SAIS decisions are out, apparently:

[benamour]

rejected from Fletcher, accepted to SAIS! TAKE THAT TUFTS!

[KJ90]

SAIS! reject from WWS and HKS tho =\

[wantgrad]

Got into Idev! For some reason the letter says that I haven't completed the micro and macro requirements, which is not true....strange.

Crazy night though. HKS and now SAIS. it's 4.30am here in India but obviously I'm not going to be able to fall asleep.

[piquant777]

Got into IDEV as well. It's a really great program! Don't want to wait another 1-2 weeks for finaid info, but I guess I can hang in there a little longer

[hello.operator]

in! though no mention of IDEV on my letter

[avr2012]

In at SAIS. First choice. Incredible feeling.

[hello.operator]

oh, haha. i just read the letter so quickly that my eyes just glazed over the IDEV mention in the text.

[rebmaLS]

In at SAIS! ...though they said for the Bologna campus. I didn't apply specifically there, but instead said to be considered for either. Does that mean I was rejected by the DC campus? I'm so confused. Wonder if I could request DC instead of Italy?

I'm not sure I can make Italy work though that would be an AMAZING experience.

[MYRNIST]

In at SAIS Strategic Studies

[Azrou]

Was scared as shit to click that link, but I'm in! I thought my SOP might sink me since this was the first app I finished and my later revisions improved it considerably. However I did not get picked for IDEV, the letter said I could pick any other concentration. I think if the deadline had been 10 days later I would have gotten into IDEV with my improved SOP, but I'm definitely not going to complain...so stoked right now

[piquant777]

Got into Idev! For some reason the letter says that I haven't completed the micro and macro requirements, which is not true....strange.

This happened to me too! I think they copy/pasted the wrong letter to all IDEV admits or something. I've def taken micro/macro.

[converse3]

I got into IDEV...no mention of missing Microecon or Macro requirements in my letter. I did an econ major during undergrad and am pretty confident I've fulfilled the requirements.

[EasyDeezy]

Winner winner, chicken dinner! In at SAIS and Elliott so far, now just waiting on SFS.

I was so nervous I couldn't remember my password for the first two tries...

[strangertimes]

Accepted!

[SaraDC]

Congratulations to all the admits! You will most likely be hearing from a current student over the next week or so. Feel free to ask them any questions you might have. If they don't know the answer to your specific question, they can find someone who does.

Once all the dust settles down (read: next week when midterms are over), I'd be happy to answer a few questions as well. This forum was really helpful for me last year when I was making my decision, so I'm happy to repay the favor.

[yo_yo86]

In at SAIS and Fletcher. Got the news at 4:45am (I am in Asia). Very excited, and surprised, that I managed to get into both (I was expecting a ding and a waitlist, respectively). Now, just waiting on SFS and hoping for some decent money somewhere.

Congrats to all the other admits.

Edited March 13, 2012 by yo_yo86

[IRToni]

I got in. It's my top choice, now just waiting on funding. This is gonna be really damn hard...

[dcenergygirl]

In!! SAIS and Fletcher. HKS and WWS are missing out. No mention of a specific program, just the MA program in general. Does that mean I get to choose?

[rose1]

My letter said I got in but I didn't get IDEV...it said I could pick any other concentration. I'm just happy I got in!

[converse3]

I think you do. I think the only program you have to specific apply to is IDEV... though ERE is capped. Hope to see you all in the fall... no doubt in my mind where I'm going!

[hudwa]

Waitlisted. SIPA is my first choice, but I had no confidence in any of my grad school apps, so I'm actually pretty happy about this. The June/July schedule really is ridiculous. Now the wait for decisions to roll in from SIPA. Congrats to everyone who got into SAIS, and hang in there for one more day my fellow SIPA applicants!

[hoggerjp]

In!! Here I come DC! Took summer classes at SAIS and enjoyed them very much. Glad that I will be returning as a master's student this fall.

Edited March 14, 2012 by hoggerjp

[charlotte_asia]

IN!

For those of you who are quant-iffy-- I was not sure what my SAIS decision would be since I scored a 640Q on my GREs and chose to pass/fail (edit: I passed it) an Econ class freshman year. I knew I wanted to apply to SAIS so I took Micro and Macro after college while working and made As. Apparently it worked. I am not the strongest quant student but I worked really hard to build a quant background anyway. Don't let quant scare you- just go out, get it done, and apply to the schools you want!

Edited March 14, 2012 by charlotte_asia

[MPA455]

In!

[hudwa]

Could some of the other waitlisted applicants give a rough rundown of their backgrounds so we can all have a good idea of who we're being selected against come June/July? I'll start off:

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): MPP/MA/MIA

Schools Applying To: Yale Jackson (rejected), HKS (rejected), SAIS (waitlist), SIPA (forthcoming)

Undergraduate institution: small, public college

Undergraduate GPA: 2.29

Undergraduate Majors: International Relations

Study Abroad: 3 month volunteer program in South Korea

GRE Quantitative Score: 156 (74th percentile)

GRE Verbal Score: 164 (94th percentile)

GRE AW Score: 4.5

Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): 4.5 (graduated 12/07)

Years of Work Experience: 4.5

Describe Relevant Work Experience: research associate at Asian foreign policy think tank in DC; editor at Japanese government's premiere language service contractor in Tokyo, worked closely with MOFA, MOD, METI, MOF, BOJ, NPA, Cabinet Office, MLIT, MEXT, MHLW, etc., traveled to international conferences including Beijing bilateral summit, COP15 lead-up meeting in Bonn, COP15 in Copenhagen, Pittsburgh G20, APEC 2010 Summit in Sendai, etc. as part of Japanese government delegations, and edited various government white papers; currently speechwriter at Japanese mission in the US.

Languages: English (native), Japanese (professionally proficient), Punjabi (conversational), Urdu (conversational)

Quant: Intro to microecon, intro to macroecon, calculus 1, currently taking intermediate microecon; wrote many summaries of economic policy lectures and discussions, and organized closed-dooor discussion group of professionals and academics in Tokyo on economic and policy issues.

Strength of SOP: Straightforward, concise and direct. Described my background, my motivations, my career goals, my suitability for the program and the program's suitability for me to acheive my goals. Stayed well below word limits.

Strength of LOR (be honest, describe the process, etc): Professional recommendations were very strong, from past supervisor (think tank director), current supervisor (deputy chief of mission), and former client (trade promotion officer of a European embassy in Tokyo). Academic recommendation with the professor who I stayed in touch with and for whom I wrote my bachelor's thesis.

Edited March 14, 2012 by hudwa