<p>Thanks for the extremely detailed response…that is very very helpful! Right now I’m really hoping I get the on campus housing that goes from $1100-1800 depending on whether you get a studio or a 1 bedroom. I can tell you that the way I grew up, I’ve experience alot of struggle with my single uneducated mother and sister, even to the point of having no electricity and no where to go at times. I think that I should be able to deal with living super economically in a very small studio apartment, as long as it does have a small area to prepare food and a place to sleep and go to the bathroom ; ). Also, I don’t think we really care how small it is as we will be sharing the bed and hey do what you have to do, if that means not having a bedroom. We are very anxious to move, I have been stuck in the midwest for a few years now and I absolutely hate it. She really wants to move to NYC and if we do go there I know she’ll be happy pretty much regardless if we have to deal with the small apartment. </p>
<p>I guess what I shouldn’t do though is assume that she will even get a job with just a Bachelor’s like you said and I should also assume the worst on the housing situation (that I won’t get the on-campus housing) and I should start really looking around online to see what all is out there and really get into the details of “crunching the numbers”. I think I have quite a bit of time since school will start in August. Basically, she is cool with carrying the majority of the load while I’m in grad school, and for one thing its because after I’m done she’ll be in medical school and I’ll have to turn around and pay most of the bills. However, while I’m in school I will try to work as little as possible to keep my focus on school and doing well. What I am really hoping for though is that she can find a job (even if it is not the greatest) that pays the most that she can get–hopefully at the very least that’ll be 45k, but who knows in this economy. From what the way it sounds…jobs are pretty sparse there too, as they are here. I have two degrees and haven’t been able to find a job for a few months. But if we absolutely had to we could move over to Jersey as you said. But overall, we have a lot of research and number crunching to do!</p>
<p>I do agree that 20k would be pushing it for an amount to try to make it on in Manhattan or almost anywhere in NYC, that sucks that Columbia and NYU think that you can make it on that, but hey I wasn’t offered a dime in fellowship/assistantship/stipend money. If I was by myself I would be in a very very tough situation…I’d have to borrow the money on that high 8.5% interest rate and get raped on the interest accrual each month. If you do have 22k per year in stipends you should be appreciative that you do at least have that and if you have to you should probably just take out some loans to supplement that amount, so you don’t completely stress out about finances.</p>
<p>gigi-When I visited the GW campus, I asked them a TON of questions and I was really being that annoying person who comes in and asks too many questions, but I did get a pretty decent feel for the situation there. I know that the Security Studies Program at GW is very very tough to get into just from talking with people there and they usually like to take people who are already working in the field somewhat. So, I would say that my overall impression is that their Security Studies Department is very good and you would probably have some/if not all of the same professors for your courses if you choose to concentrate in International Security Studies. They seem to offer a variety of classes related to the field and I know that they offer quite a bit of Intelligence-related classes if you are looking for that at all. However, just quickly looking at the courses offered at G’town…it looks like they have quite a vast array of Security coursework: [Georgetown</a> University](<a href=“http://schedule.georgetown.edu/09A/09A239.html]Georgetown”>http://schedule.georgetown.edu/09A/09A239.html)</p>
<p>Also, consider that the actual degree is different in that at G’town its a Master of Science in Foreign Service w/ a concentration in International Relations and Security (and your chosen subfield–Security and Conflict Management). But at GW its an MA in International Affairs with your chosen major field of Security Studies and your chosen regional focus. That is just one glaring difference that may or may not matter to you, they will both look different on a resume (for what that’s worth). Also, you’d want to compare the core courses required for both and looking at both of them, they are very similar except for that G’town additionally requires that you take an Analytical and Statistical Skills course that GW does not. Honestly, the price difference and relatively similar comparison in programs would have me leaning toward GW, but I’ve also been looking at going to GW for years now. I don’t know if you are leaning toward G’town but thats what it seems like and if I was you I’d just take another very close look and comparison of the programs and the price. That price difference is about 40K, which you personally could do a lot with, remember it is your debt–not necessarily your husband’s and you’ll probably be the one paying it off. But you should also remember how important it is to be happy with and not regret your decision! Sorry I know its a tough one!!</p>