rose1

http://www.finaid.org/loans/privateloan.phtml This link talks about private loans. At the bottom of the page is a link to a list of places where you can take out private loans. Most of them are banks or credit unions. Most schools also have a place on their financial aid website that lists the most popular place to take out private loans for that school.

The public service loan forgiveness option only applies to direct federal loans. Im only eligible to take out $20,500 a year in those. I'm going to need to take out at least $100,000 in loans total, which means most of my debt will be private. It's good to hear that others facing this kind of debt are surviving though!

Actually sitting down with a spreadsheet and looking at expenses is pretty sobering. How the hell am I going to be able to afford to pay these back?? It will take 25 years to pay these off at a rate I could afford. By that point, I will pay double what I took out thanks to interest accruing. I don't know whether the sum is so large at any school that I might as well just go to the expensive one I want or if I should be running in the direction of the cheapest school, even though it's still way out of my price range. Dang.

Seriously. I just spent a week and a half agonizing over Fletcher v. SAIS before I found out I was admitted to SFS. And I am REALLY enjoying the SFS admitted student chat - they have faculty, alumni, current students, you name it!

Don't worry - I just got my acceptance letter late afternoon on Monday!

Point taken, but Fletcher is significantly cheaper for many people than SAIS and SFS. For me, significantly less debt is the reason I'm leaning toward Fletcher. When you are paying so much money, can you afford the luxury of choosing a school of pretty much the exact same caliber that will put you tens of thousands of dollars more in debt?

I submitted my results! Good luck!!!

Nope! Honestly, I haven't been able to decide between Fletcher and SAIS and I hadn't even considered Georgetown since that seemed like counting chickens before they hatched. Time to re-evaluate....and celebrate! I'll be at the open house of all three.

I don't know. It's just a generic "congrats on acceptance" e-mail. It says: "Over the next several days we will be working with the Graduate School to prepare your official admission and scholarship offers for viewing in Apply Yourself. When your letter is ready to be viewed, you will receive an e-mail from Apply Yourself. If you have received a scholarship, it will appear as part of your admission letter in Apply Yourself."

IN AT GEORGETOWN! Just got the e-mail. Don't lose hope!

legallyproper - I did Teach For America in Texas. Feel free to message me if you have any questions!

erry, go to SIPA! "grad cafe told me to" is the worst reason I've ever heard for not going to your top choice school. We're all a bunch of clueless prospective students. Call the admissions office and ask to speak with some current students. Ask questions to your hearts content. Demand that they convince you SIPA is the place for you. Then move to NYC and never look back. Give the UN building a salute for me.

I just booked my flights for Boston and DC open houses! Decided against SIPA open house. Multi-city flight form Florida to Boston to DC to Florida. I asked Fletcher and since it's under $400, their travel voucher will cover it even though it isn't technically one round trip flight. Hooray for free travel to open house locations! I'm in DC for 4.5 days, so I could always take a bus up to NYC if I get the urge.

orangesplease - could you let us know what your friend said that is a current student? I'd love to hear what a current student has to say about the program.

I feel like I'm at the point where I've done everything I can to research each school. I'm suspending all deliberation until new information becomes available (financial aid info, decision from Georgetown, I visit each school for open house, etc.) I just need to take a step back and let things percolate for a little while.

Yes. Yes it would be better to get TWO degrees for CHEAPER from GEORGETOWN. That being said, obviously do what you feel is right.

My SFS site is down...I wonder if this means anything...Oh right. It does. It means I'm repeatedly checking the website without the slightest indication that my decision is ready.

haha mine were from Urban Outfitters and an update on the lineup at Bonnaroo.

The girl I spoke with was concentrating in International Law, and went on a free trip to Sri Lanka last year, so no, I didn't get the impression that funding was available mostly for regional concentrations. I HAVE heard from other sources that the Latin American and Asian concentrations in particular have a lot of resources. Personally all my work has been in Latin America (totally by accident) and I'm trying to branch out a bit, so i will not be choosing a regional concentration. My life has been a regional concentration! Also, DC is only a cheap Chinatown bus ticket away form NYC, should I have an urge to visit The City. Is anyone else annoyed that the SAIS admitted student day is a Wednesday? I'm going to have to take off a ridiculous amount of work to attend.

We clearly need a grad cafe reunion at a DC bar when all this is over for a celebratory drink (or 12).

Hahahaha <3

The Philip Merrill hasn't been awarded yet? Why did you tell me that?! I was in the "acceptance" phase of grief about getting no aid from SAIS. You've put me all the way back to "denial." How many people do you think applied for that fellowship?

Wondering the same thing.

From what I've heard, it seems like the Bologna program is an advantage. It seems like the Bologna cohort is always super close when they come back to DC. I've barely heard anything good about SIPA since I applied, and will be declining today. SAIS is looking better and better. i wrote on the SAIS thread about my talk with a current student yesterday and how she totally sold me on the program.

I've decided against SIPA and will be declining today. Good luck to people who are still waiting - hope one of you gets my spot!