Schools Applied To: SAIS (MA), SIPA (MIA), KSG (MPP), WWS (MPA)
Schools Admitted To: SAIS, SIPA
Schools Rejected From: KSG, WWS
Undergraduate institution: UCLA
Undergraduate GPA: 3.8, lots of research and involvement in professors' work, okay but not great math scores
Undergraduate Major: Economics
GRE Quantitative Score: 770
GRE Verbal Score: 720
GRE AW Score: 4.5
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): 1
Years of Work Experience: 2
Describe Relevant Work Experience: California government -- policy development work, but nothing particularly glamorous
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): My WWS and KSG SOPs weren't very focused, but who knows how much that affected me, since both of these applications were long shots anyway. SAIS and SIPA were better -- both focused on topics I had spent my undergrad working on and am passionate about.
Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc): A mix of professional and academic references, all of whom I have worked closely with and I'm sure were very positive.
Other: Intermediate Spanish (improving this will be my summer project), years of volunteering and community involvement