Needs Help Regarding Grad School ( Science Po, LSE). Thanks!

[Auguria]

Dear All,

First, I hope everyone is doing well! I am new here, and I found this forum to be very helpful for anyone envisaging graduate school.

I am currently an undergraduate student majoring in Political Science at a CUNY University ( The public university of New York City). I am minoring in English, History and Philosophy and my GPA is 3.65.

I have a fairly interesting life story despite my young age (21 years old). Born in a war-torn country, coming from a family which had been continually politically oppressed by the communist regime until the year of my birth, I was personnally confronted with the horrors of the civil war, and exiled in Paris, France where from the age of 10 to 13, my family and I were homeless. I have, thus, double citizenship: French and Albanian. At the age of 17, we moved to NYC, and since then I have been occupied with the writing of a book, which hopefully will be finished before my 22nd birthday. I have the American Green Card. I have won some prestigious literary awards, I have interned at the Albanian Ministry of Justice for a whole summer, and I have interned at one of the NYC Supreme Court.

I would like to apply to Science Po and possibly LSE. My preference would be to go back home (Science Po Paris) for a Master and then come back to the US for Law School. My main focus would be to continue a Master in Political Science in Political Theory at L'ecole Doctorale of Science Po, or concentrate in the study of International Relations at Science Po or LSE.

Can anyone enlighten me as to what is the difference between the two cited masters at Science Po? Which one is more prestigious ? Is the Master at L'Ecole Doctorale a rather good program?

Also, I have heard that Science Po encourages and accepts more easily international students than French students. Will I be guaranteed acceptation more easily if I was to apply as Albanian as opposed to French even though I will be graduating with a B.A?

And finally, I am extremely worried about my GPA as it does not reflect my abilities. I wonder if I can explain ( or rather would I be allowed to explain) that it was as a result of a major family issue... Will the fact that both my parents were victims of rather dangerous and life-threatening car accident, and that being the only person speaking English in the household, I needed to take care of almost everything while working two jobs (over 35h/week), being a full-time student, as well as involved in my college ' student activites ?

I thank you all very much, and I hope I have not bothered you with my long comment. All inputs are very much appreciated, and do not hesitate if you have any questions.

R.