Georgetown MSFS

[CarefreeWritingsontheWall]

Still no word, no emails, and no updates on the ApplyYourself portal. Feels like a guaranteed no now. x_x

[lala1640]

Yeah same here @carefreewritingsonthewall! Haven't heard a word and I'm not seeing anyone share rejections, only acceptances and waitlists! I'm not feeling particularly hopeful at this point knowing I'm still waiting and no one has posted a rejection...feels like I'm awaiting the inevitable!

[CarefreeWritingsontheWall]

Yeah same here @carefreewritingsonthewall! Haven't heard a word and I'm not seeing anyone share rejections, only acceptances and waitlists! I'm not feeling particularly hopeful at this point knowing I'm still waiting and no one has posted a rejection...feels like I'm awaiting the inevitable!

My thoughts exactly.

[CL_Fergus]

And still no one has received any funding offers? 

[WinterSolstice]

Finally heard back. Waitlisted. Kinda a bummer, but at least I can start trying to decide between SAIS and Elliott. Best of luck to everyone else!

[bfoo]

Just received my acceptance!

 

But I have a concern: I have a very strong academic background in IR and stats from my undergrad program. Looking at the MSFS core curriculum, it seems as if they go over a lot of what I covered in undergrad (IR theory, advanced stats, etc. but l definitely can benefit from intll trade and monetary theory core courses again) and I was just wondering if anyone else who also majored in IR in undergrad knew whether the core curriculum seemed a bit repetitive or whether these core courses made this material more "practical."

 

Overall, is Georgetown MSFS known to be more "practice-oriented" (kind of like Columbia SIPA) or more IR academic and theory focused?

 

I ask because I am going into the public sector (Foreign Service would be great of course) and wondered whether I should attend a place like SIPA where financial budgeting and management were part of the curriculum. Not the most exciting courses, but I figure they would be super useful for a future career in the public sector.

 

Any thoughts would be great, thanks!

 

Hi spartuckeye,

 

First -- congratulations! To answer your questions, you will be given a chance to test out of IR and stats during orientation in the fall, and you'll also be able to submit your undergrad international trade syllabi to the economics department to get a waiver from that class, so I wouldn't worry too much there. Many people end up testing out of at least one core class.

 

I would say MSFS is very practice-oriented. Professors are encouraged, for example, to stay away from assigning massive 20-page term papers and assign more memos to prepare you for the policymaking world. We also have a wealth of classes focused on hard skills such as quantitative decision making, corporate finance, GIS, etc. Additionally, if you can't find the sorts of financial budgeting/management classes you want within MSFS, you'll have the opportunity to take these classes from any other department in Georgetown. Between the GHD, MPP, or MBA programs, you'll definitely find something that fits your practical needs.

 

Hope this helps. Feel free to PM me for my e-mail address if you'd like to chat more.

[IA+Math]

Admitted but waitlisted for funding. Problem is, even if some becomes available, we won't be notified till after the deadline of other schools.

[CL_Fergus]

So the letter they sent out earlier today .... the letter they referenced in it, the Apply Yourself letter, "to be released in the coming days" - is that actually just the Apply Yourself letter that was in the portal before they even sent anything??

[Ruella76]

So the letter they sent out earlier today .... the letter they referenced in it, the Apply Yourself letter, "to be released in the coming days" - is that actually just the Apply Yourself letter that was in the portal before they even sent anything??

 

Very confused about this as well.

[goodcat]

The timeliness and clarity of Georgetown's communication with its potential students leaves something to be desired. Yet SFS is supposed to be so small, intimate, personal. What am I missing?

[TempThrow]

I didn't get a letter or email referencing anything...so....cool.

[CL_Fergus]

Yeah goodcat, its a bit weird..

[M.A-Cool-J]

On the waitlist as well.  Did anyone receive any additional communication from the adcom about their waitlist status?

[WinterSolstice]

@MACoolJ: I got an additional form email from the admissions director explaining what the waitlist was (as if it really needed explaining...) and that they'd keep me posted on the process. But otherwise, no info. We'll see what happens, but even if I got pulled from the waitlist, I doubt I'd go. A waitlist acceptance would pretty much equal no money, which would make going there kind of impractical. 

[CarefreeWritingsontheWall]

I didn't receive any emails or communications from Georgetown today either. ugh. ><

[TeeCo10]

I wish they'd reject me already! Not feeling very optimistic based on 1) my track record this cycle and 2) how they haven't even updated my portal yet (and only admits and wait-listers have been notified). I'm sick of refreshing the page! GAH! 

 

Congrats to the admits and the wait-listers! MSFS is an incredibly prestigious program and, basically, ya'll are awesome!

[CarefreeWritingsontheWall]

I wish they'd reject me already! Not feeling very optimistic based on 1) my track record this cycle and 2) how they haven't even updated my portal yet (and only admits and wait-listers have been notified). I'm sick of refreshing the page! GAH! 

 

Congrats to the admits and the wait-listers! MSFS is an incredibly prestigious program and, basically, ya'll are awesome!

Looks like we're in the same boat. I feel you and reiterate a congratulations to everyone who's been accepted. :]

[CL_Fergus]

So are you guys still confused as to the funding situation, and which Apply Yourself letter they are referencing? It kind of sounds like there will be another Apply Yourself letter coming soon:

 

Over the next few days, we will be working with the Graduate School to prepare your official admission offer for viewing in Apply Yourself. When your letter is ready to be viewed, you will receive an e-mail from the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. If you have received a scholarship, it will appear as part of your admission letter in Apply Yourself.

 

hmm...and for those waiting, hang in there! 

[Ruella76]

So are you guys still confused as to the funding situation, and which Apply Yourself letter they are referencing? It kind of sounds like there will be another Apply Yourself letter coming soon:

 

Over the next few days, we will be working with the Graduate School to prepare your official admission offer for viewing in Apply Yourself. When your letter is ready to be viewed, you will receive an e-mail from the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. If you have received a scholarship, it will appear as part of your admission letter in Apply Yourself.

 

hmm...and for those waiting, hang in there! 

 

Yup, I'm still very confused about this. (I must admit though, so far I haven't put any effort into contacting admissions and finding out what's up.) They make it sounds like the "real" letter (and potential funding info) is on the way, but it's hard to be sure because the info available in the admissions portal and their emails don't seem to line up. It took like two days between seeing my admit notice in the admissions portal and getting an email from them saying I was in. So I don't know what to think about whether there really is another letter coming. The one I saw online looks pretty official already.

 

Good luck to all those still waiting. It must be very frustrating, the lack of good communication on Georgetown's part. Judging from last year's thread, the exact same thing in the previous admissions cycle, so Georgetown hasn't done much to improve the way they notify candidates of their status.

[CarefreeWritingsontheWall]

Yup, I'm still very confused about this. (I must admit though, so far I haven't put any effort into contacting admissions and finding out what's up.) They make it sounds like the "real" letter (and potential funding info) is on the way, but it's hard to be sure because the info available in the admissions portal and their emails don't seem to line up. It took like two days between seeing my admit notice in the admissions portal and getting an email from them saying I was in. So I don't know what to think about whether there really is another letter coming. The one I saw online looks pretty official already.

 

Good luck to all those still waiting. It must be very frustrating, the lack of good communication on Georgetown's part. Judging from last year's thread, the exact same thing in the previous admissions cycle, so Georgetown hasn't done much to improve the way they notify candidates of their status.

I still haven't heard anything. No comments about a letter coming, no updates on the portal and no emails (but I haven't send admissions anything asking them what's going on) After a week of being antsy about my email, I am happy to hit the weekend and have two days of reprieve. What threads were you looking at from last year? Were people accepted in waves, or was it all at once? My fear is that all of the acceptances and waitlists have been issued already as people started hearing back Monday-Tuesday it seems.

[spartuckeye]

Hi spartuckeye,

 

First -- congratulations! To answer your questions, you will be given a chance to test out of IR and stats during orientation in the fall, and you'll also be able to submit your undergrad international trade syllabi to the economics department to get a waiver from that class, so I wouldn't worry too much there. Many people end up testing out of at least one core class.

 

I would say MSFS is very practice-oriented. Professors are encouraged, for example, to stay away from assigning massive 20-page term papers and assign more memos to prepare you for the policymaking world. We also have a wealth of classes focused on hard skills such as quantitative decision making, corporate finance, GIS, etc. Additionally, if you can't find the sorts of financial budgeting/management classes you want within MSFS, you'll have the opportunity to take these classes from any other department in Georgetown. Between the GHD, MPP, or MBA programs, you'll definitely find something that fits your practical needs.

 

Hope this helps. Feel free to PM me for my e-mail address if you'd like to chat more.

 

Thanks a lot! The waiver exams are a huge plus. Very helpful for my decision!

[Gov2School]

Accepted, but with no funding and would need to take a Microeconomics and a language class before I could enroll, so chose to decline the offer.  Waitlisters, hope one of you gets my spot! 

[CarefreeWritingsontheWall]

Finally got rejected from Georgetown this morning. Sent their run of the mill letter. It is what it is.

[goodcat]

Still no word on the money side of things. Has anyone had an aid award posted to MyAccess?

[lala1640]

Yep, same here @carefreewritingsonthewall, rejected! Totally okay with it though, felt like I knew it was coming since most had received their info last week or so!