Chances for American SIS, Fletcher, GTown SFS, Elliot, LSE

Graduate School
1

<p>My top choice program is the Ethics, Peace, and Global Affairs program at American</p>

<p>School: A well-known public HBCU
Year in Undergrad: Junior projected to graduate in Fall '10 (a semester early)
Undergrad Major: B.S. in Political Science with a concentration in IR
Grad Major: Peace and Conflict Resolution or International Affairs</p>

<p>So here’s my situation. My freshman year I attended a women’s college in the rural Midwest that I was basically forced to go to because I received a full ride. I had many bad experiences, especially being an African American (the surrounding areas were very racist… I was harassed and threatened on many occasions) and that led me to basically make straight Cs my entire freshman year. I transferred to my current institution in Fall '08… I was trying to adjust, I decided to go to the school due to financial reasons (in state tuition) although it was my last choice. I ended up doing poorly in three classes that I received a D and two F’s in but they were not related to my major (Intro to Computer Science and non majors math). I ended up retaking these courses replacing them with A’s and I did quite well my second semester.</p>

<p>Now my school offers a Masters of Applied Social Science in Political Science that takes one year to complete. Since I’m doing extra classes… I should be able to graduate in Fall '10 whereas it would typically have been Spring '11. Depending on your GPA, the school will pay you to do the masters program. If I were to do it, I would graduate in Fall '11 with a masters. I was thinking this could possibly give me an edge in applying to these IR schools in terms of getting in and/or receiving a fellowship if I had a high GPA (3.5 and above)</p>

<p>STATS AS OF THE END OF SOPHOMORE YEAR
EXCLUDING TRANSFER CREDITS
Cumulative GPA: 3.571 (my home institution), Major GPA: 3.889
If I get a 4.0 in the fall (which is likely), my cum. gpa will raise to a 3.710</p>

<p>INCLUDING TRANSFER CREDITS
Cumulative GPA: 3.014, Major GPA: 3.417</p>

<p>GRE: Practice tests…
V: 720
Q: 570</p>

<p>Languages: English (obviously) and French
Work Experience: Planning to do an internship at a DC thinktank in the spring and one internship at a nonprofit for teaching children about conflict resolution</p>

<p>International Experience: Going on Semester at Sea in Summer '10</p>

2

<p>just curious, what was the name of ur first school? Your story is very sad</p>

3

<p>You should have a good shot at EPGA at SIS, just do well on the GREs and get good recs. Given your cumulative GPA with transfer credits, it may make sense to do the Master’s at your school if you can get stellar (4.0) grades. However, taking a year off to continue working in the nonprofit conflict resolution sector would definitely help as well. </p>

<p>Funding is exceptionally hard to predict, unfortunately. However, do keep in mind that IR schools fund “lightly” - that is, only a small portion of their incoming class - for financial reasons.</p>

4

<p>bump… please respond.</p>