riverguide

It all depends on your career goals. They are different animals. I was accepted into the SFS MAAS program but Georgetown, and I hate to use stereotypes, is more geared towards the Foreign Service. Is that your career goal? State?

"Besides, what highly intelligent person doesn't have some type or form of mental illness..." Truer words were never spoken...lol. Revolution comes with the territory. I'm beginning to appreciate his humor...

He's baiting us and we're biting. Is that much of a surprise, lol? He's your classic attention seeking agent provocateur. I hope he does go to SAIS. Our student body thrives on its diversity of backgrounds, egos, nationalities, language abilities, work histories and DSM IV classifications...

This guy is playing us. I have it on good authority (I reviewed the surveillance tapes) that he's on work release with the janitorial staff at St. Elizabeth's psychiatric hospital in DC. In between his "jello" breaks, he gets on here and sublimates his frustrations. Right, chief?

The truth is always an absolute defense...but I'm starting to appreciate your humor.

Same here, but I would like to extend CONGRATULATIONS to those who did and good luck in DC!!

Thanks for all of the great info you have provided!

I guess I'm confused. My admissions letter didn't indicate that I had to attend pre-term in Micro/Macro economics but I assumed that I had to take intermediate classes in micro and macro in the pre-term because of the anecdotal posts that appeared in this site. I took Micro and Macro in two summer sessions at LSE. I'm in strategic studies. Has anyone in strategic studies addressed this with SAIS, yet? Did anyone else's admission letter indicate that their admission was contingent upon taking these? Mine didn't.

I received that, too. Are you fluent in any strategic languages? It seems geared towards that.

I have found this to be very true -but attitude and approach are everything. The ability to deal with ambiguity is a strength that they commonly seek.

http://www.google.com/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Security_Education_Program With regard to your question about who will be there; I will simply address those who will be there from the private sector (since that's your interest), namely, major DOD contractors will be there as well as major DOD think tanks and consulting firms. SAIS is extremely well thought of in these circles.

I am attending a NSEP job fair next week at SAIS (DC). It is for both NSEP recipients and those attending SAIS. Both private and public sector recruiters set up booths at these events. Private interviews are also conducted. This particular one is geared towards jobs involving the Middle East. FYI Revolution, there are many well educated women who attend these and they don't suffer fools easily...

Thanks for the update. I actually wrote in my job app that I thought the first semester would be problematic. The keys to post-grad employment, IMHO, are the summer internships. Most of the public sector summer internships involve fall application deadlines.

I specifically ran a search for paid positions and discovered that other SAIS attendees are working there as well in positions above my suggested pay grade. For those with fluency in strategic languages, there are numerous paid positions available to translate, summarize and analyze foreign open source media. Part of the job description involved supervising interns, which was a component in my last job in the Senate. It also required TV appearances which will be difficult because its hard for me to avoid sticking a pencil in my ear and using four letter words during live interviews...note to self....

(1) Has anyone starting looking at housing options, yet? I used the SAIS search engine last night. I'm in the midst of two capstones for my double major but I took some time last night to review some of the options. I would be interested in any advice from existing students. I'd preferably like to be on a direct Metro line to Dupont Circle. Any suggestions? When I worked on the Hill I had a sweet deal on a basement apt in Takoma Park but had to take a bus AND the Metro to my senate office every day. It got old. Parking was impossible on the Hill. How is parking at SAIS? Impossible, I assume? (2) Is anyone looking at DC think tanks for this summer? I sent in an app last night for an analyst position. Several of the analysts and fellows at the TT where I applied are currently attending SAIS. I'm interested in any current-student commentary about the time/ability to work during our first year. The course load looks pretty gruesome. (3) Anyone signing up for self-flagellation with the Micro/Macro combined pre-term? It seems like a great way to free up space for additional electives.

I want to become a professional generalist. And like you, flyingjellyfish, public service is the polar star that guides me...

"Revolution:" During my last two years in the Middle East, I became embroiled in the Arab Spring in Egypt and watched history unfold during the day of the camel. I watched the Egyptian people cross the Rubicon. I've learned Arabic from scratch and now speak three dialects of Arabic at the OPI advanced level. As a Boren Scholar in Jordan last year, I traveled to the remote aid camps along the northern border and researched the plight of Syrian refugees and their impact on the struggling economy and diminishing water resources of the region. I interviewed Syrians who buried their dead at night in mass graves because Syrian Army snipers shot anyone who moved during the day. The year before, while in Lebanon, I frequently attended Saad Hariri's public speeches honoring his father, the former Lebanese PM who was killed in a terrorist bombing that many have linked to Hezbollah and the Syrians. He was killed because of his efforts to bring peace and stability to the region. In the course of my journey across Egypt and the Levant, I became aware of how inflated food and commodity prices, pseudo-democracies, high unemployment, inequalities of opportunity and sectarian tensions -if left to simmer over time- can provide the necessary impetus for full-blown revolutions. I learned how these issues -if left unaddressed by American diplomacy and aid- can become National Security issues for the region as well as the United States. I am attending SAIS because I want to hone my skills to ameliorate these conflicts and bring economic and political stability to the region. I'm nobody special but there are many special people on this forum. I have had the pleasure of engaging them through PMs. Many of them are warfighters and intel analysts who want to maker our nation safer, many are students and policymakers from other regions who want to bring economic growth and stability to their countries, many are economists who are confronting a world-wide financial crisis of unemployment and underemployment, and many are pursuing other meritorious, self-less career paths. I have found that the common goals they share are a commitment to personal and professional growth and a desire work as team players in a rigorous academic setting. You are interested in what's good for YOU. There's nothing wrong with that, but it certainly doesn't make you unique. It doesn't make you special. You have repeatedly posted that we don't know WHO you are. I think we do. Despite whatever you have done in the last five years, your dismissive and condescending comments demonstrate that you have learned little about humanity and humility. You know "the price of everything and the value of nothing." A $20k fellowship would have made my journey much easier and it would have also made the journey of many others who are pursuing self-less career paths much easier as well. With regard to YOUR fellowship offer, its clear that no kind deed ever goes unpunished. I do, however, understand why SAIS offered it to you. They want a diversity of student backgrounds and perspectives. Even YOU have something to offer to the rest of us. Personally, I think that there's a lot that you can learn from the prospective I/R students on this forum and at SAIS, also.

Anybody attending the NSEP-Middle East job fair at SAIS on the 26th? I'll be there. If there are any other Boren Scholars attending, PM me.

SAIS is a "big tent" school, Revolution. They even have room for your clown show, chief...

Revolution, on 14 Mar 2013 - 01:09, said: "Thanks man. Yeah I've been fantasizing about going to a top b-school for a while and have worked my butt off for it. My dream combo is wharton-hks. I felt absolutely nothing when i got into sais with fellowship, but getting into a top b-school such as Wharton will be the greatest day of my life and the mba will be a truly transformational experience professionally, personally, and socially. As much as I like SAIS' curriculum, it just won't do the same: questionable private sector placement, and I don't think I will learn that much from my classmates."

I received my acceptance into the Strategic Studies program today. Anyone else on board for this?

This will truly be our loss. SAIS is -ultimately- a school for those who want to develop skills in diplomacy. I can see you have other interests...

I would suggest calling them in the morning, declining the offer and freeing up the money for those of us who find more value in the program than you do...