SAIS application for Fall 2013

[Revolution]

Any idea what SAIS acceptance rate is? I heard it's around 30%.

[lacanadiense]

I hope so. I've been in the Army for four years

 

That's odd though. Maybe there was a miscommunication somewhere. I know my interviewer mentioned talking to a Marine so I know it wasn't a mistake. 

 

Hmm, that's strange. I applied for Bologna, but about two weeks after the deadline, I got this email:

 

 

Thank you for submitting your fall 2013 Master of Arts application to Johns Hopkins SAIS. You might remember that on the online application, you were asked to select a location for a personal interview. You can disregard that interview location request. This was a technical glitch which should not have come up as an option on your application. U.S. citizens pursuing their first year at the Bologna campus are not required to schedule an interview. We are looking correct this issue with our application vendor and apologize if this caused any confusion. We sincerely appreciate your patience and look forward to reviewing your application.

 

Regards,

 

Office of Admissions

 

Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies

Johns Hopkins University

1740 Massachusetts Avenue NW

Washington, D.C. 20036

Tel: 202-663-5700

Website: www.sais-jhu.edu

[Pinkman]

Hmm, that's strange. I applied for Bologna, but about two weeks after the deadline, I got this email:

Exactly what was communicated to me. Very strange if Kadisha had to interview and submit a GRE score.

[nason]

Think Kadisha and I got to the bottom of it...interview is required even for US students if doing MAIA full 2 years in Bologna.  If US student applying for MA and spending just the 1st year in Bologna, seems the interview is not required.

 

Hope that's accurate/hope it helps clarify.

[Kadisha]

Think Kadisha and I got to the bottom of it...interview is required even for US students if doing MAIA full 2 years in Bologna.  If US student applying for MA and spending just the 1st year in Bologna, seems the interview is not required.

 

Hope that's accurate/hope it helps clarify.

 

Yep that was it guys. Sorry if I caused any panic. 

 

It still bugs me as to how they name their programs. I mean when you look at it they have an MA and an MAIA program. When I was first looking at them back in September I remember thinking "Master of Arts" in what? And then they have "Master of Arts in International Affairs" . Oh well.. Either way I hope everybody gets a positive decision in the next couple of weeks. 

[riverguide]

Any idea what SAIS acceptance rate is? I heard it's around 30%.

For applicants (like me) straight out of undergrad, its about 11%...

[riverguide]

Did anyone submit all of the fellowship applications (Merrill, Mason, Norton)? I just submitted all of them (due tonight at midnight). The Merrill was a bear to wrestle with but I figured it gave me an opportunity to demonstrate my research and writing abilities. They are due before admission decisions are made and I cannot help but think that they could be salient in that process as well. I'm applying straight out of undergrad so I'm utilizing every opportunity I have to demonstrate I'm ready for grad school. I notice that most of you have the benefit and advantage of work experience. Best of luck to all of you. I hope to see you at SAIS next fall...

[Pinkman]

Anxious two weeks now! I think decisions are out sometime next week, judging from last years results page here!

[The Mark]

It's been said before, but I've waited two months with no problem. As soon as March hits, I'm going crazy!

[Kadisha]

It's been said before, but I've waited two months with no problem. As soon as March hits, I'm going crazy!

 

Seems like a lot of us here are in the same situation. Every email I get makes me wonder. That (1) in my gmail tab is not my friend right now. 

[Pinkman]

That (1) in my gmail tab is not my friend right now. 

Haha, I know what you mean. Any buzz on my phone makes me drop everything! Good luck to everyone.

[riverguide]

Anybody apply to Georgetown? Their notifications come out this week...

[intlrlns]

Anybody apply to Georgetown? Their notifications come out this week...

I applied to MSFS. This week is a little too early!

As much as I want to know all the decisions I'm oddly comfortable with the perpetual hyperventilation right now. 

[riverguide]

I applied to MSFS. This week is a little too early!

As much as I want to know all the decisions I'm oddly comfortable with the perpetual hyperventilation right now. 

I applied for the SFS MAAS program. Results were released during this week, for MAAS, last year. Good luck on your app! Did you apply for the FLAS? Did you apply for any of the fellowships at SAIS?

Edited March 5, 2013 by riverguide

[Kadisha]

I applied to MSFS. This week is a little too early!

As much as I want to know all the decisions I'm oddly comfortable with the perpetual hyperventilation right now. 

 

lol. These past few days have been interesting for me. Random thoughts of terror about being rejected from every single school haunt me. But I really do have high hope for GWU and SAIS. Don't know about Gtown though. 

[Pinkman]

lol. These past few days have been interesting for me. Random thoughts of terror about being rejected from every single school haunt me. But I really do have high hope for GWU and SAIS. Don't know about Gtown though. 

Exact same boat. SFS might be a little out of my reach but I'm very optimistic about the other schools, including Elliott and SAIS.

[riverguide]

Exact same boat. SFS might be a little out of my reach but I'm very optimistic about the other schools, including Elliott and SAIS.

I'm curious as to why you think that being accepted by SFS is more difficult than being accepted by SAIS? SAIS appears more competitive (scores, GPA, work experience) than SFS...

[Kadisha]

I'm curious as to why you think that being accepted by SFS is more difficult than being accepted by SAIS? SAIS appears more competitive (scores, GPA, work experience) than SFS...

 

Two things. You have a personal interview if you've applied to the MAIA program. So you get to feel the vibe they have about you. Second is that the SFS for the MSFS program accepts 75 students per year. Don't remember where I read that to site the source, but it wasn't "a friend told me".

 

Edit: Grammar

Edited March 5, 2013 by Kadisha

[riverguide]

Two things. You have a personal interview if you've applied to the MAIA program. So you get to feel the vibe they have about you. Second is that the SFS for the MSFS program accepts 75 students per year. Don't remember where I read that to site the source, but it wasn't "a friend told me".

 

Edit: Grammar

I've applied for the SFS MAAS program. I believe they only require an interview if you're accepted and are eligible for the FLAS (which I also applied for). They take about 26 or so for the MAAS program but the requirements for the FLAS are clearly set forth (everyone must be fluent -OPI intermediate high/advanced low- in Arabic and have extensive time in the Middle East) and that can be seen in their bios of currently enrolled students. They have extensive bios of all current students listed on their web page. Good information to know.

Edited March 5, 2013 by riverguide

[Kadisha]

I've applied for the SFS MAAS program. I believe they only require an interview if you're accepted and are eligible for the FLAS (which I also applied for). They take about 26 or so for the MAAS program but the requirements are clearly set forth (everyone must be fluent -OPI intermediate high/advanced low- in Arabic and have extensive time in the Middle East) and that can be seen in their bios of currently enrolled students. They have extensive bios of all current students listed on their web page. Good information to know.

 

Hmm interesting. I guess I could have applied to that. I've just spent too much time in the Middle-East these past few years (2 military deployments) and I needed a change. I pretty sure my fluency in Arabic and my intensive work using it is going to help me there, and all other place for that matter. Good luck with your application though.

[riverguide]

Hmm interesting. I guess I could have applied to that. I've just spent too much time in the Middle-East these past few years (2 military deployments) and I needed a change. I pretty sure my fluency in Arabic and my intensive work using it is going to help me there, and all other place for that matter. Good luck with your application though.

Did you attend DLI and/or take the OPI/DLPT V? I've spent two years there, Egypt (during the Arab Spring), Lebanon and Jordan. Iraqi Arabic is a tough dialect. Georgetown is one of the only schools that has taught it. Its impressive that you learned it.

Edited March 5, 2013 by riverguide

[Pinkman]

I'm curious as to why you think that being accepted by SFS is more difficult than being accepted by SAIS? SAIS appears more competitive (scores, GPA, work experience) than SFS...

Like Kadisha said, the smaller class makes the program a whole lot more competitive. In addition, for someone like me with a private sector background mostly, I feel I'm at a disadvantage at a school like SFS (but no harm in trying) because of the caliber of students they attract. SAIS seems more up my alley but I'm just speculating!

[Goose1459]

The SAIS website says that decisions and funding will be out on the 15th. So it looks like it will be a win-win, win-lose or a lose-lose for all of us next Friday.

[Goose1459]

Two things. You have a personal interview if you've applied to the MAIA program. So you get to feel the vibe they have about you. Second is that the SFS for the MSFS program accepts 75 students per year. Don't remember where I read that to site the source, but it wasn't "a friend told me".

 

Edit: Grammar

 

On the MSFS website they say that they normally receive 800-1000 applications and accept 20-30% of these. This makes sense for yield percentages because accepted students will decline for other offers. Correct me if I'm wrong, though...

[Kadisha]

Did you attend DLI and/or take the OPI/DLPT V? I've spent two years there, Egypt (during the Arab Spring), Lebanon and Jordan. Iraqi Arabic is a tough dialect. Georgetown is one of the only schools that has taught it. Its impressive that you learned it.

 

I've got a long story, but in a nutshell I went to undergrad here as an international student. Joined the Army under a pilot program because I am spoke a critical language (Arabic in this case), and roughed it out in Iraq and Afghanistan. So yes I have taken the DLPT V. Have a 3/3 (native speaker rating) in MSA and a 3/3 in Iraqi, and I'm Lebanese so I naturally know the Levantine dialect. The Army doesn't pay me for testing for it, so I never bothered haha. 

 

I understand what you mean about Iraqi being difficult. I even had a hard time understanding it when I first got to Iraq in 2010.

 

The SAIS website says that decisions and funding will be out on the 15th. So it looks like it will be a win-win, win-lose or a lose-lose for all of us next Friday.

 

Does that include Bologna? I went to their blog earlier and it hasn't mentioned anything.

 

On the MSFS website they say that they normally receive 800-1000 applications and accept 20-30% of these. This makes sense for yield percentages because accepted students will decline for other offers. Correct me if I'm wrong, though...

 

No it makes sense. I hope every single one of us here gets in. I'm just not completely confident because my academic performance isn't anything special.