Interviews: the home stretch

Interviews have started and more are planned: we are in the home stretch of the application process.

By the end of this week, all non-American applicants to SAIS Bologna either will have been interviewed or will know when and where their interview will take place.

If by the end of the week you have not been contacted, please get in touch with us (admissions@jhubc.it) as soon as possible so we can arrange your interview. There is still time.

We are very fortunate to be able to interview all candidates. It allows us to get to know you better and gives you a chance to convince us that SAIS Bologna is right for you. For me, it is one of the best aspects of working at SAIS Bologna.

(Please remember that we interview candidates with non-U.S. passports who want to come to Bologna. U.S. citizens who want to study in Bologna apply through the DC Admissions Office and are not interviewed.)

At the risk of repeating myself because we've written about interviews quite a few times already, here are a few things to remember:

• Use the interview to explain why you want to come to SAIS Bologna and why SAIS Bologna would benefit from having you among its students. Hopefully your motivation to attend goes beyond the program's reputation.
• Find a chance to explain how SAIS fits into your career plans. You may not know what you want to do after graduate school -- don't worry, that is quite common (and was certainly my case when I attended SAIS). But you should be able to discuss why studying international relations and economics makes sense for you and how it might help you live the life you want to lead. How does SAIS Bologna relate to your values?
• Think of questions you have about SAIS that cannot be answered by our website (or this online journal). Surely there are things you would like to know -- you just need to think hard and dig below the surface.

We will finish the interviews in the next three weeks; then the Admissions Committee will meet.

The admissions decisions will be communicated via email and the ApplyYourself online application system in early April. Candidates who are admitted will have until early May to commit themselves; we will communicate the dates for decisions later.

Admitted candidates living near Washington, DC, will be invited to a day-long Open House at SAIS DC in mid-April and also to a reception with SAIS Bologna alumni the same week.

All admitted candidates will be invited to the SAIS Bologna Open House on May 3 & 4.

We are considering holding an online session with admitted students to tackle the many questions that invariably arise. Do you think such a session would be useful?

Nelson Graves

Your interview

Non-U.S. applicants to SAIS Bologna have either heard or will be hearing from us soon about their interviews.

We have published a schedule of face-to-face interviews on our website:

• Washington, DC: February 29, March 1
• Vienna: March 2, 3
• Paris: March 3
• Istanbul: March 3
• Athens: March 5
• New York: March 5
• London: March 5, 6
• Lille: March 6
• Bologna: March 6, 8, 12, 13, 14
• Brussels: March 9
• Frankfurt: March 10

If on your application you said you would like to be interviewed in one of these cities, you should have received or will very soon be receiving an email from Amina scheduling your session. Likewise, if you checked phone/Skype, you'll soon be receiving an email with the proposed date and time.

Not everyone can participate in a face-to-face interview. Our candidates this year come from 63 countries spread around the globe. It would not be fair to make them travel long distances to meet a member of our Admissions Committee.

Whether your interview is in person, over the phone or via Skype, it is a chance for you to put your best foot forward and to convince the interviewer -- more often than not a faculty member -- that SAIS Bologna is the right place for you and that it will benefit from your presence next year.

If you are preparing for your interview, a useful starting point is this post featuring Prof. Erik Jones.

What should you expect in the interview?

• You'll be able to elaborate on your dossier, which the interviewer will have read. Why international relations? Why SAIS? Why Bologna and not DC? What sets you apart from the crowd? What can you bring to SAIS Bologna that is special?
• You'll have a chance to discuss a current event. It won't be a quiz. It will be on a topic that arises naturally from your background and your application. There will be no right or wrong answer, just a chance for you to express a reasoned opinion.
• You'll be able to ask questions about SAIS. Not questions, of course, that can be answered by checking our website. But more subtle questions that show that you have thought hard about what it would be like to study there.

By the way, as you prepare for your SAIS Bologna interview, you are developing skills that you will use for the rest of your life. A SAIS interview is not that different from a job interview. In both cases a few golden rules apply:

• Be honest and straight-forward. Don't exaggerate. Be able to discuss your strengths and to acknowledge weaknesses and how you aim to address them.
• The more you know about the institution, the easier it will be to convince the interviewer that you belong there.
• When answering a question, try to find examples from your own experience that illustrate how you have handled situations. Generalities are not as gripping as specific examples of behavior.
• Stick to the point at hand. If asked a question, answer it and don't wander too much. Keep your answers succinct. If you find yourself reaching for words, you're probably off track. If you don't understand the question, be sure to tell the interviewer.

Finally, a tip my children will recognize: Get a good night's sleep.

If you have any questions, feel free to drop me a note.

Nelson Graves

What's next?

You've submitted your application to SAIS Bologna. (What a relief, you say.)

What are the next steps for non-U.S. applicants?

First, Amina is going through the dossiers to make sure they are complete. If something happens to be missing from yours, we will be in touch with you. If you do not hear from us, all is OK.

Second, we soon will be arranging interviews. (Remember, only non-U.S. candidates to SAIS Bologna are interviewed.) A few words on them:

Interviews are conducted by members of the Admissions Committee. The Committee is made up of SAIS Bologna faculty and staff. Each candidate is interviewed by one member of the Committee.

If you have applied, you will soon be receiving an email proposing a date, time and venue for the interview. We base the choice of venues on the candidates' preferences as expressed on the application.

Some of the interviews are done face-to-face but by no means all. There is no disadvantage to doing your interview over the phone or via Skype. We do not expect candidates to travel long distances to participate in an interview. And a candidate can make every bit as good an impression on the phone or via Skype as in person.

The interview is a chance for us to learn more about the candidate and vice versa. It is not knowledge-based -- that is, it is not a test of one's knowledge. It is an opportunity for the candidate to say why SAIS Bologna is the right match. It is also an opportunity for the applicant to ask questions about SAIS.

The best way to prepare for the interview is to understand why you want to go to SAIS Bologna, how it would benefit you and what unique characteristics you would bring to SAIS.

It's likely that at some point the conversation will turn towards a current event that is relevant to you. There is no way to prepare for this except to know in advance that there is no right or wrong in such discussions, just the opportunity to show that you can think on your feet and express a reasoned opinion.

Prof. Erik Jones

(If you come to Bologna, be sure to ask me about my interview at the college I ended up attending. Very memorable but not something I'll put in the Internet.)

One other way to prepare for the interview: Get a good night's sleep.

Finally, one of the most watched videos that we have posted since we launched this journal shows Prof. Erik Jones discussing what he expects during an interview. Here's a link to the post.

Nelson Graves

What's next?

Before we look to the next few days and weeks, we'd like to thank our applicants.

All of you have put in a significant amount of time and energy to complete your applications. It's a major endeavor. You may not realize it now, but the very act of filling out and submitting an application is a significant learning experience. The best applications reflect honest introspection and critical thinking -- meaningful acts in and of themselves.

Some of you had problems with our new online application system and showed great patience and even grace. Thank you for that.

Earlier this week we sent all those who had started an application a link to a survey. The goal of the poll is to help us understand the application process better from the candidates' perspective. It's entirely anonymous and will have no impact on the admissions process. We would invite you to participate -- your feedback will help us improve.

So what's next?

We're in the midst of processing and sorting out the applications. If you've submitted an application to SAIS Bologna and you are a non-U.S. citizen, we'll contact you in the next few weeks if anything happens to be missing from your dossier. If you do not hear from us, your application is complete.

In the next 10 days we'll be contacting applicants to set up an interview with a member of the Admissions Committee. Interviews will be conducted in person, on the telephone or on Skype. There is no advantage or disadvantage in choosing a face-to-face interview over one on the telephone or on Skype. We'll publish a post with the locations where we'll hold face-to-face interviews. Keep following this journal for updates.

The interview is your chance to put your best foot forward. What does that mean? Here is a post we shared with last year's applicants. In the video, Prof. Erik Jones, who has years of experience interviewing SAIS Bologna candidates, explains what he looks for in an interview.

The Admissions Committee will gather in late March. Admissions and financial aid decisions will be communicated in the first half of April.

On May 3 and 4 there will be an Open House for admitted students. And from there, we'll all look to the 2012-13 academic year.

Amina Abdiuahab

We will overcome!

A quick post from SAIS Bologna as this city digs out from one of its biggest snow storms in years.

Yesterday was the deadline for applications to our 2012-13 program. However, many candidates have had difficulties with our new online application system. We beg your forgiveness for any inconvenience.

A bow of apology

It would not be fair for us to turn away applications from candidates experiencing technological problems. If you are in that category, please do not worry. We will still accept your candidacy.

A reminder on what to do if you are unable to upload documents:

• Please send your documents via email to Venkata Gadde (vgadde1@jhu.edu) and to admissions@jhubc.it. We will make sure they are uploaded. (If you had sent them already to Deborah Grandval, they are being taken care of.)

• Try to submit your application. If you cannot do so because the documents have not yet been uploaded, please wait a day and try again. If you still cannot submit, please drop a note to admissions@jhubc.it.

• Please remember that non-U.S. citizens applying to SAIS Bologna do not pay an application fee. If you are asked to do so, please send an email to admissions@jhubc.it, and we will manually waive the fee so that you can submit.

If you have not faced any technological problems but still intend to submit an application, could you please send an email to admissions@jhubc.it explaining? Perhaps we can help.

If you are among those who have successfully submitted your application, congratulations and thank you very much. If anything should be missing from your dossier, we will be back in touch with you. We'll also be contacting you to set up your interview.

Like many of you, we look forward to when the application process is over and we can turn our sights to assembling the 2012-13 class.

In the meantime, we will overcome!

Nelson Graves

The finishing touches

Today is the deadline for applications to SAIS Bologna from non-U.S. citizens.

Quite a few candidates have already submitted their applications. Thank you very much. We know how much work an application demands. You are to be commended.

If you are among those have not yet quite finished, a few things to consider:

• While our new online system is an improvement over the previous, paper-based system, some applicants have had difficulty uploading documents. If you are unable to upload your documents, please attach them to an email and send them to admissions@jhubc.it. We will make sure your documents are uploaded properly. Once you have sent us your documents, you can finish all the other elements of your application and submit it.

• Non-U.S. citizens applying to SAIS Bologna are not required to pay an application fee. You should not be asked by the system to make any payment if you are in that category. If you are asked to make a payment and cannot submit your application unless you do so, please send a note to admissions@jhubc.it and we'll take care of it.

• If you have mistakenly made a payment, send us an email at admissions@jhubc.it and we'll handle your request for a refund.

• The online system will not close down at the end of today. We do expect candidates to submit their completed applications by today, but we realize some elements are beyond an applicant's control. If there is something missing from your application and you cannot meet the deadline, please drop us an email at admissions@jhubc.it, and we'll discuss it with you.



SAIS Bologna's entrance this morning

Today there is a major and very unusual snow storm in Bologna.

Thanks again for your interest in SAIS Bologna. In coming weeks we'll be exploring other steps in the admissions process, including the interview.

Nelson Graves

The finish line is nigh

It's almost the deadline for applications from non-U.S. students to SAIS Bologna.

Some candidates have submitted their dossiers while others are putting the finishing touches on theirs.

To facilitate matters for those who have yet to finish, we will try to answer the most frequently asked questions.

UPLOADING
Some applicants have had trouble uploading documents via the online system. Last week we published a post detailing the required computer settings. If you've followed the checklist and are still unable to upload, please send us an email at admissions@jhubc.it.

DEADLINE
We expect to receive completed applications by the deadline of February 1. However, our system will not automatically shut down then. If you know that your application will not be complete by the deadline, please send us an email at admissions@jhubc.it.

APPLICATION FEE

Non-U.S. students to SAIS Bologna are not required to pay an application fee. If you are asked to do so, please send us a message.

MAILING ADDRESS

While most documents can be submitted online, transcripts and standardized test scores are not. If you are mailing hard documents to us, our address is:

Johns Hopkins SAIS Bologna Center

Admissions Office

via Belmeloro, 11

40126 Bologna

Italy

TRANSCRIPTS, TEST SCORES

We need to receive official copies of your transcripts and standardized test scores. We accept transcripts electronically if your university Registrar's Office sends them directly to us. Standardized tests should be sent directly to us by the examining board.

If you know your transcripts or standardized test scores will not reach us by February 1, drop us a line at admissions@jhubc.it to let us know. We may ask you to send us a scanned copy while we wait for the original copies to arrive by post.

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
Letters of recommendation can be submitted online by the referee. If your referee has yet to submit the letter, please urge them to do so as soon as possible. In case you have trouble getting the letter, or the reference is being sent via post, be sure to let us know.

CONFIRMATION
If something is missing from your application, we will notify you soon. In the first half of February we will notify candidates whose applications are complete.

INTERVIEWS

Interview dates and locations will set shortly after the deadline. We expect to conduct them from the end of February through March. Candidates can be interviewed in person, on the phone or via Skype. There is no advantage or disadvantage in opting for an in-person interview. In fact, most candidates are interviewed over the phone or via Skype. But members of our Admissions Committee will be travelling to some cities in Europe and North America.

ECONOMICS

Before starting courses at SAIS, incoming students must have mastered the principles of micro and macroeconomics. (Note this is not a prerequisite to apply.) Admitted candidates are informed in their letter of admission whether they have already met the economics requirement. We'll provide more information on the economics requirement after the deadline. For now, you can take a look at last year's post.

DECISIONS

The Admission Committee will meet at the end of March. Its decisions, including financial aid awards, will be communicated to applicants in the first half of April.

Amina Abdiuahab

This is not about Groundhog Day

Boris Yeltsin was born on this day. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned to Iran after 15 years in exile on this day. In 1793, France declared war on England and Netherlands on this day.

And, yes, applications to SAIS Bologna from non-U.S. citizens are due this day -- February 1.

We mention this not to put applicants' feet to the fire any more than necessary. Most applicants do not need the reminder.

But this does give me a chance to make one important point: If you are facing the February 1 deadline and you think one or more elements of your application will not make it to us in time, tell us now.

There can be circumstances beyond an applicant's control which prevent a piece of the application puzzle from reaching us on time. Referees -- or authors of letters of recommendation -- can be forgetful. Test scores can take time to trickle in.

We try to be understanding where we can without being unfair to the other applicants. And it is a lot easier to be accommodating if we are briefed on the circumstances.

A couple of related points:

• We will not be telling applicants when elements of their application reach us. That would pin us down for days. But we will be contacting you after February 1 if something is missing.

• I understand that there has been discussion among some applicants about how long a CV should be. I wrote about this in November. While I'm a big fan of one-page CVs, we don't require them to be one page. Like a good news story (remember, I was a wire service journalist for 24 years), a CV should be as long as it has to be and no longer. Don't inflate it and don't waste words. And remember, unlike a cold call for a job, you are guaranteed other opportunities in your application and in your interview to flesh out your story. So you needn't say everything in the CV.

Looking past February 1, what do we expect to write about in this journal in coming weeks?

Obviously many applicants will be interested in the interview. Just what goes on during an interview? What is the purpose? How long will it last? How should I dress? Is it better in person or on the phone?

We'll be writing about financial aid -- another important topic. We'll try to spell out clearly the time line for the Admissions Committee's decisions and what is expected of applicants.

So do keep reading this journal if these topics interest you and if you still want to learn more about SAIS Bologna (and SAIS DC). And keep in mind that we've addressed many of these issues in the past year. You can search for topics using the search engine in the upper right-hand corner of the journal. And each post has labels, or tags, capturing the topics.

What have been the five most popular posts since we launched this journal 13 months ago?

1. The Analytical Essay
2. The Statement of Purpose
3. What is in a name?
4. Seeing how you think
5. A video peek at SAIS DC

Nelson Graves

FAQs: the weeks ahead for applicants to SAIS Bologna

February 1: Candidates who want to study at SAIS Bologna in the 2012-13 academic year and who do not have U.S. citizenship face that looming deadline to apply.

No wonder then that we are receiving many questions about our procedures and what happens after a dossier is submitted. To make things simple we've identified the most common questions, and we think all candidates will benefit from seeing our answers.

Before we dive into the FAQs, we'd like to remind you that on Monday, January 16 at noon Italian time (1100 GMT) we'll hold our final online information session before the application deadline. Please send us a note at admissions@jhubc.it if you'd like to participate in the session.

Q: I have gathered my application documents. Where should I send them?
A: If you are a non-U.S. citizen and you wish to spend your first year at SAIS Bologna, please send any hard copy material to:

Johns Hopkins SAIS Bologna Center 
via Belmeloro, 11
40126 Bologna
Italy 

U.S. citizens and permanent residents who have chosen BO/DC (U.S. citizen or permanent resident) as their campus choice should mail hard copy materials to the SAIS DC Admissions Office.

Q: I mailed my materials to the SAIS Bologna Admissions Office. When will you acknowledge receipt of my documents? 
A: We are starting to review the application packages. It's difficult for us to email each one of you to confirm your documents have arrived. You'll hear from us if parts of your application are missing.

Q: Am I required to convert my overall undergraduate grade into a GPA?
A: No. You are not expected to provide us with a grade point average of your undergraduate degree if you studied in a country that does not use GPAs. But we do ask that you provide a guide to your university's grading system. Sometimes such a guide is on the back of your transcript. If it is not, you can click on this link to select the country where you studied and a guide to your country's grading system.

Q: The grading system for the country I studied in isn't available on the website you have provided. 
A: In this case, please ask the Registrar's Office of your university to give a guide to their grading system.

Q: I feel the grading scale provided on the website is somewhat incorrect.
A: If you feel your grades aren't being translated properly, please ask your university's Registrar's Office to provide a more comprehensive guide.

Q: Could you give some tips on the statement of purpose?
A: Sure. Please take a look at this post we published some weeks ago. You'll find tips from current students on how they wrote their statement of aims.

Q: Could you give some tips on the analytical essay. 
A: No problem -- here's another post. You'll find some words of advice from a student and the essay she submitted in the past.

Q: Can I go over the word limit in the statement of aims or the analytical essay?
A: Part of the challenge is to convey your thoughts and views while adhering to the word limit. It's best that you stick to the 600-word guideline. If you exceed the limit, cut the essay back.

Q: Should I choose a concentration now? What happens if I change my mind? 
A: In the application form we ask you to indicate a concentration that you'd be interested in pursuing. We also ask you to indicate your second choice. These are not binding. You'll have a chance to change your mind and switch to a different concentration once you get here.

The only concentration that is capped is International Development (IDEV), and it has a separate selection process. Preference is given to students who come from developing countries or have lived or worked in a developing country.

If you are interested in IDEV, you should indicate it as your first concentration choice. It tends to be very popular, and students who indicate it as a second choice are generally not considered for it.

Q: When will I be interviewed?
A: Interviews will be held in February and March. We will announce dates and locations shortly after the deadline.

Q: How will I be interviewed?  
A: You'll be able to interview in person, on the phone or via Skype. There's no advantage or disadvantage in the format.

Q: How is the interview conducted?
A: Last year we published a post in which we asked Prof. Erik Jones to tell us what an applicant should expect of an interview. You can watch the video here.

Q: What happens after the interview?
A: Your dossier will be evaluted by the Admissions Committee. The Committee's decisions, including financial aid packages, will be communicated to candidates in early April.

If you feel there's something we left out, please post a comment or send us an email at admissions@jhubc.it. We'll be happy to address your questions.

Amina Abdiuahab

What are the next steps in your application?

It may be tomorrow or it may be weeks away, but one day you'll finish your application.

What happens after you click the "submit" button?

Here are key steps in the admissions process for non-U.S. candidates who apply to SAIS Bologna:

This is the broad picture for non-U.S. candidates. (U.S. candidates face a slightly different schedule which you can find on the SAIS DC site.)

You'll be forgiven if you ask why at this point you can mark only two dates (May 3 & 4) on your calendar.

We know we'll be interviewing all of our applicants -- in person, on the phone or via Skype -- but we don't have the exact dates yet. We need to review the pool of applications and determine where to travel to connect with the greatest number of candidates. (We had applications from 72 countries last year.) We'll establish a schedule in early February.

Remember: Although we try to interview as many candidates as possible in person, there is no advantage or disadvantage whether you interview face-to-face, on the phone or via Skype. Each interview is a chance to put your best foot forward and to impress on the interviewer why SAIS Bologna is right for you -- and for SAIS.

When it comes to phone/Skype interviews, we take into account time zones to find something suitable. (If the time does not suit you, please speak up. Sometimes we assume a time zone and it is not quite right.)

The Admissions Committee -- made up of faculty and staff -- will gather at the end of March. The Committee will communicate its decisions by email in early April, and admitted students will then receive an official letter via email shortly after. If you are asking for financial aid, you'll learn the outcome of your request then.

We encourage admitted students to come to Open House in May. Like Open Day this Friday, Open House gives candidates an inside look at SAIS Bologna. It can help them make up their minds. Admitted candidates who are living in the United States will be invited to the SAIS DC Open House in April.

Non-U.S. candidates whose applications are handled by SAIS Bologna will have a mid-May deadline for taking a decision. We'll set the exact date after the coming Christmas break.

If you have any questions, feel free to comment on this post or email us at admissions@jhubc.it. In the meantime, we look forward to your applications.

Amina Abdiuahab

Meeting our faculty: Prof. Jones

Erik Jones is professor of European Studies at SAIS Bologna. He is also the director of the new Bologna Institute for Policy Research (BIPR).

One of the most viewed posts in this blog's 10 months of existence is a video chat with Prof. Jones in which he discussed the interviews that we conduct with all applicants. You might enjoy watching it.

While you're at it, check out Prof. Jones's work on the eurobond proposal.

Your degrees?
AB, Princeton
MA and PhD, SAIS

What courses are you teaching?
West European Political Economies, Central and East European Political Economies, Risk in the International Political Economy, European Research Seminar

Where have you taught?
Central European University, University of Nottingham, SAIS Bologna Center

How long have you been teaching at SAIS Bologna?
Since February 2001 – in residence since September 2002

A link to a recent publication/oped/academic work by you?
See http://www.jhubc.it/facultypages/ejones for publications

Anything special about SAIS Bologna?
The community atmosphere. I don’t know any place that has as tightly knit a group of students and scholars as we do.

Anything special about Bologna?
The combination of young and old. You have about 100,000 university students living and studying in a place that has a 900 year old university.

Your favorite book?
If you want fiction, then I read a lot of junky sci-fi (Robert Heinlein) and fantasy (Robert Jordan). My reading age varies between 13 and 16. I read the Game of Thrones books in about a month. I am now working on a series by David Weber. If you want non-fiction, then I would probably go with Richard Bookstaber’s Demon of Our Own Design or Robert Schiller and George Akerloff’s Animal Spirits. But I also enjoy books on US foreign policy and am working my way (slowly) through the various Republican candidates.

Hobby?
I like to swim, either long-course or open water. Sometimes I get afraid of what else might be in the open water – particularly when I cannot see the bottom.

A quote?
Churchill was pretty good with the one-liners. Take your pick.


Nelson Graves

One application -- two admissions offices

We now have a single, online application -- whether you want to start your SAIS studies in Bologna or Washington.

But the application requirements will vary according to two factors:

- Where you want to start your studies, and
- Whether you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, or not.

If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, your application will be handled by the SAIS DC Admissions Office irrespective of where you want to start. The DC office also handles applications from non-U.S. citizens who want to start in Washington.

If your application is going to be handled by the SAIS DC Admissions Office, you can find the instructions here.

Alternatively, if you are a non-U.S. citizen and you want to start in Bologna, your application will be handled by the SAIS Bologna Admissions Office. In that case, you can find your application instructions here.

As you fill out the application, you will have a chance to provide both your nationality and your choice of campus. With that information, the system automatically directs the application to the appropriate office.

Confused? Here is a matrix that should make it simple:

I can hear your question now:

Do the application requirements differ whether you are applying through DC or Bologna?

The short answer is, "Yes."

The main differences relate to standardized tests, interviews and fees. Specifically:

• Those applying through SAIS DC are required to take either the GRE or the GMAT. Those applying through SAIS Bologna are not. Note that we strongly recommend that all applicants take either the GRE or the GMAT. While the scores are only one element in a student's dossier, they can provide important information to both the applicant and the institution. High scores can potentially strengthen a candidate's application.
• All candidates applying through Bologna will be interviewed as part of the review process. The SAIS DC Admissions Office does not require interviews.
• Candidates applying through Washington pay an $85 application fee. Those applying through Bologna do not.

We realize that this is complicated. If you have questions, do not hesitate to contact us. Our email is admissions@jhubc.it. Our phone number is +39 051 29 17 811.

Likewise, if you are not sure where you would like to start your SAIS studies, why not contact us? We will try to help you weigh the pro's and con's. A chat on the phone might clear things up for you.

Bottom line: We understand if you are still feeling your way. Don't hesitate to drop us a line or call us, and we'll do what we can to help.

Nelson Graves

Why climb the graduate school mountain?

Imagine that you look out your window and you see a mountain towering in the distance.

You've got an inkling to climb it. Something almost inexplicable inside of you is drawn to the idea of clambering up its side and eventually standing on the peak.

Now is not the time to think about what kind of boots you'll buy, what type of crampons to use or how thick the rope will be. Before setting out on the journey, you'll want to ask yourself a one-word question: Why?

You may never formulate a perfectly convincing or articulate answer to that question. The urge to climb may  remain inexplicable. But by trying to answer "why", you'll begin to understand what motivates you. You may decide it's nothing more than a passing fancy and abandon the idea. Or you may set out on the quest.

What does this have to do with SAIS Bologna?

Undertaking graduate study is a bit like climbing a mountain. There's the preparation and training, the beginning, the months of work, the successes and the setbacks, and hopefully your degree.

For our readers who are toying with the idea of applying to graduate school, before you dive into applications and planning, please ask yourself "why".

No two people have the same answer. It's true we have categories of applicants. Some have been working after their undergraduate years and are keen to learn more and turbo-charge their careers. Others are finishing their undergraduate education and want a program of study that will open doors in the international sphere.

Whatever category you fit into, try to find your own answer to the question "why". You probably won't know  right away. You'll need to ask around, speak to people, visit schools. Keep asking yourself the question.

Simply trying to answer the question will make the quest more worthwhile. The challenges of applying, choosing, financing and completing your studies will have more meaning for you. Our readers have heard me say over and over: It is not the destination that counts but the getting there. In your case, each step you take as you climb the graduate mountain will have a purpose.

I write this because I know, from personal and professional experience, that the path to a graduate degree is full of pitfalls. The application process requires tests, a personal statement, recommendations, an interview, often travel; once started, a graduate program requires a significant investment: of time, energy and, yes, money. These are the crampons, the boots, the rope, the harnesses of the climb.

Don't be put off by the challenge. You know that conquering the peak will pose challenges. But if you look inside yourself for the answer to the question "why", you'll be taking the most important first step on your journey. The details will fall into place, and you'll find both the journey and the destination satisfying.

Tomorrow: Why SAIS is unique

Nelson Graves

The Job Interview: "Get those butterflies out"

Sweaty palms? Wooden tongue? A vacuum between your ears?

Welcome to your first job interview. We've all been there. If you've not been there yet, you will some day.

SAIS prepares its students to confront the world's challenges. For many, the first obstacle once one's studies are under control is the job interview. To help SAIS Bologna students ready themselves, the Career Services Office last week helped organize mock job interviews. Call it learning by feeling uncomfortable.

Students rotated from one scenario to the next, with faculty and staff playing the kinds of roles that SAIS students commonly encounter as they turn to the job market.

Bart Drakulich, who in his day job runs SAIS Bologna's finances and administration, was the head of a New York-based investment bank, riding in a fictitious elevator with the SAIS student.

Richard Pomfret, who teaches Economics, was a mock consultant to the OECD, running into students at a coffee break during a conference on the euro zone crisis.

Meera Shankar of Career Services and Alumni Relations was a U.S. senator on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Speak Spanish? Then you might have met Maria Blanco, who teaches that language at SAIS Bologna but for an afternoon was an HR interviewer at a South American company.

As U.S. ambassador to Italy enjoying a cocktail party, I wish I could say I was type-cast. Alas, it was a learning experience for me, too.

The video below gives you a glimpse of the fun and games.



Nelson Graves

A chance to put your best foot forward

We've discussed interviews before in this blog but perhaps did not make one important point clearly enough: Although some applicants interview in person and others do not, it is a level playing field for all.

I can hear you ask: How in the dickens could someone interviewing over the phone from thousands of miles away make as much of an impression as someone who speaks with an interviewer in person?

Very good question. (Have you heard me say before that there are no dumb questions, only dumb answers?)

Let me try to explain.

The Admissions Committee looks at a variety of elements when evaluating candidacies. An applicant's academic record is, of course, crucial. But a host of other aspects can come into play: the candidate's background and experiences; their motivations for applying; the likelihood they will contribute to life at SAIS.

It is not simply a matter of determining whether you are adequately prepared. The Committee wants to be sure you will participate fully, benefit from the SAIS experience and then embark on a fulfilling career.

You have already submitted a wealth of material to the Committee: your undergraduate transcript, a statement of purpose, a CV, letters of recommendation, proof of English proficiency. Many of you have been in touch with us in person, on the phone or via email. We could call it quits there. But we want to know as much as we can about our candidates, who come from a wide variety of backgrounds, and an interview is an opportunity for us to learn more.

(Keep in mind that we interview candidates who apply through the Admissions Office in Bologna. U.S. citizens, who apply through Washington, are not interviewed.)

From your standpoint, the interview is a chance to put your best foot forward. There will be aspects of your candidacy that you will want to emphasize. There may be gaps in your application that you will want to explain (raise your hand if you're perfect). You want to make sure the Committee has all the elements it needs to evaluate your application fairly.

Whether in person, on the phone or via Skype, the interview is an exchange that adds to your dossier. You have a chance to make the points you want and to ask the questions you want.

There is no denying that a face-to-face interview is different from one on the phone or through cyberspace. But the discussion, I can assure you, will revolve around the same points regardless of the format. I would not want someone who is preparing for a face-to-face encounter to think that they can somehow hoodwink the interviewer through sheer charm. Nor would I want someone interviewing on the phone to think they cannot make the points they want to make.

So please understand that there is no advantage or disadvantage in the format of your interview.

I can hear another question here, this one from candidates who applied through our DC Admissions Office: Are we at a disadvantage because we were not interviewed? The answer, again, is no. The Washington office gathers more information on candidates through their online application than we in Bologna do. Also, it is easier to compare academic performance across candidates who come primarily from the U.S. system.

For more information on interviews, you can read our two previous blog posts: here and here.

Yesterday I received some questions from a loyal reader about the interview. We like to receive questions and feedback. It helps us focus. I'll try to answer the questions here.

Q: Will the interviewer have had an opportunity to review an application before interviewing a candidate?

A: Yes. The interviewer will have read your file, and so there is no need to repeat slavishly what is in there. It's a better strategy to build on what you have already provided and to emphasize what you consider to be your main points. And if you have weak points, don't ignore them either; a person who recognizes their gaps and has a plan for addressing them can still present a strong case.

Q: Are candidates allocated to interviewers according to their intended concentration or geographical interest?

A: No. In some cases interviewers know a good deal about the country of the applicant, including its educational system. That can help the Committee make a fairer decision. But applicants are not divided up according to their preferred fields of study.

One last thing: We feel lucky that we can interview our applicants. It helps us in our work. And the energy  that candidates emit is a powerful reminder of the value of the SAIS education. That helps motivate us even more.

So thank you, candidates!

Nelson Graves

Seeing how you think

Today meet Erik Jones, resident professor of European Studies at SAIS Bologna. You can read more about his background, accomplishments and interests here.

Our subject today is not European Monetary Union or politics in Belgium, the Netherlands or Italy -- all areas about which Prof. Jones has written.

Rather, we have taken up some of Prof. Jones's time to discuss admissions interviews. We turned to him because he has considerable experience in interviewing candidates. Indeed he will be doing so in the next few weeks in Brussels and Vienna.

We wrote about interviews in a post earlier this month. We also touched on them last week. As you know, we interview all of our candidates, either in person, on the phone or via Skype. Each applicant will be hearing in the next few days about arrangements for the interview.

Erik confirms in his own remarks on camera that the SAIS Bologna interview is not so much a test of your knowledge as an opportunity for you to demonstrate your thinking power. Consider it a chance to put your best foot forward rather than a treacherous minefield.

Erik makes the point that the conversation can touch on current events. But for students of international relations, that should pose no problem, especially if the purpose is to hear you analyse events and trends shaping our world -- as you might like to shape it in the future.

Now, over to Prof. Jones.



Nelson Graves

Admitting the proficient

I promised a post today on interviews. I've already filmed Prof. Jones speaking about why we do interviews and what to expect. I could just press the button...


But we've received two comments in the past 24 hours that convince me we need to diverge from plan.  "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." (Who wrote that?) So we're going to be big-minded,  change horses in mid-stream and offer the interview post next week.


Both David and Carlos have asked about English proficiency exams. And David asked for an update on the admissions process. I think both deserve answers, and the timing is excellent.

We've got applications.

First, the admissions process. Here is where we stand: we've received a very solid number of applications -- enough, we believe, to ensure a quality class for the 2011-12 academic year. We are impressed by the diversity of the applicants, their accomplishments and their promise.


It is exciting to encounter the candidates, even if at this point mostly through paper, email and phone calls. In my case, the satisfaction of helping to mold a class of young people confirms I took the right decision to return to education after a fulfilling career as a foreign correspondent.


Amina and I are sorting through the applications to make sure they are complete. If you have applied, you know very well how much work goes into an application: the CV, statement of purpose, proof of undergraduate degree, transcript, the English proficiency exam for non-native speakers, letters of recommendation. Those who request financial aid have more work. We need to tell candidates if something is missing.


(The accompanying photo shows that the application process is not fully digitalized. But we're getting there. By next year we hope to have it almost fully online. For those who have applied this year, thank you for your understanding and patience.)


In the next couple of days, anyone who has applied will have been told if their application is complete or, if it is not, what is missing.


At the same time, we are organizing the schedule of interviews. As many of you know, we interview all of the SAIS Bologna candidates who apply to our office, either in person or over the phone/Skype. Amina is booking rooms, and informing interviewers and candidates. Here is the tentative schedule of interviews (with the interviewer in brackets):


Feb 25 - Brussels (Prof. Jones)
Mar 3 - Washington (Graves)
Mar 4 - Bologna (Prof. Cesa)
Mar 5 - Istanbul (Prof. Akin)
Mar 7 - New York (Graves)
Mar 8 - Bologna (Prof. Harper)
Mar 10 & 11 - London (Dr. Pye)
Mar 11 - Paris (Graves)
Mar 12 - Frankfurt (Prof. Gilbert)
Mar 18 & 19 - Vienna (Prof. Jones)


Soon you will receive, if you have not already, an email with the details of your interview. Those not interviewing in person -- and they make up most of the applicants -- will be interviewed on the phone or via Skype. Those details, too, will be communicated soon.


Faculty and senior staff will read all of applications before the Admissions Committee, made up of interviewers and readers, meets in the second half of March. Decisions on admission and financial aid will be communicated to candidates in early April. Applicants who are admitted will be invited to an Open House at SAIS Bologna on May 5-6. The deadline for decisions by admitted candidates is May 16.


I hope that gives a good idea of the timetable over the next few weeks. As you can see, we have our work cut out for us.


Now, on to English language proficiency and standardized tests.

NO PLAYING CATCH-UP


Here is the message that Rebecca Hopkins was trying to get across to non-native English speakers in her post yesterday:


SAIS is a challenging, English-language graduate program. To benefit fully from the opportunity, a student needs to be able to operate full-steam ahead in English from day one. There is no room for playing catch-up while at SAIS. It's only fair that applicants know that and that they take stock of that reality before applying.


Because all classes are taught in English, reading is in English and papers are in English, it's essential that we have a very good idea of a candidate's English proficiency before admission. The TOEFL, Cambridge and IELTS tests can give a good idea. Any passing grade on the Cambridge test is acceptable. Scores below 100 on the TOEFL and below 7 on the IELTS generally count against admission. 


We don't fix a black-and-white threshold for the TOEFL or IELTS because, well, life is not always black and white. But in our experience, a student who scores below 100 on the TOEFL or below 7 on the IELTS will have difficulty thriving at SAIS. (Who invented acronyms? Don't worry, you don't have to answer that.)


By the same token -- I said life is not black and white -- there is no guarantee that a student who scores above those thresholds will not have language challenges. That is one reason why some students take English in pre-term (Carlos -- yes, at an additional cost).


Please keep in mind that non-native English speakers must pass the English proficiency exam while at SAIS. This exam is not the same as the standardized exams that students use to prove proficiency before matriculating.


Carlos -- Not to worry. The language proficiency exams at SAIS are definitely aimed at allowing students to prove their ability to communicate and to understand. No trickery here. And keep in mind that all SAIS students, whether native or non-native English speakers, need to pass at least one language proficiency exam to graduate. Some push themselves and pass more than one.


I hope all that helps to explain the admissions process and the language requirements. Feel free to comment or to send us an email with any questions.


Tomorrow: Weekly quiz


Nelson Graves

What now?

Right off the bat I should make it clear this post is aimed primarily at those who have submitted applications to SAIS Bologna.

Very little in life is simple, and SAIS is no exception. Some candidates file their applications to our Admissions Office in Washington, DC, while others send them to us in Bologna.

If you are neither a U.S. citizen nor a permanent U.S. resident, and you want to spend your first year studying at SAIS Bologna, you will have filed your application with us in Bologna.


View SAIS Bologna Center in a larger map

If you have applied to our office, you should have received an email from us telling you we have received your application. If you have not received such an email, please get in touch with admissions@jhubc.it right away.

Here are the next steps in the process:

1. Amina is busy checking each application to make sure they are complete. This is a painstaking process but it aims to make sure everyone is on a level playing field.

Amina taking a break
 from applications

Eventually each candidate will receive an email either detailing what is missing or informing the applicant that their dossier is complete.

If something is missing, we would recommend moving quickly to get the necessary document to us so that you would not be at a disadvantage in the process.

2. We will then arrange interviews with each candidate. (Please remember that those who apply through our DC Admissions Office will not be interviewed.)

Some interviews will be face-to-face: the candidate with either a SAIS Bologna faculty member or myself.

Because of the number of candidates and the geographic spread, we cannot interview each candidate in person. In fact most will be conducted over the phone or via Skype.

We will be in touch with all candidates to set the date and time of the interview.

3. Our Admissions Committee, which includes those who conduct the interviews as well as those who read the applications, will meet in the second half of March to take stock.  (Each application is read by at least two people. An interviewer will not be a reader for anyone they have interviewed.)

Applicants will be informed of the Committee's decision in early April.

4. We will be holding an Open House at SAIS Bologna in early May for those who are accepted. This gives admitted candidates a chance to visit the Center before the May 16 Admissions acceptance deadline.

After that, it's a big sigh of relief for all involved. And eyes turn to the summer online economics course for some and to pre-term.

Nelson Graves

The Interview

It's February 1. Your application is in our hands or an express courier service is scrambling to get it to us. Yes, you can breathe a sigh of relief.

But only a sigh, because it's not over yet.

There's good news and bad news. The good news: you'll have a chance to speak to us in order to impress upon us your bona fides. The bad news: it's an interview.

Actually, that's a joke. There is no bad news because after reading this post you'll both impress us and survive the interview.

ImageZoo/Corbis

First, the reason for the interview. We are lucky enough to be able to speak, either in person or on the phone, with each applicant who applies to Admissions here in Bologna.

This conversation gives us an opportunity to get to know the candidate better, and vice versa. If this is going to be a good fit, then both of us -- SAIS Bologna and you -- have to be convinced of it.

We receive applications from all over the world. So far this year, our candidates come from 64 different countries. That means hundreds of different universities in dozens of different countries. It is very difficult to make comparisons, and the interviews allow us to delve a bit deeper and you to ask us questions.

MECHANICS

Here is how we plan to organize the interviews:

On your application form you were asked to note your preferred location for an on-site interview. We plan at this point to conduct interviews in Bologna, Brussels, Frankfurt, Istanbul, London, Paris and Vienna. Here are the tentative dates:

Feb 25 - Brussels
Mar 4 & 8 - Bologna
Mar 5 - Istanbul
Mar 10 & 11 - London
Mar 11 - Paris
Mar 12 - Frankfurt
Mar 19 - Vienna

Please note that the venues and dates are tentative. They might change.

In the next two weeks we will contact you to pin down an on-site interview at one of these venues or, if you can't go to one of those cities, to start arrangements for an interview by phone or Skype.

The interviews are done by faculty and senior staff; in each case, one professor or one senior staff member meets with the candidate one-on-one.

The interviews are not meant to test your knowledge of international relations or economics. Don't worry if you've forgotten the years of the Crimean War. Rather, it is an opportunity for you to explain how you would make a difference at SAIS and why it would benefit you. For more information on the interview, you can click here.

All of this leads up to the meeting of our Admissions Committee in late March when decisions will be taken. Candidates will be notified of the decisions in early April.

PROJECT YOURSELF

Candidates often ask what they can do to prepare for an interview. You've heard the tips before: Get a good night's sleep. Dress well but not too well. Avoid drinking too much coffee beforehand. A firm handshake.

There is an ocean of advice on the Internet. I won't repeat it here.

But today, like yesterday when writing about deadlines, I can't resist some general points. I make these after interviewing for a fair number of jobs myself and having grilled hundreds of individuals during my years as an editorial manager.

Consider an interview as an opportunity to show you are the right person for the opening. If it's for a job, you can prove you understand the demands and can meet them. If it's for a spot in a graduate school, you can prove that you are up to the challenge, that you are special and that you know how the experience will benefit you.

All of this requires you to project yourself forward, to understand what the experience entails and how you would make the most of it. In the case of a job, it means you should know what the hiring manager is looking for. What needs doing? What skills, capabilities and experience are they looking for?

This can require you to do a fair amount of digging to learn about the job. That can take time and energy. In the case of SAIS, you should know what we are looking for, why it would be a good match and how you would benefit from the opportunity.

Crucially, if you plan beforehand, during the interview you will be able to make the points you want to make. You can never control the agenda totally, but if you have thought through your message carefully, you'll find the right moment to make your points.

One tip that could be worth remembering: Consider what qualities the person interviewing you is looking for. What have you done in the past to demonstrate such qualities? It's much more powerful to describe specific actions that capture a quality than to simply say you have it. As you've heard before: show, don't tell.

I could go on and on. But then I'd be violating one of my own interview rules:

Say just enough -- and not too much.

Tomorrow: Careers

Nelson Graves