riverguide Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 (edited) Haha, I do not even know! Still waiting about Georgetown MSFS. SAIS is undoubtably the best school for international economics which is what I want to do career wise. The thing that kicks me about SAIS( or SFS for that matter) is the cost $130,000 debt more or less. Will it pay off for us in the long run? Did you get in at DC or Bologna? I was admitted to DC. Assuming you structure your loan portfolio properly and accept public sector employment post-graduation, there are options that allow you to pay 15% of your salary and have forgiveness after 10-15 years as I understand it. I have a Boren obligation; so Government service has alway been in the cards. I plan to apply for a Boren Fellowship also -if other funding options don't work out. I've applied for every fellowship and funding option that's out there. The Merrill essay was a bear to wrestle with but I participated in the competition because it gave me one more chance for funding and just as important, one more opportunity to demonstrate my research and writing skills. Coming straight out of undergrad, I knew I would have to play every card to leverage my chances. As an undergrad, I have applied for every scholarship that was offered. They add up. There were a lot of spring breaks spent writing essays for scholarships but in the long run, it paid off and it forced me to constantly practice and improve my academic writing skills. The debt is daunting but SAIS is the best! In this tough job climate, its important to have a top graduate school on your resume. It certainly won't hurt to have THE top I/R grad school on your resume when applying for employment! Should I receive the FLAS at Harvard or Georgetown and no funding from SAIS, then it may be another story... Edited March 13, 2013 by riverguide Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajoshi21 Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Got accepted into IDEV at the DC Campus! Huge Relief! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muesli2 Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Congrats to everyone that got in! Got the good news as well (China Studies, DC); unfortunately, I have to take care of the macroeconomics prerequisite. Is anyone else in the same boat and taking the online principles of economics course, or has anyone found good alternatives at other (online) institutions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MPPgal Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 It is 10:30 am now in Italy and still nothing,maybe they are waiting for the Pope to get elected before letting us know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julst Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 nope - unfortunately not admitted... congrats to all of you It is 10:30 am now in Italy and still nothing,maybe they are waiting for the Pope to get elected before letting us know I got my email at midnight European time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrenchO Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Got my email around 7:30 pm European time. I don't think we have to try to find any signs or any kind of rules, they might just be uploading the answers in the same order the admision committee reviewed them. Though it's rather frustating to wait ! Good luck to those still waiting ! @MPPGal, so any more precise ideas on LBJ ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kadisha Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Just got an email. I got accepted into the MAIA program in Bologna! No funding though, which seriously hurts my chances of going there. Calling their VA department today to see how much funding I would get with the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MPPgal Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Just got an email, Im in but no funding French O Im visiting Austin this weekend, will let you know afterwards, their money award is too good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrenchO Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 How did you get the information about funding ? In the email or the admission letter ? There is nothing about this in my admission letter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MPPgal Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 For Bologna they told us thats why I took longer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riverguide Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Just got an email. I got accepted into the MAIA program in Bologna! No funding though, which seriously hurts my chances of going there. Calling their VA department today to see how much funding I would get with the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Congratulations!! See you in DC for your second year!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kadisha Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 How did you get the information about funding ? In the email or the admission letter ? There is nothing about this in my admission letter. For Bologna they told us thats why I took longer! Yeah. They let you know in the letter itself. I know SAIS is an awesome school, and two years in Europe would be amazing. This is going to be a tough decision, and I'm still waiting on SIPA, Georgetown, and Harvard. Come to think of it, the ivy leagues are all really taking their sweet time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MPPgal Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Yeah. They let you know in the letter itself. I know SAIS is an awesome school, and two years in Europe would be amazing. This is going to be a tough decision, and I'm still waiting on SIPA, Georgetown, and Harvard. Come to think of it, the ivy leagues are all really taking their sweet time. so they did think you were international? LOL congrats Kadisha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadhead47 Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Received an e-mail at 3:38 am Californian time!! GOT IN =DDDDDDDD Bologna, MA in IR =DDDDDDDD No scholarship but I will take it, and yeah I have to take Micro before I get there =( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhodeislander Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 It's official, I'm into Bologna with a 15,000 euro (~$20,000) scholarship! Still might be too expensive though, unfortunately...I'd still be looking at $100,000+ over the next two years, and as someone who might be interested in further graduate education post-SAIS loans aren't really an attractive option...hmm. Some tough decisions coming up, but I'm glad I have them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFactor Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 It's official, I'm into Bologna with a 15,000 euro (~$20,000) scholarship! Still might be too expensive though, unfortunately...I'd still be looking at $100,000+ over the next two years, and as someone who might be interested in further graduate education post-SAIS loans aren't really an attractive option...hmm. Some tough decisions coming up, but I'm glad I have them! I'm in as well and with same amount of scholarship money! They also promised a $10,000 financial aid package for the second year in DC if I keep my GPA above 3.4. Like you, I have to think about this very hard. SAIS is a great school and I'm so happy to be in but I'm going to have to make some important decisions regarding money vs. my top schools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingjellyfish Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 I'm also into Bologna with funding! I'm still in shock that I received money, I had just about ruled SAIS out already on financial grounds. You're all so right- even with money it's a huge financial decision. Lots of soul-searching and number-crunching ahead of us! And aren't Nelson and Amina so nice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFactor Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Congrats jellyfish! For me, if someone had told me two months ago that I'm going to get into SAIS and get that much funding, I would have not hesitated. Now after getting some offers from other schools with full tuition scholarships (which I thought would never happen to me), I've started to think about the financial aspects more and more. This is going to be tough (especially if I get into SIPA), but in a good way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopefulodi Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 This is SUCH a great response, haha. Congrats, man, and congrats to all of you! Hopefully by tomorrow I'll be able to report I'm joining ya'll. I think I'd be a lot more nervous had I not already gotten into a couple solid places, but ever since my interview I've been really into SAIS (Nelson Graves sold it really well!), and would love to go there if I get in and I get some money thrown my way. I got the impression foreign students in the Bologna cohort have a pretty good shot at getting some funding; Mr. Graves said around 50% of Bologna applicants who request funding get something, and that the average grant was around 50% of tuition. That seems much higher than I'd seen cited previously, but hey, straight from the admission director's mouth! Lol, I am a girl ! And I hope you hear great news with $$$$! I am proud to be in the same applicant pool with you and look forward to meeting you at the NUMBER ONE I/R program in the world! Thank you, but I don't know. I am anti-loans and I don't think my parents can afford $100,000 while I have great funding from other programs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
123seekay123 Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Very excited to get in! Was a bit surprised by the Bologna, but am psyched. Only problem is no funding Anyone else with little econ background? I'm worried that SAIS will be too tough for me! 123seekay123 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhodeislander Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Lol, I am a girl ! And I hope you hear great news with $$$$! Thank you, but I don't know. I am anti-loans and I don't think my parents can afford $100,000 while I have great funding from other programs. Oh jeez, that was presumptive of me. Apologies! It was late last night and I wasn't thinking. But either way, congrats! Very excited to get in! Was a bit surprised by the Bologna, but am psyched. Only problem is no funding Anyone else with little econ background? I'm worried that SAIS will be too tough for me! I've got zero quant experience beyond an intro to stats course from undergrad, which is why I'm so surprised. I basically made it clear in my interview that econ isn't going to be my thing but that I was excited to learn more about it. I don't think they expect everyone to be a stathead, and I guess my perceived strengths in other areas made up for it. I'm in as well and with same amount of scholarship money! They also promised a $10,000 financial aid package for the second year in DC if I keep my GPA above 3.4. Like you, I have to think about this very hard. SAIS is a great school and I'm so happy to be in but I'm going to have to make some important decisions regarding money vs. my top schools. Congrats! Our stats are actually very similar, save for the fact that you've got more quant exerience. We'll have to brainstorm together over the next few weeks, haha. One thing which kind of irks me is that the scholarship is only for one year (which I guess is because Bologna and DC have different systems for that?), and DC seems to be much stingier. If I knew the scholarship was guaranteed for both years that would make my ability to plan financially a lot easier, but alas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
123seekay123 Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Got the email around 6pm today. In at the Bologna campus! So incredibly psyched. I applied straight from undergrad so I expected to be denied. Anyone else going to have to decide between GWU and SAIS? Same here. Didn't get money from either so that's not a factor. I'm thinking the SAIS name will win me over. Might be going to the open house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MPPgal Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Same here. Didn't get money from either so that's not a factor. I'm thinking the SAIS name will win me over. Might be going to the open house. Deciding between Georgetown (10k) and SAIS bologna (no funding) which one do you think is better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFactor Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Congrats! Our stats are actually very similar, save for the fact that you've got more quant exerience. We'll have to brainstorm together over the next few weeks, haha. One thing which kind of irks me is that the scholarship is only for one year (which I guess is because Bologna and DC have different systems for that?), and DC seems to be much stingier. If I knew the scholarship was guaranteed for both years that would make my ability to plan financially a lot easier, but alas. Haha nice, I'm looking forward to it. None of my friends are applying to these programs so it's nice to be able to use this board to get a feel for how others in the same situation are thinking. I agree that the lack of major funding (for now at least) for the second year is definitely something to think about. I read somewhere (must've been their website) that if you do well in Bologna there might be a chance to get further funding in DC but those opportunities are very limited and competitive I'm sure. When the dust settles I'm going to contact them and ask about that; if anyone gets any info about the funding opportunities for the second year in DC, please share! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaniCM Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 I just called admissions and they said that the Office of Fin Aid will be sending out letters in about a week with funding information, including non-named merit-based scholarships for select admitted students. I mentioned that some students already knew of fellowships/scholarships from their admissions letters and I was told those were likely for named fellowships/scholarships that the prospective students applied for after applying for admissions. Can anyone who already received funding information confirm that it was for a separately-applied, named fellowship or scholarship? I would love to hear I received funding...without at least 20K, maybe 15, I don't see SAIS being a financially feasible option...but I'm still psyched to have been admitted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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