Fletcher vs SAIS vs Elliott

[Brewmaster]

I do understand this topic has been done to death previously. But with the Fletcher deadline on 20th April, it could be useful at this point to refresh. . 

 

SAIS and Elliott have the DC location, while Fletcher is strong academically. Most people I spoke to recommended SAIS for the brand name and strong employment record, thought it is the most expensive of the three. I've summarized a comparsion below as I see it now

 

SAIS: Ranked No.2 in IR/IDEV. Expensive (42K per year, no scholarships). Known for economics-focused curriculum. Stellar employment record with notable alumni and professors. DC location - easy access to hundreds of relevant organizations for internships etc., but higher living expenses. 

 

Fletcher: Ranked No.4 in IR/IDEV. Slightly less expensive (36K per year, after scholarships). Strong academically; flexible curriculum. Active alumni base and good career services. 'Closer-knit' student community among the three (atleast thats what I heard). Boston location - opportunity to cross-register with Harvard etc. but lesser internship/job opportunities; lower living costs (Medford campus). 

 

Elliott: Ranked No.6 in IR/IDEV (largest US school in this field). Less expensive (32K per year, no scholarships). All classes are in the evening, so most students work/intern in the day (intnl students are allowed only on-campus positions however). Good employment record. DC location. 

 

I'm leaning towards Fletcher since I want to focus on academics and perhaps pursue a Phd after graduation. Working for the World Bank/UN is not my end goal. I wish to get into academia or work for an NGO/Think Tank. My heart says Fletcher, my logical brain says pay the additional 20K(12K fees + extra DC living costs) and go to SAIS which is considered the best in IDEV. 

 

FYI I'm currently based in the Middle East with 2yrs experience in the private sector and 6 months of internships with NGO's. 

 

Please advice.

Edited April 14, 2015 by Brewmaster

[Atlas445]

Let's say that money wasn't a factor, which program would you be most interested in attending?  Which program are you most excited about?  Why - professors on faculty, courses offered, etc.?

[Brewmaster]

@Atlas445 I'm definitely most excited about Fletcher, I haven't looked into the professors to be honest. It's the flexible curriculum and course offerings that does it for me. The Boston location is a huge concern however. Job opportunities and internships are as it is limited for international students and being away from DC/NY could make things worse. 

[Atlas445]

When I was deciding between George Washington and Georgetown I looked at the course offerings for the upcoming semester as well as previous semesters, and put together a mock schedule based on the academic requirements for graduation from each program. I then looked at the professors teaching the classes that I wanted to take/needed to take to fulfill my degree and their professional background and research publications/interests. When doing this it became clear that Georgetown was a program that I was much more interested in, and after going to their admitted student's day I knew it was the right choice for me. I would suggested putting together a mock schedule for the programs you're thinking about and looking at what professors are listed as teaching the courses you would want/need to take. Then think about which program is more interesting, or makes more sense for your career goals. Location is important, but it's equally important to be excited about the program you choose so that you can be successful while studying there. It's tough to get good grades and put in the necessary effort when attending a program that you're just not that interested in.

[Ungjaevel]

I'm a current Fletcher student, and my experience is that the notion that being in Medford will handicap you in terms of internships/jobs isn't nearly as true as you might think. Employment statistics are roughly equivalent and people who go without internships between first and second years are unheard of. If you like Fletcher most as a program, don't let the fear of not getting an internship or a job stop you. 

[went_away]

Given that your goal is to go the NGO/think tank route, no question in my mind you should go to Fletcher. Fletcher has a very strong - some might say too strong - corps of students who are successful in the nonprofit and development world (though Fletcher students can be found in plenty of powerful private sector and gov positions as well). So I think it'd be the perfect fit for you if that's where you naturally want to end up. The Fletcher alumni community is indeed enthusiastic, involved, and powerful, if not quite the unstoppable 'Fletcher mafia' the informal marketing would lead one to believe it is. 

 

SAIS seems to do a little better in the government contracting and consulting areas and, of course, if your heart is set on DC you should go there. On the whole, I would guess their grads do a little better in terms of starting salaries because of this - however in this nebulous world of international affairs every person's experience is very, very different. 

 

My impression is there is a clear drop-off in quality and prestige from SAIS/Fletcher to the Elliot School, so I wouldn't recommend you go there unless you already had a full-time job in the DC area (because of their night class schedule) and/or had a solid scholarship offer from them.  

 

Enjoy!