<p>Hi, I’m currently a senior at a pretty good private university. I’m planning on applying to graduate school next year, and I have yet to take either the GREs or the LSATs. So I realize my current profile isn’t close to being complete. </p>
<p>I was wondering if anyone might be able to give me an assessment of where I currently stand and the strength of my “softs”.</p>
<p>I am a History major and I am writing a Honors thesis.</p>
<p>I will, unless something goes terribly wrong, graduate with around a 3.5 overall.</p>
<p>I have interned for a congressman in his DC office, a Governor, and have done historical research for a History Organization. I am also planning on trying to intern at a think tank in the coming year.</p>
<p>I am still figuring out what it is I want to pursue, but I do know that it will probably be focused on History, philosophy, political theory, public policy, or law.</p>
<p>I was just wondering how strong a profile this is for when I do apply to Graduate school (or Law school I suppose). I was also hoping to maybe get a better sense of the schools I should be researching when I’m thinking about various programs I would like to apply to.</p>
<p>Maybe this isn’t enough information, but I figured it was worth a shot. </p>
<p>It might be helpful if you could let us know more about your internships. How substantial are they? Some internships involve serious primary research; others are basically administrative. What are your duties and accomplishments?</p>
<p>The history organization internship was certainly the most extensive research experience I’ve had. I helped to conduct interviews, went through government documents, and old city records and census data. I also worked on producing case studies, and worked on research for a small museum that will be built in a year.</p>
<p>My work at the Governor’s office was probably the most “administrative” internship I had. I worked in the scheduling office.</p>
<p>The congressional internship was a bit of a blend, I did do normal ‘intern’ work (filing, answering phones, giving tours, etc.) but I also did some research on various legislative issues. Overall though, it certainly wasn’t a research heavy job.</p>
<p>I’m hoping that an experience working at think tank on actual policy initiatives will bolster my research credentials.</p>
<p>I didn’t mention this before, and I don’t know influential it is, but I’m in Phi Alpha Theta (the history honors society). Also, for whatever it’s worth, my thesis is on a subject in intellectual history.</p>
<p>Please, plesae, please unless you can’t think of anything else to do, don’t apply for history PhD! Or any PhD programs for that matter. PhD programs, especially history and English, do not want people who are not focused and don’t have solid research interests/ideas that are new to the field.</p>
<p>I would keep investigating your options so we can help guide you with more specifics. Don’t rush into the grad school game- take a year to do some paralegal/litigation work to see if law’s for you. It’s great that you’re doing all the research- definitely finish your honors thesis.</p>