snowandmountains

Program: MPP/MA-IR - education and/or environmental policy School Applying to: Not sure, a public US university or somewhere abroad Undergrad: BA Economics big top 40 US university Undergrad GPA: 2.9 (3.2 last 73 credit hours) GRE: Haven't taken yet Languages: Beginning Spanish (took 2016, got an A), on transcript: Intermediate Japanese 1, but that was 14 years ago (I'm 31) Quant Experience: The Good: Calc3 B+, 2016 Discrete Math B, 2016 Intermediate Micro Theory B- Intermediate Macro Theory B Intro Econ Stats B Natural Resource Econ B Environmental Econ B- The Bad: Trig F (online class I let slip in 2008) Intro to Abstract D- (2005) Calc3 D+ (retook this spring, got a B+) Other related courses: UD Mountain Geography B+, 2015 UD Education with classroom experience, 2 courses, both A's Work Experience: Since finishing undergrad I have had some career progression through outdoor education as well as international work experience: -2 months musician merchandise manager in Europe, 9 countries, 32 cities -4 months New Zealand, ski instructor -5 winters ski instructor in the USA (numerous awards and certifications), 6 summers swim coach -2 winters manager/trainer of ski school of 45 instructors (in-house promotion) -3 summers ground crew/ramphand at a small airport -Nationally certified EMT (2015) -Maybe 100 hours tutoring/classroom teaching experience LORs: This will be my weakest. My direct supervisor at my ski school management position knows me well and will be a strong letter. But my other 2 LORs will come from professors that really don't know me. Notes: I am considering teaching abroad (likely China) before applying. This would put me at Fall 2018 admissions, I'd be 33 years old. Too old to make this career switch from outdoor educator to IR policy? I would like to work internationally eventually, though I've never been to a third world country (closest are Slovenia and Croatia). Currently enrolled in an upper division Poli Sci course: Current Events in IR I'm continuing to learn Spanish on my own. It's one of the bigger priorities in my life right now.

Would it be wise to have some Chemistry, General Bio, or Geology courses completed before applying to a Human Geography program? My undergrad sciences were Physics, Human Bio, and Astronomy. I am going to be taking 5-6 courses over the next three semesters before applying to any Geography programs and am trying to figure out what is best to take. I have to boost my GPA up a bit and am coming from a BA in Economics. Thanks.

It is likely you will be living in the Williams Village dorms. There are 2 bedroom apartments that 4 students share. I was an undergrad transfer to CU Boulder in 2004 and I lived with 3 freshmen in one of these apartments. Across the hall from me were 4 PhD students (2 international). This was my second time living in a dorm building and both experiences were the typical dorm scene. I would not recommend it. The Williams Village dorms are also a 15min walk from campus (there is a frequent campus bus every 10-15min though too) The city bus system is amazing (and free for students), so it is very easy to get to/from campus from anywhere in town. Busses run from 6am-midnight-ish 7 days a week.