This forum was incredibly helpful (and entertaining) as I went through the process of applying. Thanks to everyone before me and hopefully everyone after me will find it as useful as I did.
Previous Schools (Name, type, or tier): State School Previous Degrees and GPAs: B.A. Government and Politics Spanish Minor GPA: 3.59 GRE Scores (Verbal/Quantitative/Analytical Writing): 167V/155Q/5(AW) Previous Work Experience (Years, Type): At the time I submitted my applications, 2.5 working for a cabinet level agency. As a senior, I interned and then was converted full-time and have since worked in different capacities primarily in management (finance, procurement, and acquisition) but also in public affairs in the dep.secretarys office. Math/Econ Background: Just micro econ and some stats Foreign Language Background (if applicable to your program): Spanish (Proficient) Turkish (Terrible) Intended Field of Study in Grad School: Masters in International Affairs Long Term Professional Goals: FSO Schools Applied to & Results (funding over two years) Columbia SIPA-Accepted (65K) Georgetown SFS-Accepted (17K) Tufts Fletcher-Accepted (30K) Hopkins SAIS Bologna-Accepted (13K) Denver Korbel (40K) American SIS, Rangel-Accepted, Pickering- candidacy pulled after Rangel acceptance Ultimate Decision & Why: I have not yet officially accepted, I’m attending the admitted students days for SIPA, Fletcher, and SFS (I’ve declined the offers for the others), but based on current funding I will more than likely end up at SIPA. I had two goals going into applying: 1. Place/prepare myself on FSO career path 2. Incur as little debt as possible. Based on this, I doubt I would have gone through with graduate study if I had not been selected for one of the aforementioned fellowships.
As for the school decision breakdown, SIPA and SFS were my top choices, with Tufts and SAIS a close second. After receiving the funding packages, I dropped SAIS. The blessing of significant funding from the fellowship and the certainty of a job after school altered the calculus for my decision a bit from most others on the government affairs forum. Personally (family in the area) and professionally (given the FSO path), I think Gtown probably is the better route but having been in the DC area for most of undergrad and for work after, the push for a change of scenery is too strong. I really loved almost everything about Tufts, the small flexible program, the faculty, and obviously the community. The few things I didn’t: while Boston is great, I just prefer NYC and DC, it is not as practitioner-focused i.e. you have to do a thesis (although I think you can get around it), and they grade on a curve. going to work hard in grad school but with the need to maintain certain gpa requirements for funding, this seems like a big potential for added stress. Ultimately, it really comes down to money (what doesn’t) and the opportunity to incur as little debt as possible. Between the fellowship, the funding from SIPA, and my meager savings, I can live and go to school in NYC with no loans and everything paid for at a well-established, professionally-oriented program. Arguably, while Gtown might be best for the FS route, I believe the difference is negligible and the other considerations of funding and personal circumstances more than make up for it.
Advice for Future Applicants:
If I could impart any advice to my six-months-ago-self, I would say apply to more schools and start early with everything (and stop being so lazy!).
Apply to more schools: In the beginning, I would have been ecstatic just to get into one school. I found gradcafe late and with so many variables that go into the application process e.g., GREs, SOPs, recs, work experience, I had no way to scale my expectations. I thought my quant was way too low, my work did not directly relate to IA, and my recs weren’t big name professors or senior level officials. I actually started at a community college so when it came to applying, the big names really intimidated me. But looking back I wish I had more confidence and applied to more schools e.g., HKS, WWS. While I could not be happier with the way things turned out, I would advise others to, if they can, (financially and time/energy-wise) apply to as many as possible. You can’t have too many options.
Start Early: You see it on here a bunch but it probably can’t be said enough. If I had to do it again, the timeline I would shoot for: Study GREs starting in Feb, GREs done by April/May, recommenders notified before June, start and work on SOP beginning in summer, finalize paper work (resumes, quant cvs, transcripts, etc.) beginning of fall, and everything wrapped up by thanksgiving. The actual timeline went something like, started studying for the GRE in April, did nothing all summer, went back to it in the fall, took GRE in October. After, used Nov. and Dec to frantically write SOP and cover all the paper work, and then submit everything pretty much day of deadline in January. The earlier the better. Especially, with many of the deadlines falling around the malaise of the holiday times at the end of the year.
Previous Schools (Name, type, or tier): Randolph College - Private Liberal Arts College in Lynchburg Va Previous Degrees and GPAs: BA Global Studies - 3.81 GPA GRE Scores (Verbal/Quantitative/Analytical Writing): 161 V/ 149 Q /5.0 AW - left it to the last minute and took it once Previous Work Experience (Years, Type): Worked in Middle East for a few years running a family business, internships at major DC based think tanks focusing on IR Math/Econ Background: Micro/Macro/International Econ courses - Also took two extended courses on Naval architecture (don't ask) Foreign Language Background (if applicable to your program): Fluent Arabic, ILR 2 Farsi, French Intended Field of Study in Grad School: International Security Policy, Global Comparative Politics Long Term Professional Goals: Career Ambassador Schools Applied to & Results: Georgetown MSFS (accepted), GWU Security Policy (accepted)($), SIPA (accepted), Fletcher (accepted)($$), Rangel Fellowship (rejected), Pickering Fellowship (finalist)
Ultimate Decision & Why: Georgetown MSFS - Originally was set on Columbia, as I needed that change of scenery. Living in DC for too long takes its toll, and you start itching to get out. But after carefully considering: reputation (GU is consistently top of the charts for grad school), selectivity (GU: about 90 students admitted each year - SIPA is almost 4 times that), academics (I have a good working relationship with a few of the professors and have mapped out my research interests), and alumni and career advising - it was honestly a difficult choice but SFS won out. A lot of what Filmore22 said about wanting to live in NYC but still wanting to go to SFS applies here as well. Although both Fletcher and GWU offered me monetary merit and needs based aid, I still believe GU is the better choice for me. Still waiting for the Pickering interview and exam, so fingers crossed! Advice for Future Applicants:
Mirroring what a lot of posts have already mentioned - for the love of God start early! My timeline went exactly like (again) Filmore22's: "The actual timeline went something like, started studying for the GRE in April, did nothing all summer, went back to it in the fall, took GRE in October. After, used Nov. and Dec to frantically write SOP and cover all the paper work, and then submit everything pretty much day of deadline in January." - My experience was pretty much identical - and I suffered for it. My quants grade on the GRE could have been a lot higher, but I was rushed, nervous and unprepared. Don't make that mistake.
My personal advice however is to believe in yourself. I've read some profiles on Grad cafe forums and wonder 'How can these people think they won't get into top schools with that kind of resume?' Trust that these universities want diversity and people with potential. That being said, be ready to accept a negative outcome regardless of how much effort you put into an application. Take it as a learning experience. Try again next year, or the year after. The first thing I heard back from was the rejection from the Rangel Fellowship, which put me on a downward trajectory - I was convinced that I wouldn't get accepted anywhere, and almost took a position abroad. A very premature move. Wait till all the cards are on the table before making a choice.
Finally, enlist the help of others on this arduous journey - especially those in the target school or program. They have a wealth of information and will give you a lot of feedback on what, where, how and why. Yes, the internet is your friend and you can get a lot of info of it, but being face to face with someone and being able to ask everything and hear it firsthand is invaluable. Use the program or university directory and send a few emails and what to see who responds. You will usually have 3 - 4 kindred spirits who will guide you and really make a difference.
