Khodanist

Hi All, Thought I would post my admissions results on here to help those out in the future looking for a bit of reference, see the red text below. Right now my decision is down to between Fletcher and USC, leaning heavily towards Fletcher Thanks ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi Everyone, I'm new to this forum, just been a casual follower so far. I have kind of an unusual background, I'm currently in public accounting (2.5 yrs), but ever since undergrad I've wanted to pursue IR (got sidetracked by a Big 4 firm offering me a job in NYC). I've applied to some schools, and I wanted to get opinions from people on my chances to the programs that I've applied to. Graduated from a small public university in the deep South, earned two degrees upon graduation. A couple months after graduation I went to work as an accountant at the same firm at which I'm currently employed. GPA: 3.41 BBA - Accounting BA - Foreign Languages (Commercial German) Began BS in Political Science online through same university after graduation, took 3 or so classes, + a few classes during undergrad but never earned the degree. Study Abroad: 2 semesters abroad (Germany & Austria) + Summer abroad in Spain Senior Capstone Research project: Analysis of the effects of the European Sovereign Debt Crisis on the fiscal health and enlargement of the EU. (not published) Languages: Fluent: German & Spanish Conversational: Russian, French, Farsi Undergrad Classes taken in Polish and Turkish (I love learning languages) GRE: Most Recent test: Verbal: 161 87% Quant: 151 41% AW: 5.5 97% First test: Verbal: 580 78% Quant: 710 61% AW: 4.0 54% LOR: Former partner at my firm (since left to another firm) Former manager at my firm (since left to another firm) Undergrad Professor & academic adviser (oversaw capstone) After graduation, I went to work for a Big 4 Accounting firm - my firm is one of the largest firms in the world. I don't want to disclose the name, but it's either EY, PwC, KPMG, or Deloitte, and I will have been here three years by the time I go back to grad school. Unfortunately, I don't really have any experience in IR. I bombed the Quant score on my most recent GRE, but did well on Verbal and AW. I'm not sure how much this will help, however, as I know they often look at Quant to compare you to foreign students. Anyway, I've applied to the following programs and am currently anxiously awaiting decisions: USC - Price - MPP (International Affairs Concentration) [Accepted with half-tuition scholarship] U Denver - Korbel - GFTEI [Accepted with 13k scholarship] Columbia - SIPA - MIA - International Finance and Economic Policy [Accepted with no funding] Fletcher - MALD [Accepted with 15k scholarship] GWU - MA International Trade and Investment Policy [Accepted with no funding] NYU - MS Global Affairs [Accepted with no funding, or at least they haven't told me yet] CCNY - IR [unknown, don't really care. I'll probably find out after I've accepted at either USC or Fletcher] My end goal is to become an economic analyst at the World Bank or IMF, and at the programs I've applied to I want to research the efforts at regional political economic integration in various regions, with special interest in integration in South America through UNASUR. I've mentioned both in my statements of purpose and included my capstone research project (even if they didn't specifically require a writing sample!). So given the above, despite my lack of IR background, what would you rate my chances of getting into any of these programs? Thanks for your time!

Hi All, Just wanted to bump my earlier post. ----------------- Hi Everyone, I'm new to this forum, just been a casual follower so far. I have kind of an unusual background, I'm currently in public accounting (2.5 yrs), but ever since undergrad I've wanted to pursue IR (got sidetracked by a Big 4 firm offering me a job in NYC). I've applied to some schools, and I wanted to get opinions from people on my chances to the programs that I've applied to. Graduated from a small public university in the deep South, earned two degrees upon graduation. A couple months after graduation I went to work as an accountant at the same firm at which I'm currently employed. GPA: 3.41 BBA - Accounting BA - Foreign Languages (Commercial German) Began BS in Political Science online through same university after graduation, took 3 or so classes, + a few classes during undergrad but never earned the degree. Study Abroad: 2 semesters abroad (Germany & Austria) + Summer abroad in Spain Senior Capstone Research project: Analysis of the effects of the European Sovereign Debt Crisis on the fiscal health and enlargement of the EU. (not published) Languages: Fluent: German & Spanish Conversational: Russian, French, Farsi Undergrad Classes taken in Polish and Turkish (I love learning languages) GRE: Most Recent test: Verbal: 161 87% Quant: 151 41% AW: 5.5 97% First test: Verbal: 580 78% Quant: 710 61% AW: 4.0 54% LOR: Former partner at my firm (since left to another firm) Former manager at my firm (since left to another firm) Undergrad Professor & academic adviser (oversaw capstone) After graduation, I went to work for a Big 4 Accounting firm - my firm is one of the largest firms in the world. I don't want to disclose the name, but it's either EY, PwC, KPMG, or Deloitte, and I will have been here three years by the time I go back to grad school. Unfortunately, I don't really have any experience in IR. I bombed the Quant score on my most recent GRE, but did well on Verbal and AW. I'm not sure how much this will help, however, as I know they often look at Quant to compare you to foreign students. Anyway, I've applied to the following programs and am currently anxiously awaiting decisions: USC - Price - MPP (International Affairs Concentration) U Denver - Korbel - GFTEI Columbia - SIPA - MIA - International Finance and Economic Policy Fletcher - MALD GWU - MA International Trade and Investment Policy NYU - MS Global Affairs CCNY - IR My end goal is to become an economic analyst at the World Bank or IMF, and at the programs I've applied to I want to research the efforts at regional political economic integration in various regions, with special interest in integration in South America through UNASUR. I've mentioned both in my statements of purpose and included my capstone research project (even if they didn't specifically require a writing sample!). So given the above, despite my lack of IR background, what would you rate my chances of getting into any of these programs? Thanks for your time!

Hah, yeah you've got a good point. I'm just nervous about them because I'm really eager to get out of accounting, and I'm not sure of how my chances are.

Thanks!! I found my way over to the "Am I Competitive" sticky in that forum and posted there. Once I figure out how, I'll delete this post to cut down on clutter.

Hi Everyone, I'm new to this forum, just been a casual follower so far. I have kind of an unusual background, I'm currently in public accounting (2.5 yrs), but ever since undergrad I've wanted to pursue IR (got sidetracked by a Big 4 firm offering me a job in NYC). I've applied to some schools, and I wanted to get opinions from people on my chances to the programs that I've applied to. Graduated from a small public university in the deep South, earned two degrees upon graduation. A couple months after graduation I went to work as an accountant at the same firm at which I'm currently employed. GPA: 3.41 BBA - Accounting BA - Foreign Languages (Commercial German) Began BS in Political Science online through same university after graduation, took 3 or so classes, + a few classes during undergrad but never earned the degree. Study Abroad: 2 semesters abroad (Germany & Austria) + Summer abroad in Spain Senior Capstone Research project: Analysis of the effects of the European Sovereign Debt Crisis on the fiscal health and enlargement of the EU. (not published) Languages: Fluent: German & Spanish Conversational: Russian, French, Farsi Undergrad Classes taken in Polish and Turkish (I love learning languages) GRE: Most Recent test: Verbal: 161 87% Quant: 151 41% AW: 5.5 97% First test: Verbal: 580 78% Quant: 710 61% AW: 4.0 54% LOR: Former partner at my firm (since left to another firm) Former manager at my firm (since left to another firm) Undergrad Professor & academic adviser (oversaw capstone) After graduation, I went to work for a Big 4 Accounting firm - my firm is one of the largest firms in the world. I don't want to disclose the name, but it's either EY, PwC, KPMG, or Deloitte, and I will have been here three years by the time I go back to grad school. Unfortunately, I don't really have any experience in IR. I bombed the Quant score on my most recent GRE, but did well on Verbal and AW. I'm not sure how much this will help, however, as I know they often look at Quant to compare you to foreign students. Anyway, I've applied to the following programs and am currently anxiously awaiting decisions: USC - Price - MPP (International Affairs Concentration) U Denver - Korbel - GFTEI Columbia - SIPA - MIA - International Finance and Economic Policy Fletcher - MALD GWU - MA International Trade and Investment Policy NYU - MS Global Affairs CCNY - IR My end goal is to become an economic analyst at the World Bank or IMF, and at the programs I've applied to I want to research the efforts at regional political economic integration in various regions, with special interest in integration in South America through UNASUR. I've mentioned both in my statements of purpose and included my capstone research project (even if they didn't specifically require a writing sample!). So given the above, despite my lack of IR background, what would you rate my chances of getting into any of these programs? Thanks for your time!

Hi Everyone, I'm new to this forum, just been a casual follower so far. I have kind of an unusual background, I'm currently in public accounting (2.5 yrs), but ever since undergrad I've wanted to pursue IR (got sidetracked by a Big 4 firm offering me a job in NYC). I've applied to some schools, and I wanted to get opinions from people on my chances to the programs that I've applied to. Graduated from a small public university in the deep South, earned two degrees upon graduation. GPA: 3.41 BBA - Accounting BA - Foreign Languages (Commercial German) Began BS in Political Science online through same university after graduation, took 3 or so classes, + a few classes during undergrad but never earned the degree. Study Abroad: 2 semesters abroad (Germany & Austria) + Summer abroad in Spain Senior Capstone Research project: Analysis of the effects of the European Sovereign Debt Crisis on the fiscal health and enlargement of the EU. (not published) Languages: Fluent: German & Spanish Conversational: Russian, French, Farsi Undergrad Classes taken in Polish and Turkish (I love learning languages) GRE: Most Recent test: Verbal: 161 87% Quant: 151 41% AW: 5.5 97% First test: Verbal: 580 78% Quant: 710 61% AW: 4.0 54% After graduation, I went to work for a Big 4 Accounting firm - my firm is one of the largest firms in the world. I don't want to disclose the name, but it's either EY, PwC, KPMG, or Deloitte, and I will have been here three years by the time I go back to grad school. Unfortunately, I don't really have any experience in IR. I bombed the Quant score on my most recent GRE, but did well on Verbal and AW. I'm not sure how much this will help, however, as I know they often look at Quant to compare you to foreign students. Anyway, I've applied to the following programs and am currently anxiously awaiting decisions: USC - Price - MPP (International Affairs Concentration) U Denver - Korbel - GFTEI Columbia - SIPA - MIA - International Finance and Economic Policy Fletcher - MALD GWU - MA International Trade and Investment Policy NYU - MS Global Affairs CCNY - IR My end goal is to become an economic analyst at the World Bank or IMF, and at the programs I've applied to I want to research the efforts at regional political economic integration in various regions, with special interest in integration in South America through UNASUR. I've mentioned both in my statements of purpose and included my capstone research project (even if they didn't specifically require a writing sample!). So given the above, despite my lack of IR background, what would you rate my chances of getting into any of these programs? Thanks for your time!