Low Quant, High Verb for IR?

[Chakra113]

I recently took the revised GRE and received a score range for Q 510-610 and V 630-730. I'm fairly positive that I'll do okay on the essay portions but am wondering what admissions will think of my overall GRE. Is the verbal weighted heavier for IR programs? Will they care that my math skills are below par/ average? Retake or just apply anyway? (Looking at GTown, Columbia, Berkeley, HKS, Princeton)

I've got a 3.3 overall US GPA with a 3.85 GPA from a year abroad at Oxford and a White House internship, so I'm wondering if that will help make up for it at all. I'll be applying right out of undergraduate. Suggestions anyone? I'm open to them

[balderdash]

White House internship is good, but I frankly don't think you'll be very competitive at the schools you list. Most applicants will have GPAs north of 3.8 and GREs above 750 on each section, and many will already have advanced degrees and a few years of solid work experience.

You're in the Poli Sci subforum, so I would assume you want to do a PhD in PS with an IR subfield. If that's the case, I'd seriously consider taking some time out to work or applying for a Master's (and then working your butt off to get a stellar GPA) as an intermediate step. On the other hand, your schools make me think you mean an MA in IR - in which case, the same opinions hold but you may find better advice in the Gov't Affairs subforum.

Best of luck.

Edited October 16, 2011 by balderdash

[gradcafe26]

I agree with Balderdash on the insanely intense competition in PS, but aren't the numbers you listed a little bit exaggerating? According to the NRC ranking, only 4 schools have GRE-Q average higher than 750, not to mention average V.

[RWBG]

The listing of HKS and not Harvard Government does seem to indicate to me that the OP was looking more at policy programs; policy focused master's degrees are far less competitive than Ph.D programs. But besides that, I think balderdash's comments on competitiveness hold if you exchange "most" with "many."

[Chakra113]

Oh, sorry. I didn't realize there was a Gov Affairs subcategory. I'll be sure to post there but I was talking about a Master's not Ph D. program. Thanks for the info though everyone.