<p>I'm trying to decide between various Master's programs in international relations / affairs. If anyone can comment on the following schools -- from personal experience, reputation, what you heard from a friend of a friend, anything! -- that would be fantastic.</p>
<p>Johns Hopkins SAIS
Georgetown SFS
Yale Grad School of Arts & Science - IR program
Columbia SIPA</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Hi, I'm also trying to decide between a few programs. Have you already applied/been accepted to places? Or are you deciding where to apply in the future? I was recently accepted to SAIS, SIPA, and Fletcher (Tufts). </p>
<p>The main advantage of SAIS is obviously the atmosphere, as it can piggyback on the government and policy resources offered by DC. Many friends of friends graduated from SAIS, and they seem to have done very interesting things while there - overseeing the Cambodian elections, etc. It seems to me that SAIS, versus all of the other IR programs, has a more intense focus on international economics.</p>
<p>I have worked with many graduates of SIPA (though in a finance capacity, which troubles me), and while they loved the program, they do concede that many SIPA graduates are drawn into Wall Street due to the proximity and the money. SIPA of course can boast an Ivy League parent, but in my experience the school relies too much on the "we're ivy league" argument while saying little about its program. I even received a downright hostile reception from an admissions rep when I first introduced myself last fall, though I was ultimately accepted (after first being rejected two days before - what?). Regardless, it is still an excellent program and NY is probably the second best place for IR after DC.</p>
<p>On Georgetown and Yale - I did not apply to them, but I know a little about them. </p>
<p>Georgetown is a true foreign service school (you can tell by the language proficiency requirement prior to matriculation). A former colleague of mine graduted from SFS years ago and spent his career hopping from country to country attending meetings with heads of commerce. I have no doubt that SFS is a great program, down to its DC location (I was accepted there for undergrad and would have went if not for a hefty scholarship somewhere else), but I have heard concerns that it might be difficult to do anything with a Master of Foreign Service vs. Master of IR or IA. Moreover, the atmosphere there seems a little preppy and homogeneous for a foreign service school. </p>
<p>On Yale, all I know is that its IR program is excellent. I only know undergrads from Yale who had exposure to IR grad resources - the perception from them is that Yale is probably the most liberal arts-y of all of these programs, while the others seem to treat themselves more as professional schools.</p>
<p>Hope this helps a bit.</p>
<p>hey, thanks for the info! these are my current stats:
SAIS - in (DC campus)
Yale - in
SIPA - still waiting (urg!!!)
Gtown MSFS - still waiting (double urg!!!)
Princeton WWS - ding</p>
<p>if you're looking for more info to make your own decision, there's been some really great discussion about these programs (incl Fletcher) at the <a href="http://www.whogotin.com%5B/url%5D">www.whogotin.com</a> grad school message board, and at the US News & World Report message board (<a href="http://forums.prospero.com/usnews_grad/messages%5B/url%5D">http://forums.prospero.com/usnews_grad/messages</a>)</p>
<p>Thanks for the links! Have been browsing the US news forums. I noticed you're an NYU grad? So am I. My stats:</p>
<p>SAIS - in (DC campus)
SIPA - in (I think, they sent my acceptance after a rejection)
Fletcher - in, very minimal funding
KSG - ding
WWS - was told by admissions rep that I would likely be rejected before even applying, so I spared myself that effort</p>
<p>you're nyu too? haha- shoulda guessed that from your screenname. small world. what year? i graduated in May 04, poli sci major / journ minor (read: washington square news nerd).</p>
<p>Ha, yes, NYU brands you forever with that ID. I graduated May '01, double major finance and econ, minor poli sci. Yes, I was Stern. Pretty gross, now that I think about it.</p>
<p>Hi, I'm an international student and I have applied to SIPA on the 15th February deadline. They told me they would have sent a letter and e-mail of admission/refusal 8 weeks after the deadline... so I would expect it to arrive after mid-April. Now I see some of you already received the admission letter... so... does this mean that I should consider myself out? Or could it be that my application takes longer to be considered because I applied for the second deadline?
Thanks</p>
<p>SIPA appears to be sending out responses in batches (they sent out a bunch of rejections on 3/2, and accepts on 3/22) but they definitely haven't finished. a number of people i've talked to online haven't heard yet -- and neither have i. all we know for sure is that they're sending out decisions by email. so don't give up hope!</p>
<p>Hey Tango76,
If you are an international student I wouldn't worry about not receiving a decision yet - your deadline was Feb 15th, so you are correct in assuming that you should receive your decision by mid-April. I am domestic and my deadline was Jan 5, hence the earlier decision. Also, for international students I believe most schools take a closer look at giving financial aid (I didn't get any - boooo). That could possibly add to decision-making time. </p>
<p>Regardless, hang in there! I've read on other boards that many domestic applicants have not yet gotten their decisions. </p>
<p>btw, have <em>finally</em> confirmed with the admissions office over there that I am truly admitted, the first rejection email was "unintentional" and a (very not-funny) mistake.</p>
<p>Thanks you for your help.. I now understand better how they send out responses... I decided to apply to SIPA knowing it was going to be hard for me to get in, but now I realize how much I would love to be admitted... so waiting is killing me!
I haven't asked for financial aid... is this having in any way a positive or negative effect on my application?</p>
<p>Also I understand that at SIPA they have almost 50% of international students.. are they trying to balance the class or all the internationals compete for the same space, no matter where they come from?</p>
<p>Well... I guess in a couple of weeks we all be admitted or rejected, and then all these considerations will loose importance...</p>
<p>I don't think financial aid has an effect on your application at all - most schools say they make admissions decisions separate from financial aid decisions. Moreover, SIPA explicitly states in their materials that it is very rare for first-year students to receive financial aid, and that almost all awards are reserved for second-year students. So it seems they don't care whether or not you ask for funding, because they won't give it to you anyway, at least not the first year. </p>
<p>I don't think SIPA or any of its competitor schools have an international "quota," but I've never asked specifically about it. I personally think the nature of the applicant pool leads to a highly international class, though I haven't seen any statistics giving a breakdown of domestic vs. international applicants, and the percentage of each being admitted (it would be very interesting though, if anyone has, and would like to share, this information!). I think they must have some sort of target percentage, but of course we are not allowed to know details. </p>
<p>Anyway, the waiting game is indeed terrible, and I'm glad that I'm done with it and moved into the decision phase. Is SIPA your top/one of your top choices?</p>
<p>Thanks for the infos...
In fact on the SIPA website they say usually 50% of the class in international, but nothing is said about the presence of a "quota" or target percentages...
SIPA is more than my top choice... is the only program I applied to... (yeah, I know, that's crazy...)</p>
<p>i'm not on you guys caliber, but i'm still pursuing a MA in IR, i've narrowed down my choices of colleges for which i've been accepted to:</p>
<p>Syracuse Univ.
Seton Hall Univ.</p>
<p>i'm leaning heavily towards Syracuse, all signs point this direction.</p>
<p>can you guys give me anything on if i should/shouldn't go here (fact/opinion)</p>
<p>thanks for the help</p>
<p>i've heard great things about seton hall (mainly cause i intern at an NGO that's affiliated with the whitehead school of diplomacy). don't know much about syracuse tho, so i can't really help you there. might be able to get you in touch w/ a current seton hall student or two if you want. lemme know.</p>
<p>i'd appreciate that a lot...</p>
<p>if you want you can give me their email add or maybe AIM/MSNMessenger name, dont really feel comfortable leaving my email add on a message board.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>oh yea, i'm curious, what NGO do you intern for?</p>
<p>AJK -- check your private messages.
if anyone else wants to talk to a current seton hall student, let me know and i'll message you the contact info.</p>
<p>i intern at the United Nations Association of the USA (which, to clarify, is NOT a part of the UN, but rather an advocate/partner of the UN that doubles as a think tank and membership org). definitely recommend it if anyone's looking for an unpaid internship in NYC. check out their website at <a href="http://www.unausa.org%5B/url%5D">www.unausa.org</a></p>
<p>thank you so much, I really appreciate it.
I'll be contacting her soon.</p>
<p>If anyone else knows anything about the Internationa Relations programs at either Syracuse University or Seton Hall Univ., PLEASE post. Any bit of information will help.
Thanks.</p>
<p>Posting just to thank all those who provided me help with my application.
I have just been admitted to SIPA, and probably I wouldn't without your help.</p>
<p>Anyone else have anything on Syracuse's Master-International Relations Program?? I hear that the Maxwell school is great, but not so strong in IR. I'm still confused as to where I want to go. I'm leaning towards Syracuse, but i'm not certain.</p>
<p>Anyone have any opinion, fact, comment, rants.... please post.
thanx</p>