Preparing for your admission decision

We are actively working on getting admissions decisions ready and published by mid-March.  While you patiently await for our notification, there are a few steps you can take to ensure the process is smooth and easy.

1) Update your contact information- Please make sure we have the correct mailing address.  If you are admitted, you will receive an admission packet in the mail.  If you need to check or change your address, log into your application profile and make the appropriate changes.

2) Make sure you are checking your email- Sometimes applicants are forced to use email addresses they do not check regularly.  Make sure you check the email address we have in the profile section of your application, not the application itself.

3) Continue looking for outside funding.  Many students use outside fellowships/scholarships to help lower the cost of graduate school.  The Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA) is a great resource for applicants.  Websites like Fastweb.com or even a basic Google search can return opportunities as well.

We appreciate your patience as we continue with the admissions process.  We look forward to notifying you of our decision!

Federal Loans and Work Study

If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, you are eligible to apply for federal loans and work study to help finance some of the costs of graduate school.

To apply, please submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) through the U.S. Department of Education at fafsa.ed.gov.  You must select GW as a recipient of your application by using code 001444 in Step 6 of the FAFSA.

To ensure timely notification of your federally awarded package, please submit your FAFSA no later than February 28.  Please do not wait for an admission decision before you fill out the 2013-2014 FAFSA.  

If you need additional information, please visit the GW Office of Student Financial Assistance website.

Next Steps

The hard part is over!  Your GRE has been taken, your recommendations written, and application submitted.  Congratulations!

We know it will be difficult to wait a full two months to hear your decision, but here are some things you can do to ensure a smooth admissions review.

Wait for us to contact you.  If we are missing any pieces of your application, we will contact you via email.  Please do not call or email asking about your GRE scores, recommendations or transcripts.  We have had an influx of documents arriving via email/mail and are working as quickly as possible to link all of these with applications.

If you email us, please be patient; we will respond as soon as we can.  Our priority is to process and complete applications.  Please do not send a follow-up email as it will take us even longer to respond. (We work from the oldest emails to the newest).

Check your online status.  You can check to see which recommendations have been submitted, which transcripts are in our office, and what test scores have been linked with your file through the application portal.  Please allow at least two weeks for all of the loose documents and test scores to be added to your application.  Again, if we are missing anything as we process your application, we will email you.

**“ESIA2-Application is incomplete” is not a second part of your application.  It is a status code we use.  We must manually process all applications ensuring all documents are in order, legible, and complete.  This takes time!  Again, allow at least two weeks for us to process everything and complete your application.

Research financial aid and scholarships.  While your application will automatically be considered for fellowships through the Elliott School, it can never hurt to look into additional funding opportunities.  If you plan on applying for federal aid, submit your FAFSA by February 28 to get priority notification in April.  You can find out more information through the Office of Financial Aid.  You can also explore additional fellowships through GW’s Office of Graduate Student Assistantships and Fellowships.

Stay in touch via Facebook, our blog, and now, Instagram! We will continue to post updates and tips for prospective students.  These are all great ways to learn about what is happening at the Elliott School and become aware of major application updates.

We look forward to reviewing your application!

Application Tips and Reminders

With the deadline just a few hours away, we hope you find these tips and reminders helpful as you complete your application!

If your application status is “ESIA2-Application is incomplete” this does not mean you are missing a second part of your application! It is simply a code we use to document the status of your application. Please allow at least two weeks for our office to process all documents and complete your application before contacting our office.

You can submit your application even if all of your recommendations have not been submitted.  If letters come in after your application is submitted, the system will automatically link them to your file.  Please note that we strongly prefer that recommendation writers follow the same deadlines as for the application, but we will continue to accept letters a few days after the deadline.  It is up to the applicant to remind their references to submit their letters.  You can do so through the application system (please know that these reminders have a habit of being sent to spam folders).

When you view the pdf version of your completed application, the GRE score section will be blank. IT’S OKAY! Please send an official score report through ETS to school code 5246 (no department code) and we will link your scores with your application.

If you qualify for an application fee waiver, please select that you will pay by check when submitting your application.  If you qualify for a fee waiver based on your McNair or Pickering Fellowship, please send proof of your award to esiagrad@gwu.edu.  If you are active/recent military personnel or a current/graduated GW student, we will automatically waive your fee when processing your application.  If you have submitted an Alumni Referral, please allow up to 5 business days for it to be processed to your account.

If you are an international student, we strongly prefer that all visa request documents be submitted with your application.  However, we will review your application without these materials.

Do you need to add a note to your application about your economics background or language experience?  Add an addendum to your statement of purpose and we will consider it with your application.

Deadline: TOMORROW

The fall 2013 application deadline for fellowship consideration is TOMORROW!  Please submit your application and all supporting materials by 11:59 p.m. EST on January 15, 2013.

We are processing electronic and mailed documents as quickly as possible, but please allow at least two weeks before all of these documents appear as received in your application.  If we need any additional documents will be email you.

Should you have any questions tomorrow, please utilize our online office hours from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. EST and 1-4 p.m. EST via go.gwu.edu/esia.  This is the fastest way to get your questions answered.

We look forward to reviewing your applications!

One week away!

Our fellowship deadline is just one week from today!

For those applicants who wish to be considered for fellowships through the Elliott School, you must submit your application and all supporting materials by 11:59 p.m. EST on January 15, 2013.

If you have already submitted your application and are wondering if it is complete, please check your online application status at http://go.gwu.edu/apply.  We are processing documents as quickly as possible, but please allow at least two weeks after submitting your application for processing.  Please do not be concerned if all of your documents are marked as received in your online application status, but your application is still incomplete.  We will be sure to email you, should we need any additional information.

If you have any questions, please attend our online office hours between now and the deadline and we will be more than happy to help!

GRE Scores #2

Recently, we have received many questions regarding the GRE.  We posted a few important notes about the exam in a 12/10/2012 blog, but I wanted to add some additional information.  So below are some our most frequently asked questions answered!

My GRE scores are not as high as I would like them to be.  Can I still be admitted to your program? The GRE is a very important part of your application.  However, the Elliott School does not have any minimum scores.  We will consider your entire application when making your admission decision.  With that said, our average GRE scores for admitted students are a 160 on the verbal section, 154 on the quantitative section and 4.5 on the analytical writing section.  Again, these are averages.  Students are admitted with scores above and below these numbers.

Where should I enter my GRE scores in the application? You do not have to self-report your scores with your application.  When submitting your application, please only complete the “Name of test” and “date taken or expected” fields.  If you view your completed application as a pdf, you will see that the score section is blank (see image below).  This is okay.  Please be sure to send an official score report from ETS to school code 5246 (no department code is necessary) and we will automatically link your score with your application a few business days after it is submitted.

Do you accept unofficial scores? No.  We cannot complete your application until we receive an official score report from ETS.

I am taking the GRE right before or after the application deadline, will you still consider my application? Again, we cannot complete your application until we receive ALL of your application materials, including your official GRE score report.  If your GRE scores are not reported by the January 15 deadline, we cannot guarantee that it will be considered for fellowships.  Similarly, if your GRE scores are not received by the February 1 deadline, there is no guarantee it will be considered for admission.

I am an international student.  Do I need to take the GRE? Yes.  Very few students are exempt from taking the GRE.  If you are applying to the M.I.P.P., M.I.S., or any of our graduate certificate programs you do not need to submit GRE scores.  Also, if you already have an advanced degree, you also do not need to submit GRE scores.  We do strongly recommend these applicants submit scores if available, but your application may be completed without them.

Online Office Hours

As the application deadline approaches, our office is receiving an increased number of questions via email and phone calls.  To assist in responding to your questions quickly, we will be holding online office hours during the following times:

Thursday, January 3: 2-4 p.m. EST
Friday, January 4: 2-4 p.m. EST
Tuesday, January 8: 2-4 p.m. EST
Wednesday, January 9: 2-4 p.m. EST
Thursday, January 10: 2-4 p.m. EST
Friday, January 11: 2-4 p.m. EST
Monday, January 14: 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 2-4 p.m. EST
Tuesday, January 15: 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-4 p.m. EST **Application Deadline**

If you would like to participate, please log into our chat portal at go.gwu.edu/esia.

We look forward to answering your questions!

Recommendations Tips #2

We recently posted about how to submit your letters of recommendation.  Now we are going to address the questions about who should write your letters of recommendation.  Again, applicants to the M.A. programs should submit three recommendations while graduate certificate applicants are only required to submit two.

We strongly prefer that at least one of your recommendations be from an academic reference.  Because you are applying to an academically rigorous program, we would like to read a recommendation from someone who can speak to your classroom attributes.  These attributes include work quality, analytical thinking, quantitative skills (if appropriate), class discussions, plus many more.

If you have graduated in the last two years, please strive to include two academic references.  Since you are so recently out of college, we believe academic references will most accurately describe your ability to succeed in a graduate program.  For those applicants who have graduated in the last five years, we do not expect there to be much of a problem in requesting an academic reference.  Finally, for those who graduated further in the past, please contact any former professors, teaching assistants or instructors you may still be in contact with to request a recommendation.  Should you be unable to obtain an academic reference, we will consider your application with three non-academic recommendations.

Besides having one academic reference, there are no restrictions on the remaining recommendations.  Many of our applicants include a combination of academic and professional references.  Having a combination allows us to understand both aspects of your experience and ability.

Again, please be sure to ask your references to write your recommendation as soon as possible.  Recommendation writers can submit their letters before you submit your application and vice-versa.  Should you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact our office!

On the second day of Elliott School…

2 Application Deadlines

For fall admissions, we have two application deadlines: January 15 and February 1.  

To be considered for fellowships, you must complete your application by January 15.  This means all of your transcripts, GRE scores, recommendations, and other application materials should be in our office by this date.

Our second deadline is for those applicants who do not wish to be considered for fellowships.  Applications received by February 1 will be considered for admission only.

These dates are coming up faster than you think!  Be sure to submit your application today!

Recommendations Tips #1

Recently, we have received many questions about letters of recommendation.  In this post I hope to address many of those questions about how to submit your recommendations.

Option #1- Online (Preferred)

Our office strongly prefers that your recommendations be submitted to your application directly through the application platform.  This is the fastest, easiest way to track your recommendations. You will be able to see, in real time, when your recommendations are submitted and send reminders to your recommendation writers if necessary.  This option also removes the possibility of a recommendation getting lost in the mail.  Please note that recommendations can be submitted before your application.  So, if you plan on using the online platform, please send out notifications as soon as possible to ensure your letters are in by the deadline.

Below you will find a step by step guide on how to use the online system to send notifications to your recommendation writers.

STEP 1

STEP 2

STEP 3

STEP 4

STEP 5

STEP 6

Option #2- Email

We will also accept recommendations sent to our office via email.  If your recommendation writer does not wish to use the online system, they can email their GW Recommendation form and letter to esiagrad@gwu.edu and we will manually add it to your application.

*Please note that these recommendations must be sent directly from the recommendation writer or a service such as Interfolio.

Option #3- Mail

Finally, we will accept letters sent via regular mail.  We strongly prefer that this be an absolute last option.  Recommendations sent via regular mail take much longer for us to process to your application, in turn taking longer to complete your application. Again, please have the recommendation writer send the GW Recommendation form and letter to the address below:

The Office of Graduate Admissions
The Elliott School of International Affairs
The George Washington University
1957 E Street NW, Suite 301
Washington, DC 20052

*As a reminder, applicants to our Masters programs are required to submit three letters of recommendation and applicants to our graduate certificate programs are required to submit two letters of recommendation.

Should you have any questions about letters of recommendation or any other part of the admissions process, please do not hesitate to contact us at 202-994-7050 or esiagrad@gwu.edu.

We look forward to reviewing your recommendations!

GRE Scores

Your GRE scores are a very important part of your application.  It is one of the only quantitative measures of your file.  With that in mind, it is very important to know a few details about the test scores.

1) We require your test scores be submitted by the deadline: January 15^th for fellowship consideration and February 1^st for admission only.  You cannot take the GRE on January 14^th and expect us to consider your application for fellowships.  It can take up to 3 weeks for ETS and GW to process your GRE scores.  We advise applicants to take the GRE no later than mid-December to allow plenty of time for processing.

2) If you have taken more than one GRE on the same scoring scale, we will only consider the highest score in each section.  Consider the example below:

Jean took the GRE twice.  On the first exam she scored a 156 on the verbal section, 164 on the quantitative section and 5.0 on the analytical writing section.  On her second exam her quantitative score stayed the same while her verbal score rose to a 158 and her analytical writing score dropped to a 4.5.  The admissions committee will see Jean’s scores as a 158 on the verbal section, 164 on the quantitative section and 5.0 on the analytical writing section.

3) The Elliott School does not have any minimum GRE scores.  Our average GRE scores are 160 on the verbal section, 154 on the quantitative section and 4.5 on the analytical writing.  As these are our averages, we have admitted students with GRE scores higher and lower than these numbers.  We will consider every piece of your application.

4) GRE scores remain valid for 5 years.  If you took the GRE in 2008, you can use those scores as part of your application.

5) Very few applicants receive an exemption from taking the GRE.  If you are applying to the M.I.P.P., M.I.S., or any of our graduate certificate programs you do not need to submit GRE scores.  Also, if you already have an advanced degree, you also do not need to submit GRE scores.  We do strongly recommend these applicants submit scores if available, but your application may be completed without them.

6) Scores must come to GW directly from ETS.  We cannot accept self-reported scores.  Please send an official score report to school code 5246 and the scores will be matched with your application.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have a question about GRE scores or any other part of the application process!  You can email us at esiagrad@gwu.edu or call us at 202-994-7050.  We are more than happy to help!

International Applicant Requirements

At the Elliott School, we have a significant number of international applicants.  We thought this would be a great opportunity to address some of the additional application requirements for those applicants.

First, most international students are required to submit a TOEFL or IELTS score.  We posted a complete list of exempted applicants as well as other details last month and suggest you refer to that post for more information.

Second, we require international applicants to submit GW’s Visa Request and Financial Certificate form.  This information will not be used when reviewing your application, but is a required document for international applicants.  If we have this information on file at the time of application, should you be admitted and chose to enroll, the visa request process will be much faster and smoother.  If you are applying for fellowships or loans, and the funding is not secured when submitting your application, please still include the form with as much information as possible.

Third, to supplement your Visa Request and Financial Certificate form, we request proof of funding.  Proof of funding is usually a bank statement/letter showing that you (or your sponsor) have the funds to pay for your Elliott School education.  It could also be a scholarship letter, employment/salary verification, or investment summaries.  Please note that funding for the first year of study must be in liquid assets.  This means you must show cash in the bank for at least the first year cost.  The second year may be covered by investments, salary, or other types of funding.  Again, if you are planning on applying for loans or fellowships, please submit a letter explaining how you plan on paying your tuition and we will request more details if you chose to enroll.

Finally, please submit a copy of your passport and any previous immigration documents such as I-20’s, visa stamps, etc.

If you have any questions about the visa request form or process, please do not hesitate to contact us at esiagrad@gwu.edu or 202-994-7050.  You can also find more information on the Graduate Student Enrollment Management website.

Academic Prerequisites-Foreign Language, Regional Programs

Last week we posted information about the economics and foreign language requirements for non-regional programs.  This week, we will explore the prerequisites for regional programs.  The language requirement for these programs is similar to the four semester requirement for non-regional programs, but the language must be applicable to the area of study.  For all programs, the language requirement must be met at the time of application.  Again, four semesters is the minimum requirement, our strongest applicants will have more than four semesters of language background.

Below I have highlighted the application requirements for each of our regional programs.

Asian Studies

Applicants to the M.A. in Asian Studies must have four semesters (or the equivalent) of an approved Asian language.  The Elliott School has approved Chinese, Japanese, and Korean to fulfill this requirement.

European and Eurasian Studies

To apply for the M.A. in European and Eurasian Studies, applicants must have four semesters (or the equivalent) of a modern European language besides English.  These languages include, but are not limited to, French, Italian, Spanish, German, and Russian.  If you have a question about the full list of languages, please contact us at esiagrad@gwu.edu.  The European and Eurasian Studies program also requires applicants to complete two semesters of economics (one micro- and one macro- course) by the time of enrollment.

Latin American and Hemispheric Studies

Applicants to the M.A. in Latin American and Hemispheric Studies must have four semesters (or the equivalent) of Spanish language background.  If an applicant speaks another language spoken in Latin America, the experience will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Middle East Studies

Finally, applicants to the M.A. in Middle East Studies must have four semesters (or the equivalent) of an approved regional language.  The approved languages include Modern Standard Arabic, Persian, Hebrew, Kurdish, and Turkish.

If you have any questions regarding the language requirements for any of our programs, please do not hesitate to contact us via email (esiagrad@gwu.edu) or phone (202-994-7050).  We look forward to hearing from you!

Academic Prerequisites-Foreign Language, Non-Regional Programs

In addition to an economics background, we require that applicants to the MA in International Affairs, Global Communication, International Development Studies, International Trade and Investment Policy, and Security Policy Studies programs have significant language background at the time of application.  (The MA in Security Policy Studies requirement may be replaced with a statistics course.)

All of these programs require applicants to have at least four semesters (or the equivalent) of a modern, spoken, foreign language to be eligible for admission.  This is traditionally fulfilled by taking four language courses during your undergraduate career.  We require that all four classes be in the same language and of increasing difficulty.   Please note that four semesters is the minimum requirement.  Our strongest applicants will have more than four semesters of language experience.

Now you may be asking, “What does ‘or the equivalent’ mean?”  Below are a few situations where applicants meet the language requirements in non-traditional ways.

• Billy tested out of French 1 and French 2 during his undergraduate studies and completed French 3 and French 4.
• Sarah has lived abroad in China for six years working for a technology company.  She has learned Mandarin Chinese and uses it daily while interacting with her co-workers, neighbors, and friends.  Sarah recently took a proficiency exam and tested at the advanced level.
• Frank is an international student from Germany.  His first language is German, but he completed his BA in the United States.
• Sonia has lived in the United States all her life, but her parents grew up in Colombia.  She primarily speaks and reads Spanish in her home and she considers both Spanish and English her first languages.  She can speak, read, and write Spanish at a minimum of the advanced level.

Here are some situations where applicants do not meet the minimum requirement.

• Hank took four semesters of Latin during his undergraduate career.  (Since Latin is not a modern foreign language, it does not meet the requirement.)
• Kathy took Italian 1 and Italian 2, but switched languages and took Arabic 1 and Arabic 2.  (We require that the language courses be in the same language.  It is great to know two languages, but you must have taken four courses in at least one of them.)
• Tom has taught himself Portuguese with the help of a technology-based language program (not through a university/college).  (Since this language study is not through an accredited institution, it does not meet the requirement.)

Many applicants have very unique situations.  Please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss your language experience and determine if it fulfills the requirement.  You can always email us at esiagrad@gwu.edu or call us at 202-994-7050.

Our next post will cover language requirements for our regional programs.  Stay tuned!

Academic Prerequisites-Economics

Our office receives many questions about the economics requirement for our programs.  The MA’s in Security Policy Studies, International Affairs, International Development Studies, European and Eurasian Studies, Global Communication and International Trade and Investment Policy all require previous coursework in economics.

Applicants to these programs should have completed at least one microeconomics and one macroeconomics course. The strongest applicants will have intermediate economics completed as well.

We understand that some institutions offer joint economics courses, such as Principles of Economics I/II.  In this situation we will accept one joint course.  However, the strongest candidates will have completed more than the minimum requirement.

In some cases, a student may be admitted who has not taken one or both of the economics courses. In this situation, the student can meet the requirement by either taking these classes (micro and macro) at a college/university prior to enrollment at the Elliott School, or by taking a three-week overview to micro- and macroeconomics that the Elliott School offers prior to the start of the fall semester. Please note that students admitted to the Security Policy Studies program cannot fulfill the economics requirement with the three-week review course.   Because the program focuses heavily on economics, they must have taken two separate courses in micro and macroeconomics prior to enrollment.

For your economics classes to meet the requirement, they must be taken at an accredited institution, which you can ensure by calling the school.  Many of our students based in the D.C. area enroll in classes at The Graduate School, Northern Virginia Community College, or in online courses.

If you have not completed the economics requirement at the time of your application submission, please add an addendum to your Statement of Purpose, indicating when and where you intend on enrolling in economics courses, should you choose to enroll at the Elliott School.

We understand that many people have unique situations, so please do not hesitate to contact us with questions!

Statement of Purpose Tips

As the deadline approaches, many of you have already started to compile your application materials.  One of the most important parts of your application is you statement of purpose.  It is the only piece of the application that shows your voice and gives us an opportunity to get to know you through your writing.

The prompt for the statement of purpose is as follows: In an essay of approximately 500 words, state your purpose in undertaking graduate study at the Elliott School. As part of your statement of purpose, describe your academic and research interests, career objectives, and how a degree from the Elliott School will enable you to achieve your goals. Please be specific.

And while we cannot give specific advice on an individual’s statement of purpose, below are some general tips to think about when writing:

1. Follow directions.  While this tip may be obvious, you would be amazed by the number of applicants who submit four page statements of purpose.  500 words is about a page and a half.  We understand that it is not much space, but want to see that you can write concisely while still answering the prompt.  Not following directions is a clear indication that you did not research the Elliott School application requirements or did not care to change your statement from one application to another.
2. The statement of purpose is not a cover letter.  While you are competing for admission similar to competing for a job, we do not need you to lay out what you have done in the past.  We have your resume and transcripts and we should be able to deduce your skills from those documents.  The statement of purpose gives you an opportunity to explain where you want to go in the future and how the Elliott School can help get you there.  How are you going to use the many resources available to you?  Are there any professors who’s research is in line with your interests?  How will the unique opportunities at the Elliott School enhance your education?  These are all really great questions to guide your research before writing your statement.
3. Write a unique statement for each application.  We understand the majority of applicants are applying to more than one school.  While we recognize that fact, we do not want to read a generic statement that could be used for any international affairs application.  Again, we want to see that you have researched the school and its resources and have taken the time to produce a quality statement of purpose.
4. Proof-read.  Please re-read your statement of purpose, have a friend read it, and then read it again.  You can never be too cautious.  Make sure you do not accidentally mention a different school you are also applying to; use the correct form of there/their/they’re; ensure you are using words properly and all sentences make grammatical sense, etc.
5. Finally, spell “Elliott” correctly.  There are many ways to spell Elliott, but our school name is spelled with two L’s and two T’s: E-L-L-I-O-T-T.

We look forward to reading all of your wonderful statements of purpose!

TOEFL/IELTS Exam

In honor of International Education Week, we will be posting information about international applicants, study abroad at the Elliott School, and other related topics.

In this post, we hope to clarify some common questions about who needs to take the TOEFL or IETLS exam.

Most international students are required to submit either the TOEFL or IELTS exam.  There are however some exceptions:

1. If an international applicant has received a degree from a U.S. institution.  For example, if a student from Russia attends University of Rhode Island for their undergraduate degree, they do not need to submit a TOEFL/IELTS score.
2. If an international applicant’s home country/undergraduate degree is from a country who’s ONLY native language is English.  For example, a student from France who attended University of Oxford would not need to submit a TOEFL/IELTS score.  You can find the complete list of exempted countries here.  **While many countries, such as India, include English as an official language, English must be the ONLY official language to meet this exemption.
3. If an international applicant received a degree from a foreign institution that is accredited by a U.S. regional accrediting association.  At these institutions, English is the language of instruction.  For example, an Egyptian citizen who attends the American University in Cairo would not be required to submit a TOEFL/IELTS score.  **While there are many institutions around the world that primarily teach in English, not all of the schools are accredited by U.S. accrediting associations.

The Elliott School will accept both the TOEFL and IELTS exams. It is up to the applicant which exam to take.  For those taking the TOEFL, students must score a 100 to be eligible for admission.  For the IELTS, applicants must have an overall ban score of 7.0 with no individual score below 6.0 to be eligible.

If you have any questions or are unsure if you qualify for an exemption, please email us at esiagrad@gwu.edu or call our office at 202-994-7050.  We are always more than happy to help!

Admission Questions

Last week I visited Northwestern University as a part of an APSIA panel.  We spoke about the benefits of attending an APSIA school, admissions requirements, and the importance of finding the right program for each individual.

While all of the questions were great, one really stuck out.  After talking about the varying sizes of programs, one student asked: “What are the costs and benefits of a small or large program?”  This is a great question to ask when looking into the perfect graduate program for you.

Small programs allow every student a great chance to work and form relationships with faculty and advisors.  Students are also able to get to know each other better in the smaller setting.

In a bigger program, there is a larger, more diverse class of students.  This provides you are larger network of current students to reach out to for study groups and job opportunities.

One of the great benefits of the Elliott School is that we have both large and small programs.  While the incoming graduate class can be as large as 350 students, many of our programs have less than 30 students in each class.  Classroom sizes are generally less than 20 allowing students to form personal relationships with their professors as well as with their fellow students.  We simultaneously offer the benefits of both small and large programs.

When looking into graduate programs, be sure to ask how large the entering class is as well as the size of the specific program you are applying to.  The answer may surprise you.

What questions do you have?

October Open House

We are less than one month away from our first on-campus open house of the season!

On October 11, we will welcome prospective graduate students to the Elliott School.  We will discuss the unique and vast opportunities all of our programs have to offer including Graduate Student Career Development, skills courses, international education experiences, and much more! Meet faculty and students from all of the programs and learn why they chose the Elliott School.

If you would like to participate, please RSVP at go.gwu.edu/october. And as always, please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions at esiagrad@gwu.edu or (202) 994-7050.

Can’t make it on October 11? Come to our second on-campus open house on November 13 or visit us at a graduate school fair!

We look forward to meeting you!