any fall 2010 applicants?

[dan451]

I'm doing a career change. I studied creative and professional writing in undergrad (Carnegie Mellon University). Got a good GPA (3.95) -- that was years ago. Since then, I've been a journalist, a writing teacher at a public arts high school, and most recently an ESL teacher in Argentina and South Korea. I speak Spanish; learning Korean is proving quite difficult. I took the GRE this summer, really hit the books hard, because I wanted to show that even though I didn't have a quant. background, I had a facility for it (took Calculus in high school, then one semester of it in college). Got a 760v, 800q, 5.5 a.w. I didn't have the econ. prereqs, so I took them online and will be getting one letter of rec. from my Macroeconomics professor, who liked me.

My main concern is whether my professional background is irrelevant; I'm a recent convert to IR. I am passionate about it, but this has only been within the last two years. I know living abroad helps, but I don't have the internships, NGO or public service background that some of you have.

I'm currently deciding between international development and American foreign policy. Originally, I was drawn to the idea of being a diplomat, perhaps consular work or public diplomacy, but increasingly lately I've felt the pull of development. Latin American economic development and politics are what fascinate me. It was my time in Argentina that led me down this path. I really like what I've learned so far about Fletcher. Also interested in Johns Hopkins (particularly the Bologna option; would love to get a European perspective on things and practice my Italian). I'll also probably apply to Georgetown and maybe Harvard and WWS (both pie-in-the-sky), and possibly GWU or American. From what I've read on here, SIPA doesn't interest me -- too outsized, too impersonal.

Anyhow, thanks to everyone on the forum here for giving such useful advice. I've been sifting through these posts for a while and learned a great deal -- and been humbled.

[wooldogg]

I'm almost certain I'll apply this fall to MPP programs. I'm looking for highly analytic programs with strong environmental policy emphasis. I'm still a little torn as to whether or not I should go for an econ phd.

My background: GRE: 770Q, 700V, 5.5W. 3.86GPA from a top 20 university (econ major). A couple years of think-tank research assistant experience. 1 year travel/volunteer. 1 year research assistant to an economist.

I think I'll apply to Duke (dual Nicholas/Sanford), Goldman School, and WWS. On the maybe list there is HKS (too much $$$!), Indiana (not very quant-heavy), Michigan (dual degree?) and Bren-UCSB (not an MPP). Any advice about programs with a strong quant-strong environmental combo would be appreciated.

Looking forward to sharing tips/insights on schools with everyone!

[Douracell]

did you look at the SIPA MPA in sustainable development?

[greendiplomat]

did you look at the SIPA MPA in sustainable development?

Just to follow up / clarify on Douracell's point, there's an MPA in Development Practice, and a PhD in Sustainable Development (I thought I'd 'defend' my home institution...).

The MPA in Development Practice, as can be seen by the curriculum (http://sipa.columbia.edu/academics/degr ... culum.html) focuses on the Sachs-style model of development aid, and, while it includes an environmental component, it's definitely not the focus (I mean, there's more required public health classes than environmental ones).

The PhD curriculum (http://sipa.columbia.edu/academics/degr ... culum.html), while also based on the Sachs-style model of development, includes a much heavier environmental component. Here again, though, it's important to note that it's a degree in sustainable development (i.e. development that is sustainable), rather than environmental sustainability in general.

[wendylee86]

I am SO glad this forum exists!

...I

[agh423]

Wendy!! So funny to see you on here!! This is Andrew H from SLU/Tutoring/Econ classes (haha) (I'll refrain my using my last name!). So awesome to be in the same process you will be going through! I looked into LSE as well, but from what I've heard, a degree from there isn't much good outside of the UK. Maybe I am wrong about it?

Good luck on your GRE!! Taking it on Tuesday and have been studying all summer. Can't wait to get it over with. :mrgreen:

[jndaven]

Anyone else frustrated that most places haven't posted applications yet? September is way too late!

[Cornell07]

Anyone else frustrated that most places haven't posted applications yet? September is way too late!

Just get cracking on your personal statement ("I love helping people!"), statement of purpose ("I am somewhat qualified to help people for the rest of my life!"), and policy memo ("Some people have a problem and this is how I can help them!". There may be a leadership essay ("My group had a problem and I helped by giving them the tools to solve it!"), depending on where you apply. The rest is just a few hours of paperwork ("Embark\Applyyourself, help me, help you!").

[fighter_2008]

Guys thought I'd just contribute by 'giving back' to the Forum that had helped me so much last year... I'm currently at the Kennedy Sch doing my MPP (Yes! I made it and you can too!) and the key thing I would advise all is to START EARLY! At this time last year I had all my recs and GMAT wrapped up already and the main thing I was focusing on was just the statements of purpose/esssays which I took abt 4 months to develop. I was still editing and making adjustments to the letters/memos up till the very last day so it will not harm you to start as early as possible.

One thing I thought was really useful that I read from some grad sch essay guide book was to send out the application to your lower choice schools first and then submit your top choice school application LAST. Once you hit the send button you can't take it back and that's when you really start thinking how you could have made that essay better, how you wished you could have added in that one more idea which would clinch it for the adcoms. Submitting the application for your top choice school the last maximises those chances of putting all the good ideas and insights into the application for that school that matters most to you.

Hope this helps and good luck to all!

[user713]

Oops, I'm new here, so I'm reposting a post to this thread.

I'm an undergraduate thinking of applying to an IR program with a focus on East Asian studies. I like IPS because of its small size, and it's Stanford. However, I don't really have any work experience. I've done state-level internships, worked on the Obama campaign. I'll also have spent a year taking undergrad classes (in Chinese, I'm from the States). I've taken no econ beyond micro/macro, but I've done a calc-based stats class and Multivariable Calculus & Linear Algebra. I know that IPS has pretty stringent requirements. My GRE Verbal was a 760, Math, 730, which is not great, I know. I have a GPA of 3.7/4.00 at a strong liberal arts college. I think I'll have at least two strong recs. Not having had international economics, do I even have a chance there? They seem really strict; I could possibly take an int'l econ course at Tsinghua in the spring though I don't know whether they will consider that valid.

I'm also interested in WWS and the more 'traditional' top IR schools (SIPA/SAIS/Fletcher/MSFS). My main concern is my lack of work experience. How much is that component weighted? Also, does anyone know whether financial aid is going to be restricted this year due to the financial situation of the schools?

Any feedback is appreciated, thank you!

[cckrspnl56]

My GRE Verbal was a 760, Math, 730, which is not great.

And this is why I sometimes have to bang my head against the desk while reading these forums.

[f_man]

Oops, I'm new here, so I'm reposting a post to this thread.

I'm an undergraduate thinking of applying to an IR program with a focus on East Asian studies. I like IPS because of its small size, and it's Stanford. However, I don't really have any work experience. I've done state-level internships, worked on the Obama campaign. I'll also have spent a year taking undergrad classes (in Chinese, I'm from the States). I've taken no econ beyond micro/macro, but I've done a calc-based stats class and Multivariable Calculus & Linear Algebra. I know that IPS has pretty stringent requirements. My GRE Verbal was a 760, Math, 730, which is not great, I know. I have a GPA of 3.7/4.00 at a strong liberal arts college. I think I'll have at least two strong recs. Not having had international economics, do I even have a chance there? They seem really strict; I could possibly take an int'l econ course at Tsinghua in the spring though I don't know whether they will consider that valid.

I'm also interested in WWS and the more 'traditional' top IR schools (SIPA/SAIS/Fletcher/MSFS). My main concern is my lack of work experience. How much is that component weighted? Also, does anyone know whether financial aid is going to be restricted this year due to the financial situation of the schools?

Any feedback is appreciated, thank you!

760v and 730q is not great. i highly suggest you retake the GRE, because anything less than the 92nd and 99th percentiles on the GREs is sub-par.

[Cornell07]

Just take at look at last year's profiles versus where we got got in. That should ease your worries somewhat. viewtopic.php?f=15&t=16905

[user713]

Thanks for the link, Cornell07!

Sorry for sounding silly, esp about GRE scores. As I said it was my first post on the forum. Everyone I talk to seems to have differing opinions about what numbers are considered good (90th percentile+ comes up a lot), especially for an undergrad applying directly.

That said, does anyone know generally what percentage of each class is composed of kids fresh out of college? For those who are currently in IR programs, are recent college grads at a serious disadvantage/or are annoying for having little 'real-world' experiences? I'm weighing both options-work or school. Again, any advice would be really appreciated!

[cckrspnl56]

Grad school ad-comms are looking for a diverse group of people to come to their school every year. That being said, I think it's about 20-30% of students who come straight to work. The average age for most of the programs I am applying to is anywhere from 25-27 with work experience of 2-3 years.

I'm applying to the top graduate schools with what will be only one year (at matriculation) of work experience in a field that isn't directly related to my interests (I'm teaching ESL in China). My lack of work experience is one of the things I'm *least* worried about. I'm more worried about being able to convey my passions and interests in my statement of purpose without using the words passion and interest half a dozen times.

Don't worry too much about your work history. They use it to evaluate 1) a demonstrated interest in the field, and 2) your ability to handle grad school. You only need to worry if you don't think your GPA, GRE, LOR, and SOP can't do that.

[OperaticDiva]

Hey everyone I'm applying for Fall '10 hence me replying to the topic! Im going for a JD/MPP or just a MPP and then JD later part time. I am not sure if I have the money to go another 4 years full time. I am hoping that I can do a fast track MPP in one year and then go get my JD at night. Is anyone else thinking about this?

[riz1]

Can the mods please block aabchuan? And any others who feel World of Warcraft is relevant to government / international relations?

Whoa, I just said a mouthful there. Ha!

[Cornell07]

Can the mods please block aabchuan? And any others who feel World of Warcraft is relevant to government / international relations?

Whoa, I just said a mouthful there. Ha!

http://www.wired.com/gaming/virtualworl ... wow_terror :wink:

[International_Relations]

Hi, I will be applying to schools during the next two months for the Fall Admissions.

My target schools are: Fletcher, KSG, WWS, SIPA, LSE, Sciences Po, SAIS

My GRE scores are V710 and Q790. I have three years of work experience in the Financial/Securities domain with a large US Investment Bank based out of Mumbai, India. I did my Masters from the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade in International Business (GPA 3.72, with a couple of scholarships and Gold Medal for academics) and am a Licentiate member of the apex Corporate Governance issues body in India, the Institute of Company Secretaries of India. Also, Commerce Graduate of the Shri Ram College of Commerce (two Japanese scholarships) and an FRM charter holder.

I have had international educational experience in Europe (Helsinki; exchange studies) and work experience in New York.

Im looking for help with planning my SOP in a manner which enables me to target these schools. Any help / suggestions / critiques would be greatly appreciated.

Also, please feel free to suggest relevant programs / additional schools for a Masters in Public Ad/ International Relations - Im looking to pursue a career with multilateral orgs and think tanks further down the line.

Edited November 11, 2009 by International_Relations

[Cornell07]

When you get to grad school, it never really ends. At the moment I am writing three personal statements: one for a trip to China and two for the storied Grand Strategy seminar (WSJ article). Of course, I've already written a couple internship applications and, next fall, odds are good that I'll be taking more standardized tests (FSO examination) and writing more personal statements (PhD programs, perhaps?). Good luck, all!

Try giving yourselves a deadline of, say, December 1 to have your rough draft of your personal statements ready. It feels crummy when you send off that first app and you realize that there was so much more (or a least so much of a better way) to write about yourself. You should have asked all of your LOR writers by now as one or more will be ungodly slow to get anything in on time.

Edited November 12, 2009 by Cornell07

[Cornell07]

Rewrite, digest, rewrite, digest, and rewrite again is one of the best ways to put out the best personal statement. Writing about academic and professional subjects is often very straightforward; writing about yourself is finding that tiny area of appearing confident and successful that is between coming off like a pompous jerk or an ill-prepared, head-in-the-clouds neophyte. Just looking at my latest "personal statement", it knocks the socks off of what I wrote a year ago. (Can we not edit posts after a few hours anymore???)

[Fizzydrink]

hi

Done my GREs (no, not sharing scores - there is more than two 3-digit numbers that define you as a potential grad student), SOPs done for one school, needs editing for two others, policy memo almost done - does anyone feel like they will be faced with this big empty hole in their lives once the "send" button is pressed?

Anyone else looking at MPP at WWS? student bios look a bit scary...

I am rambling and should stop wasting time browsing this forum and go back to work.

I guess I was looking for moral support!

[carpecc]

When you get to grad school, it never really ends. At the moment I am writing three personal statements: one for a trip to China and two for the storied Grand Strategy seminar (WSJ article).

Cornell dude, come on out to China! It's the bomb over here. Eight years on and I'm not ready to return. Well actually I kind of am, we'll see how the grad apps turn out. Send me a message if you have any China related questions.

[cckrspnl56]

Oooh. Where are you at?

I'm teaching in Hanzhong, outside of Xi'an, until February.

[carpecc]

Oooh. Where are you at?

I'm teaching in Hanzhong, outside of Xi'an, until February.

Down south, back and forth between Guangzhou and Shenzhen. I was up in Shanxi in Sept, went to Yanan and Huashan. Be sure to climb Huashan if you haven't already. Beautiful trip. Avoid bringing too much gear, that's one steep climb.

My recs all in, haven't touched my SOP for three weeks now. I'm looking forward to going back at it with fresh eyes.