WazienBukhari Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 A general question perhaps suited for current GWU grads in Elliot School (Non-US will be great but all are open to offer feedback). I'm applying to the school for the MA International Affairs course and currently feeling a bit timid. Didn't score greatly on my GRE (I'm really not familiar and really underprepared). But then I read a lot of comments from other forums stating that you shouldn't worry too much about GREs. Undergrad transcripts, LORs and Personal Statements are something they largely consider. Also, what will the school's policy be on with international students like me in terms of selection? Are there a lot of non-US doing IR? Lastly, will the school consider it a plus that I'm a government funded scholar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mal83 Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 I'm a current American grad student at Elliott in the International Development Studies program. I was waitlisted at first though. I too didn't do that well on the GRE, as in about 100 points below the average accepted applicant (relatively speaking, everyone has their own idea of what a "not good" and "good" score is). My undergrad GPA was decent enough (3.35), but still a little on the low end for Elliott...hence getting waitlisted. But yes, the other components of the application are weighed heavily too...obviously or I wouldn't have made it in the door. Relevant experience can be a big factor and it can make up for the weaker parts of your application. For me, my undergrad degree is basically a foundation for ID and after that I was a Peace Corps volunteer, which is experience that couldn't really be more relevant. I was able to demonstrate my commitment to the field in my SOP. It's not as if I was completely switching gears. If that were the case admissions might not have been convinced that I was prepared for the program. ID in particular requires professional experience for admission. I don't believe that is the case for IR and it is the largest program within Elliott. Your GRE scores alone probably wouldn't be a deal breaker...if you're a government funded scholar I'm assuming that means you have performed well in academia. If you look at Elliott's website and feel like it's the right fit for you than I wouldn't be intimidated...I mean I guess I was just because it meant a lot to me. But without knowing what your other stats are it's tough to really judge. And as is the case in general, none of us can say with any certainty what your chances are. Not too knowledgeable on the non-US citizen aspect, but there is a good bit of diversity at Elliott. If you want to talk about it more I'd be happy to answer any questions you should have. You can always send me a private message if you don't want to divulge your stats in the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disintegrate Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 Very difficult for anyone to answer such a question. All the best. Just apply. greendiplomat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disintegrate Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 I'm a current American grad student at Elliott in the International Development Studies program. I was waitlisted at first though. I too didn't do that well on the GRE, as in about 100 points below the average accepted applicant (relatively speaking, everyone has their own idea of what a "not good" and "good" score is). My undergrad GPA was decent enough (3.35), but still a little on the low end for Elliott...hence getting waitlisted. But yes, the other components of the application are weighed heavily too...obviously or I wouldn't have made it in the door. Relevant experience can be a big factor and it can make up for the weaker parts of your application. For me, my undergrad degree is basically a foundation for ID and after that I was a Peace Corps volunteer, which is experience that couldn't really be more relevant. I was able to demonstrate my commitment to the field in my SOP. It's not as if I was completely switching gears. If that were the case admissions might not have been convinced that I was prepared for the program. ID in particular requires professional experience for admission. I don't believe that is the case for IR and it is the largest program within Elliott. Your GRE scores alone probably wouldn't be a deal breaker...if you're a government funded scholar I'm assuming that means you have performed well in academia. If you look at Elliott's website and feel like it's the right fit for you than I wouldn't be intimidated...I mean I guess I was just because it meant a lot to me. But without knowing what your other stats are it's tough to really judge. And as is the case in general, none of us can say with any certainty what your chances are. Not too knowledgeable on the non-US citizen aspect, but there is a good bit of diversity at Elliott. If you want to talk about it more I'd be happy to answer any questions you should have. You can always send me a private message if you don't want to divulge your stats in the forum. Mal - how many International students are there at Elliott? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mal83 Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 disintegrate -- "Approximately 700 graduate students from more than 25 countries attend the Elliott School every year. In addition, the Elliott School has over 5,000 graduate alumni throughout the world." Taken directly from Elliott's website. Hope that helps because I of course don't have an exact number and not sure where I would get that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disintegrate Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 Cool. From your experience, how have the employment opportunities for International Students at Elliott been? I was accepted by GWU Traschtenberg last fall. However, keen for Elliott! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mal83 Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 Oh, I'm not an international student so I can't comment on employment from that perspective. You might want to contact Elliott, I'm sure they can provide you with information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WazienBukhari Posted January 1, 2012 Author Share Posted January 1, 2012 Thanks for the detailed reply Mal. Appreciate it greatly. Will contact you soon about my stats, but just a heads up, they're sad. What made me keen on Elliott is the fact that a number of the professors in the faculty are pretty much the people that names popped up in my current undergrad textbooks in particular David Shambaugh. Plus I like DC, been there a number of times and have always loved it each time I visit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mal83 Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 Thanks for the detailed reply Mal. Appreciate it greatly. Will contact you soon about my stats, but just a heads up, they're sad. What made me keen on Elliott is the fact that a number of the professors in the faculty are pretty much the people that names popped up in my current undergrad textbooks in particular David Shambaugh. Plus I like DC, been there a number of times and have always loved it each time I visit. Well let's see if there is anything we can work with before we use the word "sad." Knowing names of faculty that you want to take classes or work with can be a great thing to put in an SOP...so that's a plus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WazienBukhari Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 Hi Mal, I've PM you my stats. please do have a look. thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popcandy Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 In terms of employment opportunities, a lot of international students I know work in their respective embassies in DC. Have you tried giving a look at your embassy in DC to see if they are hiring or have internship opportunities? Also some of my international friends work for the World Bank, which might be an option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disintegrate Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 How big is the MA in IR program Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mal83 Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Elliott admits about 350 student each year, but that's to all of the programs. IR is the largest though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now