Profile evaluation

[polsci]

Hi everyone

 

I am a newbie here and hoping that anyone may evaluate my chance to a top-25 school in American politics. Please give me some suggestions. Thank you so much.

 

GRE: 162V 165Q 5.5W

 

Graduate

Degree:                       JD from a tier-2 law school, accelerated graduation.

GPA and Rank:           Top 20% of class (highest GPA was 3.5) in the first three semester

                                   Rank dropped sharply in the last two semester because I shortened the program and took 7 courses a semester,                                                                                                                  Still top 40% (GPA>3), given the mandatory curve in law school. 

Honor:                         Merit Scholarship throughout the program (half-tuition waiver)

Research Experience: Associate editor for school law journal (2nd most cited in this field)

                                    Articles Editor for local ethnic bar association

                                    RA for a constitutional law professor on topic of rule of law for a year

                                    Research Intern for a policy-based organization

                                    (Judicial internship at a federal district court, withdrew for job-unrelated reasons)

 

Undergraduate

School:                        Regional public college in the U.S., Political Science major, no degree awarded

GPA:                           10 major courses only, GPA 3.87

Honor:                         Top student award many times (no Dean's List or whatsoever because I was a part-time student who worked full-time)

 

School:                        An unknown Chinese university with two bachelor's degrees, neither major is in social science

GPA:                           Below 3 in two majors

 

Writing skills

Legal writing: A-

Advance legal writing: A-

Contract writing: A-

College writing: A+

Writing-intensive undergraduate seminar: A

 

Contributor

Multiple Chinese newspapers, magazines and websites. Interviewed by a provincial TV station twice.

In total, more than 30 articles about American politics and legal system have been published, though all in Chinese.

 

LOR

I believe I can get

one from the law professors I RA for

one from another law professor who teaches Federal Courts and Federal System, the most intellectually challenging course at our school

one from a professor of political science: I took three of her undergraduate courses and scored A each time, she is from UC Berkeley 

Edited November 22, 2013 by polsci

[cooperstreet]

What are your interests?

[polsci]

American politics

[cooperstreet]

anything more specific? what type of methods would you like to use?

[polsci]

I'd like to pursue empirical research in constitutional law, separation of powers or the interaction among constitutionally specific institutions, federalism or the central-local relationship, American common law, and the politics of founding era.