Political Science PhDs?

[coped]

I'm looking for an American Politics and Public Policy/Admin as major fields. Will my low UG GPA and mediocre quant scores keep me out of the better schools?

Undergrad GPA: 3.1, second-tier state school

Master of Public Admin: 4.0, second-tier state school

Master of Arts in History: 3.8, second-tier state school

GRE, Verbal: 710; Quant: 580

5 years work experience in newspaper journalism and some freelance curator work

I want to apply to the following schools. Does anyone have experience with these? Am I setting my sights too high?

My top schools would be as follows:

Columbia

UNC Chapel Hill

Michigan

Others:

Indiana

Texas

Maryland