Monterey Institute of International Studies

[whynotwanda]

I've been accepted to the Monterey Institute of International Studies in Monterey, CA, Middlebury's graduate school.

Is anyone an alum, or know an alum of any of their programs? I'd be enrolling in the International Policy Program.

Pros that I know of: small school, great profs, great jobs skills, good networking in high profile NGOs and Govt. institutions, internship opportunities, combination of academic classes and hard skills, aka project evaluation, economics, etc

Cons: Monterey is tiny, I would have to leave after graduating because there aren't any jobs there, maybe too focused on mainstream development and NGOs (not radical enough for me, or no room for dissenting opinions?) so small and isolated, would I go crazy after living in Boston for 5 years? No one has heard of it in the academic world, so it would be difficult for me to get into a PhD program later

If anyone knows anything, please help!! (I've also been accepted to American University, Brandeis, Boston College and am waiting for New SChool and Columbia)

[pisces81]

I got accepted to Monterey as well but I am considering not going simply due to the amount of loans I would have to take. Monterey is a pretty new school and I feel like I won't have many networking/internship opportunities. They're well-known for their MBA and language programs though. You have been admitted to some pretty good schools. You may want to wait until you hear back from all of them and then decide. Visiting the school could also help you. Then, you will really be able to get an idea of what it's like and decide whether it's the right choice for you.

Best of luck!!

[Bolu]

Let me start with what I assume is your most pressing question: Monterey is not well known in the academic world, yes, but in the professional world, it is one of the best schools in the nation. You should keep in mind that the Institute is a professional school meaning we train students to go directly into the field after graduation. Many of our students are not planning on attending a phd program, so if you are more interested in the academic side of things then you might want to go to a school that offers you more theory than practical skills.

If you are looking to get the theory behind your practical skills then the Institute is the right place for you. Monterey is not as isolated as it seems, we are in a community that is extremely international, I mean you can walk on any street in Monterey and hear 4-5 different languages. The school is great at giving students opportunities to work with local organizations and building out network. I can tell you as a student, we constantly have guest speakers and recruiters from numerous organizations, from NGO's to government organizations-two weeks ago we had our biggest career fair ever with over 90 organizations in attendance. For example, USAID is one of the biggest recruiters in campus, we have both officials and foreign service members come to speak at least 3 times a semester.

Furthermore, Monterey relys on the skills and networking oppurtunities that many students have to offer, seeing that many of them have been working in the field either professionally or through the peace corps. I can assure you that the institute is a big fish-despite its size- in a small pond. Students who attend the institute make it their home and almost on a daily basis we get job/internship announcements from past students in the field. Also we have an in house job/internship site with over 700 job postings at the moment. Student organizations are also a great way to get involved and build network, workshops offered on campus are also a great way because these are experts in the field teaching the class.

Since you are in the Policy program you have the chance to get the theory and work more with IGO's and InGo's rather than NGO's-thats more of an MPA sector. The community is small, but we are a hop and a skip away from San Fransisco or San Jose, besides the program is only two years, so you wouldn't go too crazy. I personally enjoy the quiet atmosphere here, and while there aren't too many social options, school keeps many of us so busy that there is limited time for social endeavors anyway, besides the breaks are long enough to where you can get lots of home time, for example our winter break was 6weeks long!!

As mentioned you have been accepted to some great schools, we hope you consider the Monterey Institute in your decision, but feel free to give us a call at the enrollment office, and we can put you in touch with current students. At the end of the day, Monterey Institute is the perfect school for practitioners and those who wish to work in the field. Also I am available to chat with you, if you want to get more information.

Bolu

[D-Lux]

I've been considering Monterey too (New School and American as well, actually.) They offered me 1/3rd tuition for the MPA program. Even so, I'd still be looking at taking out a ton of student loans to cover the rest. I feel like if I'm going to do that anyway, I might as well just go for it and pay a bit more for Georgetown or Syracuse. I like the language aspect of MIIS (not to mention the weather), but I'm not convinced it's the best option for me given the alternatives.

That said, it's a great school if you can afford it.