firefly85

I'm contemplating the Syracuse PD program, but didn't apply to UMD. As far as the drawbacks of the Syracuse location, I think it's somewhat negated by the fact that you do a summer off-campus (abroad or in DC) and your final semester in DC, so you will be able to make those govt/international contacts. I also heard there is a very large alumni network in DC which would help if you want to get a job there. The cost of living is also probably lower in Syracuse (although it might not be as nice as the area around UMD). I don't know much about the UMD program, but a big draw for me to Syracuse is being able to get 2 masters degrees from the program. Although sometimes I wonder how much that would really matter. Have you heard anything about funding from the Syracuse PD program? I know they said by April 1st, but it's getting down to the wire and I haven't heard a thing! Do you have any other thoughts on the Syracuse program?

I'm planning to go to SIS's (didn't apply to Pitt). Still trying to figure out how I'm going to work it though...

I mean in theory as long as you don't mind losing the deposit at one school it would work. But are you allowed to do that? I mean if they both don't know it will be fine, but I'm not sure what would happen if they found out. I think it's really shady to ask you to accept and offer and then find out what your funding may be. They clearly know funding is a big issue in the decision process. They should either get it figured out earlier or push back their notification dates. But of course they won't. Sigh.

I so feel your pain. I'm going for my MA and I've been with my bf for 2.5 years. In that time he's had four different jobs because he can't seem to figure out what to do with himself. He's bouncing from career to career and idea to idea. He is continually coming up with new ideas for what his "dream" career is and then abandoning them when he finds a new one!Now he's at a job which in theory sounds perfect for him, but he hates it because his bosses are incompetent (to be fair from what I've heard they are) and he feels like he's not progressing there (even though it's been about 6 months). We also seem to have been growing apart and he thinks part of it is that we're both unsatisfied with our lives outside of the relationship. Well he is, I was, but since getting into grad school and having a plan I'm feeling a lot better! I'm into a school in the city we live in, which I'm not very fond of (city, I actually like the school) and one in another city which sounds much more interesting to me, where I have family and friends. He's said he would move after a while because he's trying to break the cycle of bouncing from job to job, but he doesn't really know what kind of job he'd get and I often wonder if he'll be satisfied with any job. I understand the whole not knowing what to do with your life thing since that's what I went through before applying to grad school, but he's also three years older than me and so has had a bit more time to figure it out. Sometimes I feel like this whole thing is just going to end up in a break up too, even though that's not what I want! We may have to go back to long-distance (we did it in the beginning) and maybe that will give him space to figure out his life, then we can formulate a joint plan. And I thought things would get easier once I got into grad school. It just seems to get more and more complicated!

I've got all my funding info from all schools...except one, which is one I need funding info for so I can make a decision! Right now I have funding from one other school, but am supposed to hear about this other one by April 1st (or get an e-mail that the first round of funding offers have been sent out if I'm not up for one) and so far nothing! Even if I don't get funding there I also applied for a FLAS there and it'll probably be another week or two before I hear about that. Ugh, I hate having my options, but not all the information so I can still only speculate about what's going to happen!

The SO issue is stressing me out and making my decision a lot more difficult. I moved to this city to be near my SO (after he moved home because he wanted to get away or something). I did get into the school I wanted here, but I don't know about possible funding. However I also got into a DC school which I do know I have good funding at. He's said he would look for jobs down there, but probably not for a while since he wants to stay at his current job for a bit longer. However even if I go to grad school here he said he doesn't want to stay at the job he's at for 2 more whole years and I doubt he'll find something else he wants here, so I don't know what that means. We've done long distance before, and I guess I could do it again, but I don't really want to have to. And of course we're having other problems right now too! It sucks because if I decide to go to school here it just seems like I'm staying for him (even if I think it's the best place for me) and if I choose the one in DC it seems like I'm running away from him! Feel like I can't win. Sorry just venting. Good luck to everyone!

Sorry 040404 I forgot to mention congrats on the assistantship and stipend! That's great. What kind of GA is it (hours etc)? I'm thinking mine might take a bit longer since it has to go through Newhouse and Maxwell, but we shall see. They did say by April 1.

Thanks for letting me know! Nothing for me yet, but hopefully soon. It's good to know that funding offers are being sent out. Good luck to everyone else waiting.

When I got my package the scholarship/fellowship info was in the acceptance letter, right after the "Congratulations you're in" part. Just found it funny that on the page you have to send them to let them know if you want to go there or not you have to check off a box indicating you do want the scholarship. Lol thanks for letting me and giving me money, but I really would like to pay full tuition! Yeah right. Hope you get good news soon.

Haha this just gets better! So I've pretty much figured I'm either waitlisted or out at SAIS due to not getting any e-mails (99% sure) and today I get a letter from my undergrad alumni association wanting me to pay my yearly "dues" (yeah $40,000 for 4 years wasn't enough). The kicker, I went to Hopkins for undergrad (not IR). I'm going to have fun ripping up that letter. I gotta hand it to him, God does have a sense of humor, a very twisted one.

Congrats to everyone who got into SAIS. But I'm not a fan of how they're doing this. I mean they told us they would only snail mail things (at least that's the impression I got) and then turn around and e-mail people who got in leaving the rest of us to wonder what the heck is going on. Just kind of shady if you ask me. I'm just tired of feeling like I can't trust any of the schools on what they actually say! So I'm guessing those of us who haven't heard are waitlisted or out. I don't see why it's so hard to send an e-mail to us too just to let us know. Ok rant done, congrats to everyone who's in! Hopefully more of us will hear good news soon.

Has anyone heard about funding yet? They did say end of the month for my program (IR/PR), but I'm anxious anyway and just want to know! Without that info I can't really make any decisions yet since it's a pretty big swing factor.Ha and we think this process is over once we get a decision from the schools!

Wow that's ridiculous, how can they expect you to do that? I mean of course there will be some that can afford it anyway and those who will take out loans to cover no matter the cost, but still. I know it's a tight economic year for everyone, but it would make me wary of going there. You could try to contact other students in the program to see if they went through this and what their result was. Good luck.

I know they're really busy and have a ton of applications etc., but sometimes I think they enjoy torturing us like this! Dangling our notifications in front of us, knowing they're out in the mail...somewhere...but we just have to wait to find out. Hopefully the mail will be quick and we'll know by early next week. Anyone get any e-mails yet? I'm assuming they'd just be for acceptances and maybe like GW for people who they are giving scholarships/fellowships etc. It's almost over, it's almost over...

Well since I didn't get an e-mail indicating funding yesterday I'm not holding my breath for it, but thanks for letting us know! Maybe there's still hope for the rest of us. Congrats on the admission and funding!

Yeah, not cool. I had so much trouble with GW. They lost my transcript, and somehow I got two logons and ended up with 2 applications, neither of which was totally complete (some recommenders on one, but not on others) so I ended up submitting both (yes and paying twice!). I'd definitely say an angry phone call is in order. Sorry about that, hopefully you can get it straightened out soon.

Yeah I'm not a fan of how GW is doing this either. Saying we'll get the notice online tomorrow, but then e-mailing before too, leaving the rest of us to wonder what is going on. Congrats to everyone who has heard good news so far! Hopefully the rest of us will know soon.

Leica, thanks for answering our questions so far, it's been really helpful! I have another one for you, do you know about how study abroad works there? I was contacted last night by Nanette Levinson and she told me since I have an interest in Italy I might have opportunities to study/do research there. However it's not mentioned as one of the potential study abroad destinations for SIS grads on the website. Do you know how things like this work? Is it more like finding an independent research/study opportunity where your interests lie and going to study there as a visiting student instead of in a formal exchange program? I was caught off guard by her call so I didn't have any questions ready! Thanks for all of your help so far!

According to one of the other threads some people also got e-mails in addition to regular letters last year, all or most of which were acceptance e-mails, I think. However not everyone accepted seemed to get e-mails too. So who knows what their process is! But I did also get the e-mail that they're planning to send things out by Friday (At least for the MA) so good luck everyone!

Thanks ashes. I guess I'm not terribly worried because it previously showed me the completed application, it's just recently that it converted to looking like a new app. If I can't access it Friday I'll call them and hopefully get it straightened out! Good luck on Friday everyone!

Well I don't know about loans and I'm still waiting on possible funding from the IR/PR program. However I did visit for the MPA program in the fall and I remember students saying that there are opportunities for GAs and jobs and such that you may get after enrolling but obviously there are no guarantees and if you don't get specified funding before enrolling you should be prepared to pay for the whole thing yourself (however you plan to loans, etc.) But that said the entire school is very large and there are definitely possibilities for GAs and the like once you arrive. I have no idea what kind of percentage of people eventually get these or even how many people get initial funding. Sorry you didn't have better news. Good luck with your decision!

Lol, I'm pretty sure it will crash like Fletcher's did. I wonder if they'll tell us when notifications are online or if we'll just be madly refreshing all day. I'm guessing the latter. If anyone gets a mail notification before Friday let us know so we'll have some idea of when they were sent. Also I tried logging on to the GWU application site, you know, cause I'm obsessive and just wanted to see if for some reason they had put my notification up early. Anyway it isn't showing my info as received anymore, it's like I'm making a new application. Has anyone else had this happen and do you think it will be a problem for getting my decision?

I'm not sure if this answers your question and I only have 2 admits so far (waiting on 2 more), but I'm waiting until I have all of my information (admits, funding etc) before I make any decisions. When I do have all of the info (still waiting on funding info for one of the admits too) I'll probably line up all of my acceptances and try to rate them all somehow to decide where I want to go. It'll be stressful (I'm really really indecisive) but it'll be fun to finally feel like I have some control in this process!

Wow way to go for them to not seem to have a rhyme or reason to getting an e-mail or not. I hope they'll get all of the info out on or before the 20th instead of keeping those who don't get in (who I'm thinking I might be one of) hanging for a few extra weeks. Yay for being totally in limbo for a while longer.

Hm, well I'm not totally sure how this whole thing works. I would think that you have medical privacy laws on your side as you would from an employer, so if they do find out somehow and have a problem with it, I don't think you'd be required to tell them. Unless perhaps it would significantly effect your ability to work or something similar. To be certain I'd ask the specialist when you see him/her because doctors probably have some experience with this kind of thing. I also have some ongoing health problems, but I don't plan to disclose any information about it to my school unless I have to. As long as it remains under control it shouldn't affect my work. So ask your doctor about it, but I think it's fine to keep your medical information to yourself, unless it would critically affect your work somehow.