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nickel

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Everything posted by nickel

  1. Did you have to request it or did they include it in your funding package?
  2. Previous Schools: Michigan State University Previous Degrees and GPAs: BA in Marketing, 3.35 GPA GRE Scores: 165 Verbal / 158 Quant / 4.5 Writing Previous Work Experience: 5 years in Advertising/Digital Marketing/Branding (all in the US) Math/Econ Background: Micro/Macro Econ, International Econ, Finance, Statistics, Accounting Foreign Language Background: Not much, one semester of French at a community college and Rosetta Stone/ThinkFrench/etc. Intended Field of Study in Grad School: International Development Studies Long Term Professional Goals: Work with entrepreneurs in developing areas to help them grow their businesses strategically and responsibly. Leaning toward private sector solutions but not totally sure. Schools Applied to & Results: GWU Elliott (accepted), Korbel (accepted), American SIS (accepted), Tufts Fletcher (accepted), Columbia SIPA (rejected). Ultimate Decision & Why: GWU Elliott for a number of reasons. I really like the curriculum and ability to tailor it specifically to my objectives and needs. The location is also a strong draw, even for someone not totally interested in the public sector or non-profits because I still think a great internship at one of the many institutions in DC would help build my experience and understanding of the field. Funding was also a big factor for obvious reasons but it wasn't the best offer I received; from an ROI standpoint, Elliott made the most sense to me. And, finally, the personal attention and communications I received from the school impressed me more than others (that's the marketer in me). I believe that attention to detail and personalization is important and definitely helped make my decision. Advice for Future Applicants: It's been said before but I'll say it again: Don't feel intimidated by some of the posters in this or other forums. Some people knew exactly what they wanted in high school but it took some of us a few years in an unrelated industry to realize what we wanted out of our career. I, for example, thought my career would be all ad agencies. So I had to bust my ass to pull together a relevant application for a field I had no professional experience in (but I did have some relevant preparation because of my business background). That shouldn't dissuade you from applying to programs that interest you. Make sure you think long and hard about what you want to do in your future, and then think about it some more. Write it down. Get the wording perfect so it communicates exactly what you want to say in one sentence. Talk to friends about it and let them poke holes in it until you have a refined, focused objective. Make sure you know exactly what you want in a career because then you can articulate that to a school and tell them why their program is right for you and why you are right for their program. It'll help you focus as you gather your application materials and write your essays. It will also motivate you to keep going when you feel burnt out.
  3. I appreciate the information but even Amazon is priced a bit over some competitors.
  4. I would say if you can take it again, do it. I applied to similar programs in IR (more economics focused) and most of them allow you to "mix and match". You have to submit all GRE scores but they only take the highest scores from each section. But make sure to check with the programs you are interested in (most have it listed on their admissions website).
  5. Great point, I didn't think of that. Yeah, definitely looking for used books to bring the price down. Guess I need to brush up on my economics, simple supply and demand! I was focused more on the demand side of things...
  6. So, I've made my decision and accepted my offer to start grad school in August. Now I've officially changed gears from application season to preparing to switch back to student life (daunting!). I started looking into courses I want to take and started thinking about books. One of the courses I know I will have to take (it is a first semester requirement for anyone in the program) already has its book list published online for the Fall 2013 semester. Does anyone know if it is too early to start buying books? I want to make sure I get the best deals before some of these places/people run out of stock and I'm stuck purchasing from the campus bookstore at exorbitant prices. Is it safe to assume that the book list is finalized? I checked a few other courses and they haven't published their book lists yet.
  7. Curriculum (fit and focus), faculty (not just prestige but also the breadth of experience and diversity of backgrounds), career services/alumni network, class and school size, funding, and location. Not necessarily in order, but I tried to be as honest with myself as possible based on those criteria. I think everyone gives each a different weight so it's difficult to say which are more important. I also think many applicants overlook one important factor and that is the school's enthusiasm in them. There has been one school for me that has reached out and I appreciate the personal touch (not just having current and former students send emails and it also wasn't the school that gave me the most funding either). It's a tough decision but you'll do well no matter what. When you have it down to 2 choices just flip a coin. You'll know which is your first choice before it lands. Good luck!
  8. I think a lot of people say that the GW campus is in a better location because the AU campus is a bit further away from some of the action. But whether that "bit" is a big difference depends on the person, I think. When it comes to having a job during graduate school or attending on-campus events some people would rather choose GW for the convenience (obviously depending on where they live).
  9. Decisions, decisions.

  10. Do you have offers from any other schools? Either with funding or at schools with lower tuitions? If I were in your situation I would reach out to someone either on the AdCom or someone who has contacted you as a liaison and just explain your situation. Obviously you really want to attend their program, otherwise you wouldn't have jumped the gun. Explain that you really do want to attend but given the costs it might be difficult. Be polite and honest, I think that goes a long way (they deal with students asking for more funding all the time and can probably read through any "bluffs"). Ask if there are any opportunities for additional funding or if you could be reconsidered for fellowships. It's worth asking.
  11. Even if there is fellowship information on your acceptance letter, it is still possible to ask for/get additional funding. As I'm still in the process of deciding which offer to accept I can only offer my two cents (take it for what it's worth), but you might want to wait until you see what kind of package you get. If it really is your dream school (which it sounds like this is the case), but you have more financially-compelling offers from others, they might be willing to work with you to ensure you can enroll there.
  12. Thanks, I had a feeling I missed the boat on many of the opportunities. Wish I would have known to start early. I do plan on reaching out to the school's career center once I've accepted.
  13. Congrats on successful negotiations! I agree with your advice - laying it all out on paper helps. Some schools ask for copies of all of your scholarship offers along with a letter highlighting why you are asking for increased funding. Usually you can just reach out to the person who contacted you from the Admissions department (of your school). If they are not the person to contact they will put you in touch.
  14. So, I've heard back from all of my schools and am now in the decision-making process, which is more difficult than I expected! Hopefully everyone else had great results this admissions cycle, as well. I received some pretty decent funding from my top schools but am now looking for more external scholarships to increase my funding. I've been looking all over but am wondering if there is a database/website that you use to find relevant scholarships? Any help would be appreciated.
  15. I don't think it will hurt you if you make a note saying that you made a mistake. I think it would do more damage to act like it wasn't a mistake, especially when you specifically call out your topic of interest in your SOP. That would make it seem like you were contradicting yourself and you weren't really sure what you want to do. I really can't imagine an AdComm knocking points off a qualified candidate for a simple "mis-click". If you are still unsure, I would email the Admissions Committee directly (I'm assuming the grad coordinator is not part of the AdComm team, but could be wrong), letting them know of your mistake and confirming that they want you to add a note to your SOP.
  16. How did the application process go? I'm applying also, only not for the early notification (obviously). Any last minute hurdles? Good luck!
  17. You'd be surprised how much easier the GREs become after a few tries. I was pretty satisfied with my GRE scores after the first attempt but decided to see if I could boost my quant scores (and was successful). Obviously no one wants to throw away $170 for the testing fee, but in the grand scheme of things it is a small price to pay (especially since it can help get you funding). Not sure the earliest you could retake the test, but you might not need to study as much as you think (my personal experience, but make your own judgements). Some schools (SIPA for one, I believe) ask you to self-report your scores for the application and only ask for your official scores if you decided to attend. So then you wouldn't have to worry about any delays in the scores being sent. Something to consider, at least.
  18. I don't know that anyone can really tell you if your GPA "precludes" you from admission to some of the higher programs. You have a strong background with relevant work experience, as well as a pretty damn good reason for letting your grades slip. Like you mentioned, just mention the reason your grades slipped and they should factor that in. But just don't let that define you. Focus the story on your strengths and why you are a good candidate for the program. I'm obviously an applicant myself, so take it for what it's worth.
  19. Chipping away at applications...

  20. It sounds to me like you have some relevant work experience. It's all about how you tell your story. What experience have you gained that will help you in a career of Foreign Service? How can you apply your background to add something to the program and to the others students? I think you could probably be a competitive candidate for many master's programs, assuming you have a good undergraduate record and can get decent GRE scores. I wouldn't sell yourself short.
  21. Someone with Eliot Rosewater as a screen name should be a great writer! It's hard to say how much weight adcomms give the AW score (at least for me, an applicant). It likely varies between school and candidate. While you could retake the GRE and try to boost that score, it's important to remember that it is just one part of the application. They'll likely get a better idea of your writing skills from your SoP and any other required essays, so make sure you take the time to do your best writing there. Assuming your deadlines are in January, you'll still have time to retake the GRE after finishing your essays (another assumption I'm making is that you still have work to do on your essays). Anyway, take it for what it's worth. But from what I've heard of adcomms, the SoP is a crucial differentiator.
  22. I had one of my undergrad professors look at my resume and he said to beef it up (it was a professional resume rather than a CV). While he encouraged me to add more details about my professional experience, he also said it would be helpful to highlight relevant courses from undergrad and expand on them a bit. Not only does it add depth to the CV but it also allows you to demonstrate exactly how your previous coursework ties into the master's program you are applying to. Sorry, don't know any online resume review services. But if you have access to your alma mater's career services center, you could look there for help.
  23. I'm applying to 5 (Tufts, GWU, American, Columbia, Denver). I had a few other schools but, like ridofme noted, I was pretty certain I wouldn't attend those if I was accepted. In the long run, another $100 application fee is peanuts compared to tuition. Still, $100 is a lot of money. My advice is to think about the schools that you are applying to and if you would attend if accepted. If you wouldn't, then there's no reason to apply. But if you want to have some "safety" schools (or even shoot for the stars), I say go for it. Just skip that Starbucks coffee for a few months and brew it at home...
  24. I've worked on a client's global business account in my current position (located in the US), but I don't have any experience working abroad. The closest international experience I have is travel. But I'm more interested in recommended reading from people who are in the field, in grad programs or graduated from undergrad programs in Int'l Dev.
  25. Now that I've taken the GRE (155Q, 166V, 4.5AW), I'm getting more serious about writing my SOPs. I don't have an international background (BA in Marketing), so I'm wondering if anyone has any advice for a little background reading. I'm focusing on one school at a time and I know I need to talk about some specific items in the curriculum that I think will help me, as well as particular professors that I would like to learn from. I've started reading some of their published articles, etc., but am wondering if there are any Int'l Dev books or publications I should read. Feel like a bit of an laggard compared to some of the others on this post because of my background, so just trying to get up to speed a bit. Thanks.
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