petitepixie

Hi! I'm considering Middle East studies programs in DC and I'd love to meet people currently enrolled to find out more from a student's perspective. I'm looking at Georgetown's MAAS or GW's Elliot School. If someone wants to take an hour or so sometime to talk about their program, I'd be much appreciative.

What should I call a paper I've written when I'm mentioning it in a personal statement? To me, "essay" sounds a bit amateruish, but "paper" seems to imply published. As an undergrad, I didn't write a thesis either. I did a few original research projects (conducted focus groups, coded an analyzed results) and a few background and analysis pieces (comparative case studies, extensive lit reviews, policy proposals), each with a 50-60page end product. What is a quick one-word thing I can call these?

I guess I just balk at the word "leader" because at the leadership conferences I've found people to be smug, arrogant, and, basically, not someone I want to be. I feel much happier describing how I've been a "facilitator" or "organizer" and if that counts for "leadership," great! Another question: How far back should I go? Should I mention that in high school, I took the initiative to totally re-organize the high school bands' music library? It was a big four year leadership project, but at this point it was also 5-8 years ago.

I am working on some Grad program applications and one prompt is: "Please describe any leadership experience you may have had (250 words max)" I do have some- in undergrad I was an Orientation Leader, secretary of a large student organization, went to a few leadership conferences. However, I don't really label myself a leader. I can certainly work effectively within a group, and I tend to play a specific role in group dynamics. The example that comes to mind is when I recently served on a jury. I wasn't elected Foreperson (so I wasn't the leader), but I was the "organizer" of the group. I was the one who said, "Ok, we need to elect a foreperson." I kept track of the conversation, took note of details, made sure everyone got to speak. In my current job, I am not a manager or shift leader, but I am one of the point people for training staff on new procedures and I handle our ever-growing list of shoplifters and other suspicious customers, making sure everyone gets clear, succinct information on who to look out for. On a more general note, do programs really want to fill up with "leaders?" Wouldn't that be like some sports team hiring all the most expensive star players and ending up with a losing record because they aren't working as a team? I'm just picturing horrific failure because everyone thinks they're hot stuff and the group dynamic is totally off. The program should pick me because I fulfill an important role in any group, and NOT the role of leader. My question is this: do I try to get this point across in my 250 word statement, or should I just suck it up and tell them how I'm a leader?

Lord this sounds impossible. I don't have professors or advisors anymore; I graduated over a year ago! The people I read aren't professors, they are foreign policy professionals! I don't have any history background as I come from the foreign relations world. That's why I want to do history. Sounds like I'm horrendously ill-prepared and lacking all the necessary connections.

Hey all I'm new here so please be kind! I graduated in May 2010 with degrees in political science and international relations. I've been dinking around in retail since then (glad to have a job mainly!) but I want to get back into academia. I'm interested in studying Middle East history, particularly the Levant during and after the period of French involvement. My eventual goal is a career in U.S. foreign policy. How do I even begin to find good history programs that fit my interests? I highly doubt I'd get into the Harvards and GWs of the world, so how do I know if the U of Wherever's history program is any good? Thanks!