Fletcher School MGA, IHEID, BU Pardee

[MA_humanrights]

Hello Everyone! 
 

I am hoping to get some thoughts on a few grad programs I have been admitted to for International Affairs / Human Rights. I would so appreciate any insights people have! 

Money is a huge factor. I graduated undergrad with no debt, and have about 30k in savings, but I know I don't want to take on a ton of debt since non-profit work isn't particularly lucrative. I also assume about 12k / year will be needed for housing.

My options:

-Fletcher / Tufts, MGA ($9k scholarship) full program cost is ~80k 

-BU Pardee, MAIA ($24k scholarship - waiting to find out about a full tuition FLAS scholarship) full program cost is ~105k

-Middlebury Institute, MIPD ($40k scholarship) full program cost is ~85k

- University of Minnesota, MA Human Rights (waiting on FA offer)

-Korbel School, MA Intl Human Rights ($16k scholarship)

-IHEID, MA in Development Studies (no scholarship) full program cost is only ~18k

Waiting on McGill and Northeastern.

I was wondering what people have heard about the MGA program at Fletcher? I know it is a first-year program, but at the moment it is my top choice. It is much more affordable than the MALD (although still SO expensive) and allows you to focus deeply on one specialization rather than studying 2 specializations less in-depth. I applied to the program as a full-time student, but am hoping to switch my status to part-time to make it more financially viable. I am slightly nervous about one aspect, which is that parts of Fletcher's alumni community publicly posted about their outrage of the creation of the MGA program, as they saw it as "cheapening" their MALD degrees. I see it as expanding accessibility, but I'm not sure how this could impact my relationships / job prospects with the alumni community, which is one of Fletcher's big draws. 

Finally, does anyone have any advice on appealing financial aid offers? I really love fletcher, but I don't know if its worth taking out a 50k loan for this program, if I'm not able to work part-time throughout.

Thank you so much for any insights you have!

[d2ear]

If money is a huge factor, you should go with the one that costs the least. While I love Fletcher, I don't think it's worth being in debt as the ROI for non-profit is simply too low. Same goes with other top programs, SAIS, SIPA, Georgetown..etc

[Emrada]

Hi fellow Fletcher and BU Pardee admit friend! I'm on an info session for Fletcher right now...feel like it might be a tough choice between Fletcher MGA and BU MGP. Interested in continuing to chat about your thoughts on these two!

[amccaff]

What did you decide to do ? I am also considering the MGA as top choice for next year and am curious to what your current take is on MALD students and larger community's reaction to the MGA is.

[wildzeuschase]

Hi! Curious if you landed at Fletcher or IHEID? I am choosing between the two right now and would love to hear where you ended up and your thoughts on the program.

[neeto]

On 3/21/2023 at 10:44 AM, wildzeuschase said:

Hi! Curious if you landed at Fletcher or IHEID? I am choosing between the two right now and would love to hear where you ended up and your thoughts on the program.

Hi! Not OP but I had to choose between Fletcher and IHEID last year. I went with Fletcher's MALD because they allowed me to defer through the MYFP program, but I also preferred their program for a few other unrelated reasons related to my career end goals.

[GradSchoolGrad]

On 3/16/2021 at 8:18 PM, MA_humanrights said:

 

Hello Everyone! 
 

I am hoping to get some thoughts on a few grad programs I have been admitted to for International Affairs / Human Rights. I would so appreciate any insights people have! 

Money is a huge factor. I graduated undergrad with no debt, and have about 30k in savings, but I know I don't want to take on a ton of debt since non-profit work isn't particularly lucrative. I also assume about 12k / year will be needed for housing.

My options:

-Fletcher / Tufts, MGA ($9k scholarship) full program cost is ~80k 

-BU Pardee, MAIA ($24k scholarship - waiting to find out about a full tuition FLAS scholarship) full program cost is ~105k

-Middlebury Institute, MIPD ($40k scholarship) full program cost is ~85k

- University of Minnesota, MA Human Rights (waiting on FA offer)

-Korbel School, MA Intl Human Rights ($16k scholarship)

-IHEID, MA in Development Studies (no scholarship) full program cost is only ~18k

Waiting on McGill and Northeastern.

I was wondering what people have heard about the MGA program at Fletcher? I know it is a first-year program, but at the moment it is my top choice. It is much more affordable than the MALD (although still SO expensive) and allows you to focus deeply on one specialization rather than studying 2 specializations less in-depth. I applied to the program as a full-time student, but am hoping to switch my status to part-time to make it more financially viable. I am slightly nervous about one aspect, which is that parts of Fletcher's alumni community publicly posted about their outrage of the creation of the MGA program, as they saw it as "cheapening" their MALD degrees. I see it as expanding accessibility, but I'm not sure how this could impact my relationships / job prospects with the alumni community, which is one of Fletcher's big draws. 

Finally, does anyone have any advice on appealing financial aid offers? I really love fletcher, but I don't know if its worth taking out a 50k loan for this program, if I'm not able to work part-time throughout.

Thank you so much for any insights you have!

Fletcher MALD already has issues with awareness outside of IR. MGA is a joke since it is money grab for Tufts to get more grad school profits. No one in the real world has heard of MGA and those who do know Tufts isn’t equipped to give a competitive business education.

[d2ear]

On 3/28/2023 at 12:48 AM, GradSchoolGrad said:

Fletcher MALD already has issues with awareness outside of IR. MGA is a joke since it is money grab for Tufts to get more grad school profits. No one in the real world has heard of MGA and those who do know Tufts isn’t equipped to give a competitive business education.

Those familiar with Fletcher are aware of its reputation in the field of international relations. It's unnecessary to debate the merits of the program outside of this context, as those who attend Fletcher typically have an interest in IR. Even if students decide to pursue opportunities beyond IR, Tufts is an excellent institution overall. It's important to note that many master's programs, which are not fully funded, may be seen as a "money grab". Additionally, it appears that you may be referring to the MIB program, rather than MGA, as you mention business education. It's important to recognize that business and economics are distinct fields, and Tufts has a strong economics program. While the MIB program is not an MBA, it has its own unique niche which leverages its international relations component. Ultimately, all programs have a mix of individuals with varying levels of intelligence, but overall, Fletcher attracts many intelligent and kind individuals.

[d2ear]

On 3/20/2023 at 9:44 PM, wildzeuschase said:

Hi! Curious if you landed at Fletcher or IHEID? I am choosing between the two right now and would love to hear where you ended up and your thoughts on the program.

Your choice between IHEID and Fletcher should depend on your desired career path. IHEID's proximity to international organizations offers more internship opportunities in this field, but personally, I believe the quality of education in the US is superior. However, a potential compromise could be the exchange program between IHEID and Fletcher.