compost&recycle
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Hi there,
I feel bad nobody responded to Nimesis' thread yet. So I thought I'll start.
Congrats to all GSPP '13ers! I am sure we all went through some serious decision making over the past few weeks (I sure did) and it feels good to finally know and get excited about it.
A couple logistical questions:
- Anyone else from SF who will be commuting to Berkeley on BART or across the bridge? Would be great to get a carpool together.
- Does anyone know how the health insurance works? Couldn't find much on the GSPP website, would it be the same UCB campus-wide?
I will probably see most of you in Math Camp, which is supposed to start August 9.
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hi there,
I didn't have a chance to attend the SAIS open house and would love to hear what you thought? How did it compare to other open houses (especially between GSPP, Stanford IPS, Fletcher if anyone visited those also)?
I would be going to Bologna for the first year, so any information on that would be great.
I went to Fletcher's open house last Monday and it was pretty good, although I was not a fan of the location/campus.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
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Last Friday, I received the unexpected e-mail notifying me that I am a finalist and am now trying to gather more information on the fellowship stipulations. I heard not all programs qualify (only certain IR programs, but not all policy programs), which affects my school decision to a certain extent. Would love to connect with other prospective fellows or people who know more about the fellowship.
Thanks!
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Before I start, I admit that I do have a bias against SIPA, but inspiration this seems like a clear case to me.
SAIS is the better IR school AND gives you $35,500, which is extremely high compared to other admitted students or other programs (almost a full ride). Plus you got into IDEV, which I hear is capped and hard to get into.
On the other hand, SIPA, in my opinion is a mediocre IR cash cow. Overpriced, huge (i.e. impersonal) program that relies on the Columbia name and its NY location. Much less selective than SAIS or other IR schools. The professor/student ratio is not desirable and I hear more students dislike SIPA than any other IR program. In my view, NOT worth the price or turning down an almost full ride at SAIS (the second year is usually renewed if you show good performance, I would not worry about it too much)
So my vote is clear. SAIS - the BETTER program, take the $$$, and enjoy both Bologna and D.C. (you get twice the network that way and Bologna people seem to bond tremendously)!
Good luck!
Hey guys,
So I just heard back from SAIS Bologna today and was happy to be admitted to the International Development program with a first year scholarship of $35,500! I don't know about how second-year scholarship works but from my visit to DC last weekend, it seems that I have to reapply the second year given that I maintain good academic standing. I don't know if I could receive something similar though...
I love econ and quantitative analysis so I don't think it's a problem for me to attend SAIS. Even if I go to SIPA, I might just as well structure my education that way. So my analysis about each school is discussed below:
SAIS
Not that well-known outside the IR circle. I know people go into the private sector year year but is the JHU name as good as Columbia?
First year in Bologna: it's an advantage to go there for the European environment and tight community, but would I lose some network opportunities not being in NYC or DC given that I am planning to work there after graduation?
Well it's probably the best program in IR after all and my sense is that it is more selective than SIPA. Because I've met a ton of people at SIPA who told me they didn't get into SAIS and that's why they are at SIPA. This might be biased but that's what I felt from my visit.
SIPA
No money, and I'm not counting on second-year scholarships at this point. Even if I get it, it'll be something like20,000, nothing compared to the potential 70,000 from SAIS.
Great NYC setting especially because I would love to either work for the UN or go into private consulting companies.
Both programs offers me course I might like - basically econ so that is not something to worry about.
I am a college senior without work experience so I would really love your imputs/experiences from your work place, etc to tell me which program is more suitable for me. Working in consulting might be a short-time goal because I need to pay back all the debt, but in the long term, I would like to work at places like UNDP or some of the other UN branches.
Thanks a lot!!!
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hippieva,
thank you for your response. i appreciate your insight and agree that stanford is "worth the price". it sounds like you have decided for IPS already or are you still in the process as well?
while i don't doubt stanford's quality, the small size of the program is a bit of a concern. as it is so interdisciplinary, i wonder how strongly connected the IPS students are or whether they are spread out most of the time due to their very individual schedules. i don't mind getting to know new people in different departments (i actually like that diversity a lot) but I wonder how close of a cohort and feeling of community there is among the IPS students (from a social perspective as well as for networking purposes). I would love to hear your thoughts if/why you decide for Stanford compared to your other choices.
thanks!
for me i'd not just consider the school's "name" when looking at stanford, but the aspects of student life that substantiate it that you can't find at any of the other schools you're considering:
a) the well rounded education you'll receive there (being able to cross register on the same campus, which will enable you to build relationships with people from other schools). this is particularly true as you've expressed an interest in energy, and energy is pretty interdisciplinary.
the world-class students, professors, and facilities you'll be working with. you'll find those at all the schools you're looking at, but probably in greater concentration at a place like stanford. the opportunity to contribute to and learn from these resources is pretty exceptional.to me, getting all of this this all for only 35k more is a once-in-a-lifetime deal.
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foodlover28: Thank you for your reply. I talked to Globalsun and it did alleviate my concern about tuition to a certain extent. Yet, first year's tuition of $35 still needs to be paid for + living costs in SF (which are not cheap as you probably know well as a UCB alum). I am acquainting myself with the thought of taking on a large loan, although I am from Germany and have an innate aversion to accruing such considerable debt (I am the saver kind of person). Running the risk of sounding like a complete rookie, I honestly don't even know how to go about the loan. Even the Stanford coordinator was unable to provide me with information loans and financing and the Stanford website is not the most conclusive whereas other programs, such as Fletcher have sent me a comprehensive document with various subsidized and unsubsidized loans, federal work/study, etc. in addition to the large scholarship, which made it seem much more manageable. I will call Stanford's FinAid but if you have advice on how to tackle the financing issue, I'd be happy to hear suggestions.
Regarding your question: I live in San Francisco and my previous industries were international corporate marketing (in Germany and here) and most recently energy policy.
In response to your school choices, I just want to throw my little bias your way concerning SIPA. I honestly do not have a high opinion of their program (in particular in comparison to the other options you have). I believe that their program is too big, hence professors are not very accessible (students wait in line at the prof's offices and get maybe 5 minutes of face time) and getting into classes is not a given due to the large cohort. Also, I feel as if SIPA is less selective and I personally don't think that NY is the best environment for those who want to experience a campus feel since many commute, spread out, and are exposed to distraction of the city's big hussle. Obviously that is my personal bias, but considering the other choices you have, SIPA would get my lowest vote. Re: Sanford. Good school but somehow I have the feeling that it is not very strong in international policy, which is one of my priority and also makes me a bit hesitant about GSPP. Even though they have the International Affairs concentration, I heard in a recent conversation that the IA "department" is pretty much non-existent and you'd have to make a big effort to make your degree more international. Once again, GSPP is a top school and I still strongly consider it but the domestic focus is a big deterrent for me. Let me know what you find out. Since GSPP and IPS have their open house on the same day, I am curious to hear which one you will be attending.
On 3/24/2011 at 10:27 PM, foodlover28 said:I'm also wondering how important the school's brand name/reputation is compared to the actual quality of the program.
I would be going to GSPP or Duke Sanford almost for free, but I received no funding from SIPA / Stanford IPS. I like GSPP + Sanford's curriculum, class sizes, and communities, but I feel like SIPA/IPS might have been networks for post-graduation career....
Compost&recycle, in the Stanford IPS forum topic, Globalsun did say that it's not difficult to get funding since there is less competition than larger programs. So, you probably will be able to reduce some of the debt. I get the feeling that you really want to go to IPS, and so if financial obligation is not going to be a huge burden (ie--you can pay for part of it, get loans for the rest, but it won't cause you/your family to undergo extreme financial difficulty), then I say go for it
At the same time, the other programs are all great in what you want to do. Another question--what industry where you in before and do you currently live in CA?
I posted all my other schools and considerations here:
please help!!
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Thanks for your post Nimesis. Good point.
Are you going to the GSPP open house on April 11? I am unable to go so I'd love to hear your impressions.
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Hi grad cafe friends,
I am still in the decision process (as most of you) and am struggling with the thought of accepting a school (Stanford IPS) that offered no funding and turning down other schools (Fletcher, SAIS, GSPP, Georgetown) who offered decent to very generous funding. I would love your insight on whether going for a school's reputation justifies denying a great financial package of a school of less prestige. While Stanford's IPS program seems like a good fit, the other schools are probably just as good. How much does the school's name matter? Is it worth $35K+ more debt to go to a prestigious institution or would an almost free ride at GSPP, Georgetown or Fletcher make more sense and provide me with an equally good education/network/academic & social experience?
Any thoughts regarding IPS as well as the other programs are welcome. Who else is deciding between these schools? Would love to establish a dialogue.
Thanks!
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I received a half tuition scholarship. Since I will most likely not go to Georgetown, this money may free up for those on the scholarship wait list. Best of luck!
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Program Applied To: MPP, MAIR, MEM
Schools Applied To: Berkeley GSPP, Duke Nicholas MEM and Sanford MPP, Johns Hopkins IPS, Georgetown GPPI and MSFS, Fletcher, Stanford IPS, HKS, Yale FES,
Schools Admitted To: Berkeley GSPP ($), Duke Nicholas ($), Johns Hopkins SAIS ($$), Georgetown GPPI and MSFS ($ next week), Fletcher ($$$), Stanford IPS ($0)
Schools Rejected From: HKS, Yale FES, Duke Sanford
Decision: between GSPP, Fletcher, SAIS and Stanford IPS
Undergraduate institution: first two years – relatively mediocre German University, second two years - middle tier U.S. State University and study abroad in Sydney
Undergraduate GPA: 3.95
Undergraduate Major: International Relations <br style=""> GRE Quantitative Score: 740
GRE Verbal Score: 500 (English is not my native language - can you tell?
)GRE AW Score: 4.5
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): 3
Years of Work Experience: 10 (worked before I went to school and in between)
Describe Relevant Work Experience: Media planning, marketing, consulting, translation, energy regulation
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): I started in July and reviewed/edited it at least 50 times. I had it proofread by a few friends for grammar purposes; I put a lot of effort into telling a cohesive story and clearly expressing my passion/goals
Strength of LOR (be honest, describe the process, etc): my undergrad IR professors, my old boss and my current boss (used them alternatively 3 out of 4). Didn’t read them but I assume they were very good. I believe it is important to ask the recommenders if they feel comfortable writing a strong recommendation to make sure they don’t feel obligated and write you a mediocre one, which can severely hurt your chances. I heard of horror stories where professors wrote "I was asked to write this letter. I honestly don't remember the student at all....(that cannot be good!)
Anyone who has an opinion on Stanford IPS vs. SAIS, GSPP and Fletcher please let me know because this decision has become harder by the day! Thanks.
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Quick update. I also received my acceptance to Stanford IPS yesterday and am now expanding my "choice dilemma" to GSPP/SAIS/Fletcher and Stanford IPS.
It appears that Stanford has a great reputation (both the school overall as well as the IPS) and it seems a hard one to turn down. I would love some insight on how IPS compares to the other three. The program itself is fairly new and small, so I wonder about its alumni/network strength. It is also known to be more entrepreneurial and according to an IPS student many grads who stay in CA go Silicon Valley, which is not my priority. My focus is Energy Policy, which SAIS/Fletcher/GSPP are all strong in. Hearing from people that Stanford's name carries far makes me think it would be good choice. At the same time, I am a bit concerned about the financial aspect as there is no funding offered with the admission. Having received some generous scholarship offers from the schools named above, I am hesitant to accrue debt for a program I don't know much about.
Please offer your thoughts!
Thanks.
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Okay, now that I am not only torn between GSPP, SAIS and Fletcher (the latter two gave generous funding and GSPP is affordable due to in-state tuition), acceptance to Stanford really doesn't make it easier. Since the IPS website does not give away too much information about the program, faculty and courses, I would love to hear insight on how Stanford compares to the other ones, especially in light of zero funding. I know its well respected but have a hard time believing it is worth $80K+ when I could pay less than half for the other schools. Any opinions (objective and subjective) are welcome! The next few weeks seem overwhelming.
Congrats to everyone else, we have come far! Now it's just about making smart decisions...
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I got in, too. wow, not expected at all. i received the same letter as foodlover28, no funding. bummer.
check your email right now
I got in, but it appears that they don't give any funding. It says:
Admission to the program does not include fellowship funding. You will be responsible for paying tuition
and all other expenses associated with enrollment and participation in the program.
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I received my acceptance last Monday. I believe the Non-U.S. applicants receive their acceptance in April. Good luck!
Has anyone of you done the interview for the Bologna center of SAIS?
And has anyone of you already received decisions?
Thank you
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Hi there,
I am considering going to SAIS Bologna (still deciding between GSPP, Fletcher and possibly GT depending on funding). A lot of thoughts going on in my head in terms of comparing different aspects such as tuition (SAIS Bologna is definitely the more expensive option), quality of program, but also simple personal factors such as - am I ready to move - again, sell all my stuff and leave everyone behind - again? I have moved countries a couple times and find that the older I get the less ambitious I am to do the whole ‘abroad adventure’ again. I do like the idea of Bologna for one year (as I would be somewhat closer to home) and being part of the SAIS experience (as so many rave about it), but the associated costs of moving there and possibly not having a TA/research position or any sort of job due to its rigorous curriculum should not be neglected. Plus, the Italian visa regulations for spouses/significant others are rather unfavorable, which makes it an even harder decision for someone who would bring along their partner. Is the idea of living in Italy exciting? YES! Is it something that makes the most sense financially, academically and personally - NOT SO SURE! Would love to hear your insight.
Who else is considering SAIS Bologna (vs which other programs) and what are your thoughts?
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Here is my update:
Program Applied To: MPP, MAIR, MEM
Schools Applied To: Berkeley GSPP, Duke Nicholas MEM and Sanford MPP, Johns Hopkins IPS, Georgetown GPPI and MSFS, Fletcher, Stanford IPS, HKS, Yale FES,
Schools Admitted To: Berkeley GSPP ($), Duke Nicholas ($), Johns Hopkins ($$), Georgetown GPPI and MSFS ($ next week), Fletcher ($$$)
Schools Rejected From: HKS, Yale FES, Duke Sanford
still waiting on Stanford...(apparently tomorrow)
Undergraduate institution: first two years – relatively mediocre German University, second two years - middle tier U.S. State University and study abroad in Sydney
Undergraduate GPA: 3.95
Undergraduate Major: International Relations
GRE Quantitative Score: 740
GRE Verbal Score: 500 (English is not my native language - can you tell?
GRE AW Score: 4.5
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): 3
Years of Work Experience: 10 (worked before I went to school and in between)
Describe Relevant Work Experience: Media planning, marketing, consulting, translation, energy regulation
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): I started in July and reviewed/edited it at least 50 times. I had it proofread by a few friends for grammar purposes; I put a lot of effort into telling a cohesive story and clearly expressing my passion/goals
Strength of LOR (be honest, describe the process, etc): my undergrad IR professors, my old boss and my current boss (used them alternatively 3 out of 4). Didn’t read them but I assume they were very good. I believe it is important to ask the recommenders if they feel comfortable writing a strong recommendation to make sure they don’t feel obligated and write you a mediocre one, which can severely hurt your chances. I heard of horror stories where professors wrote "I was asked to write this letter. I honestly don't remember the student at all....(that cannot be good!)
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Just got my acceptance e-mail. Waiting for the financial info, which won't arrive til next week.
OH MY GOD! Accepted to the MSFS! And I got waitlisted at Elliott?? Whatever... haha
Notified by email, packet to come in the mail next week.
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foodlover28: Congrats on Duke. Did you apply to the Sanford School? If they offered full funding, you'd save around $40K vs GSPP, correct? I am not sure how Sanford ranks against GSPP (although it seems that GSPP is very highly regarded), that would be a considerable amount to refuse. Tough one! Any other schools in the running?
I am waiting on IPS also but am not too optimistic due to its extremely high selectivity (and not getting into HKS and Yale may have been a sign that the top tier is not in my cards
. But you never know, right?What is your policy focus going to be?
As much as I like GSPP, I think in your case, I'd lean toward SAIS/Fletcher as well. I didn't apply to Fletcher so I can't say too much about it. Berkeley is definitely at the forefront of energy/environ research (there's a class called Economics of Climate Change even) and there are many NGOs are orgs in the bay area. However, I feel that GSPP is not as ideal of a place to go for training in this field. They are more focused on giving you the skills and tool set to do analysis of all sorts, and they are definitely more quant-based (for policy analysis). It sounds like you're more interested in the IR side of things, which are SAIS/Fletcher's fortes. GSPP might get you great connections into CA/ US environ research centers/jobs, but SAIS/Fletcher will be better at connecting you to international orgs.
I don't think you can make a "wrong choice". All of these schools are excellent choices and wherever you go, I'm sure you'll end up right where you want to be (just easier/harder maybe). =)
I'm also debating between the "easy route" of staying in Cali and going to GSPP or going to Duke on full scholarship. I'm thinking of starting a thread on my decision woes, but not until I do a little more research and figure out exactly which schools I'm going to consider... (waiting for Stanford)
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Foodlover28: Thank you for your insight on UCB, I was considering a dual degree with the IAS but don't know if it's worth a third year. I guess I could always decide that during my first year. Re: Duke. I got accepted to the Nicholas School of Environment for the M.E.M. but not for the Sanford School of Public Policy (M.P.P.). Since their funding was not very high, it made my decision fairly easy and allowed me to narrow it down to these three. However, SAIS' financial offer that came yesterday made it even more of a tie. After talking to my co-workers (one is a GSPP alum and the other a GWU alum and huge D.C. advocate) I feel extremely torn since both of them advised me NOT to go to UCB but to SAIS (as it aligns more with my international background and career goals). I agree that UCB would be the "easy route" but does that mean also the "wrong choice"? VERY DIFFICULT!
What about you? Are you decided or in the same anxiety-driven state of mind?
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Nimesis: Thanks for your response. I agree with you in that GSPP is very quant heavy as attested by the GSPP student I just talked to last night. So both GSPP and SAIS are comparable in quantitative training. I just received my financial aid package from SAIS (15K for the first year, no mention about 2nd year though - anyone?), which makes it slightly more "financially competitive" with the other schools (it is still more, but several of my peers say that "it is worth it"). As a German, who is very reluctant spending so much money for school, I am a bit cautious to jump to such conclusions but I do agree with the argument that the Bologna SAIS experience would be unique and possibly unparalleled with GSPP or Tufts. However, is it worth a difference of up to $30K? Don't know.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and congrats to everyone, it seems like most got into one or more programs of their choice. Isn't this a nice reward for all the hard work we've done last year?
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Fellow graduate students-to be,
Now that admissions decisions and financial packages are coming in, the usual "where should I go" freak out begins. I was really hoping not to be torn too much – life seemed perfect when I got accepted to GSPP, but of course, as the universe works, the school I almost ruled out, Tufts' Fletcher School just offered me a substantial scholarship, which drops their high tuition to the same level as Berkeley's GSPP (which is the most affordable of all the programs since I am a CA resident). Furthermore, SAIS just sent their acceptance letter. Not sure about their financial package yet, but it’s definitely a hard one to turn down. My professor from my IR undergrad is understandably strongly favoring Fletcher and SAIS, but Berkeley is such a good policy program that I am looking for alternative advice (outside of the IR world), i.e. YOU guys.
I am looking for opinions, insight, gossip, plain biases, any sort of advice on the advantages and unknown secrets about each school. I am focusing on International Environmental Policy with emphasis on climate change and resource policy/diplomacy, so each school has its strengths in one area (GSPP in terms of policy analysis and Tufts/SAIS in the international aspect). My long-term goal is to work as an adviser on international climate change policy, between the U.S. and the EU (either staying in the States or moving back to Europe)
Here are my VERY SUBJECTIVE thoughts (and own little biases) so far and I would love to read your feedback. I am sure folks from the East Coast will have good insight and possibly could make me feel more inclined to make the move.
Thank you in advance for all your responses. This forum ROCKS!!
Berkeley Pros
- Great school with strong name recognition (also internationally)
- Tuition is fairly reasonable and GSR/GSI positions are options to waive tuition and receive salary
- Strong environmental studies and energy resources group (Bay Area in general is environmentally very progressive) – I personally prefer the West Coast but realize that the East Coast is probably a better place for academia
- I wouldn't have to move (I moved countries three times in the past few years, so not moving seems appealing at this point, plus save moving costs and could benefit from my existing network)
Berkeley Cons- Not very strong in international studies (focus on domestic policy)
- Sort of a in “liberal bubble” – I am liberal but think it’s important to have a balance in order to generate a productive and stimulating learning environment
- Will it limit my career to a domestic/local career vs. a program on the East Coast/D.C.??
SAIS Pros- Extremely well-regarded IR program (at least in IR circles)
- Quant-heavy
- Energy, Resource, Environment focus
- First year in Bologna (I am from Europe, so being closer to home would be nice + I love Italian food and lifestyle)
SAIS Cons- Is it known outside IR circles?
- Expensive tuition (especially Bologna due to Euro)and moving costs
- limited course selection in Bologna (due to quant. requirements)
- I’m not in love with D.C. and don't plan on staying there after grad school
Tufts Pros
[*]Oldest and top IR school - great in diplomacy
[*]Has an int’l environmental policy focus[*]Can take ¼ of course load at Harvard[*]$40,000 scholarship is hard to resist
Tufts Cons
[*]Not very well known (on the West Coast or internationally except in IR circles)[*]Location? (I’ve been to the Boston area 8 years ago and can't say I felt "the urge" to live there)[*]Very cold winters (I know, very superficial but one gets spoiled in CA)[*]Don't plan on staying in Boston area after graduating
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lhyde17:
Sorry you didn't get in this year but I like your spirit and am sure that you will get admitted after gaining more experience (and I heard that reapplying is considered a good thing as they see that you were serious about the school and not just applying out of desperation or whatever other reason some people have in this economy to go back to school just because the job market is bad.
Not sure how long you are out of undergrad, but I would advise you to use this year to build up your resume (as they will most likely look at what you have done since your first time applying). Go abroad (there are TONS of options - feel free to PM me if you want some ideas), if you decide to stay in your country (I believe it's Canada), make sure you do something that relates to your future degree since they will want to see progress in your career towards IR/diplomacy. In general it appears: the longer you are out of undergrad, the better your chances of getting admitted (and funding) as you have more experience (work and life experience) and a more concrete idea of what you want (and don't want) to do.
I doubt there is a standard formula, but I'd say work experience (international if possible), being multilingual with a visible background/interest in international affairs, and a clear vision of what you will do with the degree are key. I personally believe GRE is secondary (my verbal was not very high, granted English is not my native language but when I asked all the admissions offices, almost all said it is only a part of the application. Even with a verbal score of only 500, I was able to receive a generous scholarship, so I wouldn't stress out too much about the GRE if your GPA and other stats show you are a smart cookie. (I did stress out too much about the GRE, studied for months, and in the end realized it wasn't all that bad)
I recommend focusing most of your time and effort on writing a very strong statement and getting excellent (not just good) recommendations from professors/supervisors that know you very well. The statement is your chance to introduce yourself to the admissions committee and the only time you can shed more light on your aspirations and bring your resume and numbers (GPA, GRE, etc.) to life.
Best of luck!
anyone who applied for Ph.D????
(Tufts was my first choice and I got rejected.. so sad... but I will try next year and would like to know what factors got you admitted!)
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I just got my acceptance. Yay!
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Just got my rejection, literally one minute after I received a 40K scholarship for Tufts so that was a nice consolation. Good luck everyone!
Berkeley GSPP 2013
in Government Affairs Forum
Posted
thanks itsfridayfriday!
it was a emotional roller coaster of decision making indeed. how about you? Which school have you decided on (and why)?