energie

ERE has that kind of policy because there are a lot of applicants interested I guess. If you apply for ERE but don't get it you still have the second choice (as you state on the application). In practical, if you get into the second choice you can still change to the first choice of concentration, if the first choice is not ERE. I say this by the assumption based on the guide book. However, as other functional and regional concentrations are not capped programs, I guess they have flexible limits of students number they can admit and they still have to adjust after successful applicants accept or decline the admission. For IDEV, I understand that they have a separate process from other regional and functional concentrations at SAIS. And I'm not familiar with their system. So I think IDVE could be the hardest one to get into, considering its popularity and process. For ERE, if you are not admitted to it, you still have the second choice. If you're qualified to get into SAIS, you could be admitted to one of the (non-IDEV) programs anyway. But you can't move into ERE, as you can do with other program. So we could say ERE is hard to get into as well compared to the other programs.

I'm not sure if you can switch to ERE if you didn't choose it when you applied. It's likely that you can't. But I would recommend you to contact ERE department directly and talk about your interest http://www.sais-jhu.edu/academics/functional-studies/ere/contact.htm I think as ERE is a very popular concentration so they make it this way. I'm not an ERE concentrator but I'm aware of the program. They are going to have a big conference and the Energy Secretary will be coming http://www.sais-jhu.edu/academics/functional-studies/ere/eia-sais-conference/index.htm. The new director of ERE David Jhirad is big in the Energy field I guess. Just google him. If you can't switch to ERE you might take China but choose ERE classes too. Or you could take like Asian Energy Security (from broad Asia studies course) or China’s Environment and Development: Politics, Policy, and Sustainability which covers environment, energy and water issues in China. I mean you can design your own curriculum as well. And China is a very strong program too.

It's pretty easy. You just have to fill in a form. You can change the concentration before the semester starts too. Here is from the guide book of SAIS. Upon admission to SAIS, areas of concentration for M.A. students are recorded by the Registrar’s Office. Students who desire to change their concentration may inform the Registrar’s Office before enrolling in classes for the first semester. Students in their first and second semesters must obtain the signatures of the Program Coordinators in the concentration they are leaving and the concentration they are entering via the Change of Concentration Form. Third and fourth semester students must also fill out the Change of Concentration Form, but they must obtain the signatures of Program Directors in both concentrations. The form must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office. If a student changes concentrations, current requirements for that concentration must be followed. Concentration changes cannot be made during bidding and must be changed prior to the bidding deadline set by the Registrar’s Office. Students cannot change their concentration to International Development as students must be accepted into this concentration during the admissions process. In addition, first-year students cannot change their concentration to Energy, Resources and Environment as students must be accepted into this concentration during the admissions process beginning with the 2009-2010 academic year. (Don't be scarred of bidding at SAIS. It only happens to a very few courses which happen to be more popular than limited seats. This is to keep class size modest. Priority will be given to students in the concentration and second year students.) Concentrations don't prevent you from working in a field in which you don't concentrate. You will have to take three or four courses from a particular concentration and take other courses outside you concentration. You can even take more than one concentration if you can fulfill the requirements. Everyone concentrates in International Economics + 1 concentration + another possible concentration. You will study broadly enough to expand your scope of future career. If you do China you could also do other Asian studies or a functional concentration etc. as long as you can fulfill their requirements. A lot of students do like what I said. Good luck

I totally agree with my fellow SAISer. Workloads at SAIS are manageable. Because we're in DC, many, to my knowledge only, intern in the government(commerce, treasury etc.) during the semester. There are all kind of career clubs for every sector of jobs in international affairs that you might imagine, from Development to Intelligence&Defense, or International Organizations etc. You can join every club freely and and they are very active.

I'm an international student at SAIS, who did IR in undergrad. I think people come to SAIS because they like economics but people who don't like economics, like me, also come here. I want to educate myself. I just took a midterm exam today and I realized that preparing for the exam made me see how I can understand IR more. I'll continue working in foreign policy after SAIS and I think economics here really enhances my perspective to see the world. Esp. it's more important on your resume more than mine. Good luck and probably see you in class next fall.

Since SAIS has been discussed widely in this forum, I'll only speak about SEA studies at SAIS from a perspective of a SAIS student from SEA who worked (and will return to work) in the government. I'm not a SEA concentrator but know enough about it. (First you mentioned East and South Asia, then you mentioned SE Asia. So I guess you're interested in Southeast Asia-SEA, as well) And I have some comments on Security Studies at SAIS too. 1. SEA program is the most close-knit community at SAIS. It is ranked first in that sense in a SAIS internal student/staff/faculty survey conducted last year. Other departments might do well too but SEA is second to none. 2. You will really have classmates who care about what you're studying and can learn from each of them, and vice versa. They all have hands-on experience like you and might be your future colleagues/counterparts. And you yourself will be relevant to the program and to the school when you study what the people around you are interested in. 3. You may have known, SAIS teaches, among 15 languages, three SE Asian languages - Thai, Vietnamese, and Bahasa Indonesia. This reflects a deep commitment to the field. SAIS does these things in house, not sending you to other centers/institutes like language study in some other policy schools. 4. During Winter and Summer breaks, literally every SEA concentrator is sent to study languages and to intern in SEA countries. The subsidy can cover air tickets and living expense. 5. There are always students from the region or who used to work there, and even Americans who speak the languages. Some Peace Corps and Fulbright alums. Government officials in SEA are sent to train here. 6. There are huge networks of SAIS alumi (Americans and SE Asians) in SEA, or we call it SAIS mafia. Everywhere you go you could meet them. And they work in every sector you might imagine. I met those alum before I came to SAIS and that really helped me to choose among the top-four. 7. SAIS SEA faculty members really have close connections with policymakers and leaderships in those SEA countries. Some of them come to speak at SAIS off or on the record. Professors and professorial lecturers have worked academically and professionally on/in SEA long enough to get connected to those SEA policy elites. 8. In DC, it's never often enough that you can benefit professionally and intellectually from what this city has to offer. If you do SEA, DC is the best place to go. SAIS SEA is well connected to SEA policy circle in DC and all those SEA embassies/diplomats. 9. If you want a balance between theory and practicality, SAIS offers enough courses that you can choose from, not only necessarily in SEA dept. You can choose any related courses from 12 regional studies departments and other functional as well as economics department. 10. LOCATION, You DON'T have to live in downtown DC. You can live in the Virginia and Maryland nicest neighborhoods like MOST of the people who work in DC. They are much better than New Haven. You can commute by metro. I've been to everywhere I spoke about. ***International Security Studies*** According to #6 "academics= the sais curriculum is strategic studies, and therefore more defense focused, whereas the other two schools are security studies and not totally focused on defense issues." That observation is not necessarily true. I have seen courses in SIPA ISP program and I would say at SAIS offers all similar courses in different departments. You CAN choose courses from different departments freely here. And if you are an MIPP student, you don't have to care about concentrations/departments. Also, you're not required to do economics. Just choose whatever you want. SAIS has a different approach in categorizing courses into different concentrations/depts. The fact that SAIS doesn't have an ISP program doesn't mean it doesn't teach the subject. For SAIS, "international security studies" might sound pretty broad, if not vague. You can find those courses mostly in (when you surf the SAIS website) Strategic Studies, Conflict Management, International Law and Organizations, and American Foreign Policy which are home departments of the courses. Many region/country-specific security courses are offered by regional studies departments. I never counted but I believe that SAIS' security related courses number is no smaller than that of other schools. Some of them are cross-listed in more than one departments (often time functional+regional all together). Nevertheless, non-traditional security issues can be found in Energy, Resources, and Environment department. If you have any question, please let me know. Good luck

Hi there, I'm a current SAIS student. Many folks here have discussed reputation of both schools and all. I've talked a friend at SFS about schools. Obviously MSFS is a small grad program compared to the BSFS program which is actually the flagship program of this school and the whole university. SAIS is devoted to grad studenta only and perceived more professional oriented in the private sector and international finance as well as development, than SFS. You might have known, the World Bank is the second largest employer of SAIS graduates after the US government (all agencies combined). Consulting/private sector is a very usual industry for the graduates too. If you want to do EMERGING MARKETS, you might want to see EMERGING MARKET specialization at SAIS plus International Economics specializations which are additional to what every student has to do. http://www.sais-jhu.edu/academics/emerging-markets-specialization/index.htm and http://www.sais-jhu.edu/academics/economics/specializations.htm . SAIS has a wonderful career service. You could encounter future employers every week in whatever sectors. There are a lot of career clubs including consulting. See where 2009/08 graduates go to work here http://www.sais-jhu.edu/bin/a/l/SAIS_EmpOutlk09.pdf http://www.sais-jhu.edu/bin/w/p/SAIS_Employment_Outcomes08.pdf I personally believe that only a big enough, but not too big, school can offer what you want academically and professionally. That's why I chose SAIS over SFS and others in the first place. Good luck

Rejected but I know HKS is my reach. Focusing on IR, I'm happy going to SAIS instead.

Dear mpolampola - I think FSIA's comment is interesting. Actually I'm a fan of DC. I'm an international student who happened to be able to visit all the schools before I applied. Fletcher seems too far for me. But don't believe me. Finaid could be an essential factor when you get admitted to several schools. I'm now accepted and leaning to SAIS b/c I work in the Foreign Service of my country and I have already connections in DC. I mean I can name those senior and young professionals in think tanks/non-profit, State, Hill and scholars in the field as well as diplomats whome I know personally or used to work with. I would equate SAIS to connection and location. And I also don't have money issue b/c I'll be financially supported. Since you will be working in a different field so I'm not sure how DC could actually benefit you.

I'm an international student outside the US applying for MSFS. And I havn't got an email yet. It seems that I need to wait for the mail?? I want to know the result asap as I will have to decide where to go and notify my sponser. I got into SAIS, SIPA, Fletcher and Elliott. Otherwise I'll choose SAIS w/o SFS result.

Hi Tolo.. glad to see you here at SAIS. I got in at SIPA but was not asked to take their American langauge program. As I told you previously, my English stats weren't better than yours. Anyway, I'm also in at SAIS and this time they recommended me to take an English preparation course before Fall. I think I'll choose SAIS over SIPA b/c I'm working in the Foreign Service on US affairs and I already have connections in Washington. And SAIS will enhance the connections with policy people with whome I can work throughout my career. SIPA, they said, has connection with the UN. But I think we're not talking to the UN or its people that frequently while at SIPA. While I think I will do with people in DC - US government, academics, think tanks, congressional offices - who from time to time asked to serve in different posts in various sectors in the policy circle. Foreign service people today don't work only on G-to-G but we work with all players in the field. So I think I will intensify my prior knowledge and connections in DC. I know I should / can diversify my expertise to multilateral works at the UN at SIPA. But I think I will do that by taking Conflict Management at SAIS and maybe interning at the UN in New York. I don't think my two years in NYC will make me connected firmly with UN or its people, compared with what I can do in two years with policy people in Washington. In Washington, I think it's more than the US but it's global affairs that you can learn. And people in "DC" and SAIS will be working throughout the world. For one thing, I think people have different factors to decide b/c we all have different backgrounds and future career objectives. And I hope you make a right choice.

Tolo, I chose International Security Policy-ISP/East Asia when I applied to the MPA program. I have no idea whether ISP requires a high English test score. Reading your post, I see my scores both Toefl and Gre are just lower than yours. Your scores weren't bad at all as an internatinal applicant. Is SIPA your number one choice? Are you waiting for other schools as well? They may be less expensive than going to SIPA. Al least, they might not require you to take a presessional course. SIPA is my top three besides SFS and SAIS. Still cannot decide and have to wait for the rest first. I got in Fletcher Security/Asia, similar concentration as at SIPA, too but not leaning toward it.

I am an international student. I received the admission to SIPA MPA Fall 2009 via e-mail to check the result in the website. They didn't mention about the English program. Actually my Toefl score was just above the minimum and GRE is not impressive. Or I will get such message by post?