Dreams

Whenever asking my professors for references, I usually schedule a brief in person meeting either over lunch or at their office. I also prepare a packet of info before hand in case they agree to write it. In my case it is easier to get everything out and be more convincing in person. If your professors are really busy as you say, go ahead and email them. But I would try going to their offices a few times first before resorting to email because some professors do put off answering them.

That does not sound too different from the information Princeton gives. I figure like this. They only want so much information as you can not pack a lot into 3 or 4 pages. I think therefore narrowing it down to something very specific and going from there is important. That way you can give some background on the problem and propose some solutions and the benefits that will arise from them. You can not be too comprehensive in the allotted space, but it is manageable.

You know I struggled with this very thing as I was writing my policy memo for Harvard and Princeton (in the end I decided not to apply to Harvard). It did not help that their guidelines are vague too since they don't say much. What I ended up doing was thinking about a concrete problem and writing very specific points on how to solve it. To answer your question as to how specific, I would imagine you could get as specific as "Specific ways to combat homelessness in Central Park" or something like that. I would love to hear how others approached it. I posted a thread asking if there were any former WWS admits around but there does not seem to be any. We will see how my logic for the memo pans out when admissions results roll in. Good luck

If I am not mistaken, I believe Syracuse also has rolling admissions.

While the GRE is important, most of the top schools clearly state it is only one of several things considered. Work experience that is relevant; travel and languages; and undergrad performance will also be looked at. You know the first time I took the GRE I did not even break 1100. I retook it a few weeks ago and scored only slightly better. I am also waiting for my writing score. But on the other hand I am counting on other parts of my application to help me. If you feel you want to retake it to improve your scores (especially the Q score) and have the money to do so then sure. But I honestly would not sweat it too much if you choose not to.

I think you will get into at least one if not more of the schools you listed. Don't sweat it too much and just focus on putting together a stellar application package.

Anthropology is a large field with many specialities. First you need to figure what path down Anthro you want to take, whether it be linguistic, archaeology, cultural, or otherwise. You did indicate archaeology. Next, get a listing that lists schools that offer your Anthro field. Choose the ones you are interested in based on potential fit, then look at their admissions requirements. If there are further questions, then just contact the department and ask to speak with the director of admissions or something to explain your case. And when writing your statement of purpose, you may want to explain the career change decision and how your engineering skills are transferable to Anthropology. Good luck.

Your writing score will not be a deal breaker in your application. If the other aspects of your application are good, then there should be no problems. WWS and KSG require written work with the application, so there is a chance for to show what you can do for those two.

Your gpa is fine. You do not need to waste time explaining an already solid gpa in your statement.

I think your current background is sufficient for applying to the programs. And your international finance experience and foreign affairs experience is very relevant at that. I encourage you to apply whether or not you get the internship position.

Just trying to get the ball rolling since it is just about open season. Where is everyone applying? I am looking at SIPA, WWS, and Maxwell.

If so I would love to hear your academic profiles, just to get some inkling of the variety of people WWS goes for.