Am I too old for SAIS?

[hedong123]

I know this topic has come up on this board before but I was hoping for some advice based on my unique circumstances.

 

I want to go to SAIS to pursue a career in the multilateral sector.  I'm most interested in the World Bank or IMF.  However, I've been researching some of these organizations' career programs and many have an age limit which is usually in the early 30s.  

 

I'll be 32 when I start my first semester at SAIS.  I know that the private sector and the US government generally don't (and cannot) discriminate by age, but it seems that the World Bank/IMF does in some (many?) cases.  Im open to other career paths but I'm not sure if I'd still choose SAIS if my primary career goals were in the private sector (if they were I'd go to business school instead).  Additionally, from when I've seen and read, the US government isn't really hiring much these days.  

 

Can anyone comment on this?  Any fellow old-timers who can put my mind to ease?  

 

Thanks!

Edited April 18, 2014 by hedong123

[quincepessa]

I hope you're not! I'm 36 and starting at Maxwell this summer! Honestly, I think the question always applies: "And how old will you be in two years if you don't do the program?"

[tomasdavis]

Im 43 and Im applying this year for fall 2015... as much for personal growth as for professional opportunities, and I already have a masters (MBA).  My best advice would be to not limit your career goals to the "prestigious" posts.  Early in my career I was a bulge bracket i-banker in NYC.  I just accepted a 1-yr post in Africa for under $1,000/mo and given my 15 yrs of experience since leaving wall street, I have no doubt that this job that very few people would even consider will be a more meaningful experience than i-banking.  Im not suggesting you take a $1k/mo job after taking on debt from grad school... the more general idea is that there are meaningful, fulfilling opportunities out there, not all under the big labels.

[hedong123]

Well said Thomas.  For the very reason you mention, I decided to defer for another year.  I'm going to save as much money as I can for the next 14 months to reduce my future student debt.  That way, when I graduate, I'll have the freedom to choose my dream jobs (such as 1yr posts in Africa for under $1,000 per month), rather than feeling pressured to take the highest paying private sector jobs.

 

Could you tell me more about that post in Africa?  My main focus has always been Asia but I'd still love to hear about it.

 

Thanks!

[Achieve]

Hi... Its really motivating to read the above posts...I'm 30, have a decent job and yet planning to apply for MPA soon...I have 7 years of work experience as a communication trainer, journalist and then a public relations officer...I have studied Economics during my first 2 years of graduation yet I would prefer a course with not much of eco/quants...

 

Does one has to be extremely good in maths to do well in mpa...does it vary from college to college (as I felt while browsing some of the university websites)...Please help.

 

Thanks.

[CarefreeWritingsontheWall]

I applied to SAIS straight out of my undergraduate degree and the principle issue they had with me (which was very well outlined in a personalized letter) was my age. They said that I was too young in the sense that I lacked the life and job experience they wanted in most applicants. The average age of their graduate student body is 26-27 according to my letter. They expect people to have taken time off to work - though this is not always the case, as they do regularly admit people in their early 20s (I just wasn't one of them).

 

So you're definitely good to go and in no way will you feel like the odd man out.

 

@Achieve: Almost all graduate programs in political science, or public affairs, will always require at least one methods course, if not more. That said, methods varies between quanitative and qualitative approaches. Each school tends to have their own specialization. Overall, quanitative methods are very 'in' in certain fields. Particular schools may lean one way over the other. It just requires a little bit of research on where you're applying.