Clay Made

http://www.facebook.com/groups/377985535568436/members/

Didnt see a facebook group. Mind sharing the link?

Fellow Brits, anyone taking loans here? What would you recommend?

Worried this might be the route I may have to take.

How many are considering loans in the US? Ridiculous rates within the UK. Plus anyone aware of anyone still accepting applications for scholarships? I anticipated, with my profile, I might get better aid but thats proved to be so wrong!

So, I managed to get into some good schools. But now comes the tough decision about which one to go to. The major hurdle is funding. I was unfortunate, and didnt receive as much or if at all. In weighing up my options, I have found it's a lot more difficult to consider all the schools because there's so much expense. I was wondering how fellow international students (I'm British) are considering or are funding their graduate studies.

Considering doing the very same thing. Its funny, it was almost unthinkable at the beginning of the cycle but here I am now. In addition, I recently found out I have a great job to fall back onto, so the decision is seeming easier and easier. The only issue is; I'm quite desperate to go this year! Wow, its going a tough few weeks. Personally, with your situation, I would take Geneva. Being debt free is a huge accomplishment coming out of graduate school. And you're right that Fletcher will augment any discrepancies in your education at Geneva.

Good luck. I understand Georgetown arent generous with their aid but with a relatively small entering class, I didnt expect them to be SIPA either! The GPPI admits have been getting good funding.

Well Fletcher seems to do so. Every year they have admitted someone from their waitlist, they apparently provide some funding to those admits. I'm hoping I'm one of them.

I think I'm just going to email them on Monday to determine what the situation is. I havent come across anyone who has received some aid and that's quite bizarre.

That sucks. Are you considering waiting on Fletcher and hope they throw something at you? I'm considering doing that.

While I agree with cunninlynguist, as the question posed whether debt/level of debt should be an option for an IR degree, the answer was a bit off topic. I mean, we could have all spent that little more time interning, studying, working our butts in college for a better grade, but those things are no longer in our control. Assessing this next part is as much a part of the graduate school application cycle as the GRE. Me, I'm stuck with a difficult decision. Georgetown gave me nothing, whilst Chicago Harris, UCSD and LSE have yet to get back to me. Waitlisted at Tufts while screwed at SAIS. All in all, I got two great schools and two so-so while waiting for another. More likely then not, I'm getting very little. But that's not because my profile sucked or I didnt work hard enough, its because the competition is so fierce that some people are just fortunate to get accepted to their choice of schools. Similar to cunninlynguist, it may be a case where I may need to defer for another year as well and reapply. I'm confident in my profile this year otherwise I wouldnt have applied but looking around, an extra year of work experience, or a few more classes. It can't hurt.

Sucks that Georgetown are being so tough with aid. I would have thought with an admissions class <100, they would be a little more generous. I guess its out for me too.

Got in! No mention of aid so not sure whether they inform us later or at the time of acceptance. Very happy to be accepted.

Congratulations on the admits! I didnt apply to SIPA purely based on the fact they offer no aid for 1st years and secondly, the size of the program is just obscene. Completely agree that it wont be a close knit program and it'll be hard to stand out. Imagine the applications the UN, World Bank receive from SIPA students? @rose1 - did you get any aid from Columbia?

I got dinged by SAIS because they wouldnt look at my application, due to some issues with the delay in my GRE score (which was completely the fault of ETS). Anyone think its worth me reaching out to the admissions director to try and convince them to take a look at my application? I mean considering those on the waitlist will be re-evaluated anyway, is there any harm in being considered then? The downside is the obvious argument that they'll claim I'm seeking preferential treatment, which is what has stopped me thus far. I feel I am and I'm not too, as I sent in my application 1 week prior to the deadline and I have screenshots and the PDF file indicating that they sent the scores to SAIS (and others, who agreed to look at my app) but they refused to see it. Any help? Am I wasting my time?

Congratulations! I'm not too down about Yale, I'm grateful to have other options. I don't think its too out of character from Yale, a friend of mine is in the program currently and he got similar aid, in addition they mentioned some students (of the higher calibre) get larger aid packages. Whats the favored program for you? Please reject Fletcher so I can get off the waitlist hehe!

Waitlisted. What's the likelihood of getting off the damn thing? How many are accepting?

I dont know what makes this BendRnBender an expert and the authority to belittle other commenters as dumb. You have an opinion. Other posters have an opinion. Learn to live by it and stop embarrassing yourself.

@Oregongal I was under the impression that Columbia offered no aid to 1st year students. One of the reasons I didnt apply. What are your thoughts on UCSD? I got accepted there too.

Also rejected. A bit disappointed, as I did like the program but happy to be accepted to a few schools thus far, especially after the nightmare past few weeks. Yale was a long-shot but I really think they ought to expand the program a little to gain a greater respect in the IR community and have a greater diversity. Congratulations to all those admitted.

I had some issues caused by ETS on the delay of my scores. And Alice is Alice Kustenbauder, the Jackson institute admissions coordinator.

I spoke to Alice, and she mentioned they're still considering. A friend in the program this year said they were in DC this week and Alice mentioned some people were still completing applications (me included!) so things may be delayed. No confirmation from those in admissions though.

Thanks for all the kind words. I received one email to say my application was incomplete before I went to Israel on 01/15 and I contacted SAIS to ask whether my scores have been received. They responded no and said if you've sent them across, they anticipate its arrival. I didnt give it another thought and I suppose it was my fault for not checking my email more regularly. But no, I never received a 'completed application' email. I only saw another email dated 02/14, recently I might add, that said my application is still incomplete. I sent across another email to SAIS, begging almost and attaching a PDF copy of my scores and a screenshot of my test date, but theire response was: At this point there nothing more we can do. The deadline was January 7th and we tried to help all of our applicants get their materials in up until mid February. Regards, Bahar Office of Admissions The Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies 1740 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20036 He cc'ed a few others to prevent me checking with others I guess. Its such a shame, and I'm pissed at ETS. I ought to demand my test fee back.

The others appear more receptive, which is perhaps a good thing. But SAIS was one of my top choices.