KJ90

Previous Schools: Cornell University Previous Degrees and GPAs: B.A. in China & Asia-Pacific Studies (3.57) GRE Scores: M157/V158/A5.5 Previous Work Experience: No full-time experience. Extensive traveling experience with internships. Math/Econ Background: Calc (B+), Intermediate Micro © Intended Field of Study in Grad School: Strategic Studies/China Studies Schools Applied to & Results: HKS (Rejected), SAIS (Admitted), SIPA (Rejected but was told if I had work experience I'd be admitted), Georgetown-SFS (Admitted), American SIS (Admitted), GWU-ESIA(Admitted), Syracuse SPA(Admitted) Ultimate Decision & Why: SAIS, I want to attend graduate school to get more depth in my education. It's more professional oriented and teaches applicable skills. Not the best place for academia but it has what I want. Also, it's Strategic Studies and China Studies departments are top tier. While Georgetown and George Washington offer comparative programs (and perhaps even stronger than SAIS), the SAIS brand name is invaluable. I was told by my friend that he gets the impression that SAIS runs D.C. Overall, the decision boils down to location, brand, and focus. Advice for Future Applicants: As you can see above I have a number of disadvantages. SAIS has a quantitative emphasis yet I visibly demonstrated that math and economics are not my strong points. I do not have any work experience and the entering class' average age is 26. Only about 10% of the incoming class will be straight from undergraduate. These things made me conclude that my strengths were my SOP and letters. My SOP placed a emphasis on my major, which is a unique in its requirement to write a thesis while studying in D.C. and to study at Peking University. I was clear in what I wanted to do at SAIS, namely wanting to strengthen my understanding of economics and to study under renowned China experts. My letters were amazing as well. They were from the director of my major and a previous internship employer. I felt outgunned reading the applicant profiles above. But I do have to make a point that no work experience or a extensive background in math/economics can be overcome with an inspiring SOP and great letters. Also, internship/volunteer experiences are essential. Instead of full-time experiences, I've volunteered as a ESL teacher on the Tibetan Plateau, volunteered as a teacher for immigrant children for 5 years, worked at a agribusiness consulting firm, worked for a U.S. think tank's China office.

As a undergraduate I was given full financial aid so I do not know how taking out loans work. I want to attend SAIS but the only form of financial aid given to me is 20K in federal loans per year. According to SAIS, that leaves another 40K unaccounted for that includes living costs. I assume I have to take private loans to cover that remainder 40K but will banks give me the money to cover my living expenses or do they only cover the tuition? I would think it would not matter if I was living on a campus and have to pay SAIS for housing but SAIS does not have that option.

Haha I met a 2nd year SAIS student named Charlotte concentrating in China studies during open house.

I was wondering that too why no one seems to have gotten subsidized loans, so much better...

Sounds like it'll be a amazing experience. Thanks for withdrawing early. I assume there are more than one alternate so I am not sure of the chances I will get it. I'm a undergraduate finalist that reapplied this year. I'm still competing with older people with years of professional experience and who probably will look more mature. Being Asian does not help with my age.

I was a undergraduate finalist that made alternate awardee (got the most random essay questions). Ang is correct that undergrads get selected after, approximately a week after I believe. The essay is no longer at FSI. The essay exam is conducted by a third person party via a application and skype (this means death for those with typo problems). Last year the entire process was done at a hotel in DC. There were two sessions that alternated between interviews and info session. I assume the GFAF and undergraduate FAF are similar.

Where do you go to get private loans? I only get $20,500 which is about $10,000 short of what I need.

Made alternate finalist. Sigh...very reminiscent of last year where I made alternate awardee for the undergraduate fellowship.

Right, thanks. One of my letter writers is probably one of the reasons I got into SAIS. He really wants me to go to SAIS and if I choose not to it will damage our relationship I think (though I did send him a gift basket). At the same time, if I work and then quit early I will probably also damage some relationships (I was referred by someone). Financing my education is a issue too.

What I am worried is that most people work for 2 years before going to grad school. The job I am looking at will require at most four months of training, which means I will be contributing real work for only a year. Should I tell the supervisor that I intend to go to grad school in a year? I feel that will impact their decision to hire me.

No email but I checked on the application website. Reject =\

Most of the fellowships are automatic. As long as your said you want finaid and sent in your FAFSA they will consider you. The results come out in a week =\. I'm in the same position as you.

I have a question. I am coming out of undergrad and would like to have my first job. Is it a bad idea to defer a decision, accept a full-time job, and then quit a year later to attend graduate school?

SAIS! reject from WWS and HKS tho =\

Same, got into all my schools so far but none of them viable options.

It looks like most decisions will roll about the 14th or 15th. That is far away.

Haha the detailed accounts in SIPA's blog scares me for some reason

I think most people would say SIS because of the location.

Who's ready for hell week? haha

Not really, GW is considered on par with SIPA and SAIS in many respects. The fact that you got waitlisted means you have a foot in the door. The other schools may weight your strengths more heavily.

There's a few things that are missing from your profile such as the strength of your SOP and LORs. Have you had anyone read your SOP and how confident are you in the LORs? I'll give my two cents on each part of your profile that you posted based on other applicant profiles I've seen. GRE: You have a decent GRE score so it's fine. IMO a good GRE score is a +, a bad one can be made up for by other aspects of your application such as GPA or experience. Academics: As MYRINIST stated, there is a auto-reject for low GPA unless other parts of the application is amazing, namely extensive work experience or demonstrations of interest. You said non-science courses were all A's but did not specify what kind of courses. If admissions officers overlook your GPA it will depend on what courses you take (your school's reputation for that particular departments counts as well). In many ways, having gone to medical school and decided to change careers can be seen as both good and bad. It is good in the sense that you realize that medicine is not for you and that you feel you are better off with other pursuits. To avoid being labeled as a quitter you will have to show how you changed your mind, through various experiences and such (which you have by going to Shanghai but 2 months is not much =/). The key is specificity and knowing exactly what interests you and expressing it through various parts of your application. I've taken Chinese since freshman year, studied abroad in Beijing for a semester, and I can honestly say that I still need to do a lot to learn Mandarin. Work Experience: I'm not sure how valuable science research is. I did research in my earlier years but I do not include them in my CV. I feel there are more relevant things. Travel Abroad: You have some but not enough. Most people travel to their region of interest multiple times. I'm not sure how studying a year in Caribbean would be helpful though. You can argue that your trip to Shanghai was inspirational and motivated you to pursue China studies but it will not compare to someone who spend their entire undergrad studying/traveling to China. There are plenty of applicants with that background. Language: Fact, IR grad students have an advanced or almost fluent level of proficiency in a second non-native language. Many graduate schools do not even offer language classes. Since you have already graduated you can throw out academics. Your GRE score is good enough so what you would need to focus on to strengthen your application is to build a story, a background that explains your interest. A great way is to be as specific as you can. In your case, it makes sense to study China. Perhaps you can go back and gain more work experience. It will give you more credibility when you say that you are interested in international relations when you have the background.

I did not even have those listed in my financial aid. Did you sign a MPN already? Maybe I'm missing something?

Is it possible to defer for more than one year? I am getting into schools but am not getting enough funding so I want to perhaps work before I go to graduate school. However, for any meaningful jobs with decent pay I would have to work for two years. Is this unheard of? Are schools really strict about the one year defer limit?

yea..not one cent of funding =(

Got into ESIA!!