Chances? (Shocking, right?)

[LackLuster]

Sorry to offer yet another post of this breed, so I'll keep it somewhat short and sweet. Any advice ya'll could offer would be immensely appreciated.

In short, I'm a master's candidate in American Government at great school. It's ranked Top 40 among Poli Sci graduate schools, but given the dearth of universities offering terminal master's options, I'd wager this school's pretty close to the top among M.A. programs.

The semester hasn't been going on too long, but I seem to be doing well, and I'm so in love with the curriculum that I've started toying around with the idea of pursuing a PhD down the road. I'm fantasizing about snagging a spot in a Top 10-15 institution and becoming a professor and researcher, but I just don't know if it's feasible.

I'd like to work out in the real world for a couple years before I submit myself to another 4-6 years of school, so I have time to do things like take the GRE again. I'm exploring options now because I figure it'll make my life easier later.

Sooo, my basic question is pretty simple. With my stats, what are my odds of getting into a Top 10 program for poli sci with a focus in American Government? Top 15? 20? 30? Should I take another crack at the GRE and risk losing my math and writing scores in an attempt to boost the verbal score?

My most significant area of interest is media and politics, but I'm also interested in political engagement and mobilization, political inequality, political psychology, and the presidency.

Stats:

GRE:

750 Math (84%ile)

660 Verbal (94%ile)

6.0 Writing (97%ile)

Undergraduate GPA: 3.95, 4.0 for major (journalism)

Grad GPA: Won't know til semester's end, but expect it to be solid.

Other factors: Some journalism background. Several awards for reporting and writing. Position on a local editorial board and an internship at a well-known ideological political magazine.

Recs: Should be killer. One undergrad rec I'll almost certainly use again loves me, and expect to get equally positive recs from two grad professors by the time I graduate.

Writing sample: I write. It's what I do. Should be strong.

[pea-jay]

Well if you love the program as much as you say you do and you are on an academic roll, so to speak why not go for the pHD? Anytime you leave a university, you run the risk of not returning (for whatever reason). Go apply for the PHD program and worry about it only if you do not get in.