samazing

Instead of creating a new thread, I figure I'll just follow up here! I finally got around to taking my GREs. Unfortunately, I took the new test, so I won't know what my real score is until mid-November. It did, however, give me a range of potential scores - for Verbal, between 670-770, and for Quantitative, between 700-800. I'm pretty satisfied - as long as I don't fall in the very bottom part of those ranges, those scores will be competitive at some of the schools that I'd mentioned, right? Additionally, I just realized that I forgot to ask about something that's pretty important to me in the application process - financial aid. Of the schools I mentioned before, are any of them well known for giving out decent financial aid/scholarships/fellowships? Are there any schools that aren't listed above that are particularly well known for giving out scholarships and stipends? Cost is going to play a pretty significant role in which grad school I ultimately attend (if I get into more than one and have options, that is) - going into serious debt for a Masters in Human Rights is probably not a smart move in today's economy, so I'm hoping to find a program that will at least offer some financial aid.

Thanks so much for the advice!! Yeah, I'm hoping I can use my experience abroad to my benefit - although I didn't actually take classes, I feel like I learned a tremendous amount from my experiences abroad, primarily in terms of perspective. When I travel, I try to stay in a place as long as I can and experience life as a local - I'd rather spend an afternoon struggling my way through a French newspaper in a cafe than hiking up the Eiffel Tower. And I've actually been looking into the schools you suggested. I'm extremely interested in George Mason's program - there's a professor there who focuses on human trafficking that I would love to work with, and the program itself seems strong.

Hey guys! I'm about to enter my final year of undergraduate studies, and I've spent quite a bit of time lately looking into graduate school. I've always wanted to pursue a Master's degree - ideally, straight after completing undergrad - but I really have no idea what the odds are of actually getting accepted into a decent, well-reputed program. I'm just looking for a bit of feedback, really - where I would stand a chance of acceptance, how to compensate (if possible) for my lack of work experience, or any suggestions for improving my application in the little time I have left! Here's what my application will look like - Undergraduate School: University of Florida Major: Political Science (3.8 GPA) Minors: International Development and Humanitarian Assistance, Russian Language Languages: Russian and French - both at the upper intermediate level. GRE: Haven't taken it yet, but I'm confident I'll do well - I've never had a problem with standardized tests. Economic and Quantitative Experience: Introduction to Macroeconomics (A), International Political Economy (B+), Statistics (C - this was before I realized it actually counted for anything beyond the completion of my degree). I'm planning to take Microeconomics in the fall - I took this in high school and got a 5 on the AP test so I'm fairly confident I'll get an A. Work Experience: I've held anything from two to three jobs at a time throughout my entire undergraduate career - extenuating family circumstances meant that I've needed to fully support myself financially for the last four years. Unfortunately, none of those jobs have been particularly relevant to international relations. Was a Teaching Assistant for International Humanitarian Assistant and presented one lecture, but I'm not sure if that counts for anything. Experience Abroad: I've spent a month and a half traveling around Europe, but nothing more. Again, this can be attributed to family circumstances - I was planning on studying abroad this summer (paid for the program, the ticket - everything) until problems arose. Extracurricular Activities: I've been heavily involved in Model United Nations since I was a freshman, which has largely shaped my interests in international relations and potential career goals. Despite my lack of work experience, I'm pretty confident that I know what I want to do with my life. I'm heavily interested in international crime - particularly, human trafficking - and the interactions that take place between governments and international organizations in order to combat them. More specifically, I'm interested in the international crime that takes place between Russia and the former Soviet states and the European Union. I've targeted my undergraduate studies towards this, writing two research papers on the topic of human trafficking to date and incorporating the topic into my senior thesis. Ideally, I'd love to work for an international organization, like Interpol or the UNODC, in their efforts to combat international crime. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if this confidence will be enough for graduate schools to take me. These are the programs that I'm considering so far: Sciences Po - Masters in Human Rights and Humanitarian Action or Masters in International Security (little to no information up on the first's course offerings and requirements, so I'm not sure which would be best suited for my specific interests) Fletcher (Tufts)- Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy (particularly for the opportunity to design my own field of study and the Public International Law specialization) Elliot School of International Affairs (GWU)- Master of Arts in International Affairs (International Law and Organizations focus) SAIS - Masters of Arts in International Relations (International Law and Organizations focus) Josef Korbel School of International Studies (Univ. of Denver) - Master of Arts in International Human Rights (they have a few faculty members who have done a lot of work in combating international crime - a definite perk) College of Europe – Master of Arts in EU International Relations and Diplomacy Studies In light of this, my questions are: What are my chances at the schools listed above? What other schools should I be considering - particularly, those eager to accept students fresh out of undergrad (like Science Po) or those that are a bit easier to get into? What should I be aiming for on my GRE? Should I just nix the idea of going to grad school straight out of undergrad and get a few years of work experience under my belt before I apply? Thanks in advance!