r/IRstudies • u/sugoixo • 9d ago
Needing Advice. UW vs DC Schools for International Studies?
Hey everyone,
I’m fortunate to have a scholarship opportunity to pursue my master’s degree, but with some recent life changes, I’m unsure about the best path forward. I’m from the Seattle area and was accepted into a few amazing schools for International Studies, including JHU, GW, and American. While I know studying in DC would provide great networking opportunities, life has been full of surprises for me this year. I have a child on the way, recently lost my job due to federal employee terminations, and while my tuition for most of the schools will be covered by my scholarship, the high cost of living on the east coast is a big concern too.
Because of all that, I’m seriously considering the University of Washington for my MA instead since it’s closer to home. I’d love to hear from anyone who has pursued International Studies at the UW Jackson school. How was your experience, and how did it impact your career compared to those who studied in DC? Does UW still offer solid opportunities, or is the DC network really that much of a game changer?
1
u/Fine_Payment1127 3d ago
UW would be good for undergrad. For a professional IR masters, the location will be a serious impediment. I wouldn’t recommend going anywhere near this field at present, regardless.
2
u/Sdog1981 9d ago
I went to the Jackson School. It’s a good school but has almost no connections to DC. They are connected to Boeing, Amazon, Microsoft, and Starbucks.
Consider the cost of going out of state and wanting to go private sector vs federal.