happyhulalola

I am just hoping for enough money to pay my student loans (which will be at an ungodly amount in 2 years from now), afford a decent place to live and a little more than the necessities, save for retirement, and of course, save a little for travel.

I e-mailed them and they said my decision letter was sent out late last week. I should know results by today or tomorrow! Eek!

I haven't heard a single thing either. :|

I am also waiting on SSP. I hope it doesn't mean rejection! Although, it would make my life simpler.

I wouldn't call myself a cyclist, but I have been leisurely biking in crappy weather my entire life: NW Wisconsin/NE Minnesota winters, falls, and springs. It's just something to get used to.

I won't have a car either. I will be getting a brand new bike though! I already have my removable basket...

Still waiting for Georgetown, I hope I get something soon. I was notified of being waitlisted by GW. I have to accept their waitlist offer by April 24 and they will let me know if I am accepted by May 18. I am calling on Monday to see how far down I am. Err...

I will begin looking for apartments/roommates soon, but won't be moving until Aug 10ish. I know where to live in DC; Syracuse shouldn't be too difficult to find housing; I think I will struggle the most with Denver.

Just got the e-mail too...a little nervous. Good luck on Friday!

For those of you who are going, can you tell those of us who are unable to attend what you think? I wish I could go to the admitted students weekends...

I don't really know why I didn't apply. I was/am on pretty limited funds so I just picked four schools. Two that I felt I could get into (Syracuse and Denver) and two that I am hoping for (GW and Georgetown). I don't have anything against Fletcher, I just didn't research many schools. It looks like a great program though!

I hope to get into SSP too! It's my dream school. And, if I get in I am going to add a JD.

I might be at Maxwell this fall for IR. Won't be attending the admit weekend, but feel free to share your experience!

I will be making cards and baking some chocolate chip cookies for my profs and taking one of them out to lunch: she was my academic adviser, independent study adviser, the chair of a committee I was a member of, and I had 3 classes with her. She bought me lunch last year after I graduated so I suggested that I take her out to lunch (just pizza) this year to celebrate.

I wonder how much international experience will help (study abroad in New Zealand, teaching English in Madrid) since I don't have economics experience...

I am still waiting on GWU Elliott and Georgetown MSFS CPSS. Hopefully we get something soon!

I was a TA for one semester during undergrad (a freshman Intro to College Learning seminar with 25 students) and my duties were leading 2 lectures out of the semester, preparing exam questions, grading, and helping the students when they needed it, either by answering e-mails or meeting with them during office hours. There were also times when the professor would explain something and I had to provide an example from my undergraduate experience. I had a lot of fun. I would definitely find out what your TA duties would be before you make a decision.

Thanks!! Sadly, I won't be attending any. I am in Spain and don't get back until June and I have no spare cash (all my income goes to student loans and expenses here). If those of you that do go could take some notes and share your thoughts that would be great! In an effort to make some money, I need to figure out what I am doing for summer. What is everyone else planning? Here is my situation: I come back from Spain on June 17th, landing in Chicago. I will spend the night at my friend, Sarah's house, and head the 7 hours north to my hometown the next day. Then I have to worry about a summer job. I don't have a car, which leaves my bike. I am fine with that and it will be great exercise. I am a bridesmaid in a wedding in July, which throws a wrench in my planning efforts. My options: a) bike 10 miles to town every day to work (assuming I can get a job anywhere in town) beg for my old coffee shop job in my unincorporated "town" and bike 1 mile to work (which is okay, but I really don't want to do it) c) work at one of the summer camps near my house (which I am currently working on, but they have an orientation week that starts on the 14th so most have turned me down right away since I wouldn't be able to make it until the 19 at the earliest and that gives me no time to unpack and recover from jet lag) ***a,b, and c put me around my hometown and allow me to spend the last 8 weeks or so with my family and friends, which I think would be nice, and someone could drive me halfway to the wedding and then have another bridesmaid pick me up*** d) spend the summer in my undergrad town living with Ellie, working, and preparing for my 150 mile bike trip that we have been wanting to do (this will cost about 400 for rent for 8 weeks, is 4 hours from the wedding, and 1.5 hours from my hometown) e) stay in the suburbs of Chicago with my aunts and uncles and work out there (6 hours from the wedding 7.5 hours from home, but probably making more money and living for free, and my relatives houses are 1 hours driving time from where Sarah lives) f)find a job in the city where my future university is, move there and work there (but, have no money to do this and wouldn't be able to go until after the wedding, leaves me with 4 weeks with the fam) PLEASE HELP!!! I will take any suggestions!

P.S. Accepted to Denver! No money, but still excited!!

I second your thoughts on nature and I understand your issue with the DC schools. In the little amount of communication that I have had with them, I feel that they are very impersonal. So 95% sure with Denver, what do they need to do to secure the other 5%?

040404: Congrats! Ashes75: You should go where you feel the most confident and comfortable. Obviously money is an issue, but is $10,000 exchangeable for your happiness? You can always live at home for the first year and then maybe move out. I am sure you will make friends at Fletcher that will let you crash on their couches every once in a while when you need a break from the home life. About DC, Boston isn't too far; it's definitely within driving/busing distance. Fletcher is an APSIA school and I'm sure prominent societal figures have come out of Fletcher and landed in DC. HisRoyalHighness: What is wrong with the east coast? Is there something I should know? How different will it be from small town, upper Midwestern life? Ha ha ha... --- I haven't heard anything from the other schools I applied to, but somehow, I feel like I won't be as ecstatic as I was when I heard from Syracuse. We shall see.

Congrats ashes! How do you feel about it? Have any school that you are pulling toward?

Yes, it was Ms. Gray that called! I just love her and I don't really even know her. What is important to me is that my grad school be an APSIA member, which Syracuse is. I think that is the most important thing.

I don't like the ranking my choices! But, so far Syracuse is my number one because that is the only place I have been accepted. Plus, the admissions counselor is super sweet. She called me to let me know about my acceptance, and that gets major points...especially since I have limited contact because I am in Spain. I won't be able to attend any admits weekends, so any time someone responds to my e-mails or calls makes me feel very welcomed. I really like their option to spend a semester in Chile. Also, before I got accepted I told a couple of my friends that I was pretty sure that I was going to attend Syracuse. Then there is Denver. I really don't know too much about it. Someone from facebook sent me the entire break down of Denver and what it is like, but other than that and U Denver's website I don't know too much. It looks like a great program and fun city. Their admissions counselor was very nice and didn't mind adding an updated resume. GW and Georgetown just seem so cold and automated. I highly doubt I will get accepted at GW because I don't have any econ background and I don't know about Georgetown. I have been on both of their campuses. I am comfortable with the idea of DC because I have a network there. I probably shouldn't be making my decisions based on admissions counselors, but I like people that are interested in getting to know me (don't we all?). Cheesy, I know... There is also the question of mobility. I sold my car before I came to Spain, so I need a well connected transportation system...or some friends with cars who might take me around once in a while (any of you, perhaps?). As for winters: I love them. I don't like how long they last in MN/WI (about 6 months), but I do like the snow and cold and winter activities. Just get a decent coat/parka, long underwear, and some good boots and you will be fine.

About this cold: I looked at their avg temps during winter and they are not so bad. Winter lows are around the low 20s. I am from NW Wisconsin and went to undergrad in NE Minnesota. These are harsh winters: 40 below zero temps. School didn't close unless the city buses couldn't make their rounds. Syracuse just gets a lot of snow.