Madrilena25

GOT IN!!! I just can’t believe it! VIVAAAAAA!! After waiting for so long, I thought I would be rejected. OVER THE MOON RIGHT NOW! Good luck to those who are still waiting! And congrats, Cossack!!

Hi IR_Lion,

first, and don't take this the wrong way, I personally felt put-off by the way you wrote initially. It's not that I don't believe that you're a good student and talented at languages, but really? 99,999% native? You're either native, that is grew up speaking this language or you're not. So your Chinese is awesome. Good for you, doesn't make you native. Also, just because you're good with languages doesn't make you better suited for a graduate program or to do two concentrations, as opposed to everyone else who's only doing one. Languages and thematic courses require completely different skills. All that said, if you're actually fluent in both Chinese and Japanese after only spending a semester each, that is impressive.

Now, to your question: I actually speak Mandarin and decided against the Hopkings-Nanjing center for exactly the reason you stated. I had heard that classes are really watered down etc., esp. the Chinese classes. Since I already attended classes on Chinese politics at a Chinese uni (intended for Chinese students), I felt I didn't really have any business being there. I don't really think you can change now though. I'm sure asking won't hurt, but it's even impossible/almost impessible to change between Bologna and DC and they use the same system (for domestic students). Hopkins-Nanjing is, IMO, a very different campus, the adcom is different and it's supposed to be easier to get into. I believe that your chances of changing are thus very slim. I believe you have three options: 1. Stick it out, go to Nanjing and also attend classes meant for Chinese people (at Nanjing uni, not in the center), do tons of other stuff etc., 2. Reapply to SAIS for 2013, 3. Go with one of your other, very good school options. That said, when trying to talk to them, remember that it's basically your screw-up. To me, you come off with a sense of entitlement online and I believe that this might hurt your chances a lot. Doing research online, going to Nanjing earlier etc. all could have prevented this from happening, so basically, you're a "beggar", begging them to take you even though you applied to another program.

None of this is meant to hurt you and I can imagine that you were very upset when you wrote this, but I honestly felt that your tone was very off (-putting).

Yes I got the The Starr China Knowledge for the World Fellowship and fully covered tuition ! And @IRToni I've had 10 years of Chinese (and working in China with Chinese clients kind of makes you kind of need it) and 7 years of Japanese before going to university and the only reason why I didn't say I'm completely native is that my Chinese scientific terms knowledge is a bit weak. Like I said before its hard for people to believe that a white person can be native in an asian language and I totally get that so I'm not insulted by your attempt to put down my accomplishments. 2nd of all the program is at the SAIS DC campus but the Nanjing program is like a top off. So I'm hoping that they will say fine you can stay for you final semester at SAIS. @ Ukiyo I know its about networking but I've done enough of that in Beijing and want to stay in DC. Oh my goal is to become the next Edwin O. Reischauer =). My biggest treasure are my pictures of me shaking Hu JinTao's hand and one of me shaking Junichi Koizumi's hand. They are framed on my wall with their nation's flags hanging below. I'd love to end up being the ambassador to China or Japan but since the only people that get that are millionaire donors to the president or political allies/compromises I'll take the private route and hope that I'll make enough $$ that when the time comes the democrat I support for president will win xD.

I don't want to turn this into a personal thing, but I do feel like you misunderstood what I said and don't quite understand the term native. Being native is not an accomplishment. You can't learn being "native" after you're 12 or so (some linguists even argue after you're 6). That is why the definition of "native language" is "he language that a person has spoken from earliest childhood". So there's no 99,999% native. Either you grew up with Mandarin, which would make your "accomplishments" smaller or you didn't and are highly fluent, highly profficient or whatever in Mandarin, which is a huge accomplishment. That said, I agree a 100% with what MYRNIST said. You can only hope for the best, but if you're dead-set on not going to Nanjing, you might want to talk to SAIS about it before attending, so there won't be bad surprises in a year or so.
Also, you could really stand to loose some of your attitude. Other people have accomplished great things, too, and not everyone criticizing your word choice is jealous/can't wrap their head around Western people speeking awesome Chinese, so that you hardly even hear a difference. As a matter of fact, I know some that speak really good Chinese and started learning it at 20 or so, so it is possible. I would honestly be interested in where and why you learned both Japanese and Chinese for such a long time before attending uni.
Enough with that.

Back to the money thing (and me): I'm honestly not sure I would attend SAIS this year if I can't defer it. I have other, free options and I'm not sure SAIS is worth 70k in debt. Hard decision. I'm also still waiting on SIPA and Oxford, but not betting on getting much money from either school...

@CalSeeker: Awesome!

1) I notice you were accepted to SAIS and SFS as well. What made you choose Elliott?

2) What are your initial feelings about the GW network? Do you feel like there are strong alumni resources that you can leverage?

3) What's your concentration within Elliott and your thoughts on it?