Yale Master's IR and Harvard HKS - what are my chances

[beaverish]

Would anyone be so kind as to offer me some advice?

I am applying to Yale IR and HKS straight out of college. I went to a top ranked liberal arts college and spent my junior year abroad at the london school of economics, then transferred to the LSE. i'm majoring in international history, i have also taken a couple intro level political science classes, no econ yet but am proposing to take intro micro and macro next summer at georgetown summer school. my american GPA is 3.7, my british GPA is roughly equivalent (a 66.5 overall, or medium-high 2:1, and i'm predicting myself at least 2 firsts this next year). i have very clearly-defined academic interests - china, and i speak chinese... my course selection is very coherent and supportive of IR study, if that makes a difference.

would the fact that i have lived overseas for years and gone to school abroad outweigh the fact that i am applying straight from undergrad and have no work experience in foreign policy? i have 2 internships and worked for the obama campaign, but i have nothing foreign-policy related... that said i shoudl have a great personal statement (just wrote it) and great recommendations from at least 1 very famous professor who likes me quite a bit...

my GRE's were 680 math/ 710 verbal / perfect 6.0 on writing. could've gotten upper 700s in verbal (not math) on GREs but was simply too fatigued at the end... could re-take and get high 700s if necessary.

alternatively, do these stats look decent for georgetown/hopkins/columbia?

thanks!

Edited September 28, 2010 by beaverish

[firebolt119]

Hello,

I wish you still came back and saw my question.

I also have a similar if less prestigious oversea academic experience( a Chinese studying for MA in int’l public policy in Japan), and is seeking a proper Master's program in all the universities you’ve mentioned above. I would like to do a PhD in political economy in the end though.

I wonder what was the result of your application in the end. Or rather, maybe you could give me a few suggestions of the programs you know, other than SAIS and Michigan CIR.

Truly regards,