jeewai

I would contend that at the undergraduate level, the brand name of a school is extremely important because it will significantly help you landing that FIRST job but for those of us who have had time to prove ourselves and accumulated 5-7 years of experience after college, the name of the MA program matters less than the experience we got before the MA especially if we're discussing programs in the Top schools which all have a minute % difference in degree marketaility as MYRNIST put it. That's why at this stage, I've narrowed down my choices to GWU IDS, and Fletcher MALD which are the only 2 schools which offered me scholarships and for which I will be paying the exact amount: $16,000/year So now, folks are telling me that for the same cost of attendance, I will be an idiot to knock off Fletcher (Rose1, yes I'm with you on that) But hold on, I need a sound justification to do so. MALD is more generalist + has smaller class sizes + amazing campus feel + networking among students BUT forget about internships during school year. Elliot IDS is in the heart of DC + great 2nd year capstone project + more focused on IDEV BUT Classes at night (tell me I'm an idiot) absolutely no campus and NO sense of community + students just bounce off to their respective gigs when class is over (tell me I'm an idiot). Voila, still undecided but at least I know that my decision will not rely at all on the school prestige !

Hi Myrnist, I've been accepted as well at GW IDS ($20k) and Fletcher MALD ($20k/year!) but somewhat feel myself leaning towards GWU due to location + alumni network as you put it, even though it's 3 ranks below Fletcher. Also the GWU IDS has a practicum capstone 2nd year project for a consulting company while the MALD just needs you to write your 70 + thesis on the 2nd year. But still, frankly, the more I analyze these 2 offerings, the more I get dizzy. Such a hard choice !!! So my question to you is: would you also consider your full ride at GWU over Fletcher or are you in the same dilemna I'm in ? Just curious.

You guys are awesome, rose1, Charlotte_Asia, Piquant777, washdc, hoggerp etc... Over the last couple of days, I was anxiously waiting for the top dogs decisions, just like you and could see, day after days, your signature profile admitted row getting longer and longer. It's just an amazing feeling to have been accepted to all these prestigious programmes and now have the luxury to actually having to decline a couple Now, as rose1 put it, it's decicion time and it's gonna be a heck of a task, especially given that we've all been admitted to SAIS (I didn't get in IDEV) BUT still have a few weeks wait to know how much they're willing to spend on us. I believe that 1. school fees 2. programme location and 3. relevance to your intended path will be the keys to make an informed decision, and not so much the name, which only serves as an ego booster. At that level of competition, I mean in the top 6 programs, all the names are "brand" names anyway. And that said, I don't believe that SAIS places significantly more students in full time jobs than GWU does. I'm seeking the best IDEV program out there. I don't want to do politics nor learning about security and trade stuff. SAIS without IDEV is like American without SIS :-) Fletcher is a bit of an oddity to me since it's so highly ranked, yet doesn't afford opportunities to intern, work full time in leading int org as would the other DC school. So what is it than so many would kill to be there? just wondering. Congratulation again to the team on this thread ! Rockstar babies !

Just got in Fletcher MALD ($20K/year) and SAIS (with conditional acceptance based on economic prerequisite completion, which means no summer time fun !I) also nothing yet about a fellowship. So still undecided between all my options. Congratulation on all of you, we're a fantastic group on this thread and so much more is ahead of us.

The admission results of WWS have just come out guys ! Refresh your email inbox !!! I'm not in but no nig deal, I wasn't banking too much on that one. Good luck ya all

Congratulations RebmaLS ! It's quite interesting to see a school better ranked than AU, in this case GW, offers you such a nice package while SIS didn't think much of it all. I understand you must be on cloud 9 A few minutes ago, GWU wrote and is willing to afford $20k on me. I'm jealous of you Same with SIS, no funding at all ! So I guess if I don't hear back from SIPA, and SAIS, I will be leaning towards GWU. What do you guys think? I wanna be certain than their IDS program is stronger than SIS -IDEV.

in at Elliot in International Development Studies. Also accepted to SIS - ID program last week ! I can't believe it that i got into 2 top schools in DC. My background is in engineering but I guess through well written SOPs, carefully selected referees, and 6 years of field work experience in Africa (I'm getting old my god :-) it somewhat worked out to my advantage. Now waiting as the rest of you on SIPA and SAIS decisions, both on March 14 which is also my bday no kidding !!!!! Good luck to all.

Just got my acceptance this morning ! I'm in the ID track and so happy about it not just because it's a top 10 program but also because it's allegedly the cheapest of the best ! 25 K/year. Can't wait to meet the cohort of Fall 2012 and delve into the classes. Good luck to all. Jeewai Applied: SAIS, SIS,GWU,SIPA,Tufts, WWS, Heller, HEI, Sciences Po Accepted: SIS RejectedL HEI, Sciences Po