DevEconGrad

Hey there - similar boat as you : accepted to SAIS and SIPA, doing econ and finance, and interested in the Dual Degree MBA program. From what I've seen, its a bit of fallacy that being admitted in to SIPA or SAIS will help you get a foot in the door for their respective partner business schools. You're evaluated as any other applicant to those schools - they just have worked out an agreement that you can meet your MBA credit requirements using SAIS/SIPA classes and as a result get two degrees in three years rather than four. Although you may bring a unique slant to your application as not many will have that IR background, I wouldn't go off on thinking you have a better "in" because you're at SAIS/SIPA. From a numbers standpoint, you have more dual degree MBA/MAIR options at SAIS so better chance at being admitted to an MBA program. There's also JHU Carey...

I have a passion for development economics, and really want to hone in my quant skills. I ultimately want to be in international development private consulting at a place like Dalberg or consulting firms' social impact or emerging markets divisions. Lets get into it! Schools Applying To: Johns Hopkins SAIS MAIR, Georgetown MSFS-Intl Development, Columbia SIPA, Princeton SPIA, Tufts Fletcher Undergraduate institution: Tufts University (top IR school) Undergraduate GPA: 3.35 Undergraduate Majors: International Relations and Development Economics GRE Quantitative Score: 160 GRE Verbal Score: 165 GRE AW Score: 5.5 Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): 3.35 Years of Work Experience: 4 by enrolment Describe Relevant Work Experience: Nearly 3 years at an international development contractor working in fragile and conflict affected areas. Personally managed a new business pipeline of $500million. Led the capture and design of: $70million Economic Growth program in Afghanistan. Did research on high-return value chain development, conducted an assessment of women owned firms alongside the Afghan Women's Chamber of Commerce, connected Afghan small and medium enterprises with business development services... $15million business incubation program in Libya. Research included key informant interviews with notable stakeholders like Libya's ministry of economy and trade $50million small and medium enterprise project in Pakistan. Identified agricultural value chains with best value-add prospect that could in turn increase jobs. Project takes place in the formerly federally administered tribal area that is undergoing integration in to the auspices of the Pakistan federal government. In this role I also traveled to Mali to conduct an assessment of water infrastructure governance. I have recently switched jobs and am working for a massive global consulting firm specialized in economic growth in emerging markets. I am in a technical role on projects primarily focused on digital transformation of small and medium enterprise development in southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America. I liaise with government affairs departments of partners like Google, Mastercard, Visa, and others to improve the digital trade environment in emerging markets. Also, I have guest lectured twice for a Georgetown SFS class. Quant: Microeconomics (B+), International Econ (A), Development Economics (A-), Adv. Development Economics (A), Calculus I (B+), Principles of Economics (B+) Strength of SOP: I am lucky to have lots of practical experience in the international development realm. One of my essays will focus on my "aha" moment while doing research in Mali on the failures of common development approaches that result in millions of dollars in wasted efforts. Also, because the beginning of my career was focused on fragile states (Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Afghanistan...), I will relay my experience facing challenges and major set backs navigating the mismatch caused by soft-power politics of aid donors (USAID, FCDO, UNHCR, etc.) and the true needs of the communities they target. Policy papers for SAIS will be on recommendations related to the optimal allocation of major development funds and how they should focus more on urbanization - using both academic sources and personal experience to bolster my position. My policy recommendations will be focused on national-level services in developing economies. Strength of LOR (be honest, describe the process, etc): 3 very strong professional recommendations. I could have a professor write one, but the professional recs would be far more personal. One of my recs is technically an adjunct professor, but we work together in a professional capacity not academic. Languages: English (native), French (professional proficiency) Questions/Concerns: My undergrad GPA isn't great, but I am taking the GRE once more to really get the highest scores possible to offset the low GPA. I think my practical work experience and my LORs will tell far more than my undergrad GPA. How much will it hurt me to have 3 professional recs a no professor/academic recs? Any other schools you'd recommend for my interest, experience, and stats?