Meet Sidney Jackson

Today we introduce you to Sidney Jackson, who heads the Admissions Office at SAIS DC.

Mr. Jackson's office handles all applications from U.S. citizens, as well as those from citizens of other countries who want to study during their first year in Washington. So he knows most SAIS students before they ever start their studies, whether in Washington or Bologna.

(The SAIS Bologna Admissions office handles applications from non-U.S. citizens who want to attend the Bologna Center. Each year about one half of SAIS Bologna students come from outside the United States.)

We took advantage of a visit by Mr. Jackson to Bologna to chat with him about the 2011-12 SAIS DC class. He also discusses his impressions of SAIS Bologna and the city of Bologna.

Note his advice to U.S. students coming to Bologna: Be prepared to be challenged.



Nelson Graves

Tackling your questions

We are receiving a lot of very pertinent, and in some cases very detailed, questions about SAIS Bologna. This is entirely normal as candidates who have accepted their offer of admission turn their sights to their academic year in this city.

Before I tackle any of the questions, let me point readers to two very useful guides. (And before I do that, let me repeat what some of you have heard me say before: There is no such thing as a stupid question. Only stupid answers.)



- Guidebook for Incoming Students: This booklet, which has been updated for 2011-12, addresses a host of questions, from health insurance to toiletries to housing. It has answers for many of the questions we are hearing.





- Guide to living in Bologna: Although this document has not yet been updated for the next academic year, much of its information is timeless. It touches on English-speaking doctors, places of worship, transport (or transportation, as Americans say), food shopping and metric conversions.



Here are some of the topics that are concerning incoming students the most:

Pre-term: Here is the updated pre-term program for SAIS Bologna. More information can be found here. It is true that most Bologna Center students come to pre-term. It is a good way to build a solid academic foundation before classes begin on October 3. Students who attend have first pick of available apartments, can take advantage of the usually sunny weather in September and start to develop bonds with classmates. But you are not required to come. And students who do not come still have special learning experiences in Bologna.

The choice of pre-term subjects depends entirely on the student. Some want to focus on English or Italian. Others tackle microeconomics or macroeconomics, both of which are taught at the intermediate level in pre-term. This year, two of the core courses -- "Theory of International Relations" and "Comparative National Systems" -- are also being taught.

A word of caution: it is not a good idea to try to bite off more than one can chew in mid-term. These mini-courses pack a full semester's work into four weeks. Survival Italian can be mixed with any of the economics or core courses. But other combinations could prove too time-consuming and are probably to be avoided. If in doubt, drop a note to admissions@jhubc.it.

Core requirements: All SAIS students must past written exams in two of four core courses. The exception is European Studies concentrators: they take three European Studies comprehensive exams.

You can see the syllabi of the core courses and past exams here. Remember, you do not have to take the core course to try your hand at the examination. A student can prepare for a core examination by studying on their own, or by auditing or enrolling for credit in a core course.

One important thing: we do not recommend that students concentrate on taking core or required economics courses in Bologna so they can take higher level courses in Washington. That would prevent you from benefiting fully from SAIS Bologna, which offers a large number of unique courses taught by outstanding faculty. Take advantage of that.

Housing: We had a post about this last month. Our consultant -- you may have seen him in last week's quiz -- has a pocketful of keys and will be available from August 18. Contact him when you get to Bologna, and he can help you find an apartment and even roommates. If you want to look on your own, you are free to do that as well.

Banking: I'm not going to get into the nitty gritty of bank options here. Suffice it to say that years ago almost all European banks were nationalized and it could be very cumbersome opening an account. Those days are over. A piece of advice: you will not necessarily want to close down your current bank account before coming to Bologna. It might be useful having that account and even the credit or debit card that you currently have, if you have one.

Other issues drawing attention are visas and health issues. We'll tackle those later this week.

Nelson Graves

Weekly quiz

Our readers have heard so much from us lately -- via this blog, Facebook, Twitter, you name it -- that I suspect they just want to get on with the quiz.

But just one thing before that: if there is something truly pressing that you need to know, please send in a comment on this blog if you think it's an issue of general interest, or send an email to me at admissions@jhubc.it. We will not let your query languish.

So then, on directly to the quiz.

Who is this man and what does he do?

Hint: Most incoming students will get to know him very quickly after arriving in Bologna.

New prize: a Bologna Center tee shirt.

Nelson Graves

A peek at SAIS Bologna Open House

Today a group of admitted candidates had a close-up look at SAIS Bologna. We've captured a few of the moments of Open House on video, to share with those who may have wanted to come but could not make it.

Those who were able to participate came from 14 different countries, a reflection of their commitment and interest. They met faculty, students and staff. The hope is that they were able to get to know the Center better and to get answers to their questions.

My apologies for the quality of the video. It was by necessity done in haste so that I could spend time with the candidates. As I told them during one of the sessions, this is my first year in this job and so this is the first incoming class for me -- a very good feeling for someone whose job it is to help young people realize their dreams.

Towards the end of the video, you will hear Elan Bar, who is president of this year's Student Government Association, and Chidiogo Akunyili discuss their experiences as SAIS Bologna students and their expectations of their second year in Washington, which will start in a matter of months now. How time passes quickly.



Nelson Graves

Connections

Before I tackle some of the questions we are hearing the most from admitted candidates, a word on connecting.

There are many ways to learn about SAIS. The days of the bulky course catalog are just about over -- although if you ask politely, we might be able to find you one. Most everything has gone digital.

SAIS Bologna and SAIS DC have their own websites. Both SAIS and SAIS Admissions have Facebook pages. The main page is called The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, and the Admissions page is Johns Hopkins SAIS Admissions.

You can also find SAIS on Twitter, Linkedin, iTunes and YouTube.

Current SAIS Bologna students have created a Facebook group for admitted candidates. If you would like to join, go here and make a request. It's a great forum for discussing the issues you consider most important.

There is, of course, this blog. And there is old-fashioned email. If you have a question that is not answered elsewhere, please send an email to me, Amina Abdiuahab or SAIS Bologna Admissions.

On to the questions.

Where can I get information on pre-term?

This will give you the rundown on pre-term in Bologna. Did you know that one can participate in pre-term in Washington and then come to Bologna for pre-term here? For information on the Washington pre-term, which runs from July 25 to August 23, click here.

When should I arrive in Bologna?

If you are participating in pre-term, you have to be here in time for pre-term classes, which start on August 29. Salvatore starts helping students find apartments on August 18. My advice would be to get here between August 18 and 25 so that you can find an apartment and start settling in. It will allow you to focus fully on your studies once pre-term begins. It may be a mini-term, but they pack a lot of teaching and study in to those 4 weeks.

If I'm not participating in pre-term, when should I arrive?

Fall semester classes start on October 3. Would I recommend rolling into Bologna on the evening of October 2? Let's put it this way: it's no secret that Salvatore's stable of apartments will dwindle as students settle in during late August and September. September is a wonderful month to be in Europe -- it's generally sunny and dry. The earlier you come, the more likely it is you will have settled down by the time classes start, ensuring a smooth start to your studies. You catch my drift.

What about housing? How hard is it to find an apartment?

Of all of the challenges you will face as a SAIS student -- and there are a few -- housing in Bologna is for most students one of the easiest. If you take advantage of Salvatore's services, he all but tucks you in once you've arrived here. Get in touch with Salvatore after you arrive, and the rest is normally smooth as silk.

Do I have to take the concentration that I marked as my first choice on my application?

No. You are free to choose your concentration after you start your studies. The one exception is International Development. To do that concentration, you have to be admitted as part of the admissions process.

But if you chose another concentration, you are not bound by that selection. Keep in mind that you will have to satisfy the academic requirements of a concentration (either functional or geographic), plus the requirements for international economics. And don't forget the language proficiency requirement. So you can't wait until the last semester to make a choice.

How difficult is it to get a visa?

Most students get their visas after submitting to a non-lethal dose of bureaucracy. There are exceptions because different countries have different hurdles. The key here is to get on it early. Non-U.S. applicants will receive a letter from the SAIS Bologna Admissions after they matriculate; the letter asks authorities from the student's country to issue a 12-month visa starting August 2011. Students who thereafter have difficult obtaining a 12-month visa should contact our office. For more information, click here.

U.S. candidates coordinate through Erin Cameron in the SAIS DC Admissions Office. For more information, click here.

Tomorrow is Open House in Bologna. We hope to post some video of the event tomorrow evening for those who cannot come. We did a post on the DC Open House last month.

Nelson Graves

Two SAIS Women Spanning 50 Years

Mary Lee McIntyre was in the Bologna Center's first graduating class in 1956. Melanie Standish followed her 50 years later.

Mary Lee and Melanie spoke to us during SAIS Bologna's Alumni Weekend last week. Much has happened to the Center and the world in the half century between their classes, but their reflections about the Center are remarkably similar.

Mary Lee was one of two women in the Center's first class. After SAIS she worked at the Congressional Quarterly and then the Atomic Energy Commission in Washington. Later she lived in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Lebanon.

Melanie is currently working in northern Iraq for the American University of Iraq.

Listen to these two women talk about what the Bologna Center has meant to them.



Amina Abdiuahab

Alumni & SAIS Bologna - "a real community"

Last weekend we enjoyed an annual celebration at SAIS Bologna -- Alumni Weekend.

Alumni play a special role at SAIS. Like alumni of many institutions, they help support SAIS financially. But they are also a critical resource for recruiting of new students and in helping current students forge career paths. Applicants become students who become alumni -- it is a virtuous circle, the lifeblood of the institution.

Below is a video of some of the weekend, which attracted alumni from all over the world. SAIS Bologna Director Kenneth Keller gives an update on the Center and discusses what sets it apart. Student Government representatives Elan Bar and Ezra Kidane outline a student initiative.

Then there are reminisces from John Harper, who received his M.A. and Ph.D from SAIS and has taught students at the Bologna Center for 30 years (including this correspondent), and Pierre Hassner, who also taught generations of SAIS students while heading research at CERI-Sciences-Po in Paris.

Finally, Prof. Harper and Dana Allin, who also received his Ph.D at SAIS and is now Senior Fellow for U.S. Foreign Policy at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, discuss what the Bologna Center has meant for them and whether it remains relevant 56 years after its founding.

Tomorrow: Two alumnae, from classes 50 years apart, discuss their experiences at SAIS Bologna.



Nelson Graves