What are my chances for admission?

[javatime]

Hi All!

I am looking to apply to IR grad programs this fall with my top choices being MALD, MSFS, SAIS and the Fletcher School, I would probably apply to SIS and Korbel as safety programs. I want to focus on political development and democracy building, particularly in post-conflict countries if anyone knows of other programs that would be good for that. Do I have any chance of getting in with the below credentials?

GWU: International Affairs- concentrations in Asia and Conflict & Security, 3.52 GPA

GRE: 640 V / 710 Q / 4.5 AW

Experience:

• Going on two years volunteering at local development NGOs in Indonesia
• Internships: US State Dept, US Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, Congressional office
• Research Assistant: American Foreign Policy Council, and for a consultant on security issues in Asia
• Study Abroad: Kyoto University Fall 2007 - Spring 2008
• Resident Advisor
• On campus jobs for three years

Languages: proficiency in Indonesian and intermediate in Japanese

Does it look like I could get into these programs now? I was also debating about going back to DC and working for another year so that my work experience can make up for the low GPA and I can save some money but that doesn't seem like an easy option with the current job situation...

Thanks everyone!

[javatime]

Everyone looking at this I would really appreciate your quick thoughts! Thank you!

[gradap2010]

You should certainly be accepted to at least some of these schools unless you write horrible essays. It would be great if ur GRE scores were better, but I do not think that schools will reject you if you can write something meaningful about your experiences and your desires to change reality in post-conflict countries. Good luck to you!

[carpecc]

Your academic and work credentials look fine, you should be competitive for a lot of those programs. The main thing I would try to fix is that AWA score, 4.5 is not low, but might raise some eyebrows. If you retake and do a little more preparation for this section, you should be able to get a 5 or 6. Then again a lot of admissions don't put a high priority on this. Your verbal and quant are fine.

Otherwise just concentrate on good essays, those can take a lot of work.