<p>Hello, I just applied for a Master of International Relations at the SIPA, Columbia University, and would like to know in your opinion if I have any chance to get in. At this point it would be very helpfull for me to know if I should make some choices considering that it is possible fro me to get admitted or not.</p>
<p>I'm an international student, Italian.</p>
<p>GPA in a combined 5 years BA+MA in Communications 3.8
TOEFL: 283/300 (had to take it because I'm not english mither tongue)
GRE: Verbal 570 Quantitative 730</p>
<p>I have my master thesis in course of publication in Italy, and worked for a communication agency, including two assignments working with NGOs in Africa and central Asia. I am fluent in Italian (of course...), French and have a good command of spanish...</p>
<p>I'm particularly concearned about my low GRE Verbal score... but not beeing mother tongue it has been quite hard for me...</p>
<p>I am also an international student. I have heard that some schools do not take into account the verbal score of the GRE for international students (even top schools). They consider TOEFL scores -and yours are pretty good-. I don't know for sure for SIPA, I am applying for Ph.D's in Politcal Science, but given your professional experience, and your stats, I think your chances are great. Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks for your informations,
in fact is pretty hard for us internationals to understand their application system.. for example at Columbia they don't do any interviewing during the application process to SIPA.. very strange...</p>
<p>Is it true that they don't consider extra-curricular interests during the college years that much when you apply to graduate school, as opposed to the great relevance they play when applying to college?
Also some american friend of mine told me that beeing an international applicant could be a plus, while i keep reading on the college forums that internationals get less space in college... hum.. sounds complicate. For what I know in my program 50% of the class is international, given it's an international relations course... well we'll see.
Where are you applying?
Do you think 283 is a good TOELF grade? They ask for at least 250... but I guess the higher the better...
Good luck</p>
<p>I am applying for Ph.D's in Political Science at the University of Chicago, Duke University, UCSD, and Washington University in St. Louis (already accepted). From what I researched, at least for the programs I am interested in they do consider extracurricular activities in college, but only regarding research. I think your TOEFL score is very good, as you say, the higher the better, but 283/300 is pretty good. I have 277 and among many peers that are applying for grad school, I was the only one over 270. I really don't know about how being an international student helps or difficults acceptance in grad school, but from what you say in your message, in SIPA tehy take a lot of internationals, so I guess you won't have problems with that.
Good luck again</p>
<p>When applying to SIPA, they don't just look at your academic credentials -- which are good in your case. In their admissions process they take a more wholistic approach. That is, they look at your professional experience every bit as much as what you did in college. They like those who have had 3+ years of professional experience working in some international capacity; working overseas or in a field that has an international focus. Thus, they'll look favorably at your NGO experience in Africa and Central Asia. I wouldn't worry too much about your verbal GRE score, given your high TOEFL. As for being an international student, it's probably an asset given that about 50% of the student body comes from overseas and the admissions council seeks a diverse student body.</p>
<p>Overall I'd say your chances are good. Good luck.</p>
<p>I consider applying to sipa for spring/09 . Is there any possibility for a 22-year old european student with not so broad international experience (but mainly domestic) to be accepted? I see that the average age of the accepted students is about 26 years old. My average grade is good, not excellent and I haven't taken gre or toefl yet.
Moreover do you know approximately the number of the accepted students per year?
Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>I just wanted to reply to your post, because I feel it is important for potential candidates to have a fuller idea of the circumstances surrounding their potential candidacies. I have just received notice of my admission to both Yale for the IR program, and Columbia to the SIPA program. I did NOT believe that my numbers reflected any sort of stellar candidacy at all, but my experience spoke for itself, it seems. Similarly, I believe you have an excellent chance based on your NGO experience and your multi-lingual abilities. I am Cuban-American but have been educated in the American system and all of my scores (GPA / GRE) were lower than yours. I did not get a scholarship, but most first-year students don't, from what I'm told. It seems 50% of second-year students DO.</p>
<p>Is there anyone else out there who is still waiting to hear back from SIPA for Fall 2008 admissions? It seems as though most people on this forum heard back last Tuesday, but I am still waiting. I don't know what this means for my chances, but I am cautiously optimistic</p>
<p>It's Sunday the 16th of March and I have yet to hear as well. I imagine that it will be in the next couple of days as someone on one of the other boards mentioned that the 15th was their deadline. </p>
<p>One of my recs was uber late so that may be the problem with my app. </p>
<p>I have heard from Elliott and SIPA though; I got into both. I was rather surprised given that my GPA is a measly 3.39 and GREs are about average ( 640Q/670V ) for these schools. I did minor in econ and had a couple years experience lobbying on trade policy, but nevertheless admission to SIPA was a surprise. </p>
<p>There's almost no way that you are going to get into SIPA at 22 with "good" grades. You would need to superlative grades and an amazing TOEFL or GRE score to get in at 22. Only After you work for a couple years in a field that is relevant to a SIPA degree will you have chance, perhaps a good one, at getting in to SIPA. On the other hand it never hurts to apply now, perhaps it could help your chances the second time around (I have no idea).</p>
<p>The reason average GPA's and GRE's are not sky igh at most top IR or MPP/MPA programs is primarily because they are looking at work experience when deciding who gets in. Although I know of a few students who have been admitted to SIPA straight out of university, they had fantastic grades (think 3.9+ and great GREs), as well as some limited work experience while they were already in school.</p>
<p>I meant to say that I had heard from Elliott and SAIS (got into both). I have yet to hear from SIPA, which is why I referenced the uber late rec as a factor in my late decision. </p>
<p>I have also gotten into SAIS and have been waitlisted at Fletcher. I am waiting on Georgetown.</p>
<p>I am very interested in SIPA's programs. There are many concentrations I am interested in and I feel like I have good credentials. I graduted from Virginia Tech as an int'l studies major, concentration in global development and i completed a minor in economics. i graduated magna cum laude with a 3.6 GPA and have a higher in-major GPA. i also had a 3.8 GPA for my econ minor.</p>
<p>i have worked for 3+years since graduation for non-profits, mainly in the development field/fundraising. no real programatic experience, which is why i am looking to go to grad school.</p>
<p>i do have a lot of int'l experience traveling--in and around SE asia. i am actually half indonesian and spend a lot of time there--thus my passion for int'l development.</p>
<p>i believe i will have 3 good letters of recommendation.</p>
<p>the only problem is that i have low GRE scores: 530V and 560Q. i studied a lot for the GRE too. and i dont know if i should take them again b/c in my studying and practice GRE exams, i scored b/w 1050-1120. so i dont know is there is much room for improvement.</p>
<p>i've just never been a great standardized test taker. My SAT scores were about the same.</p>
<p>will this really hinder my chances of getting into SIPA? any advice?</p>
<p>I’m a recent BSc Graduate from the UK, I graduated with Honours from King’s College London, with a Major in Mathematics and a high 2:1- which according to conversion websites is equivalent to a gpa of about 3.65 overall, with a gpa of 3.8 in my final year. My ambition is to get into the PhD Sustainable Development programme at Columbia. The programme is very competitive, and I was hoping someone with some experience or knowledge about it can help me figure out my chances.</p>
<p>I’ve wanted to get into international development for a while, and to supplement my interest I’ve volunteered abroad with NGOs in developing countries. I’ve also enrolled in a Masters programme in Globalisation and Development at the University of Warwick, whose department of Politics and International Studies is ranked in the top 7 in the country.</p>
<p>The one thing where I feel I have a big weakness is that due to the singular nature of my degree in Mathematics, I don’t have much research experience. It says on the info page that they require courses in multivariate calculus, which I have, but as far as quantitative research goes, I’m not really sure that will count. I’m hoping that a course in Statistical Analysis focused on the quantitative side of things will rectify that, but I don’t know if it’s too basic…
[DA</a> module outline](<a href=“http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/pais/prospectivestudents/pgindex/pgmodules/da]DA”>http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/pais/prospectivestudents/pgindex/pgmodules/da)</p>
<p>In addition, I’m currently interning at a think tank called the Overseas Development Institute, which is a leading think tank in the UK, with research officers as an assistant, where I’m doing some quantitative analysis to assist them.</p>
<p>I haven’t given the GRE yet, but I think I should be able to get a 700+ score on the numerical side, based on practice.</p>
<p>Overall, I’d be grateful if anyone can give me an insight on what sort of chances I have, and what I could possibly do to make them better!</p>