FrenchMess

Hey, that's partly ETS mistake. Ask them to send a letter to your dream school explaining the situation. If you take the test on december 11th, you won't get your results until a month after (at least). Then, it takes ETS between 4 and 6 weeks to send the official reports to the Schools. They are damn slow but you can pay an extra fee to have them send your scores faster (3 weeks I think). Basically, it's a two and a half months process, I'm not joking (seriously, I counted I was going ballistic, calling them every week like "what the f**** are you waiting for" ;-). They are faster with GRE scores. They explained me why, I don't remember though. Ask them to write a letter to your dream school. You DO speak English, but it's not a call that an Admission Office can make, that's the Admissions Committee decision. And if there is one requirement they're serious about, that's the TOEFL. Don't take the risk, the Admission Office might not even hand your application to the committee. Some schools don't ask for official scores to review applications and make decisions. You only have to give them an official report if admitted. But they still want you to give some scores in good faith. They will check if the two reports match if they accept you. I don't know if your schools use the same method? Anyway, seriously, ask ETS to write an official letter, this way they won't hold you responsible.

Thank you both! Your answers are unequivocal :-D! I'll play it safe then. I still feel deeply sorry for the Admissions Committee who have to go through thousands of boring essays (at some point, the form impacts the content no matter how clear and original is your study objective or your background...) Thanks you very much!

Hello! I'm not American and I'm applying to US gradschools in Public-Policy (HKS, SIPA etc.) I have written two SoP : one is classic, clear I think, compelling but not very original in its form. The other one provides the same content but in a very original way (it's only dialogues between me and people who were important to my career. The dialogues guide the reader through my background, the reasons I'm applying etc, again, same content, but way more vivid). Each and every American that I met told me that my SoP was about making me stand out. But can it be too much? Is Creativity encouraged? Can a SoP be original in its structure? Thank your for your answers, again, I don't know the American culture enough to "feel what is right". Thanks...

Hey, It's a tough call since we are not allowed to put an additionnal LOR in HKS application. If I were you, I would focus on making up for my weaknesses. You told in a previous post that your weaknesses were your low GMAT score and your academic background with a low GPA. They will certainly pay attention to that, so here is your choice : a professional LOR to highlight your strenghts or an academic LOR to put your academic backgound in context like "she had other valuable qualities to bring to the class" or "she worked a lot after school and still got honorable results". I don't know but if you have a good connection with your professor, one might accept to say nice things about you. Again tough call. It all depends on how important you think is your academic weakness in your application. I have a friend enrolled in HKS right now, she told me not to neglict the academic background, it was her advice. Good luck (and aren't you freazing as much as I am?? What's with Paris weather these days Gooooood!)

Thanks (again) adaptations. I'm not gonna ask to see the letters. It would stress me out for nothing since there's nothing I can do about them, they have already been submitted. Fingers crossed...

Thank you both, I'm relieved. Of course they didn't lie, I can't imagine a minister or a very respected professor lying. But I'm pretty sure they were TOO praising and I was afraid it would appear ridiculous. Huge cultural gap I guess... Thanks again...

Hello guys! I asked 3 people to write a LOR for me, two formers employers and one teacher. They didn't show me the letters but they told me roughly what they put in them. I knew I could expect good recommendations but I'm afraid they overdid it. They're not americans, and I think they really wanted to convince the Admission Board to accept me. My problem is : can a LOR be too good and sound just ridiculously glowing? I think I'm gonna ask them to show me what they did but it will be too late no matter what and I don't want to look ungrateful... They told me they put anecdotes, stories, clear and precise explanations and two of them wrote a 3 pages letter!!! Can a LOR be too good? can the Admission Board think "there's no way this girl is that good"? I know my question might seem strange to you, but in my country, the answer would be "yes"! Modesty is a huge principle. Am I screwed????

Recently used the Kaplan internet courses and books. I found the CAT way harder than the real GRE!!! I got around 600V, 700Q at CAT3 or 4 and scored about 70 and 50 more points on the real GRE in each section. So I'm pretty happy with their practice tests but I found them pretty different from the real GRE. Nothing beats Powerprep, it really really based on the real exam and is the best prediction of your scores. My opinion at least Best of luck (I'm traumatised with this exam, I HATED it)

Hello, I've read many topics on the pre-ITW issue and it appears to me that it greatly depends on where you're applying to. I'm applying to HKS MPP, SIPA MPA etc. I'm an international student so there is a huge cultural gap when it comes to ask for a pre-application ITW. In my country, it would seriously harm your application as it would seem arrogant, pushy and childish. So I'm wondering : - is there anything to gain going on campus on their visiting session? I mean, I don't need to be convinced that their program is good for me, I already know that believe me, I wanna convince them that I would fit well there. Do they give you real opportunities to talk with people involved in the admission process? - is it worth to get in touch with teachers and what to ask them? In my case, I know their program meets my interests, what I don't know is if mines meets theirs. So I don't picture myself asking a teacher "would you accept me" right? - Can I directly ask the Admission Office if getting an ITW is possible? I'm sorry if my questions look stupid, but believe me, again HUGE cultural gap, I really don't know how to handle this and I don't want to make a bad impression... Thank you very much, I'm litterally lost in translation here...

I don't want to venture an advice on your SoP. I know how hard is the application process, how insecure you can get, and how much attention you pay to other people advice. I didn't graduate from Science Po but from La Sorbonne, and I do have many french friends there but I don't know any international student enrolled there. My advice won't be relevant and might even mislead you. Each school has its own criteria and when it comes to international students, these rules change and are not similar to the ones relevant for natives. So, no. But I can't tell you this : Generally, Science Po has expectations similar to top american schools. But again, you're a foreigner so they might be less demanding. My american cousin started her studies in the US (community college or something like that, nothing really outstanding, she travelled a lot though), and got accepted in Science Po. If she had been french, I think she wouldn't have been admitted. To be honest, french students I know in Science Po and in La Sorbonne had a stronger background. But she was american : she got in. So RELAX, from what I read, you're worrying too much and your background is way better than hers!!! You'll be fine ;-) Be aware that your french needs to be very good (at least if you're applying for a master in french). You have studied European affairs apparently, your choice makes total sense. Be confident in your SoP, don't brag as you could afford to do in an american application, i'm just saying (I was so suprised by this...). I encourage you to get in touch with the international community of Science Po. And if I can help you out with french I will be happy to do so. Bonne chance et surtout, aies confiance en l'apport que tu représentes pour une université comme celle-ci. A nouveau, attirer les étudiants étrangers est un enjeu majeur pour les grandes écoles françaises. Ne néglige pas cet avantage ;-)

To Octavia, thanks for elaborating, I know understand why you were misled by my explanations, working for the UN has nothing to do with a cabinet. Not the same job ;-). A cabinet is the staff of a minister or a president, I'm sure you know that. It's a very particular job, not better, not worse, just different. And you're right, working for an international organisation is not as valued by the private sector as a cabinet position. Clearly. I'm 26, 3 years of full time experience after graduation, 2 for my government, 1 in the private sector (related to public institutions) the rest in internships relevant to my field when I was a student, pretty steady on my career goals. So, "an internship here, a 12 months job there" doesn't exactly describe my situation. But thanks for the input. And I agree with you, international organisations are not valued enough as work experience. Strangely, a friend my age who was working as an adviser in an other minister's cabinet for only one year when I was, just got in Harvard MPA. My friend who was working for the UNESCO didn't though. You're right, exception to every rule I guess. ;-) US political communication = as opposed as the french political communication : larger country, more elective positions, different apprehension of politics, more money, hence more tools. Very rough outline, but if you're interested I'd be more than happy to elaborate in private messages. It would be a long explanation here, since you may not know the french system (we're a very small country, always on strike, eating croissants, not very interesting I give that to you ;-)) To adaptations : thanks again. You are right, I need to be very explicit about the relevance of an MPP concerning my career goals. And my problem is, I have NO IDEA on how is perceived political communication in America. I've read a lot about it, studied it but I don't know anyone involved in political communication field in the US. So I don't have the insights. Then, I don't know how hard I need to insist on the link between public policies and political communication. An other friend got in Harvard MPP two years ago, she was a young journalist (not even working directly on political issues), I'm puzzled... And to be honest, it is incredibly hard to apply as a foreigner : huge cultural gap and it is hard to rely on your instinct when you were not born in the country. Thanks a thousand time for your help and kindness. I'm stressing out, always thinking that what I do is never enough. Do you think I should be explicit about my desire to work in american political communication? Or be more elusive? They might not like it...

Being a french native speaker who has studied political science and works in politics, I can assure you that Science Po is CRAVING for international profiles. That's their main weakness. They want to be more competitive throughout the world and they do know that they need to accept more and more international students. So, as a foreigner, your chances automatically raise drastically. So relax. ;-) Secondly, the cultural gap is HUGE between French education system and the american system. That's what you need to be carefull about. I have the opposite problem actually, I had to adapt myself to US criterias. For instance, a very good french recommendation letter will be considered as a bad one in the US. Why? French people don't brag, don't flaunt about themselves. It's frown upon. We're way too modest (not for everything I admit, but for some reasons when it comes to application and to personal branding, we're more than shy). So, be carefull. On the other hand, US universities are so competitive, so well-known, that international applicants have no other choice than adapting. French universities need foreigners. So don't over adapt yourself. They want you for exactly what you are. But keep in mind that the culture is totally different. "I'm the best" kind of SoP might be unappropriate here. If you really want to be accepted, why don't you get advice from the international community of Science Po. They'll tell you what to do. Good luck!

To Octavia : thank you for your reply that surprised me! I'm 26, and I have worked more than 40 months (and was also enrolled full time at school for the first 15 of them...). I'm more than ready to pay attention to all advice, but "a lack of strong professional background" seems to me a little... surprising. My application may have many weaknesses, of course, but I don't think that the lack of professional experience can be one of them. Moreover, 2 years in a cabinet worths more than 4 in the private sector (in terms of salary and responsabilities). What would it be different for the Admission Boards? Does it mean that working for a minister as an adviser is not considering valuable in the US? And if so, why? Is it because it's a foreign governement? Moreover, the minister I worked for is well-known in the US so I don't understand, please elaborate, you make me nervous lol. GPA : about 3.9 translated in the US version of it. Why would I have more chances to get in a PhD? You're right, I should have mention my professional goal in the first place : I wanna work in US political communication. Your country is mine's future in terms of political communication. Fort better or for worse (it would take a very long time to explain this, don't wanna get everyone bored), but it is. I need to learn from this country, academically and professionally. Harvard has an amaizing center specialized in the studies of political communication (domestic and international). So the MPP is my only way to get to it. Moreover, studying public policies more deeply will be an asset to do my job. I don't want to spend 3 years on a PhD, I want to get back to politics as soon as possible after I graduate, enrished of all I will have learn there. Thanks in advance for elaborating, I'm freaking out now ;-) To adaptations : thanks a lot for your accurate remark. You're totally right, it would be a huge mistake too spend to much time explaining myself on this. You're so right, I was on the wrong track with at least a paragraph of my SoP. Thanks again. So, should I say directly that I wanna work in political communication more than explaining why a MPP is relevant for me?

Hi! I'd like your advice very much on my profile which is supposed to be very unusual, at least, that's what I've been told by several students in my field of interest. I don't expect a prediction of my chances to get in (that's impossible, I'm aware of that), but mostly your opinion about the relevance of my application. I'm an international applicant, applying to MPP/MPA at the top schools (HKS, SIPA, Princeton, Berkeley). First, scores : TOEFL (my score is better than what is required), GRE 670V 750Q. Background : political communication all the way (MA in political science in the best university of my country, high GPA, thesis on the communication strategies of the extreme right wing), communication adviser for an important minister (2 years), then communication advisor in public and crisis communication in a major international communication agency (+several internships when I was a student in the field of political communication and public affairs). Great recommendations (minister, professor and internship tutor). Outline of my SoP : political communication is first about politics and your understanding of it / the more you get to deepen your knowledge of public policies the better you are at this job which is very influential / the way you do this job (with or without ethics) is defining for the wellbeing of democracy (don't worry, this a rough summary, the actual SoP is more subtle ;-)) My problem is, some american friends enrolled in political science program (MPP, PhD) told me that my profile would fit and would be relevant to the Admission Boards. Some others (especially in my country) told me that I was not what these schools are looking for (no non profit activity except as a private past-time, no real connection to the policy-making which is not true by the way). So I'm puzzled. I don't know! In the US, is political communication a part of the political science field or a part of the communications field? Please, I'd be grateful if you could give me your opinion. I don't want to spend more time on this if my profile is totally iconoclast for these programs. Thanks a lot...

Hi, I'm an international student as well, applying to the top masters degrees in Political Science like you. I did some research on the minimum GRE score. Of course it depends on your application, the GRE is just a part of it, but Ivy Schools have quotas for international students and DrFaustus has a point : international students can score high for many reasons in the verbal section. Those students are the ones you're gonna be in competition with. I never lived in an english speaking country, I just studied really hard and reached 670 in verbal (750 in Q). It's worth giving the GRE an onther shot, especially if you wanna get in Ivy. Well, I'm just saying... It's a very very competitive process, so just do your best to put together the best application you possibly can. Also, you don't seem to have a work experience so they will pay more attention to your GRE. Bu on the other hand, I have an american friend who scored 780 in verbal, 780 in Q, had an AMAIZING GPA, excellent recommendations and didn't get in anywhere (unsuffiscient work experience and extra curriculum activities). Again, it's so hard to tell... Good luck.