<p>Hi! Im currently deciding between Georgetown (School of Foreign Service) and Princeton (Wilson School hopeful).</p>
<p>Im going to be studying international affairs, focusing on political economy. I know both schools, especially considering their programs, would be incredible for the fieldcould any of you give me advice concerning them?</p>
<p>With Georgetown, Ill be in DC and the School of Foreign Service has such an outstanding curriculum concerning Intl Affairs. Beyond that, Georgetown offers language certificates (right? If so, how exactly do those work?) and I could do the accelerated masters to graduate with a bachelors and masters in five years (does anyone have more specific information or personal experience with that?). I feel like I know the Georgetown community more right now, mostly because Ive been able to speak with so many other admitted students through their Facebook group. But at the same time, does the rigidity of the SFall the requirements, etcinterfere? For example, their website warns against attempting to study multiple languages simultaneously, which kind of worries me.</p>
<p>With Princeton, Ill have pretty good access to NYC (and decent access to DC) and their academics for the field are outstanding. Most of what I know about Princeton is anecdotal from talking to current students, but I love how flexible their academics are. I feel like I could be much more personal with creating my classes and major at Princeton. But with Princeton, I would lose the opportunity to get the masters so readily as well as the experience of living in the nations capital. Also, through looking up the Wilson School, it seems like it focuses more on domestic politics than international affairs until the graduate levelis that correct or am I wrong?</p>
<p>I know I would get a phenomenal education in the field and have a great experience at both schools, so Im incredibly thankful to have to make this decision. Ill hopefully gain a better personal understanding of these schools as I visit more this month and attend their events, but it would be so helpful if yall could give any insight or opinions you might have. Thank you so much!</p>
<p>When I attended Princeton my parents lived in the DC area. To get to DC you take the Dinky train from the edge of the campus and arrive in DC in several hours. May Princeton professors that work for a year or two for the federal government keep their Princeton homes and commute to DC for the week. It is an easy trip. Having gone to too many Georgetown bars and living on the Princeton campus I can say that living in the Collegiate Gothic splendor would be my preference.</p>
<p>The WWS has a special masters program in which students receive a stipend. The program is The Scholars in the Nation’s Service Initiative (SINSI). SINSI provides a stipend and housing allowance and travel to/from Washington or place of internship. For the two-year fellowship, SINSI provides an entry-level equivalent salary and travel to/from place of fellowship. The language stipend covers tuition, travel, and housing/meals. As MPA students, Scholars receive a full scholarship for tuition and living expenses. SINSI scholars are placed for a two year position with the federal government. See: [Woodrow</a> Wilson School of Public and International Affairs | Scholars in the Nation’s Service Initiative](<a href=“http://wws.princeton.edu/scholars/]Woodrow”>http://wws.princeton.edu/scholars/). </p>
<p>The Princeton-in-Washington Program connects Princeton students working in DC with senior government officers. When I participated I was able to attend meetings with cabinet secretaries with a small number of fellow Princetonians. The program varies each year so your mileage could vary. [Princeton-in-Washington</a> «*Office of Career Services « Princeton University](<a href=“Search Opportunities | Human Resources”>Search Opportunities | Human Resources) </p>
<p>One example of a course in international affairs is the course to be taught this spring by Anne-Marie Slaughter '80. Professor Slaughter is the immediate past director of policy planning at the State Department. She will teach the course WWS 480: National Security Policy. See: [Slaughter</a> ?80 returns to Wilson School - The Daily Princetonian](<a href=“http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2011/02/01/27421/]Slaughter”>http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2011/02/01/27421/) Recently former Republic majority leader Dr. Bill Frist '74 co-taught a WWS course The Political Economy and Health Systems. Since the first meeting of the Continental Congress every Congress in our nation’s history has had at least one Princeton alumni as a member.</p>
<p>Do not make the mistake of under valuing the other academic disciplines at Princeton. Some of the really stupid comments being made by politicians about the economic crisis indicate that they are attorneys that never took a course in economics. To understand arms control you should have knowledge of physics, to regulate the Internet you should have an engineering knowledge, or to write energy policy you should have knowledge of climate research. Princeton has outstanding professors in all of those areas. Consider the entire university and the entire undergraduate experience. Do not just compare WWS to SFS.</p>