Imhotep
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Posts posted by Imhotep
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I'm also feeling out different schools, so I couldn't make much in the way of recommendation. I would browse faculty lists at schools you are interested in, find faculty with research interests similar to your own, and send an introductory email asking some questions. That's what I do.
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Editors simply don't care whether or not you have a certain degree. You will get published by virtue of whether or not your piece is good (or, unfortunately, who you know). If somehow you got into an MFA with full tuition + stipend, I would maybe recommend it as a networking opportunity and to have 2 years to devote to writing exclusively. But if you can't get that, it's a waste of time. MFA programs train writers to teach at MFA programs. So few successful -- I'd argue artistically as well as financially -- writers come out of MFA programs. This is a field in which you learn by doing.
I think a more valuable alternative would be to seek out jobs at publications, regardless of what your job function is. Networking will help you a lot. Major publications get hundreds of unsolicited submissions a day and most are vetted first by interns (I was once one of these interns) before moving up the food chain. But if you have a good relationship with someone at the publication, it is a great advantage. So: get a job at a publication. Go to book readings and literary events. Meet people socially, build a network.
Rana Dasgupta has an excellent piece in Granta called "Capital Gains". It's not available free, but here is the link for it: http://www.granta.com/Archive/107/Capital-Gains/1
Amit Chaudhuri wrote a great piece for the London Review of Books called "In Calcutta". It's also not free, but here is the link for it as well: http://www.lrb.co.uk/v33/n10/amit-chaudhuri/diary
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I've just spent a while longer using Magoosh and Kaplan and the PowerPrep software and I am even more dissatisfied with Magoosh's math. Magoosh math questions are much trickier than the real GRE questions. I say "trickier" and not "more difficult" because the Magoosh questions rely on some non-intuitive strategy they teach in the videos. The questions are quite easy if you remember their strange strategy but almost impossible if you do not. Magoosh estimates my quant score to be in the 152-157 range whereas I just took a PowerPrep practice test and simulated real test conditions and scored a 163 on quant.
Magoosh is too expensive and not very helpful. The 16 dollar Kaplan book I purchased and free PowerPrep software are far better.
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Don't get an MFA. They rarely help a developing writer become a major talent. The best way to learn is to just write and write and write and write. Read the kind of writing you want to do and try to imitate it. MFAs are a waste of time and money. They won't help you get a job writing.
There are many places that publish such writing. Vanity Fair, New Yorker, American Scholar, Harper's, The Atlantic, Granta (UK), London Review of Books (UK) -- the list goes on. They rarely hire people as staff writers. Usually what happens is you submit articles as a freelancer and get small amounts of money. There is a fair amount of publications, but don't expect to make a living off of it. And don't waste your time with an MFA.
I think you're wrong to say such writing doesn't exist in India. Rana Dasgupta and Amit Chaudhuri are both Indian and excellent at exactly this kind of writing.
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I'm applying for an MBA program with 2 years of work experience. The first was with an organization in Indonesia in which no one I worked with speaks English well. The second was with an organization in Somalia in which there are excellent English speakers.
I have an excellent LoR from a colleague in Somalia, but I am thinking about my second LoR. Should I get another one from my same position in Somalia (I could get a good one) or should I get a second LoR from an undergrad professor (I could get an excellent one, but my major was English literature). Would an LoR from a prof in an unrelated field be taken seriously?
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For whatever it's worth, my ambitious friends getting into politics are getting JDs.
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PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: B.S. Business Admin/Minor Econ ( flagship university and long standing member of AAU)
Undergrad GPA: 3.03
Type of Grad: Applied Economics (well known urban research university with several top ranked programs) (Not in Econ though)
Grad GPA: 3.742
GRE: 640Q 520V 4.0 AWA (I know its low, I'm retaking early fall)
Math Courses: Calc I-III (A,B,C+) Linear Algebra (
Discrete Math ( Econ Courses (grad-level):Adv Micro (
Adv Macro (A) Mathematical Econ ( Regional Econ (A)Econmetrics I-II (A, A) Econ Forecasting (A) Econ Theory and Policy (A-) Seminar in Econ Research I-II (A, A) [ Completed all MA coursework with just thesis left ]
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Intermediate Micro and Macro (A, A) Principles of Statistics II (A) Issues in Public Economics (
Issues in Industrial Organizations (B-)Other Courses: Currently taking two grad courses in my schools Public Policy department, Origins and Development of Policy, Solar and Renewable Energy Utilization. Along with intro to Spanish.
Letters of Recommendation: Presumably all strong. I wasn't a star in the program but did well and had good relations with my professors from my MA program. None of the professors are famous or anything but they are well established and connected in their respective fields.
Research Experience: MA level Thesis. Title of thesis is Solidarity Lending in Microfinance. Focus is on asymmetric information.
Teaching Experience: None
Research Interests: Energy Policy and Environmental, particularly Marine/Coastal Policy, and Social/Development/Poverty Policy
SOP: Will highlight my research interests and what has led to my interest in Public Policy.
Other: Work experience includes 4 years in the Marine Corps Infantry before undergrad. 2 years at a Fortune 500 in the sales and marketing dept after undergrad. Maybe my military experience will be a plus, not sure about my corporate experience. Also I'm well traveled, I've been to 5 different continents and 17 different countries.
Applying to: Oregon State School of PP, University of Washington, Portland State, and not sure where else. I'm from the Northwest so would love to get back there, but I don't know how competitive I'll be. Should I apply to higher ranking schools other than UW? I figure UW would be my reach and since Oregon State has a brand new program thats not even accredited, which would be my safety.
Can you suggest some other schools for me? In other words, is a school like Oregon State about right for me or am I selling myself short?
Use your Marine Corps background to sell yourself, that and your econ MA. I think you could apply to some top programs.
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My current career goals involve working in international development, but from the private sector rather than through NGOs or the government. Ideally, in the end I would be working with or setting up my own boutique private equity or consulting firm that focused on investing in socially-responsible enterprises in the developing world, particularly in post-conflict states.
The simple answer seems to be to get an MBA, but I have heard that MBAs are mostly a networking opportunity. IR or MPP degrees seem to offer me a better opportunity for me to get rigorous training in the political/legal realities relevant to international business. Most schools would also let me take a certain number of MBA courses in my IR/MPP degree.
This route seems more advantageous even than getting an MBA with a focus on doing business internationally. What do you think?
Also, I'd be interested in knowing any and all private sector fields that people go into from IR or MPP degrees.
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I'm curious to know what kind of experiences other people have had with Magoosh. I bought the GRE math review package and am extremely dissatisfied. The explanations are generally not very helpful and the question types seem only vaguely similar to what is found on ETS material.
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Something dramatic came up immediately preceding the screening interview for a job I really wanted -- I should have postponed the interview but I wasn't thinking clearly -- and I bombed it and didn't make it to the second round. I resubmitted my application a month later (my CV had changed slightly as well) but have heard nothing from the organization and the jobs I applied for are still listed as available.
I'm considering just showing up at the offices and asking to speak with someone from the HR team to be reconsidered. Is this kind of thing okay?
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Do you have international experience? That is an easy way to bolster your application.
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I plan to apply to a mix of MPP/MPA and IR programs this coming application cycle, though I think a MPP or MPA degree would leave me with slightly broader options post-graduation. I'm trying to identify MPP/MPA programs with a strong background in international policy. I haven't looked too hard, but so far my options seem to be only HKS and WWS. Are there any other programs that I'm missing?
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I plan to apply to the Yale IR/Princeton MPA dual degree program and I am seeking advice on writing the SoPs for the respective schools. Should I write each SoP as though I were applying to that school only or is it best to mention in my Yale SoP that I am also applying to Princeton, and vice versa?
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I majored in English literature in undergrad but have subsequently decided to study IR in grad school. I need to take micro- and macro-economics for my application however this is made more difficult by the fact that I'm currently working in Somalia. I'm looking at online courses because I would like to have my grades in before I apply to grad school -- I assume this would be better than leaving my quantitative abilities as an unknown to the admissions committee. What are the best online courses (that are hopefully not too expensive)? Any suggestions?
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Yes, places like Indonesia or Ethiopia or Burma are inexpensive enough that you could live for a long time on very little money. A person could live very easily in an Indonesian city on $5,000/year or less.
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Thank you for the vote of confidence. I feel that my lack of straight policy work is a hole in my background -- especially after looking at some profiles on the HKS website of people who spent years working in finance ministries before applying -- but I'll give it a shot.
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In addition to IR programs, I've been thinking about applying to MPP and MPA programs (HKS and WWS) but I am unsure about whether this is a realistic option for me. I'd appreciate any feedback.
My short bio:
I graduated cum laude with a degree in English literature from a top 5 school. My major GPA is around 3.78 although my GPA in general is around 3.5. The low grades are all in my first two years, when I was working two jobs and playing a varsity sport.
After graduation I spent a year in Indonesia as a Fulbright ETA but also did independent research on political Islam and published two articles, including one in a prestigious journal. I also published a piece of journalism on a minority group in Burma. After that I went to Somalia where I work as a field officer with a human rights organization in the morning and as a program development officer with an educational non-profit in the evening.
Finally, I have been talking with contacts in the ministry of planning and economic development about a two-month consulting gig that will start in the next few days, with any luck.
I return to the US in early August and I will hopefully be starting a RA position related to public policy when I do.
Is it worth applying to MPP/MPA programs? Would I be competitive at HKS or WWS with only this upcoming two-month gig that is strictly related to public policy/administration?
The IR programs I am leaning toward now are Tufts/Fletcher, Yale/Jackson, and Columbia/SIPA.
Thank you in advance for any advice.
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If you have the money to take 6 months off, I recommend showing up at some place in the developing world and looking for opportunities on the ground. I know a number of people who have done that successfully, and I think you would find interesting work.
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After my grant I got a job with an educational non-profit in the developing world. The Fulbright ETA doesn't provide you with much in the way of marketable skills unless you are planning to go into education -- which is not my long-term goal -- but it did provide me with a nice credential to enable me to spend another productive year abroad.
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I'm considering both Master's programs in International Relations and Public Policy and I'm trying to identify research assistant positions that would keep me competitive for both tracks. I'd be grateful for any suggestions.
After graduating I spent a year in Indonesia on a Fulbright and now I am working with an educational non-profit in Somalia as well as volunteering with a human rights organization. My contract here ends in July and I want to live in the US next year. I have found both public/social policy positions and international relations positions to fill in the gap between Somalia and graduate school, but as I am considering these two different fields I'm hoping to identify positions that would be relevant to both. Or would either kind of position be relevent to either MA?
Thank you in advance.
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I'm considering both Master's programs in International Relations and Public Policy and I'm trying to identify research assistant positions that would keep me competitive for both tracks. I'd be grateful for any suggestions.
After graduating I spent a year in Indonesia on a Fulbright and now I am working with an educational non-profit in Somalia as well as volunteering with a human rights organization. My contract here ends in July and I want to live in the US next year. I have found both public/social policy positions and international relations positions to fill in the gap between Somalia and graduate school, but as I am considering these two different fields I'm hoping to identify positions that would be relevant to both. Or would either kind of position be relevent to either MA?
Thank you in advance.
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As an undergraduate I majored in English literature but after a year working in education and human rights in Indonesia, a short stint in Burma, and a year in Somalia, I am strongly leaning toward public policy programs. Unfortunately, I did not take micro- or macro-economics as an undergraduate. I'm looking to fill in this gap.
I plan to apply to only a few of the top programs (Harvard, LSE, and a handful of others) and I'm wondering if there are schools that offer micro and macro that have a reputation as being particularly rigorous. Recommendations for schools in NYC or DC -- or, perhaps, online courses -- would be of particular value as I will probably be in one of the two after I leave Somalia and before grad school.
Thank you ahead of time.
Graduate Institute, Geneva
in Government Affairs Forum
Posted
Is there a breakdown somewhere of the types of careers/agencies graduates of the program go on to work in?