshitted out their application and they've been nothing but kind to me makes it really hard for me to say no to a year in beautiful northern Italy. Makes it even harder knowing that they're regarded as the better program within the field.

That's amazing! Congratulations on that. Wondering if that came from scholarship or fellowship? I'm confused and disoriented as to why I wasn't offered anything.

Hi, I'm a little confused and maybe it's too late to be asking this. I applied to SAIS and got 30k in Financial Aid, but my real goal was to return to my Alma mater at Columbia and stay in the city I live in and love. Maybe I misunderstood what the fellowship deadline was, as I skipped it to have more time to better work on my application (although I submitted my fafsa before then), did that disqualify me from scholarship as well by not applying then? I'm at a heartbroken loss. I have no idea what to do as I'd emailed Columbia multiple times to ask about this and they'd dodged me.