Washington DC - Area International Affairs Schools (Admissions)

[PrattIAFF]

Just thought I would start a thread for everyone who is waiting for admissions decisions from APSIA-affiliated schools in the Washington, D.C. are:

University - School - Admissions Decision (Tentative)

1. American University - School of International Service (SIS) - April 1

2. Georgetown University - Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service (SFS) - April 1

3. GWU - Elliot School of International Affairs - Mid-March

4. Johns Hopkins - Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) (??)

-------------------------------------------------------

School Applied to:

Degree Program:

Accepted by:

Funding ($):

[charlotte_asia]

SAIS' email to me confirming receipt of my application said " All admission decisions and financial aid awards will be released online in mid-March."

[jhpigott]

I attended an information session at American University (SIS) in early February and was told they hoped to have admission decisions out by the end of February. Don't know if that was just wishful thinking because I haven't seen where anyone has heard one way or the other regarding SIS.

[PrattIAFF]

I attended an information session at American University (SIS) in early February and was told they hoped to have admission decisions out by the end of February. Don't know if that was just wishful thinking because I haven't seen where anyone has heard one way or the other regarding SIS.

Well if they do that would be awesome... But considering the amount of students they accept each year it might be a little closer to what they say on the website.

http://www.american.edu/sis/admissions/faq/index.cfm#deadline

[KJ90]

So all the decisions are made by april 1st? That is ridiculously late...

[DualCitizenIR]

I had asked someone at AU SIS admissions who sent me the following response: "Most likely notifications will go out in early/mid March." So that isn't as bad as what it says on the website...

[Mal83]

I applied to AU SIS last year, they mail out decisions in waves, people were posting admission stats on this board I guess around mid-March, but I got my reject letter early April, don't remember exactly but it was probably right around the start of the month so April 1st seems about right. They don't give you any updates or decision info online so it's old fashion snail mail. It was painful waiting for that decision. The Elliott School was actually a tad early last year, it wasn't quite mid-March when they sent out decisions and they send them all at once via the website, which makes it less painful because you're not seeing people post acceptances while you're still waiting. So you'll get an email letting you know your decision has been posted. If you end up getting waitlisted you won't know until May 1st or so.

[PrattIAFF]

I applied to AU SIS last year, they mail out decisions in waves, people were posting admission stats on this board I guess around mid-March, but I got my reject letter early April, don't remember exactly but it was probably right around the start of the month so April 1st seems about right. They don't give you any updates or decision info online so it's old fashion snail mail. It was painful waiting for that decision. The Elliott School was actually a tad early last year, it wasn't quite mid-March when they sent out decisions and they send them all at once via the website, which makes it less painful because you're not seeing people post acceptances while you're still waiting. So you'll get an email letting you know your decision has been posted. If you end up getting waitlisted you won't know until May 1st or so.

The ability of schools like GW-Elliott to post all decisions at once probably has to do with the size of the programs. Also, the date of receiving the decision might have to do with the time you apply (all of my apps were in at least a month before the deadline). American-SIS probably expects a few people in the first round of acceptances to turn down the offer based on admissions decisions from other schools.

[SaraDC]

Word on the street is that SAIS will be releasing their decisions on March 14th. Good luck applicants!

[charlotte_asia]

but I got my reject letter early April, don't remember exactly but it was probably right around the start of the month so April 1st seems about right. They don't give you any updates or decision info online so it's old fashion snail mail. It was painful waiting for that decision.

The fact that an international relations school (with international applicants) sends their decisions out this late and by snail-mail does not make sense to me. I am an American living overseas; if a decision is mailed to me via snail mail on April 1 I will not receive it until April 21 at the earliest. I am sure for others in similar positions it could be even later. Decisions must be made by May 1st? I just don't understand why a school would choose to have their decisions received by applicants only a week before most schools' deadlines for decisions. That isn't helpful for American or for its applicants.

[DualCitizenIR]

The fact that an international relations school (with international applicants) sends their decisions out this late and by snail-mail does not make sense to me. I am an American living overseas; if a decision is mailed to me via snail mail on April 1 I will not receive it until April 21 at the earliest. I am sure for others in similar positions it could be even later. Decisions must be made by May 1st? I just don't understand why a school would choose to have their decisions received by applicants only a week before most schools' deadlines for decisions. That isn't helpful for American or for its applicants.

I totally agree, charlotte_asia. I think the best way would be for the programs to notify by email/online as well as by snail mail if they want to be traditional. Just waiting the extra few days in the US is tough, but waiting weeks more around the world is just ridiculous. I remember my friend in Istanbul waiting so long for a top US program to send him a letter, which naturally was a thin, small and disappointing one. Some of these programs don't seem to care about the making the application or decision process any easier for applicants.

Another similar issue is that of schools that want official transcripts mailed when there is the possibility of scanning unofficial transcripts. I was lucky that most of my programs wanted scans, but I don't know if that is the trend in general.

[charlotte_asia]

Also, thanks for the update on SAIS, SarahL!

[hgd12]

Word on the street is that SAIS will be releasing their decisions on March 14th. Good luck applicants!

Just out of curiosity, where did you find out about this date? I browsed the results survey and that seemed to be the release date for 2011's decisions. If only all schools kept such consistent schedules...

[wasistdas]

The fact that an international relations school (with international applicants) sends their decisions out this late and by snail-mail does not make sense to me. I am an American living overseas; if a decision is mailed to me via snail mail on April 1 I will not receive it until April 21 at the earliest. I am sure for others in similar positions it could be even later. Decisions must be made by May 1st? I just don't understand why a school would choose to have their decisions received by applicants only a week before most schools' deadlines for decisions. That isn't helpful for American or for its applicants.

I agree. I am living in Istanbul and you have about a 50/50 chance of ever getting your mail, and even when you do, it can take 6-8 weeks. My sister sent me a Christmas card last year on December 1st and I only just received it a week ago (the card was postmarked in the US). I see that some schools use an express service like DHL or FedEx, hopefully that will help with the process.

[MYRNIST]

I am living in Istanbul and you have about a 50/50 chance of ever getting your mail, and even when you do, it can take 6-8 weeks. My sister sent me a Christmas card last year on December 1st and I only just received it a week ago (the card was postmarked in the US). I see that some schools use an express service like DHL or FedEx, hopefully that will help with the process.

I live in China, so that 50/50 ratio you cite seems like a golden dream to me. I never get packages shipped from the U.S., and if I do, customs screwed with them.

[DualCitizenIR]

I agree. I am living in Istanbul and you have about a 50/50 chance of ever getting your mail, and even when you do, it can take 6-8 weeks. My sister sent me a Christmas card last year on December 1st and I only just received it a week ago (the card was postmarked in the US). I see that some schools use an express service like DHL or FedEx, hopefully that will help with the process.

I am constantly amazed with how little they use snailmail in Turkey... I tried sending a postcard once when I was there and none of the postcard vendors had a clue about the proper way of addressing one. I even had trouble finding out at a huge Ottoman-era post office in Istanbul.

[PrattIAFF]

Thank you, GW, for another heart-stopping email to let us know that admissions decisions will be available in mid-March.

[DualCitizenIR]

Just got confirmation email from GWU Elliott confirming the dates and procedure of notification:

The Elliott School admissions committees are meeting and decisions will be announced in mid March. You will receive an email to let you know when decisions are available. To view your decision letter, you will log into your secure online appication.

[linds]

Thank you, GW, for another heart-stopping email to let us know that admissions decisions will be available in mid-March.

Seriously...I stopped breathing for a minute. So mean during this already excruciating waiting time.

[washdc]

Once they send out letters, just give them a couple of days and call by phone and let them know you're an international student and you'd like to know your status by phone since you're not sure when/if the letter will actually arrive.

I did this for both GWU and AU and they were really friendly/nice about it (a few years ago).

[charlotte_asia]

Yes, once I hear on Grad Cafe that some have started to receive letters, I will call them for information. I am sure that won't be a problem. My curiosity is why a school with that many international applicants or overseas applicants would employ a notification strategy that would necessitate doing so. It creates more work for applicants and much more for admissions counselors, who are I am sure already overextended during this time of the year already.

[yo_yo86]

Seriously...I stopped breathing for a minute. So mean during this already excruciating waiting time.

Yeah, and considering I am abroad and got the email at 4:30am, I was already half delirious with sleep deprivation.

[aglaya]

Georgetown just sent out emails! Accepted into CERES

[jhpigott]

Georgetown just sent out emails! Accepted into CERES

Anyone hearing from Georgetown SSP yet?

[rose1]

hahaha I know schools are trying to be kind and let applicants know that the review process is underway and we haven't been forgotten, but I literally almost have a heart attack every time I see an e-mail in my inbox and so far none of the e-mails have contained ANY new information, except maybe the concrete date (March 19) sent out by Fletcher.