Alamako

I don't work in admissions or anything, but I do remember when I was applying that they told me that the academic background was more important than the professional background when they make admissions decisions. They advised me to have all of my recommendations come from professors because of this. You sound like you'd be a great applicant - I certainly don't speak four languages (well, English + have studied three other languages, but speak them all at varying levels of mediocrity)

I was admitted here in February and they told me end of the month then for the scholarship notification. Then end of March, then I accepted a different offer . . .

I think if you signed the french language waiver and are taking French classes you have a semester to work on it before being tested, but if you didn't sign the language waiver and you do not have a certificate/diploma of some sort in French, then you have to take it at the beginning of the first semester. Either way, I think the main requirement seemed to be that you test out of French before you can graduate.

Finally got my welcome packet in the mail. I accepted the offer a few days ago, and now I'm so excited!

Well, I'm having a bout of insomnia (=time to kill) and I've appreciated reading these entries from other people, so here are my stats for your perusal . . . Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): IR/International Development Schools Applied To: Tufts Fletcher, American SIS, Fordham IPED, Sciences Po Paris, Graduate Institute Geneva Schools Admitted To: Tufts Fletcher ($), American SIS ($$), Fordham IPED, Sciences Po Paris ($?), Graduate Institute Geneva ($$$) Schools Rejected From: Still Waiting: Financial info from Sciences Po urg, ready to be out of graduate admissions purgatory, wish they would get back with me! Undergraduate institution: Top 25 liberal arts Undergraduate GPA: 3.7 Undergraduate Major: Anthropology Last 60 hours of undergraduate GPA: I dunno . . . higher than the total GPA, though GRE Quantitative Score: 690 GRE Verbal Score: 680 GRE AW Score: 4 (was unexpected given that I usually am considered a good writer by teachers and employers, etc.; however, I didn't feel like studying for the whole test again to improve the AW score plus I was really more interested in the international schools, which don't care about the GRE) Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): Going on 6 (woah! I'm old!) Years of Work Experience: 5.5ish Describe Relevant Work Experience: Peace Corps, research assistant at an NGO, program coordination for the government Languages: French, Bambara, Russian Quant: High school calculus and took a couple of intro econ courses a few years ago International Exposure: Study abroad during college and then 2 years in PC Strength of SOP: I worked on it on and off for 6 months or so. I never got it to the point where I felt totally inspired by it, but I did get it to the point where it covered everything it needed to (experience, motivation, why interested in each school) and was well written. In retrospect, I wonder if SOPs are supposed to be inspiring . . . food for thought. Strength of LOR (be honest, describe the process, etc): Probably fine - don't know bc I didn't see them myself. Getting these was probably the most stressful part of the process for me, though. I hate asking people for letters though I know it's a totally reasonable request. Other: Probably going to Geneva next year. Pretty excited! Now, off to putz around the internet for another hour and then head out for a giant cup of coffee and another long work day.

graduate study

Yeah, I also called and they said the same thing. Haven't heard anything else since then. Next week, I guess.

I tried asking them that directly and didn't really get an answer (more a "we can't share this information" type response). I do have a friend who is finishing up with the program right now and I asked her about that and she said that renewal wasn't universal but likely if you have good recommendations from your professors and good grades the first year. Even if it isn't renewed it's still way cheaper than tuition most other places (for an American, anyway).

Well I still haven't gotten it in the mail, but it seems that I bugged them enough through their admissions email that they just scanned it and emailed the documents to me

No possibility of taking a leave of absence from my job for school . . . that would be very nice, given the job market right now. Juliet - thanks for your answer. I guess you're right, why do I need the better experience? I suppose it's pretty much a given that I will get the better experience anyway after grad school (though maybe not . . .). I think it's a bit of a pride thing - just that I've been out of undergrad for a number of years now, and while pretty much everything I've done since graduation has been meaningful and I feel like I've followed a general upward trajectory in the amount of responsibility I've taken on in various positions, part of me wants the validation of a better title as some sort of recognition of my progress. Maybe that's petty, I don't know. In any case, I will probably go with the grad school offer. Just generally feeling unsettled about another move and another big life change, and apprehensive about the future. I guess that's normal.

Anyone gotten their paper package yet? Waiting is no fun . . .

So I applied to grad school this year for a number of reasons, but largely 1) for professional advancement - having that "masters" degree under my belt and 2) because I really do want to have the chance to study my current field (international development/affairs) more in-depth. When I first decided to apply for grad school this year, it seemed as if there might be limited opportunities to move up at my current workplace (which I like), so grad school seemed like a good way to hedge my bets and make sure that I was moving in a general upward direction in terms of building my resume and getting better experience. However, things have been changing a bit lately with the job situation as one coworker recently left unexpectedly and another is planning to leave this summer. I also just got a great financial offer from what was my top choice school. So my current options seem to be: 1) Grad School - got an offer of full tuition waiver and a living stipend for the first year - am not sure how easy it will be to get the offer renewed the second year. I read from someone on this board that at the school in question, it's at least somewhat harder to get the same offer the second year than the first year. I do know someone who is currently finishing up at the program, however, who seems to have gotten her similar offer renewed the second year and who told me it shouldn't be too hard if I have good grades/recommendations from my teachers, etc for the finanical aid application for year 2. - school is abroad in Europe, which has its pluses and its minuses - major advantage is that the program is French/English bilingual so I would have the chance to work intensively on my French (at the same time as I wouldn't feel too much pressure over having to do everything in French that I would if it was only in French and didn't have any coursework in English) and hopefully improve greatly which is a big personal goal and would be good professionally as well. Downside of the international thing is that the school might not have as great a reputation in the US as some other schools and that it's not accreditted by the USG, which could possibly make the job search a little more difficult if I was apply for jobs with the USG later on (this came up because I was reading over a job ad for the government recently that mentioned something about how to get credit for your degree in hiring you either had to have a degree from a school accreditted by the USG or had to have some sort of paperwork stating that your degree was evaluated as equivalent to a US Master's degree (which I imagine is something I might have to pay money to do) - generally, the program looks pretty good and would offer me the chance to study a lot of things that I've wanted to study for a long time. I like the coursework offered. I could potentially see myself going for a Ph.D. at some point if I can decide what subject I would want it in 2) Job - Previously, I was frustrated with my job (with its entry levelishness and unimpressive job title, specifically), but recently I have been feeling like I'm on more of an upward swing. Could see myself being promoted in the next few months-year if I stayed, though I did apply for a promotion recently and was told I was "not ready yet" although in a very nice way with an offer to start giving me more responsibility, which they have been doing. If a promotion was a concrete possibility (which I guess it's not quite yet, since I'm "not ready") it would be incentive to stay. - The job is really a pretty nice deal financially, for my field/level of experience. I feel very comfortable, and settled in to my current location. I have good benefits and the organization I work for does work that I believe in and fits me very well. I kind of dread the job search after grad school, given that it took me nine months of un/underemployment plus two months of work in a job that I reaaalllyy hated before I landed my current position. - If I stayed, I'm not sure what my next course of action would be - I really do want the expertise that comes with a master's degree, so I imagine I would end up going to grad school eventually anyway, although with some better experience on my resume if I got promoted here. I do have the possibility of starting a local grad program part time next fall and working if I want, though I don't feel totally enthusiastic about that. So, hope the novel length of this message doesn't turn you off from answering my question: what do you think, Internet Strangers? Grad School or job?

faced facts

Yeah, I haven't gotten an admission package yet either by mail. Their message to me said to update them by February 21 or something like that, so you would think they would have sent it out already. But then again I'm experiencing a similar delay with some other schools in receiving a physical admissions package. I finally got a response to an email I sent to them about a week ago this morning, so I imagine they're kind of backed up. Usually when I've sent them emails in the past they've responded a bit sooner than this.

Got a full scholarship and I'd really like to go. But I'm waiting to see how some other options play out to make an informed decision.