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MYRNIST

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Everything posted by MYRNIST

  1. MYRNIST
    Yeah, I would not plan on getting in. HKS or WWS admissions resembles a lottery, where you have to have really good test scores, grades, and experience to even buy a ticket. Like I said I think you have a fighting chance, but it's unlikely for any one person to gain admittance. Good luck!
  2. MYRNIST
    The top U.S. schools - Princeton WWS, HKS, Johns Hopkins SAIS, Georgetown SFS, Columbia SIPA, and Tufts - are generally better known than the top Canadian schools, have more reputed faculties, larger endowments, and larger and better-connected alumni networks. Note that I didn't say they're better schools, since that depends on individual program fit. But, by most metrics the best U.S. MPP schools are the best MPP schools in the world. There is a pretty big pipeline from all the above schools to the IMF, World Bank, UNDP, etc. If you get the chance to go to them at an affordable cost, I would do it. I appreciate you changing like 2 words to your request to detail exactly how each school will affect your career progression and salary, so I'm going to do you a favor. I pulled out the magic wand all forumites have (you must have lost yours at orientation), and it told me if you go to HKS you will work for the IMF and make precisely eleventy-threeve dollars a year. Your individual career goals, previous employment history, academic performance during grad school, and personal connections have nothing to do with salary and career progression. It is solely dependent on what school you go to, and its rankings in some mythical list. The wand has spoken!
  3. MYRNIST
    I think with a really strong SOP that details exactly what HKS will do for you that law school didn't, you have a fighting shot. Considering it's HKS, it's still statistically very, very unlikely you get in. Are you applying to other schools?
  4. MYRNIST
    You're not getting replies because your questions are either incredibly broad, or beyond the scope of this forum. Do you think it is a realistic request for people to list out all the many, many different jobs you can attain post MPP/MPA? You can work for the government, for NGOs, for businesses... in each of these sectors there is a huge variety of jobs. Once again, what are you expecting people to do? There is no way to know how your university choice will affect your salary and life situation X years from now. Every school's career center website will list out average employment rates, salaries, etc. for their graduates. That's the best you're going to get, and those numbers have very little relevance to anyone's individual situation. Salary depends a lot more on what you do then where you're from. If you go to School X and get a hedge fund gig, you'll probably make a ton of money and live in NYC/London. If you go to School X and work for an African NGO... you can see where this is going. Try to get into the best school you can afford, in a region you would like to live and possibly work in.
  5. MYRNIST
    I don't think it's a troll. As we get closer to deadlines there is an influx of people who have done almost no research on grad school and are quite clueless. Which is fine, since spreading information is what this forum is all about. But sometimes it's information they might not want to hear. OP, time for a reality check: You don't have a snowball's chance in hell at Harvard, or any other top flight PHD program, with a 2.2 GPA Full funding is almost surely not going to happen. If you are truly dedicated to getting a PHD, I would start looking at much, much less prestigious schools. Think Southern Illinois, not Harvard. With those you at least have a realistic chance of getting in.
  6. MYRNIST
    Claiming that the GRE is nothing but an indicator of your math fluency is a farce. The concepts tested are basic high school math! It's simply dressed up in a confusing way so that you can't just plug and chug with equations, and instead must use critical thinking and deduction to arrive at the right answer... hmmm... almost as if it were trying to measure basic quantitative reasoning abilities (spatial manipulation, testing different numbers, finding patterns, etc.) rather than pure technical proficiency. If the GRE had Bayesian search or multivariate calculus on it, you would have a point about it testing your mathematical fluency rather than problem solving ability. But considering the average 16 year old knows everything being tested, no way. It's interesting that you have interpreted a mediocre score to mean that the GRE test, grad admissions standards, and society as a whole are wrong, not you. Seems like a case of Special Snowflake Syndrome. To answer the question buried at the end of your post, the GRE is a somewhat minor part of your application. As long as you fall within an acceptable scoring range for a particular school, the other (qualitative!) aspects of your application like work experience, SOP, undergrad education, etc. are much more important. So the answer is, all of them value the qualitative aspects of candidates. Doesn't mean they ignore the quantitative side, though... Any good MPP/MPA program is going to have a fair amount of math in it. A successful candidate needs to show they can handle this. GRE Quant is one indication of this, but undergrad coursework is probably more important.
  7. MYRNIST
    Pretty much all PP schools have an ID program. So your "short list" depends more on things like competitiveness of admissions, where you want to live in the U.S., financial aid (which will be uphill sledding, as you are not a U.S. citizen and thus disqualified for a lot of financial aid), particular faculty you like, particular courses you find interesting, etc. I can only really comment on competitiveness of admissions and general perception of quality and prestige. For the rest, it completely depends on what you personally want and hence is outside this forum's ken. Note: this just includes foreign-policy oriented schools (the "policy studies" part of your request.) Tier 1: HKS, Princeton WWS Tier 2: Johns Hopkins SAIS, Georgetown, Tufts Fletcher, Columbia SIPA Tier 3: GW Elliot, Denver Korbel EDIT: forget to say, your GMAT score and TOEFL have very, very little to do with your competitiveness compared to everything else. And yours are good enough where they shouldn't stop you from doing anything.
  8. MYRNIST
    Since you are not a native English speaker, every single grad school is going to have a minimum TOEFL score you need to pass in order to enroll. So taking the TOEFL should be on the top of your list if you haven't already. Judging by your post it shouldn't be a problem. Whether or not a grad school accepts the GMAT in lieu of the GRE varies widely. Check on individual schools' admission pages.
  9. MYRNIST
    Yeah, pretty much the best advice that can be given is to go do some interesting IR-related things for a few years and then apply. You'll be smarter, have a better idea of what you want in your career, and also be a massively more attractive candidate for grad schools.
  10. MYRNIST
    I don't know what branch of IR you're interested in (security studies? development? human rights?) but these are all programs worth checking out and seeing if they fit your goals. They also are all far more attainable than the great white whale of WWS/HKS/etc. UT LBJ Pitt MSPIA Georgia Tech Sam Nunn U-Washington Jackson Denver Korbel (a bit of a reach for you, but worth a shot) Hope this helps.
  11. MYRNIST
    Couple of things to say, and forgive me for being blunt. I think there is dissonance between your candidate profile and the types of schools you're applying for. You have a low GPA, a low GRE, and little IR work experience*; you are applying for an absolute murderers' row of top-tier, extremely selective schools. While none of us are ad-coms, I don't think you'd be competitive for most of the schools you named. Look at the average GPA, test scores, and (most importantly) work experience of WWS, HKS, etc. admits. They are in a different ballpark from where you are. That doesn't mean you can't have a great career in public policy or are dumb or anything, just that by the artificial metrics people use to determine admissions you are not a super-strong candidate, and that's what you have to be to get into WWS, HKS, etc. I would consider adding some lower-ranked schools onto your application list. You can still get a very good education, and have a much lower risk of going o-fer on grad admissions. If you are dead-set on going to those extremely selective schools, the most important thing you can do is get relevant work experience. The GRE is not heavily weighted in MPA/MPP admissions compared to work experience. That said, you still probably want to study up a bit and try to get that quantitative score higher. Look at the median scores for your target schools - you are currently below them, and want to be at least 50th percentile. *You have some very interesting and cool experiences, but most of it doesn't sound directly IR-related. And since you're coming straight out of undergrad, none of it seems to have been a "job job."
  12. MYRNIST
    I feel compelled to chip in that just because they are top-tier schools doesn't mean WWS, SAIS, etc. are grooming academic-track people rather than actual public policy professionals. They are strongly practice-focused. Your point about the genius vs. schmuck breakdown is definitely true, just wanted to make it clear that tossing an app in to the really good IR schools doesn't mean you're resigning yourself to the ivory tower.
  13. MYRNIST
    Yeah I also am a little unclear on how a MPP and professional job would transition into a PHD. Most MPP or MPA programs are *very* job-oriented: their goal is to get you working in the government, NGOs, etc., not academia. The curriculum reflects that - it is much more policy, real-world oriented and is missing a lot of the theoretical depth found in a PHD program (or MA specifically designed to bridge into PHD). I think it would be quite tough to jump into any PHD program, let alone an incredibly high-pressure at Harvard, with minimal training in the kind of academic work you'll be doing. Not saying it can't be done, but sounds pretty tough. OP, have you thought about maybe going for a more academic masters, like a MA in IR, Political Science, Economics, etc.? Or trying to get your desired work experience now (with just a bachelors), and then doing a combined MA/PHD program later? Both of these options seem like they would give you more preparation for the PHD.
  14. MYRNIST
    There are many posts on this sub-forum about the troubles people have with going over the word count - i.e. trying to cram all that they want to say into a relatively limited space. I am having the opposite problem. I think my shorter SOPs (500-600 words) are objectively better than the longer ones (1000 words). They are more concise, focused, and I actually think the relatively short length gives them greater impact by saying everything before your attention begins to wander. What are your thoughts on submitting a significantly under-word-limit SOP?
  15. MYRNIST
    Korbel School in Denver, Colorado is a top 10 IR school. Plus it's located near some of the most important military installations in the lower 48 - Air Force Academy, NORAD, a couple separate bases, etc. You could probably carve out a quite nice security-focused track there. Don't know if that's West Coast enough for you...
  16. MYRNIST
    Fellow UM grad here. I actually think the biggest hurdle in your applications will be explaining what another graduate degree in IR is going to do for you. GRE scores are not critically important in these admissions, and you have obviously demonstrated ability to handle fairly complex math. Your work experience is great. International experience is great. But you already have an international-focused M.A., and so it's incumbent on you to show what HKS/WWS/SAIS provide that your previous degree didn't, and how it will help you achieve your career goals. I'm guessing it's quant-heavy, econ-focused classes? If so, be proactive about spelling out exactly what skills they'll give you.
  17. MYRNIST
    Maybe get a "normal" job to pay the bills and work an IR related internship in your free time? I worked a corporate position I hated for over a year to fund several different unpaid IR internships (which are what 99% of them are. And you're not competitive for the paid ones, nor am I - graduate students suck them all up.) I empathize with your situation, it's a rough economy and a tough field to break in to, but don't give up. You can always find ways to stay involved.
  18. MYRNIST
    Your undergraduate GPA was a 2.1? Is that on a different scale than the 4.0 American system?
  19. MYRNIST
    Most public policy schools are professional-oriented schools. They are great for people who have a definite career goal in mind and can clearly map how a M.A. would help them get there. They are not the right place to go if you have very broad interests and are not really sure which one is "the one", especially considering the time and financial burdens of graduate school, and especially especially since there is not necessarily a huge financial payoff the same way there is for a MBA or other professional degree. You don't want to rely on grad school to clarify your dreams and plans, since you then run the (very common) risk of it not doing so and having the same or worse career prospects while having wasted a couple years. So, I think you are very correct in trying to figure out what you want professionally to do before taking on grad school. That said, I can't really offer much good input into career options when your interests are similarly broad and unspecified. There are precisely eleventy billion different jobs that fall under the heading of "vaguely Asia-related, not math heavy." You could work for a human rights NGO in Asia. You could do something with the "religious economy" of American churches pouring tons of money into missionary and charity work in Asia. You could work for the cultural wings of the UN. A lobbyist. What few interests are really close to your heart? If you can articulate that people can offer much better advice. Basically, you need to narrow down your interests and find which are the ones you really are passionate about - the one(s) you are willing to make a career of, endure years of students loans for, etc. I'm not trying to be abrasive, just a gentle reminder that while the well-rounded person is an admirable ideal, specialty is the name of the career game.
  20. MYRNIST
    Applying for Fall 2012. Not my first choice, since I'm a defense/security specialist and so would prefer to be in DC, but Fletcher is a great school I would be very happy to go to. Very well-balanced curriculum.
  21. MYRNIST
    Your overall package looks very good. Here are just a few points you should devote some time to in your application process. - The GRE is only valid for 5 years from the date of testing. So your test 8 years ago has ZERO usability for the current admissions process. I know you took the GMAT, you might be able to use that in lieu of the GRE at some schools, but be sure to check with each school to see if they will accept GMAT instead of GRE. If not, you will need to retake the GRE by roughly late Oct/early November to meet application deadlines. - you already have a masters, so you probably will want to be very proactive about spelling out to adcoms why another MA is vital to your career plans. Basically, you can't just say "because its a better more prestigious degree", you need to be specific about what these programs will do for you that your previous MA did not. Good luck!
  22. MYRNIST
    Cosign entirely on this - it is unlikely the original poster will get in to really top tier schools (which, considering their stats, is what they should aim for) with so little work experience. The people getting into WWS, HKS, etc. out of undergrad are people who managed to get really strong work experience despite being so young. Just because they went straight out of undergrad does NOT mean they didn't accumulate solid experiences - the aforementioned "young student" bios feature lots of blurbs like "started own NGO in college", "4 year summer intern for the State Dep't", and "undergraduate education interrupted by 2 year deployment to Afghanistan." Work experience is non-optional for admittance to the really good public policy schools.
  23. MYRNIST
    So he is (a) prominent ( knows you well © can personally attest to your good qualities? I'd say this is a no brainer, unless your work with him has little relevance to your career goals (as expressed in your SOP and other professional experience.) Like, if you're interested in doing international security but your work with this guy was for education policy - then I might try to find someone more relevant. Otherwise I'd say it sounds like a home run! EDIT: I love that alphabetical bullets get turned into smiley faces and copyright symbols...
  24. MYRNIST
    There is an entire thread for such questions, pinned to the top of the forum, that literally says in all caps READ ME BEFORE POSTING.
  25. MYRNIST
    Any chance of getting this stickied and turned into an official SOP exchange thread? Would be nice to have a place to coordinate such things and eliminate the need for multiple people to post requests.
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