Competitive Applicant at IR schools?

[Mick Loving]

Hello all,

It is time to follow through on planning my future and would really like some input on whether or not I would be a competitive applicant. (If anyone has any career suggestions i.e. Fellowship or state dept programs, that would be great too).

My situation is somewhat unique due to my improved academic records and very strong extracurricular background, so any input would be helpful; here is a chronological synopsis of my background since high school:

- Minority Student

- Attended "Top-5" LAC - dual sport athlete; average student with mainly B/Cs in freshman/sophomore years of course work (studying economics)

- Took time off and traveled abroad doing fellowship in conflict resolution in Middle East

- Returned to top LAC for a year before transferring to Temple University

-Changed specialization to Political Science & Econ minor

- 3.9 GPA at Temple after first 10 courses (Econ of development, international trade, israeli and palestinian lit, political philosophy, statistics, international relations among then)

- Invited to University/Departmental Honors program past Spring

- Named to Dean's list

- Named Dean's Scholar for maintaining 4.0 GPA

- Participated in Senior department honors seminar for polisci

- conducted individual research project (6000 word thesis) on influence of international

norms on UN reform following cold war

- picked up Arabic as a third language

-course list below

Academic overview:

* High School:

- nominated as Student athlete of year for league for basketball

- currently two school records in track and field

- senior award for sportsmanship and contributions to athletic program

* Top-LAC (2006-2009)

-Average / Shaky student in economics studies (~2.5 - 3.0 range)

-Silver medalist League championships for track

- Starting member for varsity basketball

- all-league sportsmanship team

- very challenging course schedule (econometrics, intermediate macro & micro, american politics, modern history of middle east, public policy, game theory, behavioral Econ, conflict resolution research seminar)

*Conflict resolution Fellowship through a state university

- lived in Israel/Palestine studying conflict resolution for the summer

*Temple university (2012-2014)

- changed major to politics with Econ minor

- Recognized as Dean's scholar for academic excellence

- Dean's List

- University & Departmental Honors

- 4.0 GPA in Major after around 8 classes

- Courses taken: Arabic, International Trade, Economics of Decelopment, Stat & Calculus, Honors Strategic Management, Honors Humanities, Foreign Government and Pol., International politics, Honors Polisci Capstone, Political Philosophy, Public Policy Analysis, Theories of War& Peace (one more TBD), Israeli/Palestinian Literature

- independent research on international institutions

*Extracurricular

- Currently hold 2 school records from top private high school

- Worked as counselor at internationally-recognized NGO specializing in conflict resolution (two former US presidents and the current Queen of another country serve on the advisory board)

- Student-Athlete of the year for my league (recognized by club in the city)

- Honored by HS for greatest contributions to athletic program from my class

- Lived in East Jerusalem studying conflict resolution through fellowship

- decently handsome (just kidding)

- elementary Arabic and enough Spanish skills to communicate/survive

*Minority student

My current plan is to work for an NGO again this summer and then take grad school exams and apply to grad school next fall. If anyone has any input (or can recommend any schools/programs) I would greatly appreciate it...

Regards,

Swat team

[jazzrap]

overall GPA?

[TheGnome]

What is your goal for applying to grad school? You need to figure out that first. Do you want to be a scholar? Do you want a government job? Do you want to work in the think-tank world? Private sector? Consulting? Law maybe? This forum is for people applying to political science PhD programs. If you are not absolutely sure that this is what you want to do, STAY AWAY! DO NOT get yourself into this. (I guess this is valid for everyone in this forum, not just you)

 

This is a pretty long list you have here about yourself. It seems that if you can secure decent GRE scores, your profile should keep you in the running wherever you apply - maybe apart from professional programs that specifically require work experience from applicants.

 

However, you need to figure out what you want first.

[cooperstreet]

As you may know, getting anywhere useful with Arabic will take 5 years or so. If you're at the elementary stage, does that mean that you took one year at Temple? Keep in mind that is equivalent to about one semester at most other schools.

[Poli92]

In addition to TheGnome's post, if you do determine that you want to pursue a PhD, do you have an idea of what your specific research interest would be within IR? 

 

You seem to have a pronounced regional interest in the Middle East, and there is nothing wrong with that; however, if you decide to emphasize the Middle East as an area focus when you apply, it may not be received well at IR programs.  I've gotten the impression from a few friends/professors that IR programs don't get terribly excited about those selling themselves as area specialists, as it can send the message that that person may not be willing to do some of the broader, phenomenon-focused research that is conducted in IR.  That being said, you can always look at CP programs or interdisciplinary masters or doctoral programs in area studies if you're interested in pointedly studying the Middle East. 

 

Take this all with a grain of salt, because every adcom at every school will be different, and there are some in the field (Mark Tessler for example) that advocate a merge between IR and area studies.  Food for thought. 

Edited December 8, 2013 by JoeW92

[cooperstreet]

I second what JoeW92 says. How many IR scholars are there who do IR and speak Arabic? I literally cannot think of any.