<p>Hey all. I'm just about to finish up the MARSEA (M.A. in Regional Studies: East Asia) Program at Columbia and figured I'd hang a shingle to see if anybody had any questions. Feel free to fire away about any topic--East Asia programs, the admission process, the curriculum, etc.</p>
<p>Were you able to get funding for your MA program or was it pretty much all out of pocket? Also, where did you stay whiel you were goin tto Columbia? Did you live in Manahttan or did you live outside of the islant? Also, what are your plans now that you are about finished? DO you have a job lined up? If not, are you going for a PhD or another MA?</p>
<p>Hey. To answer your questions, I received no funding for my M.A. It's all loans, work-study, and out-of-pocket. The East Asian Institute is trying to make MARSEA a fully-funded program, but that's still a couple of years off, and Columbia is notoriously bad with master's funding. I'm in the job market right now and have some fairly decent prospects in political consulting and analysis (I want to work either for the government or for a private consulting firm in D.C.). I'm playing with the idea of going for a PhD in Communication down the road, but my immediate plan is to work full-time and see where the career path takes me.</p>
<p>As for living arrangements, I live alone in an apartment about 15 minutes' walk from school. You can get University housing, but I applied too late for it and ended up stuck on a waiting list, so I decided to just go ahead and rent my own place.</p>
<p>if you don't mind me asking, how much did you end up having to pay for rent?</p>
<p>Well, I paid more than most people should, because I didn't want to live up in Washington Heights. I also got a 1-bedroom, which is bigger than most people should reasonably have. My rent was $1,575/mo., but you can realistically do it for $800 or so per month if you're smart about it.</p>
<p>Not an MARSEA question (though I did entertain the thought of applying there), but a general Columbia question: How'd you like your experience? Columbia's one of the schools I'm looking at for my possible PhD, so I'm wondering how you liked life in NYC/Columbia.</p>
<p>It was O.k. I would rate my experience with Columbia (not MARSEA, but the University as a whole) as about a 6 out of 10--perhaps a bit disappointing overall, though none of the disappointment was really academic, per se. Plus, for a PhD program, I'd imagine that the experience might be quite different. </p>
<p>I was no stranger to the world of the mid-sized research university when I came to Columbia, but the scale and incompetence of the bureaucracy here just seems more sweeping than at similar institutions. Case in point: tons of people were left high and dry when it came to tickets for the upcoming M.A. Convocation, because it turned out that the auditorium in which they scheduled it held 200 fewer people than they had planned for. I know people whose families are coming from as far away as China and Singapore who will not be able to see their son/daughter walk across the stage. </p>
<p>Another administrative issue: housing is at an extreme premium, and even PhD students are not even close to being guaranteed housing for their first year (let alone subsequent years). While some MARSEA people were able to get University housing, I got stuck on a waiting list that, they said, might not begin to move until December (??!!), and this resulted in the financial nightmare that I explained above. </p>
<p>Additionally, while I found that the faculty were extremely accessible (meaning that they were reliable in their office hours and could be easily reached otherwise), they are generally wrapped up in their own projects and have little time to really focus on the needs of students. Of course, this is to be expected, though I found the faculty here to be a bit less tolerant of/receptive to working with students than was the case at my undergraduate institution. They are there if you seek them out, but unless you are doing your dissertation directly under a given prof., I wouldn't count on much assistance from other faculty (again, not sure if this is necessarily the case for PhD students, but since we all take the same classes, I'm guessing that the experience is similar for M.A. students and 1st- and 2nd-year PhD candidates). </p>
<p>NYC is what makes the whole thing worthwhile, and I've really enjoyed my time here. I think that a lot of the issues that I had with Columbia are common at most schools, and I do feel that I got what I wanted out of the MARSEA program (research experience, improved job prospects, and some potential recommendations if I ever want to try for a PhD down the road). Despite their lack of enthusiasm for students, the faculty are excellent and the quality of the education you receive here is, I'd imagine, about as close to top-notch as it gets.</p>
<p>Thanks, WildLion.</p>
<p>I'm starting my MA at UCSD IR/PS in the fall, but I had considered Columbia as well (IR/PS, as you may know, is also focused on East Asia.) I tend to be more interested in the political side of things, however, so MARSEA steered me to IR/PS, SAIS, and other similar programs. In the end, IR/PS seemed the best option (plus being a Cali resident doesn't hurt. Cheap as can be!)</p>
<p>But, I still have a PhD to look forward to, and Columbia's on my list. Still, I've heard that Columbia's bureaucracy is a nightmare. I mean, I thought that UCLA was bad, but my friends at Columbia (undergrad and grad) keep telling me that "I ain't seen nothin' yet." As one person put it, "Look man, you're paying almost nothing, and you have a bad bureaucratic mess to tick you off. I pay a fortune AND I have a bad bureaucratic mess to tick me off. You win."</p>
<p>But I hear that PhD level is like a different school altogether. Or so said a prof of mine...</p>
<p>Yeah, well after the first 2-3 years, the PhD level is like a different school, but be prepared to deal with typical Columbia red tape and BS until you pass your qualifiers. MARSEA students do have thesis advisors and the same access to faculty that PhD students have, and I think the prevailing attitude of academic snobbery among professors (read: some professors, but certainly not all) is universal at this level. I'm sure that your relationship with your dissertation supervisor, whomever that may be, will be much closer and more involved than mine was with my thesis advisor, who essentially met with me once, signed off on my project and gave me a grade (albeit a good grade, and I did have a lot of help from another prof who wasn't even my advisor, so things tend to even out). </p>
<p>But anyway, enjoy UCSD--definitely one of the top programs for what you're doing--and best of luck with your PhD down the line. Don't let all of this Columbia doom and gloom scare you off. There is bureaucracy everywhere, and in the end, I believe that the educational quality lives up to its billing.</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>To be honest, if I can, I'm going to just continue all the way through to my PhD at one of the big California poli sci programs (Stanford, Cal, UCSD, UCLA). </p>
<p>But Columbia, of course, must be entertained. </p>
<p>Red tape is everywhere, though, I agree. By the way, if you haven't lived in DC before, it's a fantastic place! I was there for an internship and a bit more and loved it. If you enjoy burgers, do yourself a favor and have one at the Beacon Bar and Grill at the Beacon Hotel. It's at 1615 Rhode Island, right around Embassy Row and Dupont Circle. They're significantly cheaper on Sunday, though! Best burger I've ever had!</p>
<p>Awesome, thanks for the tip! I definitely plan on landing in DC, whether it's now or sometime in the near future, so I'll be sure to check out those places.</p>
<p>If you want any DC life hints, feel free to PM me. I may not have the long-term resident thing goin' for me, but I sure know what to do if you've just gotten there! ;)</p>
<p>Very cool. You'll definitely hear from me if/when I end up there. Unfortunately, I've been so tied up with school that the job search has fallen by the wayside somewhat, so it looks like I'll be temporarily back in Chicago to live at home while I try to find work on the east coast ('cause I'm too broke to afford rent in NY or DC).</p>
<p>Bump for those starting a new application cycle.</p>
<p>hi wildlion82,</p>
<p>what do you plan to do with your degree? is that different from what you thought you'd be doing when you originally enrolled in the program?</p>
<p>what are some other common jobs that your classmates are taking? </p>
<p>what advice would you give to a college student who wants to obtain a master's in IR or east asian studies? well, besides good grades and test scores (standard for everyone), and study abroad and foreign language (i'm already doing), what are some good jobs/activities/internships etc. that i should be involved in? </p>
<p>thanks!</p>
<p>Hi Kfc,</p>
<p>People tend to use their degrees in a variety of different ways. I just accepted a job with a political consulting firm in New York and will be doing domestic political strategy--a field that was indeed one of my target careers coming into and out of the program. Some other graduates are pursuing PhD's, second M.A.'s, year-abroad programs, and financial work. </p>
<p>Above and beyond the requisite strong undergraduate record, language proficiency, and clear regional focus (test scores are less important; 600+ in each section should suffice for just about any IR/area studies program), I would recommend at least a summer of concentrated work experience in your area of study. Work experience is more important for IR programs than it is for the more academic area studies programs, but it is something that should be a part of a competitive applicant's resume. Personally, I studied in China, took 4 years of Chinese, and then took my junior summer to work and research my undergraduate thesis in China. The work/research experience and the resulting personal statement are what I believe endeared me to programs and led to success in M.A. admissions. </p>
<p>As for the specifics of working abroad, it is fairly easy to get ESL positions, but if possible, find a way to couple your experience with research or another form of academic productivity. Even better, try to take a lesser-trodden path than teaching English (work in an office, obtain a summer research grant from your undergraduate institution, etc.) In my opinion, the key to success is being able to link your experiences to relevant academic and/or professional reasons for wanting to continue your education in a given master's program.</p>
<p>thanks for the advice wildlion82 :)</p>
<p>Hi Wildlion,
I graduated with decent grades from a fairly prestigious school, and have decent GREs, but did not study Chinese at all in my time there. Since graduating however, I ahve been living in Beijing, working as a journalist, English teacher(of course) and volunteering in a leedership position with a small non-profit.
I am interested in programs like Columbia MARSEA, because i want to continue to work in East Asia (or the US with a focus on East Asia), either in journalism or non-profits, but in a more serious capacity. My Chinese is coming along decently for the amount of time i have put into it, but is by no means stellar, yet. I am curious if you know of any other students in your program who did not study asian languages at an undergrad level.<br>
thanks for your help.</p>
<p>Do you remember what people’s GPA scores trended towards? Thanks!</p>
<p>Really? GRE doesn’t matter that much?! I got 610V 680Q, but I’m disappointed because all my practice tests were 700+V. How do I fair with very relevant experience and research abroad and a 3.8?</p>