<p>Let’s not confuse the UN with the State Department, or how things work in embassies of different countries with how things work in the USA’s foreign service. No specific education level or academic major is required for appointment as a State Department Foreign Service Officer. I would think that most FSOs have liberal arts degrees, not engineering, law, business, or medical degrees (though I have no data to verify this.)
[Becoming</a> A Foreign Service Officer - FSOT Wiki](<a href=“Join This Site - Fsot”>Join This Site - Fsot)
[Who</a> We Look For - U.S. Department of State](<a href=“http://careers.state.gov/officer/who-we-look-for#.USoTxuv0Z90]Who”>http://careers.state.gov/officer/who-we-look-for#.USoTxuv0Z90)
<a href=“http://careers.state.gov/uploads/f7/33/f7332b47ed70772afdb35003f8735a66/3-0_FSO_RegGuide_Nov152012.pdf[/url]”>http://careers.state.gov/uploads/f7/33/f7332b47ed70772afdb35003f8735a66/3-0_FSO_RegGuide_Nov152012.pdf</a></p>
<p>As for the OP’s questions about admission chances, “safety schools” (or “match” schools), etc. …</p>
<p>I think you have a shot at Georgetown, although of course their School of Foreign Service is a reach for most applicants. Georgetown’s overall median (for all its “schools”) is 640-740CR, 650-750M. The SFS medians presumably are higher. However, your background is unusual and interesting enough that it might compensate for slightly below average test scores.</p>
<p>I’d say Barnard is a lower reach, and that the other 3 (AU, GW, SLC) are all “match” schools (for admission if not generous aid).</p>
<p>Foreign Policy magazine ranks IR programs (undergraduate, Masters, and PhD programs). Have a look at their rankings for more ideas about reach and “match” schools. GU, Columbia, GW and AU are all among their 2012 top 10 undergraduate programs. ([Inside</a> the Ivory Tower - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inside_the_Ivory_Tower]Inside”>Inside the Ivory Tower - Wikipedia))</p>
<p>Of the schools that have make the FP top 20 in recent years, I would not consider any of them “safety” schools for you. Most are very selective. The public universities that are somewhat less selective (like UCSD) can’t be counted on for generous financial aid to out-of-state applicants. But with your qualifications, one of them (like UCSD, the University of Maryland or the University of Pittsburgh) might come through. </p>
<p>A private school that might make a good safety (or lower match) is the University of Denver. On average, Denver only covers about 82% of determined need, but you might be a strong enough applicant that you’d get more. Denver is off the beaten East Coast / West Coast paths; you’d probably stand out in the applicant pool; the area has a nice quality of life. You might prefer it to a large state school like Pitt or Maryland. <a href=“Josef Korbel School of International Studies | University of Denver”>Josef Korbel School of International Studies | University of Denver;