arbitist Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Oh yay! Thanks for sharing this Katrun. I was pretty paranoid about food as I start puking the min I have to eat non-veg. One problem solved, few more to go. Btw Katrun you have interesting choices in your bag, rather some really good schools. What is your top choice? Ok I exaggerated a bit with McDonalds, because I never ate there haha. What I told myself the whole time I lived there was that you were paying for the quality of life, and let me tell you it was worth it. Also I became a fantastic cook because of living there. You just invite people over for drinks (buying in the store is very cheap actually) or go out. Just drinking out isn't bad and happy hours exist and you get to know the bartenders haha. Geneva for vegetarians isn't difficult at all, in fact it is wonderful. I was vegetarian the whole time I was there simply because of the price of meat, I loved it so much I am a vegetarian still. At least five of my friends there were also vegetarian and never had a problem. Theoretically you could quite cheaply live on cheese and bread (although I don't recommend it). The only thing I really hated was the coffee. Oh coffee might be the dealbreaker for me. Lol But seriously guys, not many people know about IHEID and i'm concerned if that is because it's not as good as the others. I met a prof from Duke University who specialises in international development and he had no idea about this place. (Though he very sweetly said that shouldn't deter me from going/exploring). So for some of us here who have offers from better known places, will it be a gamble to go to Geneva just because it's a great place to live in? All this considering we do get in. anyway, we'll know soon and then we can start or stop worrying! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird86 Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 (edited) Oh coffee might be the dealbreaker for me. Lol But seriously guys, not many people know about IHEID and i'm concerned if that is because it's not as good as the others. I met a prof from Duke University who specialises in international development and he had no idea about this place. (Though he very sweetly said that shouldn't deter me from going/exploring). So for some of us here who have offers from better known places, will it be a gamble to go to Geneva just because it's a great place to live in? All this considering we do get in. anyway, we'll know soon and then we can start or stop worrying! When it comes time to get employed following graduation, it's all about who you know. Pick the school that will help you build the best network in your area of interest. Whether that's Geneva or elsewhere. Just going for a "great education" is not enough anymore. You need to pick somewhere that will offer you plenty of internship opportunities/connections and/or be located in the general vicinity of where you could get internships/opportunities. Remember, when you are all applying for jobs, you won't be the only one with a well-known degree from a great school, so it will really come down to your actual experience in the field. <-----From someone currently finishing up their Master's degree. Edited March 3, 2014 by Bluebird86 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird86 Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 I think what curious grad wanted to say was that given that 1st & 2nd March was a weekend. It's quite plausible that IHEID posts their decision starting today. Anyway sincere request guys, pls whatever your status, be it accepted, refused or wait listed. Do post it. Tons of good luck and good wishes Ah, yes, I did gather that. From the search results last year, it looks like notifications were given around March 14-15 for IHEID. I wouldn't get your hopes up too much for tomorrow, lest you be disappointed and have to feel like your extra week-two week wait is an eternity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curious_Grad Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Ah, yes, I did gather that. From the search results last year, it looks like notifications were given around March 14-15 for IHEID. I wouldn't get your hopes up too much for tomorrow, lest you be disappointed and have to feel like your extra week-two week wait is an eternity. Bluebird86, thanks for info.. I am so done waiting....Please please guys share any update, info from IHEID... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curious_Grad Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Oh coffee might be the dealbreaker for me. Lol But seriously guys, not many people know about IHEID and i'm concerned if that is because it's not as good as the others. I met a prof from Duke University who specialises in international development and he had no idea about this place. (Though he very sweetly said that shouldn't deter me from going/exploring). So for some of us here who have offers from better known places, will it be a gamble to go to Geneva just because it's a great place to live in? All this considering we do get in. anyway, we'll know soon and then we can start or stop worrying! arbitist, when did you apply to SOAS, because I got my decision within 2 weeks . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird86 Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Bluebird86, thanks for info.. I am so done waiting....Please please guys share any update, info from IHEID... haha, me too (with the done waiting part).... somehow I don't think that's going to change anything, unfortunately, lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arbitist Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 arbitist, when did you apply to SOAS, because I got my decision within 2 weeks . I applied quite late, on 31st January. They've said they'll reply in 5 weeks, so it should come this week. Which programs have you applied at NYU and LSE? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k_angie Posted March 3, 2014 Author Share Posted March 3, 2014 arbitist, when did you apply to SOAS, because I got my decision within 2 weeks . I applied quite late, on 31st January. They've said they'll reply in 5 weeks, so it should come this week. Which programs have you applied at NYU and LSE? I got it in 10 days! This is one thing I like about all UK schools, they are all pretty much have rolling admissions hence the decisions are posted real soon. Like all my results from UK schools didn't take more than 3 weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k_angie Posted March 3, 2014 Author Share Posted March 3, 2014 Oh coffee might be the dealbreaker for me. Lol But seriously guys, not many people know about IHEID and i'm concerned if that is because it's not as good as the others. I met a prof from Duke University who specialises in international development and he had no idea about this place. (Though he very sweetly said that shouldn't deter me from going/exploring). So for some of us here who have offers from better known places, will it be a gamble to go to Geneva just because it's a great place to live in? All this considering we do get in. anyway, we'll know soon and then we can start or stop worrying! Good point. I wish we could get in touch with some IHEID alumni who could give us both pros and cons of studying there. When it comes time to get employed following graduation, it's all about who you know. Pick the school that will help you build the best network in your area of interest. Whether that's Geneva or elsewhere. Just going for a "great education" is not enough anymore. You need to pick somewhere that will offer you plenty of internship opportunities/connections and/or be located in the general vicinity of where you could get internships/opportunities. Remember, when you are all applying for jobs, you won't be the only one with a well-known degree from a great school, so it will really come down to your actual experience in the field. <-----From someone currently finishing up their Master's degree. This totally makes sense. If I look from this perspective, geneva is the deal then cuz as Alchyna mentioned few posts back, "there were 3 times more job openings in IOs in Geneva than in comparison to London/Paris". So well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird86 Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Good point. I wish we could get in touch with some IHEID alumni who could give us both pros and cons of studying there. This totally makes sense. If I look from this perspective, geneva is the deal then cuz as Alchyna mentioned few posts back, "there were 3 times more job openings in IOs in Geneva than in comparison to London/Paris". So well! Geneva is great if you want to work with INGOs, NGOs, IGOs, etc. Also consider where you may want to live/work post-graduation. Having contacts in Geneva may not be as helpful if your desire is to live in London afterwards. But, if you wanted to live in NY, then having an internship at the UN could help you build the right network to transfer over to NYC. Think about what's going to set you up for the most long-term success! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curious_Grad Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 I applied quite late, on 31st January. They've said they'll reply in 5 weeks, so it should come this week. Which programs have you applied at NYU and LSE? I applied to Public and Nonprofit Management and Policy at NYU, Wagner School and International Relations at LSE.. got accepted to both school... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curious_Grad Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 haha, me too (with the done waiting part).... somehow I don't think that's going to change anything, unfortunately, lol! True..I wish I could break into their system and find out the status of my application Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird86 Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 (edited) True..I wish I could break into their system and find out the status of my application LOL. I think hacking into their database server might be grounds for a rejection letter! Edited March 3, 2014 by Bluebird86 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k_angie Posted March 3, 2014 Author Share Posted March 3, 2014 Ah, yes, I did gather that. From the search results last year, it looks like notifications were given around March 14-15 for IHEID. I wouldn't get your hopes up too much for tomorrow, lest you be disappointed and have to feel like your extra week-two week wait is an eternity. I don't think that they informed everyone only by the 14th-15th. I think people posted it on these days. Also I think we can expect decisions tricking from today. Let's see. I wish I could stop speculating. ;/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k_angie Posted March 3, 2014 Author Share Posted March 3, 2014 True..I wish I could break into their system and find out the status of my application Can we? LOL. I think hacking into their database server might be grounds for a rejection letter! Sadly true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithc Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Ah, yes, I did gather that. From the search results last year, it looks like notifications were given around March 14-15 for IHEID. I wouldn't get your hopes up too much for tomorrow, lest you be disappointed and have to feel like your extra week-two week wait is an eternity. Yeah i know someone who got the result on March 12 last year... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mych Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 (edited) Thanks for this info! Idk if I have asked you this question but how is Geneva for Vegetarians? Any idea? Ok I exaggerated a bit with McDonalds, because I never ate there haha. What I told myself the whole time I lived there was that you were paying for the quality of life, and let me tell you it was worth it. Also I became a fantastic cook because of living there. You just invite people over for drinks (buying in the store is very cheap actually) or go out. Just drinking out isn't bad and happy hours exist and you get to know the bartenders haha. Geneva for vegetarians isn't difficult at all, in fact it is wonderful. I was vegetarian the whole time I was there simply because of the price of meat, I loved it so much I am a vegetarian still. At least five of my friends there were also vegetarian and never had a problem. Theoretically you could quite cheaply live on cheese and bread (although I don't recommend it). The only thing I really hated was the coffee. I'm afraid I don't have any experience with vegetarian food there, but I see Katrun's provided a great answer! I fully agree with your observation, Katrun: I was never much of a cook before I moved here, but the relatively cheap prices of groceries vs eating out has been quite an incentive to learn. Also, the cheese and bread here are delicious! If anyone is really worried about the cost of living and is willing to commute to classes, living in France is a viable alternative. Costs are substantially lower than living in Switzerland, and the commute may even be shorter than if you lived in Switzerland but outside Geneva city. According to the IHEID info session that Mickun posted some time ago, this arrangement is entirely possible for students. There are drawbacks of course, but I suppose these are weighed differently for each individual. EDIT: the link Mickun so kindly provided: https://emea58402208.adobeconnect.com/_a843983480/p4kvkys818f/?launcher=false&fcsContent=true&pbMode=normal Edited March 3, 2014 by mych Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k_angie Posted March 3, 2014 Author Share Posted March 3, 2014 I'm afraid I don't have any experience with vegetarian food there, but I see Katrun's provided a great answer! I fully agree with your observation, Katrun: I was never much of a cook before I moved here, but the relatively cheap prices of groceries vs eating out has been quite an incentive to learn. Also, the cheese and bread here are delicious! If anyone is really worried about the cost of living and is willing to commute to classes, living in France is a viable alternative. Costs are substantially lower than living in Switzerland, and the commute may even be shorter than if you lived in Switzerland but outside Geneva city. According to the IHEID info session that Mickun posted some time ago, this arrangement is entirely possible for students. There are drawbacks of course, but I suppose these are weighed differently for each individual. EDIT: the link Mickun so kindly provided: https://emea58402208.adobeconnect.com/_a843983480/p4kvkys818f/?launcher=false&fcsContent=true&pbMode=normal I did come across this but the non -EU students cannot do this. Living in Paris along with visa issues is only applicable for the EU students. So well the other international students are at a loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanfan Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 I did come across this but the non -EU students cannot do this. Living in Paris along with visa issues is only applicable for the EU students. So well the other international students are at a loss. Maybe people can buy necessities from the nearby French towns on weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mych Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 I did come across this but the non -EU students cannot do this. Living in Paris along with visa issues is only applicable for the EU students. So well the other international students are at a loss. Ah, I didn't realise this. Apologies for the misinformation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katrun Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Oh yay! Thanks for sharing this Katrun. I was pretty paranoid about food as I start puking the min I have to eat non-veg. One problem solved, few more to go. Btw Katrun you have interesting choices in your bag, rather some really good schools. What is your top choice? Probably Johns Hopkins. I don't know. Lack of lengthy work experience is holding me back as a truly excellent candidate, I believe at least. I am trying not to think in terms of top choice until I get all my decision letters. If nothing really seems to be the best fit for me I have the option to stay in Haiti for several more years or go somewhere else. I actually applied to two others, but I didn't include them because I think I have a slim chance of getting in and I only applied because a professor asked me to haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Hope Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 I wish I knew the exact date of the decision notification, so that I don't check my e-mail and application form every 5 minutes. It is a torture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arbitist Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 When it comes time to get employed following graduation, it's all about who you know. Pick the school that will help you build the best network in your area of interest. Whether that's Geneva or elsewhere. Just going for a "great education" is not enough anymore. You need to pick somewhere that will offer you plenty of internship opportunities/connections and/or be located in the general vicinity of where you could get internships/opportunities. Remember, when you are all applying for jobs, you won't be the only one with a well-known degree from a great school, so it will really come down to your actual experience in the field. <-----From someone currently finishing up their Master's degree. Makes sense. Let's wait and see then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithc Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Probably Johns Hopkins. I don't know. Lack of lengthy work experience is holding me back as a truly excellent candidate, I believe at least. I am trying not to think in terms of top choice until I get all my decision letters. If nothing really seems to be the best fit for me I have the option to stay in Haiti for several more years or go somewhere else. I actually applied to two others, but I didn't include them because I think I have a slim chance of getting in and I only applied because a professor asked me to hah Hi Katrun, i'm also struggling between SAIS and IHEID. But of course my chance to get into both is like zero....BTW, which track of the MA program did apply for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mych Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 For anyone else considering Hertie / Berlin: I've spoken with a friend who currently works at a think tank in Berlin, and she had this to say: About Hertie - the people there are bright and seem happy with it. There are the usual compaints that any school has about admin etc, but no education-related complaints. Expenses in Berlin - generally cheap by European standards. A room in a shared apartment can be gotten for around €400.- per month; a food budget of €200.- per month is fairly generous; there are numerous affordable ways to enjoy the city's extensive cultural offerings, e.g. with a "Classic Card" that costs just €15.- per annum and allows you to obtain cheap leftover tickets for ballets, orchestras, operas and so on. It's not an exhaustive list of pros and cons, but perhaps it helps someone with their decision. Goodness knows it's hard enough as it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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