I am new here...so greetings from me to everyone and thanks in advance for your advice
So if possible I would like to know more about my chances to get into a top 30 PhD program for the coming admission season (with Dec 2010 deadline), given my background (my potential interest is the political economy of development, with a likely focus on urban development/political economy):
- did undergrad in an Ivy school and graduated with two degrees in 2009, one in a humanities subject (which actually has quite a bit to do with my potential regional focus in polisci) and the other fairly irrelevant to polisci/social sciences. overall cumulative GPA wasnt too satisfactory (~3.3), mainly due to the downward drag of the irrelevant major (~3.2). But the one in humanitities has a much more decent major GPA, which is above 3.7 and that let me gain a distinction in that major/degree. Also I did a minor in math in the meantime, in which most courses were graded satisfactorily except a C+ in statistical inference and a C in linear algebra.
- currently doing a MA program in international relations/international political economy in an institution whose polisci program (phd level) is ranked top 10 in the country. expected to graduate with something like 3.4 (3.3 in the worst case scenario, as calculated). among the courses I took there are two in polisci, and I got A- for both (both are phd level courses). will complete MA thesis in August this year, which is also directly related to my research focus/direction.
-GRE: planning to retake in August/September this year. quant will be 800 almost for sure, verbal wise tryinghard to get over 600, or at least not lower than 550, writing wise trying to get sth over 4.5
- research experiences: got a couple of call for papers conferences, invited to submit papers and as speaker. of those one is directly related to my future focus area in polisci. On top of that, I have submited abstract (also related to my researc focus) for another conference, and is in the process of consideration. I am also doing RA work for a posdoc instructor here and may co-author an article with him in the following months. I have published a couple of articles primarily in school publications, but currently all those were done when I was an ungergrad, so the topics arent quite relevant to polisci (actually in humanities).
- professional experiences (dont know how much these weigh, just providing them for reference): once worked in a financial institution (did sth like banking), and a macroeconomic research institute (which is a sub-division of a larger financial institution) during past summers. I will do a one-year public service internship in urban planning/development in the city government of one of the largest metropolis in this country, starting from June this year.
- others: did a study abroad in a country where my future research focus will likely to be on, language preparation is sufficient. currently serving as treasurer for a club related to IR and development in the school and won a grant of $10000 recently, and some other positions in other clubs.
anthying from feedback, critique to suggestion on improvement are welcome. Thank you!