Profile Chance for Mid Ranked Schools?

[SeniorUnderGrad]

Hi everyone, 

Here is my profile for my grad school apps. I'm not necessarily looking at going to a top 10 school but I wanted to see where I really fit in with some semi top schools and mid ranked schools. I'm currently looking at applying to USC, UCLA, Brown (my higher up schools) and Syracuse, CUNY Graduate School and UCONN. 

 

Goal: PhD in Political Science

Type of Undergrad Institution: Small private school in MA 
Major:  Political Science
Undergrad GPA: 3.61

Type of Grad:  N/A (Graduating Senior in Undergrad this year) 

GRE: 149 V, 152 Q, N/A AWA
 

Letters of Recommendation: Great. One from a former professor who teacher at Yale now, one that publishes a great deal that I co taught a course with, and one within my subfield. All know me and my work outside the class as well .

Research Experience:  Only in class research papers. Working on starting one next semester with my professor.

Teaching Experience: 2 semesters being a something close to a TA during my undergraduate. 

Subfield/Research Interests: 
International Relations, theory, feminism, multi methods approaches, equality  

 

I guess I'm most worried about my GRE scores and whether they help or hurt or neither. I know my personal statement looks very strong and my letters of recs are great. Am I competitive for the schools that I am looking at though?

[cooperstreet]

Competitive? I'd say definately not for UCLA. I also don't think they would be willing to advise someone who wants to study IR and feminism and equality--the latter two are not things represented in top IR programs. I'm not sure about the other programs.

[cgfren08]

I would re-take that GRE. I am also applying to mid ranked schools and a lot of them have a cutoff at around 310 cumulative. 

 

You don't want the most easily improved aspect of your application to be the part that dings you IMO. 

Edited November 3, 2015 by cgfren08

[Mnemonics2]

What an odd mix of schools. I'm assuming that represents where you think you fit best (which, fair enough)?

I would tend to agree with cooperstreet that UCLA is a stretch but that it also might not be the best fit anyway. And I'm sure you stand a reasonable enough chance of getting into CUNY or Uconn if you are a good fit for what they want. 

Retaking the GRE is a good idea.

Have you considered some of the schools more in the middle? For IR, even feminism, anywhere from UVA or GW (ok, the funding is awful there) to BC/BU/GMU/Arizona might not be a bad idea. People from these places get fine jobs and the training is still excellent.

Question: You say you are at a small school in MA. Williams? That actually matters a fair bit. Williams is one of the best thought of schools in the country, so that would boost you a great deal for top programs.

[MonstersU-Terp]

Some other programs you may want to consider:

 

NYU School of Professional Studies -- MS in Global Affairs. Their areas of concentration include Global Gender Studies, Peacebuilding, International Development and Humanitarian Assistance, and Human Rights and International Law.

 

GWU Elliott School of International Affairs -- MA in International Development Studies. You design your own area of specialization. Some examples they give are Gender and Development, Humanitarian Assistance, and Democracy and Governance. 

 

University of Buffalo Transnational Studies -- MA or PhD in Global Gender Studies. You choose one of two concentrations: Feminist Studies or Global Gender Studies.

 

American University School of International Service -- MA in Ethics, Peace, and Global Affairs. Courses in the program include Feminist Philosophy, Gender and Conflict, and Women and Development.

 

Brandeis University Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program  -- MA, MA/JD, MA/PhD, or joint MA with another discipline. You can choose to do a joint program (two MA) or get a PhD in one of the following: anthropology, English, Near Eastern and Judaic studies, public policy, sociology, or sustainable international development.

 

Here's a great list of programs for you to peruse: http://www.smith.edu/swg/pdfs/Women's%20Studies%20and%20Law%20Programs.pdf

[cooperstreet]

Most of those programs are cash cows. They will charge you and arm and a leg to take classes at their institution. If you have a hundred grand to drop, then make the best of it, but ususally the advising in those programs is subpar.

[Mnemonics2]

^ I agree. And usually it is better to get a solid degree in a respected core academic discipline. Then, you simply study what you would've been studying anyway, but with much more academic credibility.

[cooperstreet]

No one cares about the AWA score. It may be helpful if english is your second language, but the difference between a 5 and a 5.5 is negligble.  CUNY has a horrible funding situation AFAIK.

PhD programs train people to do research, they, by and large, are primarily concerned with research and not teaching, since ideally in a PhD program you won't be doing too much teaching.

[kaykaykay]

7 hours ago, SeniorUnderGrad said:

Yes thank you everyone. 

 

I know UCLA and Brown are my really long shot schools since I have the average GRE scores and not the 160s. 

 

I'm really leaning towards a school with decent funding and somewhat of a focus on teaching. Don't get me wrong I love research and I plan to do a lot of it but I would love to be a professor one day. Which is why I'm hoping that my undergrad TAing will really polish me off for my grad school apps. 

 

Ive also won a fair share of awards in my under grad (who's who being one of them) and I've been fairly active in clubs as president or secretary and doing community service. So I hope those help as well. 

 

Does anyone think I could still be competitive at CUNY and UCONN and USC if I don't retake the GRE but get a 5 or higher on the AWA to offset my verbal score? 

Maybe you would like to do a teaching degree instead of a PhD? The problem is with your plans is that usually that schools that have decent funding require decent GREs. AWA does not matter in admissions neither do extracurricular activities, unless it is research. So as a first step you should improve both of your GREs unless of course you are ok with no funding or an alternative path like education programs (although I am not sure about the requirements for those)/