jarovization

For someone with OP's interest and skills, Political Analysis is probably a better place to look. But to be honest, OP, you probably have the chops to do well in economics, and will probably find it more methodologically interesting. Political science "methods" are largely borrowed form economics and, thus, not at the cutting edge.

Public policy PhDs do go into think tanks but they also go into academia i.e. at policy schools and in the policy lines at political science departments. Check the placement records of places like HKS. Some public policy PhD programs, like Michigan, are joint programs with political science giving you access to both job markets and training in a traditional discipline. If you really want to make the transition from engineering to public policy (where you are now) to political science, this might actually be your best option, as your application to the public policy program would be viewed more favorably, and if accepted by them, you would be accepted to both programs simultaneously. You will still be hurt by a lack of letters from social scientists. Again, political science faculty simply cannot relate when faculty from other disciplines talk about how strong your work is. Other applicants (your competitors) will have letters from faculty *who the search committee knows personally or by reputation* which carry a great deal of weight. In public policy, the senior fellow letter might help. Have you considered getting a US master's degree in public policy or political science, to build up your credibility and relationships with professors in this field?

You will have a hard time convincing political science faculty of your interest with no exposure to academic political science. Why did you take *no* coursework at all? Keep in mind even the most talented political science/public policy faculty have absolutely no basis to judge the value of your work in nuclear engineering. It basically says nothing about you, except that you can do math. This is a necessary but far from sufficient condition for most top political science programs. It sounds like you are more interested in public policy, for which your think tank work will be a good credential. You ought to be looking seriously at public policy PhD programs, since from what you describe you may be a poor fit for most political science programs. The faculty involved with Stanford CISAC come to mind: http://cisac.stanford.edu/research/2240/ Applying to a large number of programs may be a waste of everyone's time. Keep focused on what you can actually sell yourself on, which is a demonstrated interest in nuclear policy and a unique skill set that you have already put to good use.

Yes. Take math, I would add statistics. You need to have those on your transcript to show you are aware they are important to the field, even if they are not important to you personally. You don't have to "kick ass" (don't feel you can't apply if you don't get an A) but you do have to take them to be competitive. Also, your SOP should be largely your summer research project (to show you know how to do research) and you should be eyeing the prof you will be working with for a strong letter with lits of specifics, ie work hard and give him/her something to crow about.

In general, professors don't care about you, and certainly not in the first few years. They don't care enough to be "extremely angry." If you are important enough to them (as a co-author, for example) they will understand a well-reasoned argument for leaving. Admissions committees at higher-ranked schools see this regularly, and know how to evaluate applicants in this situation (according to their own criteria). But it is much easier just to start at the highest/best place you can. Even putting it off for a year if you only get into low-ranked/poor placement programs.

Yes, this will totally help. Play it up. It will make you a unique candidate in the IR pool, for sure, and worth a second look at most good schools. You need to get a handle on what specific political science papers/books in this field interest you. Your responses here are really vague, but if you are a lawyer and have published, you know how to be specific and argue well, which is a great skill in political science PhD programs also. Are you familiar with published political science work on international law? Maybe reading some of those pieces will be a familiar bridge for you between what you know and what political science does with the same information.

I disagree with this. I think it will be a strong point on your application. Your intended methods is a good question. Who does current work in this field that you think is interesting? Wherever they are is a good place to start your search.

I am at a top 5 program, but would maybe answer about half of those questions on an internet forum. This is really what informal sessions of recruitment weekends (parties, food, bar) are for. All the formal sessions are just informative show. As I posted elsewhere, you need to make sure you are not just talking to 1st year students, but also advanced candidates, who don't necessarily participate in these kinds of activities (too busy.) Email one or two with similar interests and see if they will meet you for coffee. And learn to read between the lines of what people are saying to you. Ask direct and specific questions, but expect cagey responses, especially from those with the best information.

Best advice. This is the first step in a very, very long process of getting a tenure-track job. Although it is difficult, try to think 5, 10 and 15 years in the future. ABDs, if you can find them, are closer to the middle of this process and can see the whole picture (slightly) more clearly. Definitely try to find some if you can, and get their perspective on what they are doing now.