Spring 2010 admissions?

[figuringitout80]

Does anyone know of graduate programs accepting students for spring 2010 enrollment? I know Columbia is one, but I am not sure about any of the others. Anyone have some insights?

[s58]

Yup, Fletcher also admits a few people in the Spring.

[figuringitout80]

Thanks! I wish more universities offered spring admissions.

[riz1]

Hi figuring,

As s58 mentioned, Fletcher does admit a small cohort (20-25) every January. I'm a Januarian myself and will be starting in 4 months and 12 days (can you tell I'm excited?). If you have any questions about the process, let me know!

[figuringitout80]

Hello! Thanks for offering the advice! MY question is then you have already applied? How did the admission process work for you?

[riz1]

I applied in January last year for Fall admissions, was waitlisted for the Fall, and then was offered a spot in the January incoming class. The admissions process that is starting now is almost exactly the same as the one that most applicants go through in the winter of every year -- same application, same statement prompts, same opportunity to interview on campus.

About that last point -- I live in Boston and could have jumped up to Fletcher for an in-person evaluative interview during the admissions process, yet I didn't because I didn't realize at the time how unique this element is to Fletcher. Very few IR and government/policy grad schools offer candidates an interview opportunity, and if you're considering applying to Fletcher (whether for the fall or for the spring), please do take advantage of this. It helps tremendously. For me, after I was waitlisted for the Fall, the admissions committee offered me the chance to come in and (this is not how they phrased it) make my case. So I took the metro up to the campus and sat down with an AdComm member who just sat back and listened as I told my story of how I came to the decision to apply to Fletcher and what this education specifically would do for me.

Don't be like me is the bottom line. Take advantage of any such opportunity, because very few schools now offer that.

[figuringitout80]

Riz, that's very interesting. So you didn't just apply for the January deadline?

[riz1]

No, I never intended to start this coming January. My realization that grad school was the next best step for me didn't come in September of last year, when I should have started thinking about it (and to be fair, my fiancee did tell me then to consider it but I ignored her advice, regrettably). Instead, I decided in November of 2008 to apply to school. So applying even for Jan 2008 at Fletcher would have been out of the question. And in November 2008, I didn't want to wait until now to begin the application process. I went ahead and applied to Fletcher and a couple of other schools for the Fall 2009 entering class. In the meantime, while I was in the midst of my applications, I got laid off (private sector woes!). Gave me the opportunity to focus on my applications for the last month or so before they were due. In the meantime, started looking for a job (after all, what if I didn't get into school for the Fall? Remaining unemployed for so long wouldn't be good for me -- nor would it reflect well on a resume). Got a gig in nonprofit here in Boston, was rejected by two schools and waitlisted at Fletcher, started my job thinking I would be working until Fall 2010, then got accepted to Fletcher for January 2010. Absolutely could not say no to that.

One of the good things about starting school in Jan is that I get two summers instead of just one -- which means two opportunities for internships, language immersion, research, etc. The only downside that I can see so far is that the funding pool for Januarians is smaller than that for the Fall. But then again, there are 25 students entering in January, versus ~200 in the Fall, so perhaps that evens out well.