Program Applied To: IR
Schools Applied To: Johns Hopkins SAIS (DC), Columbia SIPA, Tufts Fletcher
Schools Admitted To: Johns Hopkins SAIS (DC) - $0, Tufts Fletcher - $0
Schools Rejected From: None
Still Waiting: Waitlisted at Columbia SIPA
Undergraduate institution: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Undergraduate GPA: 3.96
Last 60 hours of Undergraduate GPA (if applicable): more or less the same
Undergraduate Major: Computer Engineering
GMAT Quantitative Score: 48 (83%)
GMAT Verbal Score: 44 (97%)
GMAT AW Score: 6
GMAT Overall Score: 740
Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): 7
Years of Work Experience: 7
Describe Relevant Work Experience: 5 years at a large consulting firm doing tech consulting work. 2 years at a small tech startup.
Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): Focused on my interest in the field and how my background fits in. Wasn't able to articulate specific or concrete career goals, however.
Strength of LOR's (be honest, describe the process, etc): One from my current boss, one from a partner at the consulting firm I used to work at, and one from a professor of IR that I had during my study abroad in Korea. I have good relationships with the writers of my professional LORs so I'm guessing they were much stronger than my academic LOR. I asked the professor of IR for a recommendation out of the blue after I couldn't reach an engineering professor I did research under. However, he graciously accepted my request and I guess it didn't hurt that he became dean of a school that is a member of APSIA (Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs) albeit in Korea.
Other: SAIS - DC was my top choice and since I didn't get funding from any schools, I'm probably going to go there.
