HowDoIGradSchool

Fast Lane

Looks like McGill has released PhD decisions. MA applicants should be up soon then.

Thanks. And sorry if this is the wrong subforum. If it is, could the mods please move it? I'd just delete this and repost it elsewhere, but that doesnt seem possible.

Hello everyone! I was wondering if some of you guys would be willing to assess my chances of getting into a Canadian IR masters program (specifically NPSIA, Munk, and GSPIA), and give some advice for how I could strengthen my app in the next few months. I just graduated from my undergrad with a 3.6 GPA overall, though my major (polisci) GPA and last 2 years are both 3.7+. Additionally, my overall GPA would be higher were it not for some poor grades I recieved in my second year, during which I experienced 2 very serious personal tragedies. Outside of that year, I never recieved any grade below a B+. I fear the weakest part of my application is my work/volunteer experience... in that I dont have anything. While I do have some political campaign experience, I dont think its of any relevance here. My interests really only turned to IR in my final year. I also dont have any research experince, as I was quite shy through my undergrad and didnt really start forming relationships with profs until my final year (and when I did start a project with a prof our funding was cut before we got off the ground). I'm taking a year off right now and would really like to use this time to strengthen this part of my app, but so far I havent had much luck in finding something. Any advice in this area would be especially appreciated. I think I have good LOR's, though (obviously) its only from profs that I have taken couses with, as opposed to doing research for. However, I dont know if this will actually be a problem, as the programs I am looking at are more professionally oriented/course work based. I know some French, and am thinking of trying to get my proficiency up to a semi-fluent level in the next few months. Would this be a wise time investment? Thanks in advance to anyone who is willing to read this and give some advice. I know questions about admissions chances are asked ad nauseam on this forum.