admission top 10

[bjoern7700]

Hi,

I would need your advice on getting into one of the top 10 schools in political science / international relations (Harvard, Yale, Berkeley, Stanford, etc.).

1. master in IR from Cambridge, UK (pass)

2. valedictorian of French National School of Administration

3. 6 years of work experience with the United Nations, the European Parliament and the diplomatic service

4. GRE: 560 (V) and 760 (V)

5. French national

Thanks!

[Bukharan]

You have two excellent schools on your CV and good working experience - you probably have very good chances of getting into top schools. What you have to remember is that at the doctoral level, SOP and the 'fit' with the faculty matter as much if not more than your qualifications and work experience.

You have plenty of time to think before the Fall 2012 Admissions cycle. Go to the schools' websites and study them carefully. Perhaps, there are universities other than Ivies that are great for what you want to study. Perhaps some Ivies don't even offer what you need.

Also, if you could take GRE again and hopefully improve both your scores (which are ok, or even good, but not top), it would make you even a stronger applicant.

[Tufnel]

You might get better results if you pose specific questions rather than merely soliciting advice.

Correspondingly, I only have a couple random suggestions:

-Berkeley is quite bad at IR. I would avoid it.

-You have two verbal scores but I'm assuming the high one is your Q.

-The relevant bits of your application differ given different research interests. Languages, the necessary Q GRE score, all of that changes with research area. Thus (and in keeping with the above post), you have to consider what you want to study and how that intention aligns with your strengths and weaknesses.

Best of luck.

[bjoern7700]

Hi,

thanks very much! Good luck to you and a very happy new Year!.

You have two excellent schools on your CV and good working experience - you probably have very good chances of getting into top schools. What you have to remember is that at the doctoral level, SOP and the 'fit' with the faculty matter as much if not more than your qualifications and work experience.

You have plenty of time to think before the Fall 2012 Admissions cycle. Go to the schools' websites and study them carefully. Perhaps, there are universities other than Ivies that are great for what you want to study. Perhaps some Ivies don't even offer what you need.

Also, if you could take GRE again and hopefully improve both your scores (which are ok, or even good, but not top), it would make you even a stronger applicant.

[bjoern7700]

Hi,

thanks very much! Good luck to you and a very happy new Year!.

Yes, indeed, the lower one is V, the higher one is Q.

You might get better results if you pose specific questions rather than merely soliciting advice.

Correspondingly, I only have a couple random suggestions:

-Berkeley is quite bad at IR. I would avoid it.

-You have two verbal scores but I'm assuming the high one is your Q.

-The relevant bits of your application differ given different research interests. Languages, the necessary Q GRE score, all of that changes with research area. Thus (and in keeping with the above post), you have to consider what you want to study and how that intention aligns with your strengths and weaknesses.

Best of luck.