Georgetown MSFS

[CarefreeWritingsontheWall]

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!

Definitely, though one can never be sure. Best of luck to you!

[TeeCo10]

Rejected here too! Not surprised in the slightest! GT was a long-shot and a half for me. Glad they FINALLY got around to shooting out the rejection e-mail

 

Letter said 9,000 apps for their M.A. and PhD programs--that's insanity! Congrats to all the admits! You lucky few! 

[GameTheory]

Rejected yesterday, checked the status on the portal and received the email few hours later. Was a reach school, but disappointed nevertheless. 

[WaterYouDoing]

Still nothing. No email. No update on the application site. My guess is Friday evening (they said they would have all decisions out by the end of the week) I'll receive the rejection, kick off the weekend right, lol. 

[Ruella76]

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

 

Haven't heard anything either. It's been awhile since I logged into MyAccess but when I did I didn't see anything--didn't know if that was because I didn't get anything or they just hadn't decided on funding yet. I wish they'd be clearer. In my head I've basically ruled Georgetown out because I'm assuming no funding. If it turns out there's more funding on the way it could be confusing for everybody.

[cruisefresh123]

Has anyone heard about the scholarship from GT MSFS? Because a few people are discussing about the same on other topic and looks like they have been informed.

 

[Ruella76]

So I just got an email from Georgetown saying that not only did I not get any funding for the first year, but that from now on funding will only be offered during the admissions process. In other words, if you didn't get any funding from Georgetown, there's no way you'll get any second-year funding even with outstanding grades. So I guess that finalizes it; that's a no for Georgetown :\

[DupontCircle]

I was told via email (my own inquiry) I didn't receive any and then today was told I was on the waitlist with the new policy Ruella detailed afterwards. The communication on their part is a bit disjointed.

[IA+Math]

Anyone else still struggling to decide on Georgetown? I really want a program that emphasizes quant and can prepare me to use the private sector in my career goals, so I am back and forth between SAIS and Georgetown, though a small part of me toys with Fletcher still because of their strong student support. 

Anyone heading to Georgetown MSFS and why?

[hedong123]

Hi IA+Math,

 

Wow you have some really good options.  My apps were strong enough to get me into the best programs, but not strong enough to get me any funding.  

 

I also had to decide between SAIS and SFS.  In the end I chose SAIS because I feel that the program is more in line with my professional goals.  The heavy quant aspect of SAIS is viewed very favorably by employers, especially in the international economics/financial private sector.  I turned 30 this year and I want to be able to graduate from a program and have a job already lined up (or at least not have to wait more than a few months).  What I don't want is to graduate and be forced into a series of unpaid/low paying internships.  That's not to imply that this would occur with a degree from SFS but based on what I've seen and heard, I'm more confident that a degree from SAIS will take me exactly where I want to be.  If I were younger and planning on eventually pursuing a PhD or working for a prestigious NGO or teaching then I would've chosen SFS.

 

Did you (or anyone else) attend the SAIS Open House yesterday? 

[bjorntsui]

Anyone else still struggling to decide on Georgetown? I really want a program that emphasizes quant and can prepare me to use the private sector in my career goals, so I am back and forth between SAIS and Georgetown, though a small part of me toys with Fletcher still because of their strong student support. 

Anyone heading to Georgetown MSFS and why?

 

All these schools offer quant and econ courses, it is up to the student to choose the courses they believe will prepare them for  their goals.

[aiko_june21]

I'm in the same vote as hedong123, but I am between Fletcher and Georgetown. Got accepted to the MSFS program; received no funding.  I got accepted to Georgetown for undergrad as well and was in the same situation. I turned down SAIS because the MALD and MSFS are more in line with my academic and future career goals. 

 

I really want to go to Georgetown because the program is a perfect fit for me and my future career goals! I spoke to admissions this week, but yet again due to "limited funding" they are unable to give me any funding; just loans from my financial aid package. I also talked with Fletcher this week as well and they gave me an additional scholarship on top of their original offer. I was once told that funding = how bad they want you. This gave me something to think about.........

 

At one point, I was just going to suck it up and go because the program is a great fit for me; however, do I really want to be $142,740 in debt after two years just for a Masters Degree program?! I would be a fool to go into that much debt. Sadly yet again, I am 90% sure I will be turning down Georgetown's offer. I am excited to become apart of the Fletcher Mafia and excited to give someone the opportunity to be taken off the waiting list at GU! Good luck with your decisions everyone!!  

[X-Thor]

I'm in the same vote as hedong123, but I am between Fletcher and Georgetown. Got accepted to the MSFS program; received no funding.  I got accepted to Georgetown for undergrad as well and was in the same situation. I turned down SAIS because the MALD and MSFS are more in line with my academic and future career goals. 

 

I really want to go to Georgetown because the program is a perfect fit for me and my future career goals! I spoke to admissions this week, but yet again due to "limited funding" they are unable to give me any funding; just loans from my financial aid package. I also talked with Fletcher this week as well and they gave me an additional scholarship on top of their original offer. I was once told that funding = how bad they want you. This gave me something to think about.........

 

At one point, I was just going to suck it up and go because the program is a great fit for me; however, do I really want to be $142,740 in debt after two years just for a Masters Degree program?! I would be a fool to go into that much debt. Sadly yet again, I am 90% sure I will be turning down Georgetown's offer. I am excited to become apart of the Fletcher Mafia and excited to give someone the opportunity to be taken off the waiting list at GU! Good luck with your decisions everyone!!  

 

I guess I'll be seeing you in Boston!

[IA+Math]

@hedong123
 

Congrats on your decision! I agree with what you are saying about SAIS's career preparation, and that is why I have yet to say yes to MSFS. Though, as BjornTsui noted, all the schools offer quant and econ courses, some are more recognized in the professional world for their quantitative work than others; especially SAIS. I wasn't able to attend any open houses because I am located in Asia, but I hope that someone on these threads will post what they learned.

After working in the public sector and nonprofits for awhile, I think I am ready to transition to the private sector and work towards using private capital towards public good. So, at this point, it is a matter of whether I think MSFS Global Business and Finance or SAIS's Int'l Dev will help me access careers in the private sector internationally. 

Well, a few days left... gotta make that decision soon.
 

[totoro824]

Hi,

I live overseas so was unable to attend the open house. Would anyone who attended be wiling to share their thoughts/impressions on it? I too, like many others, is trying to decide between Fletcher and MSFS...and I'm starting to freak out!

[BurmeseAlien]

I am waitlisted on MSFS as well. AHHH!! The wait is killing me! Anyone have any ideas how big or small the wait list is? I know they don't announce it but any guesses?

Edited April 14, 2014 by BurmeseAlien

[BurmeseAlien]

I didn't get into SAIS or SIPA. But waitlisted at Georgetown MSFS, so it's my only hope at the moment...  

[joseon4th]

For what it's worth to anyone who couldn't make the Fletcher/SAIS/MSFS open houses, here's a brief write-up of my entirely subjective and anecdotal observations. 

 

Fletcher:

 

Faculty and alumni stressed the community aspect; lots of overt and enthusiastic school pride. There was an excellent Dean's discussion with Congresswoman Jane Harmon. The Security Studies program seems to be a strong suit of the program, especially with the new Dean, who is the former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO. The biggest negative aspect of Fletcher for me isn't necessarily the location (suburbs of Boston), but rather the campus-centric nature of the program and student body. Many of the Open House attendees were young professionals from D.C., who specifically stated the remote, "collegiate" feel of Fletcher to be a serious draw. In contrast, for people who are looking for a big career and/or geographic switch, I don't know if this is necessarily a positive. 

 

SAIS:

 

The flashiest and best-marketed of the three East Coast open houses I attended. Very well put together, a strong student body support for the Open House (e.g. lots of students wearing SAIS's official blue t-shirt). Full disclaimer: it happened to be a gorgeous day, which put a positive spin on the urban Dupont campus, which I believe is spread around three buildings, about a block, block 1/2 from one another. To help deter the "massive" feel of the open house (there must have been upwards of 400 people, in contrast to Fletcher which seemed to be around 150~), SAIS offered lots of lunch programs with the individual concentrations, e.g. Security Studies or China Studies people ate together, and spoke to current students and faculty in a more informal setting. Fletcher did this as well, to an extent, but I think SAIS did it more effectively -- everyone just seemed a little more "upbeat," or energetic.

 

Biggest negative is also its biggest positive for many people: incredibly structured curriculum, starting with the Econ and Quant requirements, but also including other components, like a capstone project or thesis paper. A clear positive, for me at least, was the location; great area, good vibes from the student body, and in general a very approachable urban school. (Unlike, IMO for example, Columbia.)

 

MSFS:

 

My whirlwind week of visits culminated at Georgetown. It's hard to discuss MSFS without comparing it to the prior two schools. It has some of the campus vibes of Fletcher, as well as the individualized feeling -- it only as ~100 entering students. It's also within a stone's throw of D.C. proper, although you have to take a bus to get to the Metro. (A big con.) An immediate aspect that set MSFS apart was we all went around introducing ourselves, to the entire visiting group. This process simultaneously illustrated both the caliber of admitted student and the potential friendships/relationships/networks that could be formed. I met a lot of interesting and intelligent (and friendly!) people at Fletcher and SAIS, but I felt like a got a glimpse of the entire (potential) MSFS '16 class in a relatively short space of time. 

 

MSFS didn't have a flashy "Dean's conversation" like SAIS/Fletcher. Their "guest star" was a recent MSFS alum, who although incredibly accomplished in her own right, isn't exactly a political-celebrity by any measure. 

 

In conclusion:

 

Clearly each of the programs offers a strong faculty and curriculum, as well as alumni network. It seemed like Fletcher worked really hard to set itself apart as unique and flexible; SAIS sold itself through glitz and glamour; MSFS downplayed its strengths and at least seemed to offer a more frank discussion of its student support and experiences.

 

As you can probably tell, I was most impressed by MSFS. I am set on going to a DC school, which in part helps cancel out Fletcher. I also feel like MSFS can be almost as flexible, course selection-wise, as Fletcher, yet offer a more intimate academic/professional training environment (e.g. classes capped at 16, mostly taught by working professionals). I really liked what SAIS showed, but I think MSFS provides the best of both worlds: immediate access to D.C. industry, and a rigorous academic program at a prestigious campus. 

[WinterSolstice]

@joseon4th. I think that's a really apt way to delineate the schools. SAIS is definitely very flashy and well-marketed. They go for the hard sell, and I'll admit for me it was hook, line and sinker. I think at the end of the day, it depends on what someone is looking for. I'm looking for a concrete, established program that would offer practical skills, but in an IR context. And SAIS is probably a little more in line with that, despite being a more rigid program. I will say though, the program has a lot of similarities to an MBA. It seems to fill a niche for people who are interested in economics and trade, but in a political policy framework. Which could be good or bad.

 

But anyway, in terms of MSFS, the community feel and individualized aspect of the program is a huge bonus. It's one of the things I'm a little dubious about with SAIS. It feels like the student body is very driven and ambitious and probably compete for resources and attention from professors, career services, etc. 

[BurmeseAlien]

For what it's worth to anyone who couldn't make the Fletcher/SAIS/MSFS open houses, here's a brief write-up of my entirely subjective and anecdotal observations. 

 

Fletcher:

 

Faculty and alumni stressed the community aspect; lots of overt and enthusiastic school pride. There was an excellent Dean's discussion with Congresswoman Jane Harmon. The Security Studies program seems to be a strong suit of the program, especially with the new Dean, who is the former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO. The biggest negative aspect of Fletcher for me isn't necessarily the location (suburbs of Boston), but rather the campus-centric nature of the program and student body. Many of the Open House attendees were young professionals from D.C., who specifically stated the remote, "collegiate" feel of Fletcher to be a serious draw. In contrast, for people who are looking for a big career and/or geographic switch, I don't know if this is necessarily a positive. 

 

SAIS:

 

The flashiest and best-marketed of the three East Coast open houses I attended. Very well put together, a strong student body support for the Open House (e.g. lots of students wearing SAIS's official blue t-shirt). Full disclaimer: it happened to be a gorgeous day, which put a positive spin on the urban Dupont campus, which I believe is spread around three buildings, about a block, block 1/2 from one another. To help deter the "massive" feel of the open house (there must have been upwards of 400 people, in contrast to Fletcher which seemed to be around 150~), SAIS offered lots of lunch programs with the individual concentrations, e.g. Security Studies or China Studies people ate together, and spoke to current students and faculty in a more informal setting. Fletcher did this as well, to an extent, but I think SAIS did it more effectively -- everyone just seemed a little more "upbeat," or energetic.

 

Biggest negative is also its biggest positive for many people: incredibly structured curriculum, starting with the Econ and Quant requirements, but also including other components, like a capstone project or thesis paper. A clear positive, for me at least, was the location; great area, good vibes from the student body, and in general a very approachable urban school. (Unlike, IMO for example, Columbia.)

 

MSFS:

 

My whirlwind week of visits culminated at Georgetown. It's hard to discuss MSFS without comparing it to the prior two schools. It has some of the campus vibes of Fletcher, as well as the individualized feeling -- it only as ~100 entering students. It's also within a stone's throw of D.C. proper, although you have to take a bus to get to the Metro. (A big con.) An immediate aspect that set MSFS apart was we all went around introducing ourselves, to the entire visiting group. This process simultaneously illustrated both the caliber of admitted student and the potential friendships/relationships/networks that could be formed. I met a lot of interesting and intelligent (and friendly!) people at Fletcher and SAIS, but I felt like a got a glimpse of the entire (potential) MSFS '16 class in a relatively short space of time. 

 

MSFS didn't have a flashy "Dean's conversation" like SAIS/Fletcher. Their "guest star" was a recent MSFS alum, who although incredibly accomplished in her own right, isn't exactly a political-celebrity by any measure. 

 

In conclusion:

 

Clearly each of the programs offers a strong faculty and curriculum, as well as alumni network. It seemed like Fletcher worked really hard to set itself apart as unique and flexible; SAIS sold itself through glitz and glamour; MSFS downplayed its strengths and at least seemed to offer a more frank discussion of its student support and experiences.

 

As you can probably tell, I was most impressed by MSFS. I am set on going to a DC school, which in part helps cancel out Fletcher. I also feel like MSFS can be almost as flexible, course selection-wise, as Fletcher, yet offer a more intimate academic/professional training environment (e.g. classes capped at 16, mostly taught by working professionals). I really liked what SAIS showed, but I think MSFS provides the best of both worlds: immediate access to D.C. industry, and a rigorous academic program at a prestigious campus. 

 

Interesting! Good that you got to check out all three schools at their open houses! So does it seem like you will be attending MSFS? I am on the waitlist, I am dying to get in! Lol.

[yellowpostit]

All these schools offer quant and econ courses, it is up to the student to choose the courses they believe will prepare them for  their goals.

 

This statement is true, but sort of misleading at the same time. Comparable course offerings between schools X and Y are not indicative of the actual quality of said quant/econ courses/programs at those schools. As such, I would think that it is reasonable to assume that this quality factor, given the same student, could alter the trajectory of how well they could, in your words, prepare for their goals.

[IA+Math]

@yellopostit

Good point. Further, I think that even if the quality of the courses are similar, the reputation for their quant/econ/finance courses may be different. I feel that I might get just as much quant and econ rigor at MSFS if I put effort into it, but SAIS is KNOWN for their quant and rigor and that reputation can translate into immediate assumption that SAISers are better quant prepared than MSFSers, despite perhaps no difference in quality and difficulty.

What school did you choose?

[yellowpostit]

Well, like I said in my original post, I think that bjorntsui is right with respect to the "it is what you make it" sort of premise. But it's also very important to take into consideration the fact that the programs in quant/econ are probably more different than s/he let on. I apologize if it just seems like I'm rehashing what I said earlier, but both points are key with regards to what we're talking about.

 

Here's one example of what I mean at a more macro level:

 

• MSFS has quant/econ coursework, but if you look at their concentrations and illustrative curriculum, you'll see that some of the courses that qualify for the degree are offered from other departments of GU. This fact could be both an advantage and a drawback, since I would think you would have broader access to courses across different GU programs, yet at some point you probably lose the international relations/affairs focus and start getting into other fields/disciplines/areas of study.

 

• SAIS seems to be the opposite; what you see is what you get. The benefit is that the program is specific and unified, which could make for a more cohesive experience (in this area) than MSFS. The disadvantage, however, could be that if you're interested in something and they don't offer a course on it, you're pretty much out of luck, relatively speaking.

 

At the end of the day (or should I say program), however, prospective employers are going to want people that know their stuff, which is where bjorntsui's statement rings true. If you worked hard to get the knowledge and skills necessary for specific types of jobs, and you have what recruiters/interviewers want, I'm not sure that the school will matter that much. Where the school will make the difference, I would think, is if you know that a school can better prepare you in a specific area of quant/econ than the other. In order to find that out, you'd have to do some extra research about course offerings, the professors who teach the courses, etc. It might take some digging, time, and effort to do so, but trust me, it'll be well worth it, especially if you know what you want to do. You don't want to choose a school and then somewhere down the road realize that maybe another school would've been better for developing an area that you wanted to work in.

 

The reputation factor could have some merit, but I think it exists more along the lines of the initial part of applying for jobs. As in, a screener went to school X, or works with someone who went to school X, and depending on that person and their abilities, may have a favorable view of that school. They might see your application and see you went to school X, and this fact coupled with your coursework and experience, may lead to an interview. At the end of the day, though, the decision is going to depend on, again, what you bring to that organization, and not just in terms of the knowledge and skills, but other factors such as your personality, ability to work in a team, or anything else the job would value that's totally unrelated to what we're talking about.

 

I apologize for the post being so long, but there's something else that might be helpful to think about: competition in this quant/econ area. When you start looking for jobs, you're essentially competing with not only those at your school (and not just your graduating class), but also with candidates from all the other schools. I cannot stress this enough, but you HAVE to assume that there *will* be people, for instance, that went to X school to focus solely on Y and took all the classes possible in that area. So after researching whatever schools you're looking at, try putting yourself in the position of, "I went to Z school and took all that I could on Y...how would I compare with someone who went to X school and took all of that school's courses on X (and did well in them)?" In other words, try imagining the worse-case scenario (to you) of your competition at the other school and their preparation, and then given your prospective preparation asking yourself, "Will I be competitive?" There will most likely be lots of similar competitors, so keep this in mind, as well as a rough idea of the job market for the kind of position you want.

 

To help with this sort of research, you could also look for past and present job openings in either your specific focus or this quan/econ area in general, see what those types of positions look for in a candidate, and see which schools could better prepare students for those jobs based on your school research.

 

Finally (I know I know), this specific advice could change depending on your situation. I assumed, maybe wrongly, that you're thinking about focus W among X and Y schools. Now if you're contemplating focus W at school X vs. focus Y at school Z, I would at the very least frame this advice differently. But anyway, I hope this perspective helps, and if I only wrote things that everyone already knows, I apologize! 

[joseon4th]

Interesting! Good that you got to check out all three schools at their open houses! So does it seem like you will be attending MSFS? I am on the waitlist, I am dying to get in! Lol.

I have indeed decided on MSFS -- best of all worlds in my book. (Still don't know what a "Hoya" is though.)

 

A lot of people will be deciding in the next week so you should hear back soon, at least? Are you looking anywhere else? Best of luck!

[bfoo]

I have indeed decided on MSFS -- best of all worlds in my book. (Still don't know what a "Hoya" is though.)

 

A lot of people will be deciding in the next week so you should hear back soon, at least? Are you looking anywhere else? Best of luck!

 

http://www.guhoyas.com/trads/gu-hoya.html

 

This may shed some light.