Fletcher and Bush School questions

[FredMims]

I'm interested in applying to Fletcher for the MALD. Since I would be heading to Boston completely alone and know no one there, the idea of a good community for my grad students sounds good to me. I work hard but am not ultra-competitive and would prefer to enjoy grad school. However, I know absolutely nothing about Boston. Nothing about Medford/Somervillle, nothing about getting an apartment in Boston. Never been there and don't know anyone from there. So a few questions:

1) Is the sense of community at Fletcher as good what they say? A friend recently entered grad school in a social sciences program at a Midwest state university and was told beforehand how the department works hard to create a good sense of community among the grad students. But it turned into the most socially-isolating experience of his life since it's in a small town and the "sense of community" wasn't really accurate.

2) What is the cost of living in Boston compared to DC or Chicago? Is Medford/Somerville cheaper because it's a bit of a suburb? And is housing an issue there? It sounded like it can be difficult to get an apartment. Tuition would be much higher than other schools I am reviewing but I wondered if the cost of living would be lower in Medford compared to DC or other major cities.

3) What is Medford/Somerville like? With no knowledge of Boston, I have never even heard of the area.

As for the Bush school's IA degree, I am very curious about the quality of the professors since it is a new program. From the online materials, it actually looks like a great program and flexible enough to satisfy my focus areas. Very affordable compared to Fletcher. But I wonder about the quality since it's relatively new. I will also be an older grad student with a lot of foreign policy experience (but no M.A.) so I wonder if I would fit in better at Fletcher since the students supposedly have international experience usually. And in terms of quality of life, what is College Station like? I have never been to Texas either.

If anyone on here has attended the Bush School, please let me know your opinion of the experience.

 

Thanks!

 

[went_away]

I studied at both schools, so can provide a bit of insight. Medford/Somerville are suburbs of Boston and just a few stops up the metro line from the city. Boston cost of living is very slightly less than DC. Medford is very boring, but picturesque with a few nice bars/restaurants. If you're an IR nerd, though you should be having tons of fun on campus because of all the amazing events, learning opportunities, and speakers they bring to town. In any event, it's super easy to get into the city (or Harvard square, which is only like one stop away) for drinking and salsa dancing (a personal favorite - try Havana Club, far and away best salsa club I've found in the US). Fletcher community is definitely as good as they say; the school is very well organized and nothing like a social science program at a midwest state university - which is partially why it's so EXPENSIVE. One issue is there's a tiny bit of a high school feel with the full-time 2-year MA students, but that's not necessarily a bad cause everybody seems to really bond and stick together for years after. Quality of the student body at Fletcher will be much higher than the Bush School, so your courses will be MUCH more challenging. The Bush School is actually a fantastic program - in some ways better than Fletcher for career outcomes because of its political connections, plus it's super cheap for regular students - and you'll learn a ton there, but Fletcher is definitely more of a small fish/big pond situation. Plus the northeast is simply where it's at in terms of international affairs - the Boston (thanks to financial services industry and MIT/Harvard)/NYC, and DC area is really the country - and world's - triangle of power. I went to Fletcher because I viewed it as a lifelong investment in learning and relationships. It's ridiculously expensive relative to typical starting salaries (though I got a pretty decent scholarship, which made a big difference), but I don't regret it at all. 

[FredMims]

Thanks. I sent you a PM.