Kevin1990

I haven't spoken or seen any of my Profs since I finished graduating over 2 years ago. Since they haven't heard or seen me in some time. I was wondering how I should go about asking them for a letter of rec?

I am currently getting my ducks in a row to apply to security studies programs like Georgetown , American SIS, Columbia SIPA, and more. By meeting the some of the quantitative pre-requisites at a local community college, taking the GRE etc. However, with my current time I probably wouldn't apply to these schools until Fall 2017 at the earliest. My top choice program is KCL's War Studies and LSE's International Relations program which requires nether quant or the GRE. The application for both places open in about a month for admission for entry in 2017. If I got into ether(a big If) there is a pretty good chance I'd take them other my otheir choices stateside. I was wondering if I should apply to these now since they are my top choices and require none of the pre-requsites that the other schools require or wait and apply to everything at same time? So I'd be better able to compare etc. Thank you in advance for any advice I I receive

So it doesn'tmatter if you meet the requirements at a university or a community college? If youhad a choice between the two which would look better to admission's? Or is it totally irrelevent so long as anything is meet at an accredited institution?

I'm sure this has been asked before. I haven't taken econ classes on the college level before and I am a college graduate. I was planning on taking a microeconomics course and a macroecon one this coming fall at my local community college. I might also enroll in a stats class as well. Is this a safe route to take? Would any admissions committee take issue with doing these courses at a community college instead of a four year institution?

I am planning on applying to grad school this fall for Security Studies. I have a decent GPA(around 3.5), work expereince and internships dealing with the subject matter. I am also putting together a strong well backed SOP.. My big achilles heel is that my quantitative record is very weak. I only took one math elective in college and did not take any subjects like econ or statistics. To remedy this issue I am looking into taking micro and macro econ in the fall at a community college should my work schedule allow for it. I was curious what International Relations/Security programs have low demands when it comes to quant? I know a couple of programs such as Georgetown Security Studies are not quant oriented. However, I was wondering what other programs aren't demanding in this dept?

Program (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): IR or an MPP with a concentration in National Security issues. I am interested in particular grand strategy, counter-terrorism, things like 4GW, and the natsec policy making process. Have also devolped a side interest in politcal risk and international crime/corruption too. I would like to work as a political consultant on international issues or as a legaslative aide on Capitol Hill. Schools Applying To: Georgetown SSP, George Mason MA in International Security,American SIS, GWU Elliot School, Kings College London War Studies, LSE International Relations, St. Andrews International Security, Syracuse Maxwell, Stanford, Princeton WWS, Yale Jackson, University of Chicago, Duke Sanford MPP, Michigan Ford School, Korbel,, and TAMU Bush School Undergraduate institution: Large "up and coming" university on the East Coast Undergraduate GPA: 3.45. Undergraduate Majors: History major with minor(s) in International Studies and Intelligence Analysis Study Abroad: Kings College London Summer School in between my Sophmore and Junior years. GRE: Have not taken the GRE yet. I need to take it this spring in order to make the fall 2016 application season. Age: 25(will be 26 when I enter) Years of Work Experience: 3 and a half years(including internship experience) Describe Relevant Work Experience: Interned for two foreign policy think tanks, and an armed forces advocacy organization.I also interned on Capitol Hill for a senior member of the House and for a national security commitee on one of the two chambers. Since graduating I have been working in politics. I was a staffer on a Senate campaign in the Midwest, and recently worked for a poltical research firm in DC. I have also worked as a staffer on a local campagin and now work for one of the State Party's. I am planning on doing one more election cycle before grad school. Languages: French and German Quant: None . Strength of SOP: I plan to focus my SOP on my past academic and professional experenices and how it would meld/contribute to the various programs I am applying to. Strength of LOR: I can count of letters of recommendations from at least two tenured professors who are well published in the areas I am interested in. I can probably get an LOR from an experienced professional who was one of the adjuncts at my school. In addition to the LOR’s I can receive from people I’ve done work for as well. Concerns: A little worried about my GPA for some top programs. Very concerned about my poor quant background as I am weak in this subject. I expect to preform very strongly on the writing and verbal parts of the GRE but underwelmingly to say the least on the qaunt part. Other: In college I helped in the founding of a foreign policy club and was an officer in another.

What are your goals? I have a strong interest in foreign policy and national security-particularly issues like grand strategy, terrorism, etc. I have done several internships related to this subject while in college and after I had graduated. Since then I've been working in politics in various roles such as research. I am based in the DC area. I would like to work as a political consultant on international issues or as an advisor to a candiate on this subject matter. Likewise I am also interested in working on Capitol Hill. At grad school I just want to focus more in depth on these subjects and take advantage of summer/semester programs where I get to practice them. I have not taken the GRE yet which I need to do by spring at the latest if I am to make Fall 2016. I am also very worried about quant since my background is very weak in this area. I know with the GRE my verbal and writing scores should be very strong but I know I'll get clobbered on the quant part. I graduated college in 2014 with a hair away from a 3.5. What programs best fit your passions / desires / plans and why? Programs: Georgetown SSP, George Mason MA in International Security,American SIS, GWU Elliot School, Kings College London War Studies, LSE International Relations, St. Andrews International Security, Syracuse Maxwell, Stanford, Princeton WWS, Yale Jackson, University of Chicago, Duke MPP, Michigan Ford School, Denver Korbel,, and Texas A&M Bush School. What have you done up to this point to narrow down your choices? I used to have a rough list with about 25+ schools on it, however, I've narrowed that down to around 15 or so at most. Top picks: Georgetown SSP, KCL War Studies, LSE International Relations, George Mason International Security, Duke Sanford, GWU Elliot, and American SIS. Need to take the GRE in spring of 2016.

I am plannng on applying to grad school for International Affairs and I noticed that at least a couple of the programs I'm interested in what some sort of quantitative or eonomic courses taken before applying to the program. I have a very weak background in both quant and econ. I also work full time. I was wondering what options I have to improve my record in this area? I know community college or taking non-degree courses at a university are possible options but I don't know if this will work with my schedule? Thank you in advance for any input I receive. Kevin1990,

Hi all, Does anyone have much insight into Wayne State in Detroit's Poli Sci program? I ask as I am interested in going to graduate school for international affairs and I am currently working on a campaign for election season here in Michigan. Even though I'm probably going home after the election, but I wouldn't mind coming back to MI eventually and I've read WSU has a pretty strong dept. Specifically I was wondering how strong is WSU w/international affairs/world politics? Btw I have also been looking into the Ford School as well while I'm here. Thank you for any advice I receive, Kevin1990,

Hey again-apologies for my late reply as I've been very busy with work I feel bad that I haven't replied to my own thread over a month after posting it. No my parents aren't in my field. My Mom has been alot more understanding and supportive of the work now go back later route that I am taking, esp. since I have showed her some of the programs that I am interested in and their criteria which often state that they strongly desire work experience. And besides she has stated a couple of times that's it's time for me to get a job anyways since I've graduated from college lol. Again my main concern now is to just find a job more relevant to foreign/defense policy after I'm done with this one. So basically there is no benefit at all in having an MPP without some prior experience? Or in some cases it could be a negative with employers? I.e. as an analogy it's kind of like buying a car without knowing how to drive it? In terms of work after November right now I am just focused on doing my best to help the candidate I am working for win. However, if they don't, I am hoping to use it to get referrals to work on Capitol Hill, a think tank, or elsewhere. Just wondering do you think it would be worth it to just apply to grad school but not necessarily commit? I ask because George Mason's Public Policy school(GMU is my undergrad alma mater) is going to start opening up applications for their Fall 2015 class soon. Likewise I was also thinking of applying to King's College London's War Studies program as well since I have always been strongly interested in that dept. Would it be worth it to pay the application fee, get all the recommendations together, etc just to apply to these programs but not commit? As I would be very interested to see how a preliminary run at applying to grad programs in my field of interest would go tbh.

Are my concerns valid or not? Jw(not to bump this)

I just graduated college and entered the paid workforce as a staffer on a Senate campaign the Midwest. However, my parents before and after I took this job were and still are pushing heavily for me to go to grad school. My father is actually kind of angry with me that I deferred doing so in favor of a job out of college(although I did promise him I would apply) lol. As they strongly feel that it would improve my professional prospects overall. However, is attending grad school for an MPP even worth it at this stage of my life and career? I ask myself this as my focus is on defense policy and subjects like strategy, military operations, intelligence, and terrorism. Many of the programs I have looked at either " strongly prefer" work experience or even require at least 2-3 years of it as a mandatory minimum to even be considered for admission(eg. Georgetown, SAIS, HKS). Also my interests are still relatively broad and I feel I could use a couple of years doing entry level work to narrow it down and develop further skills such as language and economic requirements. Many of my friends on the same career path as me have recommended this to me as well. My parents have even offered to pay for it. But I see that as an unnecessary sacrifice on their part given that many of the programs ether require/recommend work experience along with the fact that an employer could very well pay for it in the future. Then again I do agree with what some of my parents are suggesting as I am starting to already miss school lol-ex. such as being in a classroom and learning new ideas/material, interacting with my professors etc. While I feel like it's def worth a shot should I find myself out of the job after November or alternatively stuck in a cycle of doing campaign work(which I also fear). In addition I feel that grad school could improve my prospects overall given the advanced degree it's self and connections(and potential job opportunities) that I could gain being in such an environment. I would like to do policy work on defense and other national security issues as a career and eventually transition to a think tank, Capitol Hill or a consulting firm like Booze Allen or SAIC. Given all of this and what my parents are suggesting is grad school worth it right now(or pretty soon)?

Not to bump this thread but I had many of the same concerns as the OP. As similar to him/her I am on the staff of a Senate candidate running for a seat in this years Midterm elections as my first actual paying job. Previously, I have also ether volunteered or interned for GOP candidates in the past. In addition to my other professional experiences(which also tend to be conservative leaning) I am concerned about the how the admissions staff during the review process will view this as I fear it may come down to politics when it's me vs. another candidate? Ex. "both have the same qualifications and meet all the requirements so we are going to take the left-leaning candidate over the conservative one by default". I don't mind at all interacting with progressives in the classroom and elsewhere since I strongly believe that civil discussion on the issues contributes to the overall academic environment. I just worry like the OP that by going the MPP or IR route I would be thrusted into a liberal echo chamber that would discriminate against me academically. I also have the same concerns from a professional standpoint. As I would like to work for the Federal Government someday and worry that my GOP connections could be unofficially used against me in the employment process as well. On another note I have also noticed that conservatives tend to "self-select" for law school(or an advanced degree in economics) as well. Law School seems to be the hottest rage among young conservatives just graduating college or entering the professional world. Why this is idk-as law school to me seems like a "loser" at the moment given the market for lawyers over the past few years and the cost vs. payoff ratio for them(no offense to any lawyers reading this thread lol).

I have a question for those who are familiar with Capitol Hill and how things work up there. I did an internship in the HOR last semester and I've come to the conclusion that I would like to seek a an entry level job the Hill after I finish my undergrad. From there I was hoping to work my way up from an entry level staff/research assistant position into an LA/PSM job. I am planning on going to grad school sometime after I start working. My policy interests revolve around defense and foreign policy and I was hoping to work in these areas on hill. Now this might be an amateur question but how would I go down this track assuming I can find a Capitol Hill job in the first place? I ask as I have been doing some research into LA/PSM tracks in my spare time and it seems that most of the members(at least for now) that are hiring are looking for staff members that have policy interests dealing with domestic issues. While it seems that the only members at this time that are looking for defense policy LA's are members of the party that I don't prefer to work for. Now my question is if anyone could answer; is how does one break into defense and foreign policy on Capitol Hill? Esp, since t's a challenging career track to pursue already? Thank you! And I look forward to any responses I receive.

I was wondering if anyone could chime in on my mine even though it has some gaps in regards to the GRE+no Work Experience Schools I'm interested in so far: Kings College London (War Studies), GT-Security Studies, MIT Security Studies, GMU-MPP in International Security/Transnational Crime, UMD-International Security, GWU-Elliot School Security Studies, American SIS International Politics-Security Studies & Transnational Crime concentration, Undergraduate institution: a public research university outside of a major city on the Eastern seaboard. (My school has been consistently ranked as an up and coming college for several years now and is well known in the policy community. PM me if you want to know the school I’m currently attending. Undergraduate GPA: 3.36(Deans List) Undergraduate Majors: B.A. History, Minor(s) in International Studies and Intelligence Analysis GRE: N/A-Have not taken the GRE yet. Years out of Undergrad (if applicable): Still wrapping up my senior year. Years of Work Experience: Still an undergrad Describe Relevant Work Experience: None doing an “actual” job, but plenty of internships throughout my undergrad career. I have been an intern with at least 3 political campaigns. I also did an internship with the foreign policy/defense analysis department of a major think tank and just finished interning in the office of a very high ranking member of Congress. I am also set to begin a summer internship with another foreign policy think tank as well. Quant: Not my strength at all, but I have taken two semesters of basic college math, + a methods course that is highly quant oriented. Languages: French (intermediate), German (intermediate)-don’t ask me speak ether!, May take another after I graduate. Study Abroad: Summer School at Kings College London- International Relations Activities: Involved: Helped found a foreign policy club at my school, have been holding an officer position in another, Young Professionals in Foreign Policy, Phi Alpha Theta National History Honor Society, Past Student Senator, and I am in a Social Fraternity. Strength of SOP: I haven’t written my SOP yet since it is still very early. I have a one that I can rehash from my cover letter that shows a lot of interest and enthusiasm. In addition I think it shows a strong career plan with what I would want to do with an MPP. Strength of LOR (be honest, describe the process, etc): I can count of letters of recommendations from at least two tenured professors who are well published in the areas I am interested in. I can probably get an LOR from an experienced professional who is an adjunct at my college. In addition to the LOR’s I can receive from people I’ve done work for at my previous internships +one from the Congressman I worked for as well.

Ok this is for an undergrad course, I’m a senior finishing up my BA at the moment and this semester I needed to take an intermediate foreign language class to help meet one of my requirements. I knew doing well in the class would be tough and the language I’ve been taking is considered one of the harder ones (German). Checking my results for the class though I appeared to have earned a C instead of the B I was hoping and there is about a 3-4 point difference in the overall final grade that kept me from doing so. As I did not do so well on an oral exam that I just had for the class (even though I don’t think it went that badly) Would it be unethical or wise to ask my instructor for the class to reconsider my grade esp. since I think the grade I received for the oral exam was a little harsh? I don’t expect professors to hand out grades like candy, I just thought what I got was a little too much/I think I have a legitimate compliant by contesting it. And if that’s what I ultimately get then I can find a way to make up for it during my final semester. Would some of the posters on here more experienced than in the ways of academia mind weighing in on this? Thank you in advance!

Hi again all, I am planning on applying to a couple of graduate schools this summer as a prelimary wave to see how I would do in the admissions process (although depending on where I get in I may very well go). I am a current BA in History hoping to apply to GMU for Public Policy (International Security concentration) and King’s College London for War studies Well long story short I’ve done pretty well for my last year of college as I’ve boosted my to above a 3.3 overall average in addition to completing some pretty prestigious internships throughout the year(I was an intern with a high ranking Congressman for instance). I was hoping to edge it up to 3.4 but that looks highly unlikely to happen now because I got a C instead of anything higher in a foreign language class . I know I’m probably being over dramatic here, but is my GPA going to harm my chances? I mean I’ve heard often that anything above 3.1 is respectable. Does anyone have any advice or insight that would soothe my nerves?

Whoo! Glad I made this thread, as it seems like I'm not the only one studying history who had the same thoughts!

I live in the Washington DC area and know some things about College Park. College Park has a higher crime then average and Prince George's County MD has some of the worse crime statistics in the country. IMO you should def avoid housing in the areas within the Southwestern or Southeastern areas of Prince Georges County inside the beltway. As these are the some of the worst areas of the state in terms of crime rates and overall quality of living. The cost of living within these areas are cheap, however keep in mind they are cheap for a reason. Even though PG has it's problems and College Park is not excluded from this, many college towns around the country( such as Berkley, New Brunswick, NJ, and Cambridge, MA) have similar urban problems and this doesn't prevent them from having vibrant student oriented environments in and around their campuses. The only area within the vicinity of college park that has the most issues is Langley Park(and the worst parts of this area are on the Montgomery County side), most of the communities around UMD tend to be quiet suburban areas. All this being said, you should experience no problems in College Park if you just take the typical precautions one would take in any area. I.e. being aware of your surroundings, keeping valuables hidden from plain view in your home or car, and not going for lengthy strolls around isolated parts of town late at night-you will be fine. College park does have plenty of housing options both in and around it although much of this tends to be oriented towards undergrads like mentioned above or in nearby areas if your looking to get away from that(Greenbelt, Takoma Park etc). College Park also has pretty good public transport access as well, the local metro(subway) station is not too far from campus, and there are plenty of metro bus/local one's ad shuttles linking all around College Park too. College Park unlike the rest of the Wash DC area actually functions as a college town in the true sense of the word as there is alot of bars, clubs, restaurants , and businesses around the campus catering to UMD students. Don't be discouraged about the undergrad centered nature of things though as there is a pretty active Grad community in College Park too(a grad student studying for his Phd was elected to the town council). This is what insight I have to offer about College Park I hope it's helpful to you!

Hi all, I was wondering if it would be feasible to study history on the graduate level only to go into a non-academic/non-teaching field with it. As I know it's often written on here(and other places too) about how the study of history "only get's one so far" and" how it's hard to get into many career paths with any advanced degree in the subject. I am currently an undergrad finishing my BA in History and really like the fields within it that I am studying at the moment(Military, International and Strategic History amongst others). I ask because even though the realm of academia does appeal to me, I have also found myself interested in the policy making and think tank worlds since I'm very close to Washington D.C. and those particular institutions. During my time interacting and listening to talks from established people at those places I've noticed many of them did not have have the typical degrees you would expect of those in such policy oriented organzations and in fact quite a few had advanced degrees in history. Therefore, I was wondering if it's feasible or even possible under normal circumstances to go to grad school to study history if you are planning on doing something else besides academia. I also hear that policymaking/think tank organizations are crap shoots even for those with the typical degrees in subjects like public policy, political science, or economics. Then again I also hear and notice that think tanks across the spectrum whether it be CSIS, U.S. Institute of Peace Chatham House, Heritage, Brookings, Center for American Progress or Brookings like to see academic diversity in the types of people they hire(with many historians included). This is all hypothetical though for the time being and still very well into the future for me. Also given my cross section of specific interests it's still uncertain for me exactly what I should go to grad school for in the future after I finish up my undergrad this summer. I would therefore like to hear opinions on what I've written above. Thank you in advance,

Hi sorry for my very late reply to your post on my topic, I just finished up my studies for the semester. I was actually planning on applying for a masters...So I was wondering what issues could arise if I graduate from these universities in terms of name recognition if I go back to the states? Upon returning home I would like to work in a think tank/policy position hence one of the reasons I'm wondering about this. Although, I do want to go onto a Phd eventually but I most likely do that in the US/ Again apologies for my late reply to your post, But yes I am planning on going for a masters in the UK. Kings is my top choice by I really like what I see of Nottingham and idk what to think about Glasgow. Yes, from what I understand the Russell Group of universities does tend to be a bit of a hodgepodge sort of speak.

Hi all, I am from the US and the time to apply to grad school is nearing for me & I was seriously considering applying to universities in the UK , due to the structure of their admissions process, cost, and way of doing things academically. I am interested in mainly IR/politics courses(particularly War Studies) and I am esp. interested in the universities of Nottingham & Glasgow due to this. I'm also applying for admissions to KCL's(which is actually my first choice) course on the field as well. However, in terms of the University of Nottingham & Glasgow I am facing a problem in the sense that they are both UK & Globally well ranked & have strong reputations in Europe(better then many US Ivy League Schools & programs) but not known at all back here in the U.S except by those who have studied in the UK. How big of a problem would this be if I were to get into & commit to courses at one of these universities, finish it, then come home & apply to positions with a degree from there? mean these universities are al members of the UK's Russell group(same grouping of Oxford & Cambridge) and are viewed by those familiar with the British University system as prime alternatives to the Oxbridge system. Thank you in advance for any replies I get!

I should have added earlier that I am still an undergrad and that I hope to be applying for MA/MS programs soon. However, I do hope to go onto a PhD program someday but that's still pretty far off. I've worked on looking up schools that fit my general field of interest like SAIS, MIT, KCL etc. Also you are rit that I am still very much a generalist in ways and haven't nailed down an area of regional interest, despite the fact that since entering college I've been into the security issues affecting the Middle East and North Africa. But this is beginning to change some, as I've become also intrigued by the rise of China and the streategic/military implications of this occurence. In terms of my time working with the think tank, I've actually seen little difference in terms of the material discussed in comparision to academia in my experenice.I should probably also add that many of the researchers I have done work for at the think tank I'm currently at are ether former or current academics or have been trained as such. Ex. Many of them concurrently research at places like GWU, Columbia, LSE, or McGill while doing think tank work. To answer your question though I would like to work in a think tank someday, even though I very much like academia. The pay and benefits is often too low to live on. But in terms of my research experenice for both the think tank and at college I've managed to get a heavy does of both. As at my university I've done alot of resaerch in my classes etc. And addtionally, I have to write a large thesis paper in seminar in order to complete my BA. My professors I've had over the years can also attest to my academic research/other abiltes as well.

I'm entering my senior year of college and I would like to apply to Grad school sometime in the future. Although, I'm very worried about my GPA. Esp. after my last semester of my junior year where my GPA from a high 3.3. to 3.1., due to a mixture of hard liberal arts classes, stress, and health problems. This semester was also my worse academic performance ever in college as I had typically been able to score between a 3.2.-3.5 GPA for a typical semester GPA regardless of the circumstances. However, in addition to what had been my cumulative GPA of around 3.3. I have a very stellar record otherwise. I have tons of research experience; I’m currently doing an internship at a well-known and established think tank, and perhaps another one or two for the fall or spring semesters or even both. Also, I’ve studied abroad in the UK at the University of London where I received good marks. Furthermore, I’m also a key founder and secretary within two international politics organizations within my school as well as percipient in a couple of others. I also have a couple of languages under my belt also, but little quanatiative background. I’m also planning on perhaps taking a semester abroad in the spring. Also I’m seriously considering doing a summer language program at Middlebury college or the Indiana in either Chinese or Arabic. I will also be able to get solid rec’s from my professors (a couple of whom are very well known in their fields). Furthermore, I should be able to write a good statement of purpose too. I’m really concerned about the GRE also, esp. the math portion since I’m terrible at the subject. Despite my positives though I’m still really worried about my academic record overall and I feel like I’m in deep trouble in terms of applying to grad schools. In which the programs that I want to apply to are in the International security field. To schools like MIT, SAIS, Georgetown, University of Ohio, Kansas State and a couple of others I can’t think of at the moment. ‘m also considering applying to a few programs abroad in the UK, Canada, and maybe Israel in which the min GPA requirements are pretty stringent for American students. In terms of these specific programs I’m very interested in applying to do war studies at KCL or comptempary history/politics at the Un.i of Nottingham. Therefore, I’m planning on extending my undergrad y a semester and I’m planning for the upcoming Fall one to be a GPA boosting time. As I’m taking classes within my field that I really like, professors that I know, as well as a couple of easy it classes for the sake of getting a good grade in them. I’m planning the same for the spring semester too. However, am I really uncompetitive for any top tier program in International security at the moment? Am I in as much trouble for getting into the grad school as I’ve been reading/comparing? I’ve had some people tell me I’m really well off and in good shape going forward, wile some have told me I’m totally screwed. So idk what to think, Thanks in advance for any insight that I get into my current situation

Don't know if this is the right section for this or not, I'm a current history major(with double minors) at a large well known state university on the East Coast, who is aiming to go to grad school for military/strategic studies as my focus. However, I'm facing a dilemma in the sense that I talked to one of the advisors within the dept of history recently at my university and it turns out I only have couple of classes at most left on my degree it's self(and only so many left until I can graduate. This has created a few problems for me in the sense that I don't know what I exactly want to stud in grad school. As well as the fact that looking at some of the schools I'm interested in, I need to get some important pre-req's out of the way and I now feel I don't have enough time to do that(let alone take the GRE). Furthermore, I don't know/don't feel like I've developed relationships with some of the faculty at my school to be able to get rec's, as well as issues laying other ground work for grad school. Although, I do have a GPA above 3.0 and I will have attained fluency in two languages by the time I graduate this coming spring(French & German). I'm thinking about taking some time off when I graduate undergrad(a semester or so to get a break from academics) also maybe I could use that to prepare for grad school, since it doesn't appear I have enough time to do so now. I'd like to hear some insight for the more experienced member's on this forum, esp. those who have faced what I'm dealing with now(if it is a major issue that is)?