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.

You should include Harvard GSD's MUP program and MIT DUSP's MCP program. Both of them deal a lot with international development.

+1 on the advice to have a specialty. I only briefly considered public sector/Hill work. One deterrent was that it seemed like if you chose the wrong horse (i.e. elected official) your career could be held up. There seem to be a fair number of people who move back and forth between academia and presidential appointments, which seems much safer to me.

Not trying to inflame anything... Myshemblable: I'm popping back in to show you this: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samantha_Power This is the kind of career path I was talking about. She was one of the most influential foreign policy advisors of recent times. To give OP more of a sense of where I'm coming from: I do intend to study something different from IR, but I've spent the past 3 years in an IR career in the developing world, interacting with State Dept, UN, and WB people.

Well clearly you have an ax to grind, that's the end of my interest in this thread.

Also, I don't understand why you chose to take pot shots at me for expressing my opinion. Drawing from my own life experience -- seeing people who are not especially bright get amazing opportunities due to their social and educational pedigrees -- I gave advice I thought would be helpful.

I don't think you'll be at a disadvantage in terms of gaining practical experience at Fletcher. Because of all the schools up in Boston, there are tons and tons of organizations. I think it's as practical as you make it. Anecdotally, I know people doing stuff in Syria and with OPIC in DC for their summer internships. One of my friends at Fletcher interns (with pay) with a human rights organization during the semester.

I think my comments are being misread. I wasn't disparaging the the quality of other programs. I wasn't suggesting that you need a HYP degree to go to the WB or do great work. Obviously a ton of SAISers, Elliott School students, etc. get those positions. If I was criticizing anything, my criticism was of the old boys clubs. My point is that government (like any other organization) is not always a strict meritocracy and having access to the best network possible can grease the wheels. I have many friends at Elliott, Fletcher, SAIS, etc. who are top notch scholars/practitioners and will go on to do great things Again, I wasn't saying that a HYP degree is necessary, but that having access to that network can open doors more easily -- as in my anecdote about the HBS + GS alumnus who got tapped by a president to do high level stuff. I don't think the advantages of HYP networks can be disputed. Of course there will be exceptions, but I think they stick in the mind precisely because they are exceptions. One final time: I'm not making comments about the quality of the students, but rather about the properties of professional networks.

I would advise looking at the bios of the people whose jobs you want. I don't know too much about the kind of people who get the specific job you want, but you'll notice that Harvard and Yale pretty much run the US. The last election was HBS (Romney) vs. HLS (Obama). It's pretty much HLS, HBS, and YLS at the top tier of government power in America. A lot of this is undoubtedly due to the network and the brand power. An anecdote: Back when I was directionless, I met with an alumnus of my undergraduate alma mater (small liberal arts) who went on to HBS and then later he became a partner at Goldman Sachs. He did a lot of international investment work and he said that consistently, in all his travels, people around the world were *much* more impressed by the fact that he went to HBS (emphasis on the "H") than the fact that he became a partner at Goldman Sachs -- even though he said that becoming a GS partner was much more difficult. He was also tapped by a president to do some high level work with the UN. I'm 99% sure this opportunity came out of his HBS and GS pedigree. When you are at HBS, HLS, or YLS, you are going to school with future senators, corporate titans, and presidents. These are the people you are going to eat with, go to parties with, work with, and generally get to know closely. As for law school, I think a JD makes you more versatile on the job market. A JD can take you to the top levels of any organization easily, including big firms like Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, etc. -- and these are private sector firms whose alumni go on to positions of power -- and you can teach in a university with a JD (like a certain current president). A MPP or MIR is more lightweight in this regard. Ban Ki Moon is an HKS MPP grad, but no other top leader comes to mind (though I'm sure there are plenty). The IMF is run by a lawyer with a long career in a power international law firm, for example. If you're climbing the ladder, a JD can be just as valuable as a PhD. And, as for debt, in my mind it should not be a big deterrent -- because, at least in my mind, it's helpful to start your career at a top private sector firm and you'll most likely earn a lot of money in a few years there. As for location -- if you're going to Harvard, Yale, or Princeton, your location is not going to matter too much. For example, my friend just finished at Yale Jackson and went on to a great position at the World Bank. Sorry for rambling. I suppose I could condense all of what I said into this: I think you'll find a high percentage of graduates from those three schools at the top of most government organizations and that can't be some coincidence that has been going on for 200 years. I should note that I have never attended any of those three schools. I'm at a more science-y university doing an unrelated master's.

You're China-Africa/Ethiopia background seems to set you up well for this. It's a hot topic that will only become hotter. I recommend getting your master's at Harvard (HLS, HBS, HKS), Princeton (WWS), or Yale (YLS, Jackson). The good old boys networks seem strong at the upper echelons of government. Yale Jackson MGA is a brand new program, but they have a ton of resources and it's part of Yale. After getting your master's at one of these places, go on to work for the State Dept, CIA, UN, or WB and climb the ranks. Or maybe a firm like Kissinger & Associates -- their alumni are power hitters. Having a brand name degree (+ network) and brand name experience (+ network) will put you in a strong position.

There are a million organizations to intern with while at Fletcher. You'll find out when you get there and meet with profs.