SIS or Marquette? Advice Urgently Needed!

[Rach8340]

Hello everyone! I'm in the midst of a critical decision, one I'm sure many of you have faced, and I would appreciate any insight or thoughts. I was recently admitted to SIS at American (Intl Politics) from the waitlist, wonderful, but I have only until this Thursday to make the decision. Until now I was seriously considering Marquette University's Intl Affairs program. For anyone unfamiliar with MU, it's located in Milwaukee, WI, admits a small incoming class of approx. 15 and does not grant PhD's. Cost is on MU's side (25k/2yrs) vs. American (50k/2yrs), but the latter has the prime location for studying anything related to IR. It's tricky because cost and location are both huge factors (no financial aid minus federal grants) but I'm not sure which should outweigh the other. Help please!

[2400]

I did my MA in DC and can say that if you are studying something international, it is a great place to live. I managed to get internships and work experience that would not have been possible if I had lived anywhere else. I was also able to get more scholarships and grants after I started and ended up paying for just two of my classes. I have friends and coworkers that went to AU and I haven't heard anything negative. I think they offer a lot of evening courses, so it could be possible to work and do your MA part time in order to reduce debt.

It sounds like Marquette is much more affordable though. You could always do internships in DC in the summer to get experience and make contacts. The state department has several summer programs and most of the international organizations offer summer internships and contract positions. Graduating with half the debt could make life a lot easier after you finish school. Do you like Marquette? Would you be happy going there? If so, then do it. However, if you are set on AU, then you just need to decide if the experience is going to be worth the debt.

[Rach8340]

I did my MA in DC and can say that if you are studying something international, it is a great place to live. I managed to get internships and work experience that would not have been possible if I had lived anywhere else. I was also able to get more scholarships and grants after I started and ended up paying for just two of my classes. I have friends and coworkers that went to AU and I haven't heard anything negative. I think they offer a lot of evening courses, so it could be possible to work and do your MA part time in order to reduce debt.

It sounds like Marquette is much more affordable though. You could always do internships in DC in the summer to get experience and make contacts. The state department has several summer programs and most of the international organizations offer summer internships and contract positions. Graduating with half the debt could make life a lot easier after you finish school. Do you like Marquette? Would you be happy going there? If so, then do it. However, if you are set on AU, then you just need to decide if the experience is going to be worth the debt.

Thanks for your response! Most people I've asked have really emphasized that D.C. is ideal for studying Intl Affairs, especially compared to a school in the mid-west. I'm thinking that the prospect of internships and work experiences to be had in D.C. outweighs the cost factors of attending Marquette. Thanks again for your thoughts!

[IRGradFall2010]

I think you made the right call there. Getting a job during the summer will harder at that other school and you have factor in the fact that you would need to move back and forth to DC for 2 summers to be as competitive as an SIS grad after graduation. To work in the field you will need to move to DC or NYC or abroad again after graduating. That can eat up your tuition savings reallllly fast.

Thanks for your response! Most people I've asked have really emphasized that D.C. is ideal for studying Intl Affairs, especially compared to a school in the mid-west. I'm thinking that the prospect of internships and work experiences to be had in D.C. outweighs the cost factors of attending Marquette. Thanks again for your thoughts!