Current SAIS DC student

[dcdenizen]

Hey gradcafe, 

Admissions decisions are coming out. I remember when I applied that I appreciated those threads where current students at various programs fielded questions from prospective ones. 

I'm a SAIS MA student in DC, no firsthand experience with either the Bologna or Nanjing programs. I do have friends in those cohorts, however, and could offer slivers of insight.

Happy to answer any questions you may have as you think through your decision. 

[SenNoodles]

Thanks for doing this! I'm very interested in SAIS so this is super helpful.

I'm curious about how much work experience most of your peers have - the average number of years worked for the incoming class is listed as about 2-3 but the average age is 26, which doesn't seem to match up. I've worked for 4 years now and am interested in a program where my classmates have some (not necessarily significant but a decent amount) of real world experience.

Also, where do most people tend to live? Dupont Circle/downtown is so expensive but I also wouldn't want much of a commute. Do people live in Shaw/Bloomingdale/Columbia Heights?  Do they actually live near SAIS?

Thanks again!

[Pichichi]

I appreciate your offer to answer questions at such a crucial time!

I've been accepted, first year in Bologna, but received nothing in funding. Among your friends and classmates do you know how common it is to pursue a degree at SAIS with little to no funding? If you could elaborate on the financial side of attending SAIS it would be very helpful.

[6speed!]

44 minutes ago, dcdenizen said:

Hey gradcafe, 

Admissions decisions are coming out. I remember when I applied that I appreciated those threads where current students at various programs fielded questions from prospective ones. 

I'm a SAIS MA student in DC, no firsthand experience with either the Bologna or Nanjing programs. I do have friends in those cohorts, however, and could offer slivers of insight.

Happy to answer any questions you may have as you think through your decision. 

Many thanks for offering to do this! I have asked this same question in two other SAIS threads and haven't received a response yet, so I'll put it to you as well. 

I have been accepted into the SAIS MA program in DC and initially indicated that I wanted to pursue the General International Relations concentration. I'm having major second thoughts about that concentration, however, the more I read about it. It seems like there is no cohesion within the concentration, that it's very decentralized and independent and lacks funding, resources, etc. I've read it has great flexibility in terms of the courses you have access to in order to satisfy the concentration requirements, but other than that you lack many of the networking, professional, social and resource-based benefits of the traditionally 'stronger' concentrations. One of these 'stronger' concentrations (or so I've heard), Strategic Studies, interests me greatly, as does  American Foreign Policy. I was thinking about doing Strategic Studies initially and would likely angle a majority of my courses in support of a General IR concentration towards the security and diplomatic offerings, but I was enticed by the immense cross over flexibility of General IR initially.  Can you comment on these three concentrations and their pros/cons, in your opinion? Of the three, which in your eyes seems to have the most satisfied students, academically speaking? Which provide the most perks, like resources/activities/events/networking? It seems that not taking advantage of a concentration with strong cohort cohesion, a plethora of resources, trips and networking activities and a sense of community would be missing out on an important and influential part of the graduate school experience, not to mention potential professional benefits in the future. Any insight is greatly appreciated and thanks again for your time! 

Edited March 12, 2016 by 6speed!

[mapiau]

Thank you for willingness to help all of us considering SAIS.

In your experience how likely are fellowships to be renewed for the second year? The SAIS website says students with fellowships "may expect the same in the second year" if they keep their GPA up, but other posters on this board say this is less likely. What are your thoughts? And how does change if the first year fellowship is through Bologna? 

[monocle]

Thank you for posting!

What year are you? Do you have a job lined up for after you finish your degree? Or a summer internship coming up?

[Colocho]

4 hours ago, Pichichi said:

I appreciate your offer to answer questions at such a crucial time!

I've been accepted, first year in Bologna, but received nothing in funding. Among your friends and classmates do you know how common it is to pursue a degree at SAIS with little to no funding? If you could elaborate on the financial side of attending SAIS it would be very helpful.

Not to hijack the thread--but I was also admitted to Bologna and received an email saying that financial aid was still under consideration. Did you also get this email, or did they provide you with additional information in your acceptance email?

[Pichichi]

39 minutes ago, Colocho said:

Not to hijack the thread--but I was also admitted to Bologna and received an email saying that financial aid was still under consideration. Did you also get this email, or did they provide you with additional information in your acceptance email?

Hopefully something comes through for you. I got this in an email:

Congratulations on your acceptance to The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).  The Financial Aid Committee has received and reviewed your request for financial assistance.  Unfortunately, our fellowship funds are extremely limited and we are unable to provide you with fellowship assistance for the 2016-2017 academic year.

[dcdenizen]

I'll take questions on one by one:

-SenNoodles on students' prior work experience and typical residences

A majority of SAIS students do come in with prior work experience. I can't speak to why those numbers aren't matching up. One reason could be that international students (who make up a sizable cohort at SAIS) may have graduated at a different age than the typical 21-22 for an American student. Amount and type of work experience will vary by concentration. I have been impressed by the accomplishments of my peers, and am always curious to hear their contributions in class discussions. SAIS students are high-achieving, motivated, and ambitious. I have heard that the current class is on the whole maybe a little bit younger than in previous years. I came into SAIS with 3.5 years of work experience. As for where students live, Columbia Heights, Mt. Pleasant, Shaw are popular neighborhoods. International students seem to live closer to or in DuPont circle. 

-Pichichi on funding, the financial experience of attending SAIS, etc

To be honest, students do not typically discuss with one another their personal finances or cost of attendance. It's a private matter. There seems to be an mix of fellowship recipients, merit aid, loan-taking students, etc. I know some people who are attending entirely on loans, others entirely on fellowships, and others who apparently are quite wealthy. It should be common sense given the program's location in DC and its high ranking, but attending SAIS is not cheap. As I haven't yet graduated, I can't speak to whether or not the school is worth the high cost, but my impression so far is that definitely is. Understand that the economics/quant requirements will really set you apart from your peers at other programs, not to mention the incredible quality of professors and enviable alumni network. People do pretty well after SAIS. Let me know if you have more specific questions on cost of living, etc. SAIS estimated cost of attendance is a good ballpark figure. 

-6Speed on concentrations, cohort cohesion, resources, etc

I think the answer to this question ultimately depends on what your professional goals are. Once you have a sense for what those are, research the course offerings, professors, and activities of each concentration and see which one seems to provide the most preparation for realizing those goals. Also, while some departments are a bit exclusive with their resources, you are ultimately a member of the wider SAIS community, not [insert concentration] community. For example, strat does a staff ride each semester wherein students go to re-enact some major global conflict that has happened in world history, and learn how former strategists and leaders made decisions. These trips are NOT exclusive only to strat students; anyone is welcome to apply and participate. Of course, it's mostly strat students who wind up applying and participating, but others are welcome. Similarly, a study tour offered by Latin-American Studies is welcome to everyone. It will usually be LatAm studies students who are accepted because they can write a more targeted and contextualized application. For what it's worth, I went on a study tour last semester outside of my concentration and the whole experience was fully funded. While different departments have different resources, the SAIS community and its opportunities are open to all. 

Some quick commentary on General IR, Strat, AFP. General IR is flexible as you point out, but it has a very small cohort and I'm not sure what their resources are. It's a minority concentration, for sure. I think it's a better idea to pick a specific functional (strat, conflict mgmt, etc) or regional (SE Asia, China, etc) concentration. For what it's worth, those students I know in general are not as clear on their final goals. This is a blessing and a curse. You have some flexibility, but the program doesn't feel as structured as a result. 

Strat: a very popular and high quality concentration. This is one of the concentrations SAIS is known for (also of course economics, but ERE and China studies are up there too). You seem especially interested in cohesion, resources, and community, and strat has all of these and then some. Lots of study tours, dinners with profs and alumni, that sort of thing. The only con might be that enrollment in this concentration has skyrocketed in recent years, and a couple of the most popular courses wind up being over-enrolled and then have to go to bid (message me separately about bidding for courses; I can't get into that complicated process here). 

AFP: well-rounded and mostly designed for those looking to enter the foreign service. Overlaps with strat a bit in terms of course offerings and overall direction. 

 

 

[dcdenizen]

mapiau on fellowship renewal

Most classmates have no problem renewing their fellowship so long as grades are maintained. I think SAIS recognizes that this is a major factor in any decision to attend; they're not going to sweep the rug out from underneath you. I don't know about Bologna/DC fellowship continuity. These questions may be better answered by an adcom or financial aid staff member. 

monocle:

I'm a first year that just secured an internship for the summer. Can't speak to post graduation, but I don't expect to have any problems. 

 

[rrrruoyao]

20 hours ago, dcdenizen said:

Hey gradcafe, 

Admissions decisions are coming out. I remember when I applied that I appreciated those threads where current students at various programs fielded questions from prospective ones. 

I'm a SAIS MA student in DC, no firsthand experience with either the Bologna or Nanjing programs. I do have friends in those cohorts, however, and could offer slivers of insight.

Happy to answer any questions you may have as you think through your decision. 

Thanks so much for offering AMA-exactly what I need now!

What do you think of SAIS' career service and its reputation in private sectors, which seem to me like two major downsides people here at grad cafe say about the program? 

Do you have any idea of what % of second-year students get funded at sais? 

Also, are students close to each other? How's the sense of "community" there? On contraction: I'm interested in China Studies. Do you happen you happen to have some experience with it? I know China Studies has all-star faculty but I'm a little bit concern about their approachability. Also on concentration: could students pick up whatever concentrations they like or some concentrations would set up certain filters like GPA? 

Sorry for throwing so many questions at a time. Thanks!!! 

[coffeeandtravel]

Thanks for taking the time to do this. Do you have any idea how many people are offered funding second year (who may not have gotten much first year)? Is it possible to get more second year? Also, what are your impressions of the Latin American studies concentration?

[dcdenizen]

rrrruoyao on career services, reputation in private sector, % second year funding, community, China studies:

I've had a positive experience with career services. SAIS does a good job of regularly updating job postings, hosting informal meet and greets/information sessions and job fairs with a bevy of employers, and helping students connect with alumni with in fields of interest. SAIS does also require all first years to go through a professional development course that covers topics like SAIS resume formatting, writing targeted cover letters, managing your LinkedIn profile, etc. This was helpful as a refresher, but many students come into SAIS already knowing how to do a lot of this stuff, so it was a bit irritating to sit through. You cannot meet with a career counselor until you've completed the course. My interactions have with career services have otherwise been great, and they've been a huge help in writing targeted internship applications. I sometimes wonder if career services at other programs might be more hands-on. IR grad students in DC I think are sort of expected to hustle on their own. Perhaps career services staff at programs outside the DC circuit (think Korbel, UCSD, Tufts, etc) might be more involved in a student's professional development given the lack of proximity to DC (a nexus for IR careers). 

SAIS seems to do well in the private sector, particularly in the consulting field. Deloitte is on campus frequently, as are other big consulting firms (McKinsey, BCG, Albright Stonebridge, etc). Internships and positions at these places are very competitive though; it's important to keep in mind that you're competing with your peers at SAIS as well as those at other prestigious IR programs (MSFS, SIS, Elliot School, etc). The consulting firms seem to like SAIS grads however as we offer a similar skillset to the typical MBA (econ/quant/finance) with regional or functional expertise. This is SAIS' biggest selling point, in my view. MBAs will typically just do micro and macro, whereas SAIS students do those plus international trade and international monetary theory, not to mention an econometrics, risk analysis, and/or corporate finance class(es). 

I'm not sure what % of second year students receive funding

I'd say the student body at SAIS has quite a bit of camaraderie. Student government hosts happy hours once per week and there's always a lot of events and club meetings, etc. I'd say the majority of the friends I've made have been through classes and study groups for problem sets. I do wonder if the community at SAIS would be even more cohesive if there was a contiguous campus; as it stands, students are scattered in classrooms and buildings that dot Mass ave. 

On China Studies: this is actually my concentration. You can PM if you have more specific questions, but I'd say the faculty is quite approachable. They are professors first, and regularly make themselves available to discuss assignments, course selection, career options, etc. SAIS has one of the more robust IR programs on China, with more China-related courses than any other program. You can change concentrations at anytime, though you probably want to settle on something by the end of your first year. The only concentration that you can't transfer into is IDEV, as the program is capped. Otherwise, there aren't any barriers to changing concentrations. 

coffeeandtravel on LASP:

I have a few friends in LASP and they all rave about it. It seems like a small cohort, and from what I gather, the department is pretty hands-on in helping concentrators secure internships, go on study tours, etc. 

[jcass]

On 3/11/2016 at 1:17 PM, dcdenizen said:

Happy to answer any questions you may have as you think through your decision. 

Thanks a lot for your help.

I recently got admitted to the Middle East Studies program. I'm deciding between SAIS, SIS and deferring for a year to get more work experience. 

Do you know anything about the Mid East program and its strengths? And did the school help you get the summer internship?

 

[rrrruoyao]

23 hours ago, dcdenizen said:

rrrruoyao on career services, reputation in private sector, % second year funding, community, China studies:

I've had a positive experience with career services. SAIS does a good job of regularly updating job postings, hosting informal meet and greets/information sessions and job fairs with a bevy of employers, and helping students connect with alumni with in fields of interest. SAIS does also require all first years to go through a professional development course that covers topics like SAIS resume formatting, writing targeted cover letters, managing your LinkedIn profile, etc. This was helpful as a refresher, but many students come into SAIS already knowing how to do a lot of this stuff, so it was a bit irritating to sit through. You cannot meet with a career counselor until you've completed the course. My interactions have with career services have otherwise been great, and they've been a huge help in writing targeted internship applications. I sometimes wonder if career services at other programs might be more hands-on. IR grad students in DC I think are sort of expected to hustle on their own. Perhaps career services staff at programs outside the DC circuit (think Korbel, UCSD, Tufts, etc) might be more involved in a student's professional development given the lack of proximity to DC (a nexus for IR careers). 

SAIS seems to do well in the private sector, particularly in the consulting field. Deloitte is on campus frequently, as are other big consulting firms (McKinsey, BCG, Albright Stonebridge, etc). Internships and positions at these places are very competitive though; it's important to keep in mind that you're competing with your peers at SAIS as well as those at other prestigious IR programs (MSFS, SIS, Elliot School, etc). The consulting firms seem to like SAIS grads however as we offer a similar skillset to the typical MBA (econ/quant/finance) with regional or functional expertise. This is SAIS' biggest selling point, in my view. MBAs will typically just do micro and macro, whereas SAIS students do those plus international trade and international monetary theory, not to mention an econometrics, risk analysis, and/or corporate finance class(es). 

I'm not sure what % of second year students receive funding

I'd say the student body at SAIS has quite a bit of camaraderie. Student government hosts happy hours once per week and there's always a lot of events and club meetings, etc. I'd say the majority of the friends I've made have been through classes and study groups for problem sets. I do wonder if the community at SAIS would be even more cohesive if there was a contiguous campus; as it stands, students are scattered in classrooms and buildings that dot Mass ave. 

On China Studies: this is actually my concentration. You can PM if you have more specific questions, but I'd say the faculty is quite approachable. They are professors first, and regularly make themselves available to discuss assignments, course selection, career options, etc. SAIS has one of the more robust IR programs on China, with more China-related courses than any other program. You can change concentrations at anytime, though you probably want to settle on something by the end of your first year. The only concentration that you can't transfer into is IDEV, as the program is capped. Otherwise, there aren't any barriers to changing concentrations. 

coffeeandtravel on LASP:

I have a few friends in LASP and they all rave about it. It seems like a small cohort, and from what I gather, the department is pretty hands-on in helping concentrators secure internships, go on study tours, etc. 

Thanks so much @dcdenize! And @coffeeandtravel: I emailed the admission office and they said about 50%-60% second-year students get some funding.