GenericMidwestStudent

What's up, everyone? This is my first post, but reading this forum has been a daily part of my life since the graduate school season began for me back in October. Congratulations to everyone who got into the schools they wanted to! It's hard to remember that we've actually accomplished something already with how stressful looking towards the fall is. Background for me: I am 22 (23 when school starts in fall) with a degree in political science from Ohio University. My specialization has been international relations and the Middle East. My senior year I wrote thesis about Saudi Arabia and the Arab Spring. I then took a year off from school because I was exhausted after the thesis. Background/profile: - 22 years old (23 when school starts in the fall) with a degree in political science from - Specialization was international relations + the Middle East. I wrote a senior thesis on Saudi Arabia and the Arab Spring - 3.75 GPA/3.9 major GPA. GRE scores were okay, 163 verbal, 150 quant, 4.5 writing (should have studied the math section) When I applied to schools I was not aware that full rides for political science MA's were so rare. I applied to University of Denver Josef Korbel, George Washington's Elliott School, and American SIS. Elliott and Korbel were my top choices. I got into all three; no scholarship at SIS, but $15k a year at Korbel and $10k a year at Elliott. After looking at the costs of attendence ($45k tuition at Korbel, $33k tuiton at Elliott) I decided to apply to my undergrad school. I ended up getting a graduate assistantship here at OU, meaning no tuiton and a $10,500 stipend. I ended up accepting Ohio University's offer because tens of thousands of dollars of debt as a political science major did not seem like a good idea. I think I am experiencing normal regrets/second thoughts/buyer's remorse; I got into some top ten schools and chose not to go. My first question is, would other people have made the same decision? Most people on this forum were trying to get into top 5/10 programs, and rightfully so. My second question is: I want to either have a career in academia or working at a DC/NY foreign policy think tank, if I keep a 4.0 GPA, publish, and go to conferences, is that a realistic gameplan to reach those goals, even coming from a nonremarkable state school? What other strategies should I emply to get the most utility out of this state school? My adviser here is young but successful, and quickly moving up in her field. Beyond school being free, the opportunity to work with her again (she advised me on my first thesis) is the best thing this state school as to offer. Both her and I plan for me to do a PhD elsewhere when the time comes. I am just looking for thoughts in general, especially from folks who didn't go to Ivy or quasi-Ivy schools for their Master's. Any thoughts on whether it looks bad to go to grad school at your undergrad school are welcome too. SORRY FOR THE LONGWINDED POST! This is all the stuff that has been floating around in my head as I read other threads here on gradcafe.