Question regarding Top IS Graduate Schools Admission Competitiveness

[Fadigzzur]

Hello,

I am a upcoming senior at Boston College and am interested in applying to graduate international studies programs (preferably top ones, like SAIS perhaps). I want to know if my following circumstance will be considered when I apply: In my freshmen year, I did terribly in my science classes (which composed half of my course load) and got a 2.5 GPA as a result. My non science classes were all B's and A's that year. I then switched from Biology to Political Science and took the appropriate political science, economics, language and elective courses during my Sophomore and Junior year. I buckled down and literally only got A's in these class and expect to do so again this upcoming semester. Due to my first year, my current GPA is 3.48 and I expect it to rise to 3.51/3.52. I have good extracurriculars, above average standardized test scores, job experience (albeit not international studies related persay). Do I stand a shot against all the other applicants who didn't have a terrible first year as I had?

I know it is never certain and more specifics could be stated, but I just want to know if there are people with similar freshmen years such as myself who still were accepted into top IS programs. You can ask more questions if you wish. I thanks you for any advice given.

Edited July 17, 2012 by Fadigzzur

[RWBG]

I think your GPA is strong enough that with a positive trend you shouldn't have too many issues as a result of it. I think your situation is not uncommon, and in my experience admissions committees are not so worried about what your overall GPA is as they are what specific courses you took and what your grades were in those courses.

[Penelope Higgins]

You'll get better advice in the professional schools forum. My sense is that admissions to SAIS, Georgetown SFS, etc is very hard straight from undergrad and that work experience makes a big difference in the competitiveness of an application.

[RWBG]

You'll get better advice in the professional schools forum. My sense is that admissions to SAIS, Georgetown SFS, etc is very hard straight from undergrad and that work experience makes a big difference in the competitiveness of an application.

Sorry, I didn't even notice that you were applying to places like SAIS. This forum is more for people applying to Ph.D programs.

[jazzrap]

I think your GPA is strong enough that with a positive trend you shouldn't have too many issues as a result of it. I think your situation is not uncommon, and in my experience admissions committees are not so worried about what your overall GPA is as they are what specific courses you took and what your grades were in those courses.

Concerning GPA, if I have a B+ for a business Calc II and a C+ for IT management, but I can still do probit model in my thesis, will that grade still destroy me? My overall is going to be around 3.7, and the trend is totally positive.

Thanks!!