Columbia SIPA vs. Georgetown SFS- IR Master's

[Noatann]

Hello all! 

I got my final grad school results today, and I feel so lucky to have two amazing options. I applied to nine programs, got accepted to eight, and received merit aid/fellowship offers from seven. Of those seven, I narrowed my list down to two: International Affairs at Columbia SIPA, or Security Studies at Georgetown SFS. 

Please help me choose! Any input helps. Here are my considerations so far:

1. Money: Columbia has offered $99,000, and Georgetown has offered $20,000. That translates to about 70% of the cost of Columbia ($130k) and 25% of the cost of Georgetown ($80k). Both schools estimate indirect costs at about $25k per year, but the cost of living in NYC tends to be somewhat higher than DC. I have no debt, and around $70k in college savings (thank you, National Merit Scholarship), so either way I have enough to attend without incurring debt, but it seems like Columbia is the better deal financially. 

2. Academics: both programs have similar course requirements, as I would be choosing the International Security concentration at either university. Both have incredible faculty. At Georgetown, I could learn directly from practitioners like Madeleine Albright, Chuck Hagel, and other distinguished and well-known figures. Foreign Policy ranks Georgetown's IR Master's programs #1 for a reason! But at Columbia, faculty are more research-focused and well-known in their academic fields rather than in the public eye. Foreign Policy ranks Columbia fifth for Master's programs, but for PhDs, Columbia is fourth and Georgetown is down at #11. If I want to continue my studies either immediately or after getting some international career experience, Columbia might be the better choice. But Georgetown is #1 for getting folks into the Foreign Service, which is where I want to be. 

3. Connections: I would make great peer, faculty, and internship connections at either university, they would just be different. In terms of peers, international students make up 50% of SIPA, but only 5% of SSP at Georgetown. However, SSP can be taken part-time while MIA is full-time, so SSP students cover a wider range of ages and career stages, including many veterans and former/current members of the US National Security apparatus. When it comes to faculty, Georgetown professors might help me find jobs in DC/US government more easily, but Columbia professors could help me get published, or get jobs in NY/international orgs. Finally, for internships, it's hard to beat DC's options of Capitol Hill, think tanks, and government agencies. But NYC has the UN, which would be a dream come true to intern for, as well as many other international orgs, multinational companies, and NGOs.

4. Personal and career goals: as mentioned above, I've dreamed of becoming a US foreign service officer for several years now. My plan has gone like this: 1) undergrad at cheap state school (check), 2) intern with orgs in DC (double check), 3) Fulbright grant abroad (check), 4) Master's at a prestigious school, 5) take the FSOT and start my career as a diplomat. Since I settled on these goals, Georgetown has been my dream school. But before any of this, as a kid growing up in Indiana, I dreamed of living in NYC and attending an Ivy League school, and Columbia was my perfect combination. So now I'm picking between a new dream and an old one- a privileged position, I know. 

5. Research focus: I want to work at the intersection of security and environmental policy. Yes, I want to travel the world and be a diplomat, but I think environmental security is so fascinating and relevant to all the international problems I want to deal with. Water, natural resources, clean energy, pollution, biodiversity, sustainable development- viewing these issues through the lens of security makes people listen to environmentalists! I want to contribute to research that matters to policymakers, that gets turned into policy decisions that matter to everyone. At Georgetown, I'd be starting from a US National Security perspective and working outward towards other places and people. At Columbia, I'd be closer to academia and international orgs, but further from US policy. I might also be able to branch out a little bit more at Columbia, as the International Affairs degree is more general in outlook than Georgetown's more specific Security Studies. 

If you've read this whole essay, thank you already! Please comment with your input or well-wishes if you have the time.

Thanks again,

Noa

Edited March 17, 2021 by Noatann
Typos

[livtan923]

Hello! I'm faced with the exact same choices as you too. It might boil down to career destination. I am intending in a security/IO career so SIPA makes more sense for me, but because GT has such a strong connection to the USGov, it might be a better option for you? PS. Did your financial aid offers come in with your decision letters? I don't think I received mine yet...

[GradSchoolGrad]

On 3/16/2021 at 8:56 PM, Noatann said:

Hello all! 

I got my final grad school results today, and I feel so lucky to have two amazing options. I applied to nine programs, got accepted to eight, and received merit aid/fellowship offers from seven. Of those seven, I narrowed my list down to two: International Affairs at Columbia SIPA, or Security Studies at Georgetown SFS. 

Please help me choose! Any input helps. Here are my considerations so far:

1. Money: Columbia has offered $99,000, and Georgetown has offered $20,000. That translates to about 70% of the cost of Columbia ($130k) and 25% of the cost of Georgetown ($80k). Both schools estimate indirect costs at about $25k per year, but the cost of living in NYC tends to be somewhat higher than DC. I have no debt, and around $70k in college savings (thank you, National Merit Scholarship), so either way I have enough to attend without incurring debt, but it seems like Columbia is the better deal financially. 

2. Academics: both programs have similar course requirements, as I would be choosing the International Security concentration at either university. Both have incredible faculty. At Georgetown, I could learn directly from practitioners like Madeleine Albright, Chuck Hagel, and other distinguished and well-known figures. Foreign Policy ranks Georgetown's IR Master's programs #1 for a reason! But at Columbia, faculty are more research-focused and well-known in their academic fields rather than in the public eye. Foreign Policy ranks Columbia fifth for Master's programs, but for PhDs, Columbia is fourth and Georgetown is down at #11. If I want to continue my studies either immediately or after getting some international career experience, Columbia might be the better choice. But Georgetown is #1 for getting folks into the Foreign Service, which is where I want to be. 

3. Connections: I would make great peer, faculty, and internship connections at either university, they would just be different. In terms of peers, international students make up 50% of SIPA, but only 5% of SSP at Georgetown. However, SSP can be taken part-time while MIA is full-time, so SSP students cover a wider range of ages and career stages, including many veterans and former/current members of the US National Security apparatus. When it comes to faculty, Georgetown professors might help me find jobs in DC/US government more easily, but Columbia professors could help me get published, or get jobs in NY/international orgs. Finally, for internships, it's hard to beat DC's options of Capitol Hill, think tanks, and government agencies. But NYC has the UN, which would be a dream come true to intern for, as well as many other international orgs, multinational companies, and NGOs.

4. Personal and career goals: as mentioned above, I've dreamed of becoming a US foreign service officer for several years now. My plan has gone like this: 1) undergrad at cheap state school (check), 2) intern with orgs in DC (double check), 3) Fulbright grant abroad (check), 4) Master's at a prestigious school, 5) take the FSOT and start my career as a diplomat. Since I settled on these goals, Georgetown has been my dream school. But before any of this, as a kid growing up in Indiana, I dreamed of living in NYC and attending an Ivy League school, and Columbia was my perfect combination. So now I'm picking between a new dream and an old one- a privileged position, I know. 

5. Research focus: I want to work at the intersection of security and environmental policy. Yes, I want to travel the world and be a diplomat, but I think environmental security is so fascinating and relevant to all the international problems I want to deal with. Water, natural resources, clean energy, pollution, biodiversity, sustainable development- viewing these issues through the lens of security makes people listen to environmentalists! I want to contribute to research that matters to policymakers, that gets turned into policy decisions that matter to everyone. At Georgetown, I'd be starting from a US National Security perspective and working outward towards other places and people. At Columbia, I'd be closer to academia and international orgs, but further from US policy. I might also be able to branch out a little bit more at Columbia, as the International Affairs degree is more general in outlook than Georgetown's more specific Security Studies. 

If you've read this whole essay, thank you already! Please comment with your input or well-wishes if you have the time.

Thanks again,

Noa

You got money from SIPA - just go with it. At the end of the day the differences from the top schools in terms of outcomes potential ranges from marginal to minor. And in any event it isn't worth the $79K difference. I know people in SIPA who got MSFS/SSP jobs and vice versa. 

The only possible reason for you to not go to SIPA is if you think that SIPA's not so great community vibrancy will utterly crush your capability to perform in grad school. Hopefully that is not the case. 

[GradSchoolGrad]

On 3/16/2021 at 11:42 PM, livtan923 said:

Hello! I'm faced with the exact same choices as you too. It might boil down to career destination. I am intending in a security/IO career so SIPA makes more sense for me, but because GT has such a strong connection to the USGov, it might be a better option for you? PS. Did your financial aid offers come in with your decision letters? I don't think I received mine yet...

Do you have the same funding situation? You interests in security & IO are decently different (depending on which IO of course). Which do you care about more?

[doe123]

wow! I got accepted to SIPA but got nowhere near that amount of funding! Good job! i got work-study and unsubsidized loans . I would say take the SIPA. They're covering so much of the tuition and you wont have to go into unnecessary debt taking on loans. SIPA is still a great school even if working for govt.  In terms of prestige, both are very similar and NY is still a global hub so its not like there aren't any opportunities there. 

[livtan923]

5 hours ago, GradSchoolGrad said:

Do you have the same funding situation? You interests in security & IO are decently different (depending on which IO of course). Which do you care about more?

I ended up not getting funding and will be turning both down. I care more about security in part because it’s easier to jump into IO at a more established stage in my career than security. 

I’ll apply again next year with a years work worth of savings and hopefully more aid. 

[ivygrad8]

On 3/16/2021 at 8:56 PM, Noatann said:

Hello all! 

I got my final grad school results today, and I feel so lucky to have two amazing options. I applied to nine programs, got accepted to eight, and received merit aid/fellowship offers from seven. Of those seven, I narrowed my list down to two: International Affairs at Columbia SIPA, or Security Studies at Georgetown SFS. 

Please help me choose! Any input helps. Here are my considerations so far:

1. Money: Columbia has offered $99,000, and Georgetown has offered $20,000. That translates to about 70% of the cost of Columbia ($130k) and 25% of the cost of Georgetown ($80k). Both schools estimate indirect costs at about $25k per year, but the cost of living in NYC tends to be somewhat higher than DC. I have no debt, and around $70k in college savings (thank you, National Merit Scholarship), so either way I have enough to attend without incurring debt, but it seems like Columbia is the better deal financially. 

2. Academics: both programs have similar course requirements, as I would be choosing the International Security concentration at either university. Both have incredible faculty. At Georgetown, I could learn directly from practitioners like Madeleine Albright, Chuck Hagel, and other distinguished and well-known figures. Foreign Policy ranks Georgetown's IR Master's programs #1 for a reason! But at Columbia, faculty are more research-focused and well-known in their academic fields rather than in the public eye. Foreign Policy ranks Columbia fifth for Master's programs, but for PhDs, Columbia is fourth and Georgetown is down at #11. If I want to continue my studies either immediately or after getting some international career experience, Columbia might be the better choice. But Georgetown is #1 for getting folks into the Foreign Service, which is where I want to be. 

3. Connections: I would make great peer, faculty, and internship connections at either university, they would just be different. In terms of peers, international students make up 50% of SIPA, but only 5% of SSP at Georgetown. However, SSP can be taken part-time while MIA is full-time, so SSP students cover a wider range of ages and career stages, including many veterans and former/current members of the US National Security apparatus. When it comes to faculty, Georgetown professors might help me find jobs in DC/US government more easily, but Columbia professors could help me get published, or get jobs in NY/international orgs. Finally, for internships, it's hard to beat DC's options of Capitol Hill, think tanks, and government agencies. But NYC has the UN, which would be a dream come true to intern for, as well as many other international orgs, multinational companies, and NGOs.

4. Personal and career goals: as mentioned above, I've dreamed of becoming a US foreign service officer for several years now. My plan has gone like this: 1) undergrad at cheap state school (check), 2) intern with orgs in DC (double check), 3) Fulbright grant abroad (check), 4) Master's at a prestigious school, 5) take the FSOT and start my career as a diplomat. Since I settled on these goals, Georgetown has been my dream school. But before any of this, as a kid growing up in Indiana, I dreamed of living in NYC and attending an Ivy League school, and Columbia was my perfect combination. So now I'm picking between a new dream and an old one- a privileged position, I know. 

5. Research focus: I want to work at the intersection of security and environmental policy. Yes, I want to travel the world and be a diplomat, but I think environmental security is so fascinating and relevant to all the international problems I want to deal with. Water, natural resources, clean energy, pollution, biodiversity, sustainable development- viewing these issues through the lens of security makes people listen to environmentalists! I want to contribute to research that matters to policymakers, that gets turned into policy decisions that matter to everyone. At Georgetown, I'd be starting from a US National Security perspective and working outward towards other places and people. At Columbia, I'd be closer to academia and international orgs, but further from US policy. I might also be able to branch out a little bit more at Columbia, as the International Affairs degree is more general in outlook than Georgetown's more specific Security Studies. 

If you've read this whole essay, thank you already! Please comment with your input or well-wishes if you have the time.

Thanks again,

Noa

If you want to be in the international security field, I would definitely go with SFS! Columbia's program has more of a broad human rights/refugee focus, which is great, but SFS has entire degree directed towards security studies. If you are more interested in working at the UN, then SIPA would be a better option. But if you are looking for a career at an international agency/security, you definitely want to be in DC. Aside from the UN, NYC does not really compare to IR/security opportunities.

Also, if you are looking for something in development, Georgetown has a concentration for that, and they also provide an option to form your own curriculum as long you take the required economics/stats/general IR/language classes.

Last note: don't obsess over the "Ivy tag" lmaooo. As a Yale graduate myself (went there for undergrad), I have no problem stating that Georgetown SFS is overall better program than Columbia SIPA. Although it was difficult for me to turn down Harvard Kennedy for Georgetown SFS, I'm glad I went to the SFS. Became a foreign service officer and now I work at an investment firm in DC, focusing in the Aerospace & technology industry (no, not just investing in military stuff!). Took the Global Finance track at SFS.

Let me know if you have any questions...feel free to reach out!!!:)

Edited May 23, 2021 by ivygrad8