Waffle

For those who have deferred, did you send the Tuition Deposit Form or is an email sufficient?

I've been accepted to the international trade and investment policy program, which is quite different from an MPP/MPA. I do appreciate your perspective and taking a year off also means making sure this is the good route for my career prospects.

Let's just say I've received offers for the interview rounds for internships at some top tier MCs (and without an elite education or whatsoever... please stop being so elitist, etc.)

I'm from Belgium. I want to work for the private sector (consulting industry) with a focus on international finance and more specifically financial inclusion, financial development, private sector growth, etc. within emerging markets. I guess global strategy companies (like BCG, etc.) appears as logical choice in the short term and then maybe move to more "emerging markets oriented" firms like Dalberg.

Thank you for your advice. However, I feel that taking a year off would be more profitable than studying part-time in DC in the sense that the latter limits certain opportunities. No other opinions?

Hi guys, I am in the middle of a little freak-out. I was accepted at Elliott's International Trade and Investment Policy program straight out of undergrad (I am an international student). Given the fact that I did not receive any funding aid, I've been debating if I should enrol this fall or defer for a year and gain more work experience (and potentially re-apply for grants, etc.). I do know that working between undergrad and graduate school is a common thing in the US. However, it is not so much in Europe. Therefore, I fear that with only a bachelor, I won't be able to find any interesting internship/entry-level position. So what's your take: defer and go for work (but also uncertainty and potentially, very low level jobs) or attend this fall and pay the full price (but potentially open interesting "working opportunities"? Thank you in advance.

What about the international recognition of GWU? I also got in the ITIP program. I am an international student so I'd like to know if Elliott's name can be "exported" outside of DC and/or outside of the US?

Yes, me. Quite unexpected actually as I am straight out of undergrad!

I sent an e-mail to ask about the length for SAIS DC and they answered that: There is no particular length we are looking for in your Resume/C

Hi, As I'm finishing my CV for grad application, I am confronted to one problem: as a non-US student, I am not sure what can be defined as awards and honors. Let me explain. In my university, we don't have anything similar to Dean's list, etc.; besides grades such as highest distinction, there is no specific awards. Moreover, should scholarships be included under this category i.e. if I received a scholarship for a summer school or something similar? I've been awarder several awards as best delegate in the context of Model United Nations; should I mention this in this category too? As you may see, I do not feel sure about what I should put and I would not want to leave this blank as adcoms seem to give weight to them. Thank you.

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): MIA - MIB Schools Applying To: GWU Elliott (ITIP) , Columbia SIPA (MIA) , JHU SAIS, Tufts Fletcher (MIB), Georgetown MSFS, Sciences Po Paris Undergraduate institution: good international institution Undergraduate GPA: about 88%, 2nd of promotion Dual Degree: Political Science and Economics & Business Administration (will receive two BA) Study Abroad: lived one year in the U.S. after high school; summer school in Germany GRE Quantitative Score: 158 GRE Verbal Score: 163 GRE AW Score: don't know yet Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): 0 Years of Work Experience: 0,7 Describe Relevant Work Experience: worked in a law office; internship in an international consultancy firm, internship in a risk insurance company. Languages: French [mother tongue], Dutch [proficient], German [low but can read and understand], Spanish [beginner] Quant: Ba in Economics: Macro, Micro, Math, Calculus, Stats, Statistical Analysis, Financial Analysis, Financial Markets, etc. Strength of SOP: Currently working on it, focus on interrelation between IA and international finance; want to work in financial development, investment and financial inclusion. Strength of LOR (be honest, describe the process, etc): 1 prof that knows me very well but outside of my field of interest, one polisci prof, and the partner of the consultancy firm I worked at. Other: - member of the student body and head of the citizenship commission: organized conferences (and moderated them), political debates, worked closely with faculty members... - did a Model United Nations and plan on doing another one (should I include it on my CV eventhough I haven't done in yet but have been selected?) - did several business case studies, was selected to attend a conference at the LSE (2200 candidated, 300 selected) I know I lack substantial work experience but I have a lot of extra-curricular activities and good academic achievements. It's a crapshoot but do I still have a little chance to get in?

I took the GRE today and rather than receiving a range estimate from the old score, I got two specific numbers (V: 163; Q: 158) in the new scale Two questions: - Has anyone encountered the same situation -I know the scores are relatively bad (and I'm still shocked as I never got something lower than 800-750 range for practice tests), but are they still acceptable for top tier International Affairs schools?

no one ?

Hi, Let me explain my situation. I'm planning to candidate for a master in International Affairs with a focus on investment and finance. I'm currently in my last year of undergraduate pursuing a dual bachelor in Political Science and Economics & Business administration. Most programs ask for 3 letter of recommendation; for the moment I have one professional LOR and probably a second from a political sociology teacher. However, I'm confronted with a dilemna for the third LOR. Here are my options: - a philosophy teacher with whom I've had 2 courses (one lecture and one seminar); he knows me well and graded several of my papers so I think it could result in a strong LOR - a political science teacher with whom I've had 1 course (a lecture); I tried to partcipate as much as possible and I think a LOR from him would not be weak but it would definitely be less personal and fitted than one from the philosophy teacher. I must thus choose between a strong LOR from a teacher who's completely outside of the discipline I'm aiming for, and a less strong and personal LOR from a LOR within my discipline. So what's your take: which one should I prefer? Thank you in advance and good luck to all of you!

Hi, As the application process has now begon, I am currently structuring my LOR plan but one problem remains. I should have a LOR from the managing partner of a small consulting firm and another one from a professor that knows me well; the problem concerns the third letter. I'm an international student and in my university, seminars are thaught by PhD students. The problem is that seminars are one of the only chances a student has to establish a sounder relationship than it would be possible in courses taking place in auditoriums. The question is thus: Is is "accepted" to get a LOR from a PhD student who teaches several seminars? In this case, the person knows me pretty well: we've worked on organizing conference together; he's been advising me for my school choices; and I got good grades with him. If not, I would have to get the third LOR from another teacher whom will know me a lot less. In other words: what's more valuable between a good LOR from the PhD student and a weaker LOR from a known teacher? Thank you!

Hi, I plan on taking the GRE in October. However one question remains: should I take the paper based test or the internet based test. Let me explain. I'm an international student from Brussels, Belgium. And even though Brussels is quite a modern and central capital, ETS does not offer the IBT GRE over here. The only available option to take the IBT would be to travel to Paris or Amsterdam which induces travel costs, loss of time, etc. On the other hand, I can take the PBT in Brussels. My questions are thus: - Does one of the version outweighs the other one? - A Fulbright adviser suggested that students perform better on the PBT, do you agree? - ETS says that the second verbal and quant parts are adjusted to the results of the first ones, how do they manage to replicate the same framework with the PBT? - And finally, do grad schools care? i.e. do they prefer the IBT over the PBT? Thank you!

Thank you again for your input. I might be wrong regarding Public Policy degrees but I have the feeling they tend to lead to the public sector. While I don't totally disregard a public sector career, I am more attracted by the private sector. I also forgot to mention that I'm currently doing a summer school related commodity investments which might add some relative weight; notably for the programs designed in a more "econ/finance" way e.g. Elliot's ITIP. As you mentioned, the international affairs program is probably more accessible but isn't it too the most demanded one within the Elliott School? The choice appears to come down to Econ-Finance focus vs International relations focus, but again I may be mistaken.

Thank you for your answers; it is both motivating and reassuring. I looked again the SAIS program. If the focus on international economics and the specialization in international finance do fit my interests, I am not sure any functional studies programs fit my career goals. International development could be a possibility but it requires a strong working experience in this particular field. Besides, International Law and Organizations could also be of interest regards to international investing. However, it might require a specific background in law; and I only have had basic courses in law (public law, private law, European law, etc.) As for the moment, I am still looking for other possibilities. In this sense, do you have idea of programs I should be considering?

Hey, I'm an international student from Brussels, Belgium. I'm about to enter my final year of undergraduate studies ( 3 years long European system) and I'm strongly considering to pursue my graduate studies in the US. However, one problem stands out: my lack of professional experience. The European system - and even more the Belgian one - is such that entering the professional world after completing a Bachelor is very uncommon. I'm looking to receive a few feedback on my chances of actually getting admitted in a well-reputed program. Here are some facts related to my future application: Dual degree in Political Science and Economics and Management; I will thus obtain two bachelor's degree at the end of my three years I have an average of 87% (summa cum laude, second of my promotion) in my BA in political science; and 65% (cum laude) in Economics and Management for the moment. I don't have any scores yet for the TOEL or the GRE but I plan on taking them mid-September and mid-October. Languages: French, Dutch, English and some basics of German and Spanish Work experience: I am currently doing an internship in a consulting firm specialised in strategy and innovation; I worked essentially on market researches (notably on mobile banking in emerging markets). And I should have another internship in a risk management firm. Experience abroad: I spent one year in the US after my senior year in Belgium; I "repeated" a senior year in an American high school. Besides, I've had the chance to travel all around Europe and a bit in North Africa Extracurricular activities: I did some model UN and strategy challenge (BCG); I'm a member of the student body of my university for which I'm in charge of organising conferences on various topics. I would like to pursue a career in political and economic risks with a strong focus on financial markets and/or investments in emerging countries. I've always been interested in both international economics (finance, trade and investments) and international affairs and it's part of the reason why I decided to go for a BA dual degree. These are the programs I'm considering at this point: - Fletcher MIB: the program allows to combine a study field in international affairs and one in business. - Elliott's International Trade and Investment Policy although I still hesitate if the international affairs program with international economic affairs as a major field is not more "accessible" regarding my stats. - SIPA MIA - IFEP: this is probably the most "modular" program with a wide range of electives, but also the least accesible - Korbel's Global Finance, Trade and Economic Integration: I don't know if a can consider it as a safe school. The campus being in Denver, the program appears less attractive than the ones mentioned above I also thought of SAIS but I'm not sure the program really fits what I'm looking for. Besides American universities, I'll apply to European schools (LSE (?), Sciences Po, GSE) So my questions are: - Do I stand a chance of getting accepted? Or are the schools mentioned unreachable regarding my stats and my lack of experience? - What other school combining my two privileged fields should I be considering? Thank you!