NGP

Ask the schools if they have GRE score cutoffs. If not, apply. You'll be playing the what-if game for years if you don't.

People end up in those agencies from all sorts of schools. A lot of it has to do with your network. So look for schools that have a lot of alumni at those agencies. Most of the top ones do. I've heard from numerous people that the best way to get in is to have a specialty (rather than being a generalist IR person). A specialty might be water infrastructure, solar energy, transportation, etc. After you get into the system, it's easier to move around/up.

People do PhDs in econ straight out of undergrad -- the only difference I see is having to compress approximately 3 years of econ prereqs into 2 years. I could be wrong, but I think Chris Blattman went from HKS (MPA/ID) to a PhD in econ.

I would do micro, stats, and public budgeting.

I notice a lot of military people in MPA/MPP programs. Yale Jackson MGA has a ton of military/CIA people.

A small contractor is not going to care about an international affairs certificate (probably not a large contractor either). They have specific projects with specific requirements. At the lower levels, they will care more about whether you know how to use Excel and manage a project than if you know about international diplomacy. International diplomacy is such a small part of what they do. You could also look at Edward Snowden's (now famous) career history. He didn't even have a college degree! But he knew computer programming.

Oh -- sorry -- I just re-read your original post. You're interested in State Dept or intelligence consulting. I have a friend who works at Booz Allen Hamilton. He got in with a dual BA in History and Business. He worked for two years at small-time defense contractors doing non-sexy work before getting hired as an analyst at Booz. I don't know exactly what he does now at Booz (I don't ask) but I don't think it's anything especially sexy. BUT...he is doing an online master's (in a business related field) while still working in order to transition to other stuff. Apparently Booz has agreements with certain master's programs that allows employees to automatically be accepted and study around their work schedules. All of this is to say: perhaps it's worth trying to find a position at a defense contractor where your insurance experience might be applicable and then work your way up/to a new area from there. I remember my friend saying that what helped him get hired at Booz was the time he spent at the smaller companies getting progressively higher security clearances. Apparently, it's easier somehow to move up in security clearances at smaller companies that get defense contracts. If I remember correctly, he said that upgrading an employee's security clearance costs the employer money, so they only do it when necessary -- and at a place like Booz there is always someone else who already has the higher clearance. On another note, I know of another person who did some State Dept internships (pol-mil) before getting a MA in international affairs and now also works at Booz. I bet he does more interesting work, but I'm sure he racked up a ton more debt. My friend with only the BA doesn't have any debt (and even bought his own home in his 20s) and seems to be advancing at a fair rate by going to school through his employer.

I second the advice to look beyond pure IR degrees. They are often more widely marketable. And, from talking to people in the UN and WB, it's easier to get in if you specialize rather than be a generalist. For example, one guy I know who currently works for the World Bank in Africa got his MS in aquaculture.

You could probably get into a program now, but I doubt you would get much fin aid though I could be wrong. If you are afraid of debt (as I am), my advice would be to leave your job and get more relevant experience. This will put you in a better position to get fin aid. Teaching English overseas generally pays well (compared to cost of living), especially in Asia. Alternatively, you could get an internship in DC (e.g. WWICS) or NYC, but those generally pay little if anything.

School for most people = taking out loans. It's painful, but it's the most straightforward way to "uproot your life to go to school jobless." Does your company have overseas branches? Could you spend a year working in insurance in the Middle East before grad school?

Your definition of merit might differ from schools' definitions. For their professional programs, schools tend to place a premium on work experience. Your GPA certainly won't hurt you -- but if you want lots of aid you're probably better off working for one or two years minimum. Alternatively, you could apply to be a Pickering Fellow.

MPP/MPA programs accept students from all sorts of backgrounds. As long as you can tie your past experience into relevant policy-related goals in your statement of purpose you will be fine.

Haha -- sorry -- it wasn't my intention to come off harshly... Thanks again for this information. I don't see myself ever becoming an FSO, but it's nice to be more informed about how our foreign policy works!

That last bit is interesting to hear. I had had the impression that FSOs were essentially drones carrying out policies thought up in DC.

True, but there are international development specializations within both programs.