Will an ESL teacher be competitive for international affairs?

[went_away]

3 years ago I graduated from a humanities program. I really wanted to get into international affairs (development, conflict analysis, foreign service, etc.), so I moved to Colombia, thinking that experience living in a conflict/post conflict and developing society would be good experience and help me get into a top program. I took a teaching course and got a job teaching English to business professionals in Bogota in order to support myself while studying Spanish. Then I taught for a year in a 'hotter' (more conflict problems) part of the country at a rich high school. Now, I'll be going back to Bogota to teach English at a prestigious university, which is focused on law and international relations and has a partnership with Columbia University.

I've tried to make my teaching as relevant as possible to international affairs - I've taught for important government people and contracted with an embassy, but at the end of the day, I'm afraid I'll never get the respect an NGO worker type or professional in finance would and be seen as 'just an English teacher.' Now I've got the option to consolidate my teaching career at my university (get a higher teaching qualification).

Would all of this be seen as at all relevant and/or competitive experience to get into SIPA, SAIS or Georgetown? Should I pursue some kind of internship that's unrelated to teaching but that may look more impressive? I have a fairly weak quant background. I'd appreciate any advice or comments.

I know I really want to do something related to international politics - I was willing to move to and then pound the pavement in Colombia for 3 years! thanks for any advice...

[went_away]

Nobody has any advice/opinions on the suitability of ESL teaching as a background to a career in international affairs?

[fenderpete]

Glad you bumped this

I think you should be competitive as long as your GRE and GPA is competitive. Have you got micro/macroeconomics?

A few people I worked with at the Carter Center had started out in ESL to get their first overseas experience so it's definitely not out of the ordinary. One thing I would say is that when I'm hiring people I'd far rather hire someone with overseas experience and language skills than someone fresh out of undergrad or who has only ever worked in the first world, or bounced around from UN internship to World Bank internship - I'd like to hope grad schools think the same.

One thing I would suggest, is there any way you could get involved with some local NGOs in Bogota when you go back? Even if it's just volunteering or doing the odd thing every month it'd really strengthen your application. As it stands, that'd be my only question mark i.e. 'This guy has been in Colombia for three years, if he really wanted to do IR wouldn't he have done some by now?'

Hope those thoughts are of some help.

Edited June 19, 2011 by fenderpete

[flyers29]

I also agree you should have a decent shot if you have a good GPA/strong GRE scores.

[Carthage]

It's definitely doable. My only real international experience beyond travel was three years teaching ESL, and I got into every school I applied to except Johns Hopkins (waitlisted) and Tufts. G.P.A was only about 3.0, but had 700V, 760Q, 4.5 for the GRE. With a higher GPA, I'm pretty sure I would've gotten in everywhere.

Get as close to fluent in Spanish as you can, and take micro and macro econ before you apply. You'll do fine.

Edited June 20, 2011 by Carthage

[cckrspnl56]

I was in the same, but less buoyant, boat as you when I applied last year. I graduated in 2009 with a degree in history and philosophy and when I applied my only significant international experience was teaching six months in China - and I was not, in any way, interested in Chinese Studies.

It's all a matter of how you tie it into your statement of purpose. Teaching in Colombia definitely has a "wow" factor, and if you able to relate your study of focus into the experiences you gained there, it will give the committee a strong case for admitting you. For me, I wrote about the ignorance of American culture when it comes to other nations and how I want to be in a position to educate the public while shaping policy.

My relevant stats:

GRE 600V, 770Q. 3.62 gpa. I applied to SAIS, Tufts, Korbel, and American. Accepted everywhere except Tufts (waitlisted), and I'm attending SAIS in the Fall.

[went_away]

Thanks for the feedback, very encouraging. I guess the gist of my question is how useful ESL experience will be to both a grad school application and to a future career in diplomacy or development. I have the option now to study a post-grad qualification in ESL (6-9 months part time) and consolidate my teaching career. This would lead to a supervisory position at a prestigious university in Colombia (whereas now I'm just a classroom teacher at the uni). It would also mean 2-3 more years of ESL teaching and give me a chance to pick up some NGO type volunteer experience and to bolster my work recommendations. I would also have the chance to sort of 'meld' ESL teaching with international affairs kind of stuff - for example, do some volunteer teaching or teach with the British Council (the cultural wing of the British Embassy).

I guess I'm wondering if I need this experience to have a decent shot at getting into a top program (SFS/SAIS, plus would like to get funding). I would prefer to apply for programs starting in fall of 2012, but don't want to spend all the money/time on GRE prep and application fees if I'd be better off waiting a couple more years.

I'm sort of a 'non-traditional' applicant, so here's some more details on me.

- Bible college grad (I think accreditation should be fine, but still, it's from a sectarian institution and I'm sure will raise a few eyebrows) - 3.5 GPA, biblical, religious and intercultural studies

- A.A. degree from community college, 3.9 GPA, took statistics (A-) and microeconomics (A)

- CELTA (1 month, intense English teaching qualification from University of Cambridge)

- nearly fluent in Spanish

- 2 years experience during Bible college as an intern/staff member for a study abroad program, organized volunteer activities with community leaders and led groups of freshmen students on trips throughout Central America

- 3 years living in Colombia, 1 year experience teaching professionals, 1 year experience teaching upper-class teenagers at a high school in a post-conflict zone (lots of stories....)

- about to start teaching English as member of the Government Department at a prestigious university (top in Colombia for law and international relations)

Edited July 1, 2011 by went_away

[fenderpete]

I think it kind of depends on what you want to do with your MA eventually. What's the end career goal?

I don't think doing more ESL will necessarily help your application (nor will it hurt it), it's just a case of figuring out what you'd get out of more ESL and how that relates to your end career goal. If you want to come out and do more ESL teaching after grad school, it might make sense to continue now while you have the impetus, but by the same token if you want to start going a more policy route then the MA would be a good jumping off point to change direction.

To me your 3yrs in Colombia is comparable to Peace Corps folks (I'm preparing myself for a 'Peace Corps is way harder' backlash here...) and plenty of folks go into grad school after Peace Corps. I think you've got enough experience to be competitive at most programs (except the mid-career professional type of program) and if you want to go for Fall 2012 I don't think that should be a problem.

The only provisos would be - do you think you'd be able to take macro-economics somewhere before Fall 2012 (if you want to apply to quant programs) and do you have the time to work on getting a good GRE score between now and applications going in?