legallyproper

Washdc I'm with you after my masters at CEU in Budapest I'm headed to Georgetown MAGES with a full ride and FLAS for Spanish (free degree plus stipdend) so totally agree

Thanks dualcitizenIR! Just found out yesterday I have been awarded a FLAS Fellowship from Georgetown to study Spanish and there's plentiful alumni from Budapest that studied in the MAGES program. The director is allowing me to keep my scholarships so I will be attending Georgetown MAGES after my year in Budapest! I adore not paying for two masters !

ang2209 they will do the graduate finalists first then notify undergrad afterwards! good luck and just give it a little bit more time!

I am attending Central European University on a full fellowship to get an MA in International Relations and European Studies. So Budapest here i come!

TFA declined my deferral (jealousy I swear)! As much as I wanted to do it I refuse to reapply through that long process so moving to Budapest on August 24th! I'm young and full of adventure and ready to embark on this intensive 1 year masters! Good luck indeed to everyone heading into graduate school and with your final decisions to be made! Cheers!

I stayed with 4 current students in a house around the corner from Fletcher when I visited last October. The school is amazing and if you get in early enough on Friday's you'll get to experience their weekly tradition of celebrating a different culture when I was there it was Mexico and there's food, drinks, and everyone mingles in the main hall after all courses/lectures have commenced. Have fun and ask all the questions you have, when you visit is when you get the real experience (especially ask those you are staying with the real deal experience and not the glossed up Admissions team answers- coming from a person who works in Admissions, lol) Good luck!

The best solution for any of those worries is to apply for the graduate fellowships (Pickering, Rangel, and the new Payne with USAID FS) they deplete the worries of loans as long as you are smart with your school choice. I went to an extremely expensive undergraduate school and refuse to pay for my graduate education. It is possible because I am headed overseas with $0 to pay with an extremely generous stipend. So, I conclude by saying I'm sure millions of people worldwide will do it no problem, however I refuse to pay to continue my education and there are means out there to make that demand possible. Azrou, you must understand that yes you are provided amazing benefits as an FSO, however when you incur loan payments from HKS, Columbia, WWS, George Washington your monthly payments will strip you alone of majority of your paycheck. Also, you are on the money with the acceptance rate of the FS it's hard to get into the FS with the amount of Veterans headed back to America from the Middle East, it is only incurring more troublesome ways to get into a federal government position for those who hadn't already had their place. It's all a horrid thing to worry about but again fellowships, etc. are the solution to the woes of financial debt! I hope you all applied to some, or have them from your accepted schools. Don't let the story of thousands of graduates from top tier, ivy league schools who are still unemployed with $100K+ in debt because even a SLRP won't save you in that case because the interest on your monthly payments are dreadful. I have a friend enduring it now and he's with USAID and he's struggling because of the monthly payments. Think smart, choose wisely! Good luck with your endeavors.

I got a call from Pickering Team saying I was selected as a finalist and wanted to make sure I was going to withdraw my app and I confirmed to them yes and that i was reapplying next year due to my fellowship in Budapest! So KJ90 hopefully that's your new spot as a finalist!! Congrats jrnels and PrattIAFF!!!

I understand that you don't buy it but it's what is falling into place in contemporary times. Yes, it focuses on these qualities on the exam. But, the number of students getting admitted to A-100 without a graduate degree is less than 5%. Also, the vast majority of cones that they are coming from literally vary from time to time but your data from the past two A-100 groups is false. Majority of the cones represented are from economic and political, and public diplomacy cones. I hate to respectfully disagree with you but with the current times for both economic figures and degree holders I think the State Department is giving a higher preference to those with masters or advanced degrees believe it or not. They may not state it but majority of those being admitted on a yearly basis have completed degrees above a bachelors If you are going into the field know that 6 months after you graduate from GWU, Fletcher, SIS, Georgetown or Hopkins that those loans payments begin regardless of what you are making and FSOs beginning out even with their language bonuses are making about $58K-$65k per year. Consider if it's worth gaining large sums of debt for an education that you probably could've received from another institution with a cheaper price tag. Unless, you want to do research with a certain teacher or that you must be in this program because they have exactly what you want to focus on. Most of your schools are in DC and know that you can go to any of the other schools functions. One of my best friends attends Howard for a MA in Int'l Relations and she is always attending events at SAIS, SIS, and Georgetown, including conferences, speeches, and sometimes lectures. Just weigh all of the possibilities out and make the best choice for you, your future, etc. Good luck with your decision.

Hey I attended TRIALS Harvard C/o 2009 please feel free to PM me if you have any questions about the process, interview, etc.

I would follow the one that is going to better prepare you for the career you want to pursue? Fo example, if your goal is to work with US State Dept or USAID, etc. in their Foreign Service then American would be your choice because they are the top producer of FSO's (regardless of department) in the nation. SAIS is great and is going to be heavy in economics focus, but Bologna is beautiful (visited in 2011) so if you think 20K can suffice a bit of the loans and for the last year you can hope to get one of the current student fellowships then go for it. Just ask within yourself does it matter to incur debt for what you want or go to the cheaper and more cost efficient university that will allow me to work during the day to remain level. That's the best advice I could give anyone and what I am utilizing too!

Yes, I am and just got approvals back from majority of the graduate schools i was admitted to! I'm really excited to embark on TFA because as you say it's the challenging nature of work that will build skills and experience better than anything else a recent graduate can do! So excited!

Just got word that they meet in the upcoming days! Hold tight everyone! I heard from inside sources of State so it's true, no worries!

bob lynch, were you up for a fellowship like Rangel or Pickering? Because if so they wait on those admitted students I talked to Dr. Oleako about that the other day. Im skyping with her Monday let me know if you want me to get a question answered for u.

I've taken and passed the first part (MC/essay section part) I'm preparing to take the oral, but i am requesting to wait until next year though because of all the prep with TFA My suggestion is get back in touch with Patricia! She is a vital asset and could provide you with some tips to help you out if u choose to reapply. Honestly I'm definitely reapplying and now that I'm back from break plan to call Patricia at her office to discuss the next steps and what to work on to improve. I will honestly say I screwed up miserably on the writing sample. It sucks but it's true. However, I know I'm great at interviewing no matter what its for so I'll be working on my writing so much over the next two years. Finally, I just personally would recommend to hopefully get finalist for Pickering. Hopefully get it because as we were told and as fellows will say it's impeccable the difference the fellowship programs enrich your FSO career so that's my advice and you seem to have great networks utilize them to find you a paid internship for a year or something just taking loans out isn't worth it plus you made it to finalist for Rangel which speaks volume! Remember that man. Good luck though with everything

Hey futurelawyerchick I visited and have several friends there I'll pm you once I land!

Just a wonder even though you are definitely going to get Pickering finalist @ Prattiaff if you don't actually get the fellowship just wondering your back up plans. In no way am I shooting negativity because you know I'm rooting for you I'm just curious.

Sad story it's always dangerous for getting in a vehicle abroad prayers to her family and friends http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2012/03/18/fulbright-scholar-parkville-native-dies-in-a-car-accident-in-morocco/

Well honestly Boston is haven for higher education, but majority is non-profits, development, and government. A lot of grads go into private sector too. I loved fletcher my close friend goes there and I stayed a week there and there is nothing negative I can say about fletcher. If it was me I'd choose fletcher!

Which program at Fletcher? MALD? I would say that it depends on the field you want to go into because the Boston and Dc areas are drastically different with what they offer! Also I visited the BMW Center and met with the director and it was a great visit but I understand the pull from both I loved my visit to Fletcher!

You will get an email from SIPA

If you are willing to take more than 90K worth in debt in student loans to incld the average rent price costing near $1650 a month then go for it I'm a firm believer that APSIA schools have great networks and each school has its perks but I refuse to pay fr graduate or law degrees but others don't care it's all personal decision making and future planning for your future career and how much you will ,make to pay your debt off and live comfortably

Got into SIPA!

Didn't get into SAIS but not surprised with the lack of Econ coursework I have! Congrats to those accepted though

Thanks so much for the best wishes! Glad it's done good luck to Pickering hopefuls !