JAubrey

Korean Marine Corps, qualifies as required service for Koreans.

Awww bless. Your sensitivities are showing through sport. As to the OP, if you really want to go into IR, build an alternate transcript in IR / quant classes (it may go without saying but you need A's), study hard for the GRE and if you are capable knock it out of the park. This should open up second tier programs like SIS and possibly outlier "1.5" programs like GW.

You come off terribly sensitive and perhaps MYRNIST criticism hit a little close to home. MYRNIST while a bit abrupt, was on point. No IR experience, middle-tier university, and poor grades does not equal a top 5 IR school. This may be harsh, but it is spot on.

Pitt is not remotely close to Gtown, GW, SAIS, or SIPA in general or security studies.

The rankings are fairly worthless really. If these are your only two choices, I'd take AU.

Seconded.

Depends on what you want to do, but outside of academia neither is really well-known in policy fields...Claremont does have a better UG reputation though.

Having worked for one of these firms, I was giving you some perspective. Additionally, if you are really keen on MC or even emerging markets in general, why aren't you applying to MBAs? The MPP/MPA route makes no sense.

Where did you go to undergrad? Because while some rockstars from GW undergrad may get into strat management consulting (MC), GW grad school plus average European university and no work experience WILL NOT even get you an interview let alone a job at MBB or even the 2nd tier MCs. It doesn't seem like you've considered the short term that in-depth and how difficult it is to secure employment in MC without an elite education or elite WE to get you in the door. Now if you attended say EP, IEP, etc in France or similar elite universities in Germany or the Netherlands, then you could have a shot. Without further information, I would say you may want to change your short term goals...

Spot on.

Nicely put. Though lateral moves into defense/IC work is not overly feasible.

Again please reread my last post.

Depends. Where do you want to work, where are you from, where do you want to end up?

My point was more directed at the idea that the OP would be competitive for a position in the IC / defense field.

SSP is fairly competitive, and with the cap on GTown students now for all programs, it has gotten even more competitive and regularly reject people with military leadership and defense experience. While it is admirable to want to switch careers and pursue a passion no matter how new found, it is simply unrealistic given the OPs background, to tell her to pursue a career in the IC / defense. With the budget restrictions now, people with extensive international exposure, work experience, and related degrees are being rejected left and right. Without the relevant work experience, the given age, and lack of related or even semi-related degree it would be a definite error to take loans with the idea one will be able to secure one of these positions when people even with them will struggle presently.