Improving my chances on landing my dream school

Graduate School
1

Hi all,

I’m just beginning my senior year at a state research university. It’s by no means prestigious, but I’ve got a 3.78 GPA and I’m certain I can secure a good GRE score (~150-165) because of strong test-taking skills. I’ll be getting my BA w/honors in International Studies in May, but I want to take some time off to work before pursuing an MA in Global Affairs, and I’ve decided Yale is the institution I want to attend.
My work plans so far are Peace Corps (just received my invitation!), but I’m wondering if you all would have suggestions on how to strengthen my resume before applying. What should I do in the next 5 years to better my chances of acceptance?

Thanks!

2

I ought to add that I have lots of internship experience, primarily in non-profit work, but do not have any published papers nor have a contributed to any research.

3

@tigersandtrees - Welcome to the Forum! It seems that you have a plan, and I think it is a good one. You will get valuable experience in the Peace Corps which should make your application stronger. If your GPA and GRE scores are strong, you can certainly aspire to a admission in a good program. However, don’t put all your eggs in the Yale basket. Remember that highly selective programs are called that because they have a lot of applicants and only accept a few. Make sure you identify some other programs (talk to your professors now) to which you can also apply. You will improve your chances of getting the kind of post graduate degree you want.

4

Agree that Peace Corps duty & high GRE along with high undergraduate GPA (over 3.80) should be adequate to make you a very competitive applicant.

5

I second what @xraymancs has to say about putting all your sites on one particular school. You are going to experience a lot of things over the next five years. Be open to a variety of schools. The one you end up might not even be anywhere near your sites right now, but there will be other variables to consider then.

6

Thanks for the advice everyone!

7

Being competitive at a school like Yale does not mean being admitted. Consider Tufts, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown and other schools too.