Program: MA/MPP
Schools applying to: Georgetown (MSFS,MPP), Columbia SIPA, JHU SAIS, HKS(MPP), GW Trach
Interests: foreign policy related to immigration and trade in Africa
Undergraduate institution: Small liberal arts private school, top public school (transferred to after 2 years at private school)
Undergraduate GPA: 3.2 (cumulative)
Undergraduate major: Economics
GMAT:650 (strong reading and writing, slightly above average quantitative)
Quantitative Courses: Cal 1(C), Calc 2 (B), Calc 3 (C). Econometrics(B+), Economic Statistics (A). Macro (A), Micro(B).
Years of Work Experience: 2
Work Experience: Interned for two months at a recognized foreign affairs publication in Paris. 3 months as research consultant at World Bank's Development Research Group. 2 years as analyst at top international investment bank in their Sales & Trading division.
Languages: English (native), French
Volunteer Experience: 1 year working with Department of State funded non-profit. Helped educate foreign exchange students and families about living in U.S. 6 months working as pro-Bono consultant for a non-profit that placed refugees into paying work in the U.S.
Age: 23
LORs: 1 professor, 1 supervisor at DOS funded non-profit volunteer organization (Field Director of East Coast) , 1 Executive Director at Investment Bank. I
Concerns: I’m not sure about the range of schools I should be applying to due to my low GPA offsetting my strong work and volunteer experiences. I have strong international experience as I’ve lived and interned abroad through-out my life and have demonstrated strong interest in international affairs through volunteering. But I’ve only been out of school for 2 years and my GPA is low due to me transferring from a small, intimate private school to one of the biggest public universities in the country halfway through college.
Do you think my work and personal experience offset my low GPA well enough to apply to top programs?