Seeking Advice About Studying in D.C and Choosing a Program

[SilkCat]

Hello,

Since a lot of you appear knowledgeable about government jobs and the educational opportunities in Washington D.C, I am hoping you can help me with my graduate school dilemma. 

I am in my late 20s and I am looking to pivot into a career field involving regional expertise of Russia and Eastern Europe. I'd like to work in the IC (particularly DIA) in the future, but I'm open to other public service positions that would allow me to use my language skills and regional understanding. I will provide some background about myself to further explain my situation:

I am an immigrant from Eastern Europe (though a U.S citizen for some time now) who attended Yale for undergrad. I studied psychology and chemistry, though I have some poor grades from math classes and engineering due to some unfortunate circumstances and general lack of direction. I won't waste your time making excuses for myself. I took some language courses during undergrad, including Russian, and dabbled ever so slightly with regional studies at the end of my degree. I would have majored in Eastern European studies or something similar had I discovered this earlier. After graduation I took some time off and then started to work in various random jobs to gain experience.

Unfortunately, doing something completely unrelated to my major after graduation (even from a prestigious school) proved to be impossible. I did some unpaid internships where I could; lived, traveled and interned in the region for a few years. The more time that passed after graduation the more difficult it has become to get my foot in the door. Applying to jobs on USAJOBS proved unfruitful (not sure if that's just me or if that's a universal experience for entry level positions). I figured going back to school for a master's degree, building on my language skills and doing internships would be the best way to find opportunities.

My priorities, in terms of employment, is to do something I am interested in and find meaningful. I strongly believe that making enough money to live comfortably is plenty, and beyond that I really value the nature of the work rather than salary. My parents also taught me to avoid debt, which I've done successfully so far, and I really want to avoid that at all costs going forward. As such, I'm very hesitant to take out huge loans to afford graduate school especially considering the living costs in most urban areas. 

I applied this cycle to a variety of regional programs. I have been admitted to the European and Eurasian Studies Master of Arts at GW's Elliott (no funding), and at AU SIS Comparative & Regional Studies (about 50% scholarship). Still waiting to hear back from a few other programs, and have been rejected from Harvard already. I did my undergrad at a prestigious school, and for me the glitter and idealization of elite universities has worn off. Not because they aren't great, but because I don't think the name gets you everywhere nor matters too much outside of academia / finance / consulting. Correct me if I'm mistaken and it matters a lot for government / IR jobs. 

My questions are:

1. How is the AU program for my goals? Does anyone have experience with it?
2. Should I take AU's offer? Through part time work and internships it would be financially feasible to not come out with significant debt.
3. Should I consider reapplying to regional programs outside of D.C and add-on programs that have FLAS funding, and try again next year? It's possible I have more luck with additional experience, and get more funding at a different institution.
4. How important is it being in D.C for securing a government position? How important is the "brand name" of the institution?

I know that master's degrees aren't generally funded, at least not fully, and I am grateful to have gotten a fairly generous offer from AU. I don't know enough about D.C life to evaluate how it is perceived by employers, I just tried to cast a wide net when applying because of my strange background. I also wonder if I should continue to build on my profile and try again next year, and cast an even wider net, to get more funding of get into a more prestigious program. In truth, I feel old. I've spoken to people applying to these kinds of programs and they're often right out of undergrad, and I still feel behind them in accomplishments. I kick myself for not having a sense of direction in undergrad and squandering an ivy league education, but I know I can't fix the past and I also can't spend the next decade(s) crying about it. So, I am trying to figure out the best way to move forward and I would greatly appreciate any advice from this community.

Thank you so much in advance!!! 

[jtn_11]

no. 

 

 

[GradSchoolGrad]

On 3/5/2022 at 12:49 AM, SilkCat said:

Hello,

Since a lot of you appear knowledgeable about government jobs and the educational opportunities in Washington D.C, I am hoping you can help me with my graduate school dilemma. 

I am in my late 20s and I am looking to pivot into a career field involving regional expertise of Russia and Eastern Europe. I'd like to work in the IC (particularly DIA) in the future, but I'm open to other public service positions that would allow me to use my language skills and regional understanding. I will provide some background about myself to further explain my situation:

I am an immigrant from Eastern Europe (though a U.S citizen for some time now) who attended Yale for undergrad. I studied psychology and chemistry, though I have some poor grades from math classes and engineering due to some unfortunate circumstances and general lack of direction. I won't waste your time making excuses for myself. I took some language courses during undergrad, including Russian, and dabbled ever so slightly with regional studies at the end of my degree. I would have majored in Eastern European studies or something similar had I discovered this earlier. After graduation I took some time off and then started to work in various random jobs to gain experience.

Unfortunately, doing something completely unrelated to my major after graduation (even from a prestigious school) proved to be impossible. I did some unpaid internships where I could; lived, traveled and interned in the region for a few years. The more time that passed after graduation the more difficult it has become to get my foot in the door. Applying to jobs on USAJOBS proved unfruitful (not sure if that's just me or if that's a universal experience for entry level positions). I figured going back to school for a master's degree, building on my language skills and doing internships would be the best way to find opportunities.

My priorities, in terms of employment, is to do something I am interested in and find meaningful. I strongly believe that making enough money to live comfortably is plenty, and beyond that I really value the nature of the work rather than salary. My parents also taught me to avoid debt, which I've done successfully so far, and I really want to avoid that at all costs going forward. As such, I'm very hesitant to take out huge loans to afford graduate school especially considering the living costs in most urban areas. 

I applied this cycle to a variety of regional programs. I have been admitted to the European and Eurasian Studies Master of Arts at GW's Elliott (no funding), and at AU SIS Comparative & Regional Studies (about 50% scholarship). Still waiting to hear back from a few other programs, and have been rejected from Harvard already. I did my undergrad at a prestigious school, and for me the glitter and idealization of elite universities has worn off. Not because they aren't great, but because I don't think the name gets you everywhere nor matters too much outside of academia / finance / consulting. Correct me if I'm mistaken and it matters a lot for government / IR jobs. 

My questions are:

1. How is the AU program for my goals? Does anyone have experience with it?
2. Should I take AU's offer? Through part time work and internships it would be financially feasible to not come out with significant debt.
3. Should I consider reapplying to regional programs outside of D.C and add-on programs that have FLAS funding, and try again next year? It's possible I have more luck with additional experience, and get more funding at a different institution.
4. How important is it being in D.C for securing a government position? How important is the "brand name" of the institution?

I know that master's degrees aren't generally funded, at least not fully, and I am grateful to have gotten a fairly generous offer from AU. I don't know enough about D.C life to evaluate how it is perceived by employers, I just tried to cast a wide net when applying because of my strange background. I also wonder if I should continue to build on my profile and try again next year, and cast an even wider net, to get more funding of get into a more prestigious program. In truth, I feel old. I've spoken to people applying to these kinds of programs and they're often right out of undergrad, and I still feel behind them in accomplishments. I kick myself for not having a sense of direction in undergrad and squandering an ivy league education, but I know I can't fix the past and I also can't spend the next decade(s) crying about it. So, I am trying to figure out the best way to move forward and I would greatly appreciate any advice from this community.

Thank you so much in advance!!! 

If I were you, I would figure out how to strengthen you resume and apply next cycle to a wider variety of schools (you are most likely too late for scholarship money this cycle). Grad schools are also wary of elite undergrad alums who haven't followed up with a career that can tell a coherent story of achievement. Also, Russian expertise in demand and those with Russian language skills are super desired. Some other programs to consider (especially to get scholarship) in no particular order?  

1. Georgetown's Security Studies

2. Georgetown's Russian Studies Masters (if you know for sure you want to focus on Russia and Eastern Europe)

3. Tufts Fletcher 

4. Yale Jackson

[SilkCat]

3 minutes ago, GradSchoolGrad said:

If I were you, I would figure out how to strengthen you resume and apply next cycle to a wider variety of schools (you are most likely too late for scholarship money this cycle). Grad schools are also wary of elite undergrad alums who haven't followed up with a career that can tell a coherent story of achievement. Also, Russian expertise in demand and those with Russian language skills are super desired. Some other programs to consider (especially to get scholarship) in no particular order?  

1. Georgetown's Security Studies

2. Georgetown's Russian Studies Masters (if you know for sure you want to focus on Russia and Eastern Europe)

3. Tufts Fletcher 

4. Yale Jackson

What do you mean by "Grad schools are also wary of elite undergrad alums who haven't followed up with a career that can tell a coherent story of achievement"? I guess that's actually an accurate assessment, but not something I can change within one year. Especially since it's difficult to find opportunities without a relevant degree and, as you say, a coherent story. I did live and work in Eastern Europe for a few years and have a very tangentially related job in the U.S right now. Is going into massive debt worth it for Georgetown's Russian program? It's almost impossible for me to justify over 100k in debt (especially with how expensive D.C is).

As for scholarships / fellowships I'm not sure if I'm competitive enough for them as they seem even more competitive than the programs themselves. Personally, I would HIGHLY prefer to study Russia and Eastern Europe specifically rather than pursue a more general degree from Yale Jackson, Tufts, SAIS etc. The AU SIS program is sort of in-between in that it will let me focus on Russia but will have a lot of general IR coursework. Though there is also the option to take 2 classes at Georgetown or GWU as part of the degree. 

[GradSchoolGrad]

9 minutes ago, SilkCat said:

What do you mean by "Grad schools are also wary of elite undergrad alums who haven't followed up with a career that can tell a coherent story of achievement"? I guess that's actually an accurate assessment, but not something I can change within one year. Especially since it's difficult to find opportunities without a relevant degree and, as you say, a coherent story. I did live and work in Eastern Europe for a few years and have a very tangentially related job in the U.S right now. Is going into massive debt worth it for Georgetown's Russian program? It's almost impossible for me to justify over 100k in debt (especially with how expensive D.C is).

As for scholarships / fellowships I'm not sure if I'm competitive enough for them as they seem even more competitive than the programs themselves. Personally, I would HIGHLY prefer to study Russia and Eastern Europe specifically rather than pursue a more general degree from Yale Jackson, Tufts, SAIS etc. The AU SIS program is sort of in-between in that it will let me focus on Russia but will have a lot of general IR coursework. Though there is also the option to take 2 classes at Georgetown or GWU as part of the degree. 

1. Where you take classes don't matter (unless you network your way into something), which does happen.

2. I know Harvard guys who got rejected from elite grad programs because they ended up is non-profit jockeys who struggled to get promoted. So they ended up at my policy school (McCourt oodles over Ivy Leagues even if their resume is questionable). At the end of the day, the resume only outlines, but your essays have to tell a story. If you can't tell a coherent story (and this is all about how you tell your story), you will struggle to get scholarships, let alone get into the best schools.

3. Right now there is a labor shortage. If you think more broadly -sales, start up, anything, you'll probably find something cool to excel at in the next 9 months or so.

4. AU SIS is a better option than both those programs, especially since you are getting funding. However, AU SIS won't sling shot you to the top. It isn't about elitism or reputation - but the law of average. Among an AU SIS grad program group of 10, probably 1 or 2 will impress me. Within an HKS/SAIS/MSFS grad program group of 10, probably 6 or 7 with. Those 6-7 will probably get the better jobs and get the opportunities that you can network with + help you out in the long run.

5. There is a difference between academics and career path. You can say you only want to learn certain things all you want. However, the job market likes to see well rounded people who had both range and depth. Its great you have depth interest, but the programs that pipeline into the best jobs are the mainline IR programs of the Big 7 (MSFS, HKS, Elliot, Fletcher, SIPA, SAIS, and SIS) - although I would count SIS last. I would even put Monterey Institute and Yale Jackson over SIS, but those two programs are too small, where as SIS is huge. 

This comes down to if you want to go after getting your foot in the door now, or play the long game to optimize your chances to sling shot with a better application result next year.

Edited March 22, 2022 by GradSchoolGrad

[SilkCat]

2 minutes ago, GradSchoolGrad said:

1. Where you take classes don't matter (unless you network your way into something), which does happen.

2. I know Harvard guys who got rejected from elite grad programs because they ended up is non-profit jockeys who struggled to get promoted. So they ended up at my policy school (McCourt oodles over Ivy League because they have to). At the end of the day, the resume only outlines, but your essays have to tell a story. If you can't tell a coherent story (and part of this is story telling not what you actually did), you will struggle to get scholarships, let alone get into the best schools.

3. Right now there is a labor shortage. If you think more broadly -sales, start up, anything, you'll probably find something cool to excel at in the next 9 months or so.

4. AU SIS is a better option than both those programs, especially since you are getting funding. However, AU SIS won't sling shot you to the top. It isn't about elitism or reputation - but the law of average. Among an AU SIS grad program group of 10, probably 1 or 2 will impress me. Within an HKS/SAIS/MSFS grad program group of 10, probably 6 or 7 with. Those 6-7 will probably get the better jobs and get the opportunities that you can network with + help you out in the long run.

5. There is a difference between academics and career path. You can say you only want to learn certain things all you want. However, the job market likes to see well rounded people who had both range and depth. Its great you have depth interest, but the programs that pipeline into the best jobs are the mainline IR programs of the Big 7 (MSFS, HKS, Elliot, Fletcher, SIPA, SAIS, and SIS) - although I would count SIS last. I would even put Monterey Institute and Yale Jackson over SIS, but those two programs are too small, where as SIS is huge. 

This comes down to if you want to go after getting your foot in the door now, or play the long game to optimize your chances to sling shot with a better application result next year.

Thank you, again, for this conversation. I'm really stressed about this decision and I appreciate your advice. I'll reply using your organization, for clarity.

1) It would be to get access to more interesting coursework or professors (for personal benefit) though I know it won't matter beyond that.

2) I feel like my SoPs this round were extremely good. Probably the strongest aspect of my application, and did tell as much of a coherent story as my resume allowed. I'm a strong writer and had a lot of professional writers give me feedback, which is why I'm confident about that aspect. My GRE score was 1 point off perfect, though that doesn't seem to matter lately with optional scores. So what held me back was almost certainly (1) undergrad GPA and (2) inadequate experience, especially relevant experience, for someone who is almost 6 years out of school and possibly (3) using 3 LoRs from undergraduate professors, since academic LoRs were encouraged by most program directors I spoke with. 

3-5) I agree that SIS is probably not as top-tier as the rest, but it can also be what you make of it. At least I'm assuming if you strive to be 1-2/10 impressive SIS students you could stand out and succeed. 

In talking to you I realize I made the mistake of not applying to general IR programs, and focusing on regional programs only. I could reapply next year, but I worry that I may end up in the same situation. Or worse, with no funding offers at all. I'm unwilling to pay full price for any of these programs because I will never get out of debt. I'm also old. At least older than most of the other applicants; I hear the clock ticking in my head. Someone else applied the old adage "a bird in the hand is worth more..."

If I were to reapply, I would be adding an IU summer language workshop in Russian, remote volunteer work with the UN related to the Ukraine crisis, and more work experience in marketing/NGO to my resume. And probably a LoR from a professional source and the summer language professor. Not sure if that's enough to make a difference, or whether it's worth the risk. 

[Bails]

If the main reason you're debating whether to hold off on attending AU this fall is due to hope for funding next year, I would go now rather than apply elsewhere and conditionally go based on funding next year. It's very difficult to receive scholarships for top IR masters programs and near impossible pivoting industries, so I would focus more on what is affordable for you with your current options and what the faculty, research, environment, etc. can offer. AU is a reputable school and while it might not be in the Big 7 you'll still have access to all the networking opportunities DC has to offer. Unless you go to one of the Big 7 employers aren't going to care about the name of your university, just the work experience, research you did in your program, any publications, and recommendations/network.

In my experience, living and working in DC in the US government, being in DC is really important to secure jobs there. Networking is a huge part of the culture, much more so than other cities like Boston or New York. Also, getting jobs on USAJobs is near impossible. I don't know a single person (including myself) who secured a position that way although I know there must be someone having success! Some of my colleagues moved to DC just to job search because their resumes were tossed for having non-DC addresses and phone numbers. Your plan to work on building your resume in grad school seems a logical next step for moving into this field. 

In my experience your program is what you make of it so long as you have decent mentorship opportunities, so go with your gut and put in the work and you'll do fine! Don't forget to get off campus and check out think tank events (often free food and interesting networking opportunities). If you're looking to pivot industries, work experience (including internships) is important and you can do that in the summers or find a part-time role that will support you toward your goals. 

Best of luck! 

[SilkCat]

26 minutes ago, Bails said:

If the main reason you're debating whether to hold off on attending AU this fall is due to hope for funding next year, I would go now rather than apply elsewhere and conditionally go based on funding next year. It's very difficult to receive scholarships for top IR masters programs and near impossible pivoting industries, so I would focus more on what is affordable for you with your current options and what the faculty, research, environment, etc. can offer. AU is a reputable school and while it might not be in the Big 7 you'll still have access to all the networking opportunities DC has to offer. Unless you go to one of the Big 7 employers aren't going to care about the name of your university, just the work experience, research you did in your program, any publications, and recommendations/network.

In my experience, living and working in DC in the US government, being in DC is really important to secure jobs there. Networking is a huge part of the culture, much more so than other cities like Boston or New York. Also, getting jobs on USAJobs is near impossible. I don't know a single person (including myself) who secured a position that way although I know there must be someone having success! Some of my colleagues moved to DC just to job search because their resumes were tossed for having non-DC addresses and phone numbers. Your plan to work on building your resume in grad school seems a logical next step for moving into this field. 

In my experience your program is what you make of it so long as you have decent mentorship opportunities, so go with your gut and put in the work and you'll do fine! Don't forget to get off campus and check out think tank events (often free food and interesting networking opportunities). If you're looking to pivot industries, work experience (including internships) is important and you can do that in the summers or find a part-time role that will support you toward your goals. 

Best of luck! 

Thank you for your advice! Funding is another reason why I focused on applying to regional studies programs, as some of them get FLAS funding (as well some direct funds since the programs are smaller). Alas, I wasn't successful at getting into the ones with FLAS funding opportunities. A lot of SIS students work at least part time during their studies, so I was thinking that would be a great way to get experience while in D.C. As opposed to very academically rigorous programs, which focus on thesis research in the summer and classes during the year. Do you think my undergraduate network would off-set some of the loss in networking opportunities by not going to the "Big 7"? As you can probably tell, I don't understand networking very well and it should be the first thing I research (any resource recommendations are welcome). 

[GradSchoolGrad]

43 minutes ago, SilkCat said:

Thank you, again, for this conversation. I'm really stressed about this decision and I appreciate your advice. I'll reply using your organization, for clarity.

1) It would be to get access to more interesting coursework or professors (for personal benefit) though I know it won't matter beyond that.

2) I feel like my SoPs this round were extremely good. Probably the strongest aspect of my application, and did tell as much of a coherent story as my resume allowed. I'm a strong writer and had a lot of professional writers give me feedback, which is why I'm confident about that aspect. My GRE score was 1 point off perfect, though that doesn't seem to matter lately with optional scores. So what held me back was almost certainly (1) undergrad GPA and (2) inadequate experience, especially relevant experience, for someone who is almost 6 years out of school and possibly (3) using 3 LoRs from undergraduate professors, since academic LoRs were encouraged by most program directors I spoke with. 

3-5) I agree that SIS is probably not as top-tier as the rest, but it can also be what you make of it. At least I'm assuming if you strive to be 1-2/10 impressive SIS students you could stand out and succeed. 

In talking to you I realize I made the mistake of not applying to general IR programs, and focusing on regional programs only. I could reapply next year, but I worry that I may end up in the same situation. Or worse, with no funding offers at all. I'm unwilling to pay full price for any of these programs because I will never get out of debt. I'm also old. At least older than most of the other applicants; I hear the clock ticking in my head. Someone else applied the old adage "a bird in the hand is worth more..."

If I were to reapply, I would be adding an IU summer language workshop in Russian, remote volunteer work with the UN related to the Ukraine crisis, and more work experience in marketing/NGO to my resume. And probably a LoR from a professional source and the summer language professor. Not sure if that's enough to make a difference, or whether it's worth the risk. 

Based off of everything you said, AU SIS' regional program might not be a great option, and it is the only non-bad option that you have. Your ideas of what you would do to improve resume aren't exactly what would really help you get scholarship in a general IR program. They really love to see 1 year of high performance at a start up, 1 year as a speech writer, or 1 year consistent something really cool in anything. The language requirement for most programs us to be proficient by graduation (or near graduation). You don't have to come in being fluent.

All that being said, it sounds like the sooner you get structure, the better off you'll be in the long run, and AU SIS is the only discounted shot you got.  Just be smart and network like hell the moment you get your AU email address. You will already be coming from behind because the 8 to 9 okay but not impressive peers won't probably be the best influence, pushing you to be better. You'll really have to push yourself to be better. Unless you think you would fall flat on your face self-motivating, it sounds like AU SIS is the clear better choice. I will say this is especially unique for you since you have an edge in a high demand area.

Edited March 22, 2022 by GradSchoolGrad

[SilkCat]

4 minutes ago, GradSchoolGrad said:

Your ideas of what you would do to improve resume aren't exactly what would really help you get scholarship in a general IR program. They really love to see 1 year of high performance at a start up, 1 year as a speech writer, or 1 year consistent something really cool in anything.

Just to clarify the NGO work I mentioned is at a nonprofit startup, I started back in December and got promoted recently, but my role is in writing and marketing. I'm not sure how these program evaluate high performance or something being 'cool' (maybe the latter is a matter of creating a compelling narrative around it). 

7 minutes ago, GradSchoolGrad said:

Unless you think you would fall flat on your face self-motivating, it sounds like AU SIS is the clear better choice. I will say this is especially unique for you since you have an edge in a high demand area.

Thank you again for the advice, I will go into this determined to squeeze every opportunity out of the program / D.C that I possibly can. 

[Bails]

13 minutes ago, SilkCat said:

Thank you for your advice! Funding is another reason why I focused on applying to regional studies programs, as some of them get FLAS funding (as well some direct funds since the programs are smaller). Alas, I wasn't successful at getting into the ones with FLAS funding opportunities. A lot of SIS students work at least part time during their studies, so I was thinking that would be a great way to get experience while in D.C. As opposed to very academically rigorous programs, which focus on thesis research in the summer and classes during the year. Do you think my undergraduate network would off-set some of the loss in networking opportunities by not going to the "Big 7"? As you can probably tell, I don't understand networking very well and it should be the first thing I research (any resource recommendations are welcome). 

Sure, networking is just as important outside the university as within it and you can still get to know your professors at AU and what opportunities they might connect you to. You'll still have a network at AU you might just have to be more self motivated at proactively reaching out to people. Don't be afraid to invite someone to a coffee (always pay for them if you do this!) but be clear you're looking for advice and don't take the "get me a job, connect me to everyone you know" stance because that turns people off. Networking is a two way street so while you may feel you don't have a lot to offer upfront, few people turn down a free coffee and a chance to talk about themselves. Anyone can go to the free events hosted by think tanks like the Carnegie Endowment or Brookings so don't limit yourself to campus. Embassies host events as well, including the famous "embassy days" which are amazing, but not sure if it's happening with Covid now. Of course, I used to attend these events pre-pandemic and we're in a different landscape currently where a lot is online. 

[jerseyboi32]

On 3/21/2022 at 8:44 PM, GradSchoolGrad said:

5. There is a difference between academics and career path. You can say you only want to learn certain things all you want. However, the job market likes to see well rounded people who had both range and depth. Its great you have depth interest, but the programs that pipeline into the best jobs are the mainline IR programs of the Big 7 (MSFS, HKS, Elliot, Fletcher, SIPA, SAIS, and SIS) - although I would count SIS last. I would even put Monterey Institute and Yale Jackson over SIS, but those two programs are too small, where as SIS is huge. 

This comes down to if you want to go after getting your foot in the door now, or play the long game to optimize your chances to sling shot with a better application result next year.

I have a very different background and goals to SilkCat, so don't mean to hijack the thread and may make a separate post for this. But, I noticed you did not include DU-Korbel in your "pipeline" list. Where do you feel they stand? I have been accepted into MIIS, Fletcher, and SAIS, but Korbel is a favorite of mine for quality of life/location, curriculum, and $$ offered. I similarly would like the best job options for my issue-area focus (UN, State Dept, multi-laterals, or a job outside of DC/USA), but am trying to figure out how far brand really gets you knowing people who went to Big 7, but may not have landed jobs in that category. Any feedback would be appreciated!

[GradSchoolGrad]

1 minute ago, jerseyboi32 said:

I have a very different background and goals to SilkCat, so don't mean to hijack the thread and may make a separate post for this. But, I noticed you did not include DU-Korbel in your "pipeline" list. Where do you feel they stand? I have been accepted into MIIS, Fletcher, and SAIS, but Korbel is a favorite of mine for quality of life/location, curriculum, and $$ offered. I similarly would like the best job options for my issue-area focus (UN, State Dept, multi-laterals, or a job outside of DC/USA), but am trying to figure out how far brand really gets you knowing people who went to Big 7, but may not have landed jobs in that category. Any feedback would be appreciated!

DU Korbel is interesting in that they have some really strong nitche areas (the ones I know of are Security related), but by in large, they don't have the size, depth, or reputation. Its actually kind of similar to MIIS, although their niche from what I understand is Asia and nuclear non-proliferation. I mean, if you follow their niche, you really get a boost If you don't, you are generally on your own. 

Your issue focus area is like one of the biggest shot gun blasts I have ever seen. The UN is insanely hard to get into (especially as an American), unless you really know someone. State Dept is a bit school agnostic, but as I mentioned before, it is helpful to run with a posse once you get the foot in the door. Multi-laterals again about networking, - job outside of DC/USA is super all over the place. I known people who did business and international development and etc. who went abroad.

Bottom line is that DU Korbel is a solid school and you can probably vagabond it on your own fine, but if you want the advantage of the network and posses, Fletcher and SAIS are going to be much stronger. 

 

[Boolakanaka]

As grad school aptly places it… but your essays have to tell a story. If you can't tell a coherent story (and this is all about how you tell your story), you will struggle to get scholarships, let alone get into the best schools.

Applications are ALWAYS about telling a compelling and cohesive story. This is true from law to dental to medical and everything in-between. Your reader (the admission folks, to which I have served more than a few) are yearning for a great tale and yarn. It should bring them in, it should be informative, it should be consistent and it should connect the dots on why you are a good fit to a particular program and/or degree. Your scores and grades solidify the story and verify the accuracy, but your story should be institutionally captivating.

[Bails]

21 hours ago, GradSchoolGrad said:

DU Korbel is interesting in that they have some really strong nitche areas (the ones I know of are Security related), but by in large, they don't have the size, depth, or reputation. Its actually kind of similar to MIIS, although their niche from what I understand is Asia and nuclear non-proliferation. I mean, if you follow their niche, you really get a boost If you don't, you are generally on your own. 

Your issue focus area is like one of the biggest shot gun blasts I have ever seen. The UN is insanely hard to get into (especially as an American), unless you really know someone. State Dept is a bit school agnostic, but as I mentioned before, it is helpful to run with a posse once you get the foot in the door. Multi-laterals again about networking, - job outside of DC/USA is super all over the place. I known people who did business and international development and etc. who went abroad.

Bottom line is that DU Korbel is a solid school and you can probably vagabond it on your own fine, but if you want the advantage of the network and posses, Fletcher and SAIS are going to be much stronger. 

 

Totally agree re: Korbel. I was admitted to MSFS and Fletcher but I'm also attending the visit day at DU next week and am looking forward to meeting faculty and hearing General George Casey (alumnus) speak. Denver is also a great place to live for two years if you don't want the stress of DC & NYC until post-grad. There is also a lot of security work in Denver & Colorado Springs so you don't need to be in NYC or DC for those career opportunities, but you're competing with a lot of military folks in Colorado. If you're interested in Military, National Security, Intelligence work, or US-China they have great faculty and programs. If you're not interested in any of those options it's not as well-regarded as the other programs mentioned and you're better off elsewhere. You can also consider the 'big fish small pond' mentality of how much time you'd get with professors at DU like Suisheng Zhao or publishing capability at research centers. These programs aren't one size fits all, so consider your personal and career growth needs and what schools can fill those areas. Here's an FP ranking from 2018 by the way, which lists DU at #14: https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/02/20/top-fifty-schools-international-relations-foreign-policy/