Undoubtedly there's value in living and teaching abroad, and I wasn't trying to diminish that route or generalize as to the motivations of those who take it. The point was simply a counterargument to those who claim that gaining a year or two of experience (as opposed to coming straight from undergrad) will help clarify one's professional goals and also help one get more out of the grad school experience. While that may be the case in many instances, in some instances it's not. I think it would be tough to argue that someone who's interned at State for several summers and is committed to becoming an FSO has a less clear idea of their professional goals or the skills that they would need to hone during grad school than someone who has been working full time for a few years (not at State) and also wants to be an FSO.
I'm also going to be in Chicago on the 15th and may do the same. I was able to do a tour a couple months ago, but it would be nice to check out the area a bit more
jj1776 got a reaction from lutherblissett in Which schools are more likely to accept MPPs out of college?