Harvard MPP

[justsomeguy75]

Hello everyone,

So I am a French foreign student and I need some guidance as applying to Harvard demands serious commitment and preparation.



My profile:

 

- From a very very modest background (none of my parents finished middle school - son of immigrants - but does it matter for the committee?)

 

- Graduated from France's top High School (was somewhere in the top 5 nationwide).
- Majoring Economics at the University of Paris - Sorbonne (1st and 2nd year my GPA was average but this year - the last year of my degree - I am most probably graduating with the equivalent of a straight 4.0GPA - worst case scenario is at least magna cum laude).
- A year as an exchange abroad in Rome
- Interned at the European Parliament (Assistant French European Deputy - involved in parliamentary diplomacy human rights and foreign relations - she was member of different committees and co-chaired mixed-parliamentary delegations with a parliament bellow) 3 months
- Interned at the French Parliament (Lower house - Assistant French Deputy part time of my studies - involved in the elections, in policy making, public relations ...) 3 months
- Interned at the Turkish Parliament (Internship - worked at the departement of foreign relations and protocol - was involved in parliamentary diplomacy) and Ministry of Justice in European Affairs (The Directorate is responsible for the new legislation within the scope of Turkey's adhesion to the EU) - 3 months

- Interned at an NGO in Paris dealing with Intercultural dialogue - 1 year 
- Interning at an NGO in Rome dealing with Inter-religious dialogue - 1 year (Rome = Vatican).

- I speak Turkish, French, English, some Italian

Might (If accepted) intern for the European Union's Delegation to the United Nation's in New York from May to August full time. 

I took the IELTS last month and had a final score of 8 out of 9.

I was planning to apply to LSE (IPE) and then Harvard MPP but I am thinking whether or not I should make a gap year (for internships and prepare the GRE) or start a Master degree just for the 1st year (as I have automatic acceptance to Sorbonne's masters). I am hesitating on applying to LSE this year as I won't be able to prove that 4.0GPA on time and I doubt I am that competitive ... 

Some people say I should try Harvard directly, any opinion on that? I see they would rather see someone with 2-3 years experience. I am 21 right now, and I will be freshly 23 if they accept me by September 2014. (with more or less 1.5 year of accumulated experience) 

Also, I see they have International and Global Affairs (IGA) and International Trade and Finance (ITF) among their concentration fields (could that be a good substitute to LSE's International Political Economics?).

Also, I can have LoR's from important people in the institutions I worked previously (Secretary General of the Turkish Parliament, French deputy, European Deputy, Judges etc.) but none in the academia, is it ok for Harvard? (as I focused on the extra-curricular during my studies - all the part time I did didn't leave me the time to sympathize with my professors - and that's a problem from LSE).

Last question, what would be considered as ''sufficient'' as a result at the GRE for the MPP?

Merci du fond du coeur everyone :-)

 

Edited December 30, 2012 by justsomeguy75

[HumbleBee]

• If you have the time and energy, just apply and see what happens. It's not like you are disadvantaged from reapplying later on. Europeans have a slight advantage in the MPP program as you're under represented. 
• You do seem kind of young. 'Most' (all the ones I know) of the 23 years old (i.e. people straight from undergraduate) are American and already had jobs lined up before coming in i.e. State Department or Military people (note i'm not counting the foreign VIPs that get in at 23). 
• Political Economics is broad enough to fall under either of those PACs. The PAC doesn't really matter at the end of the day. What does is if the HKS network (including MIT Sloan, HBS, all the harvard grad schools and the yard) can offer you the training you need
• Remember LoRs are more about content than who it is from. 
• Sufficient is whatever everyone else got on GRE? (have no idea...didnt do the GRE and the format has since changed). 

Edited December 30, 2012 by HumbleBee

[pete-mc]

Hello everyone,

So I am a French foreign student and I need some guidance as applying to Harvard demands serious commitment and preparation.

 

Send me a message and I'll be happy to put you in touch with someone who has a similar background like yours. Good luck!