eyce22

Thanks for the advice guys. It seems like the GPA thing is really going to hold me back. In that case, how difficult are MA programs to get to with a low GPA like mine? Should I try to work at least a few years before applying to an MA program? At this point, recruiting has already ended for many of the major business firms and I'm a little worried about starting a career in a totally unrelated area, which will make me look even more uninterested/random as an applicant. TheMarketMan: I'm looking at Hong Kong social identity specifically in relation to the "one country, two systems" in China. This actually leads to another question I have. Though it's heavily related to politics, there is a strong sociological aspect to it as well and I'm wondering if it'd be flexible to go think about looking into Sociology also. Most of the academics who have done research in this area either have PHds in poli sci or sociology, but I have no idea as to how much these two disciplines differ in terms of competitiveness.

Hi guys, I'm a senior Finance and Chinese double major at a top 20 school. Until this year, I was set on working as an investment banker but I've come to realize that I don't quite fit the profile and the finance industry is not where I can envision myself. I've been working on a thesis that focuses on Hong Kong politics for my Chinese major, and it has been more fun and engaging than anything I've ever had to do relating to business. As a result, I want to consider doing a PhD in poli sci (or maybe Political Sociology) with a specific focus on Hong Kong-Mainland China politics but I don't know how viable this is for a number of reasons. - I have a low GPA ~3.2, which came about because of family issues and bad studying habits during my first two years - My major probably doesn't convey interest in political science - No connections to political science professors at my university for recommendations - All my previous work experiences are concentrated around Ibanking. However, much of the work was very research based...but in a different way The only pluses I can think of are that I am fluent in Cantonese and Mandarin, I will have written a thesis and my internships were in Asia. Seems like everything else would be going against me. Does anyone know what the job market is like in both the U.S. and Hong Kong/Asia for students looking to conduct research in this area? What should I do if I want to pursue a PhD? Is it even practical?