<p>Hello everyone, I posted on the graduate forum but nobody replied so I'll post it directly in the university-related forum :) </p>
<p>So I am a French foreign student and I need some guidance as applying to Harvard demands serious commitment and preparation.</p>
<p>I was born in France, from a very modest family (none of my parents finished middle school), and they barely speak french - my grand parents came in the 70s from abroad (so, non-European European) but here I am, 3rd generation, hoping to get accepted to Harvard :-) </p>
<p>My profile:
- Graduated from France's top High School (was somewhere in the top 5 nationwide).
- Majoring Economics at the University of Paris - Sorbonne (1st and 2nd year my GPA was average but this year - the last year of my degree - I am most probably graduating with a straight 4.0GPA - so I assume I will have at least magna cum laude).
- A year as an exchange abroad in Rome
- Interned at the European Parliament (Assistant French European Deputy) 3 months
- Interned at the French Parliament (Lower house - Assistant French Deputy part time of my studies) 3 months
- Interned at the Turkish Parliament and Ministry of Justice in European Affairs (Observation internship - worked at the departement of foreign relations and protocol)
- Interned at an NGO in Paris dealing with Intercultural dialogue
- Interning at an NGO in Rome dealing with Inter-religious dialogue (Rome = Vatican).</p>
<p>Might (If accepted) intern for the European Union's Delegation to the United Nation's in New York from May to August full time. </p>
<p>I took the IELTS last month and had a final score of 8 out of 9.</p>
<p>I was planning to apply to LSE (IPE) and then Harvard MPP but I am thinking whether or not I should make a gap year (for internships and prepare the GRE) or start a Master degree just for the 1st year (as I have automatic acceptance to Sorbonne's masters). I am hesitating on applying to LSE this year as I won't be able to prove that 4.0GPA on time and I doubt I am that competitive ... </p>
<p>Some people say I should try Harvard directly, any opinion on that? I see they would rather see someone with 2-3 years experience. I am 21 right now, and I will be freshly 23 if they accept me by September 2014. (with more or less 1.5 year of accumulated experience) </p>
<p>Also, I see they have International and Global Affairs (IGA) and International Trade and Finance (ITF) among their concentration fields (could that be a good substitute to LSE's International Political Economics?). </p>
<p>Also, I can have LoR's from important people in the institutions I worked previously but none in the academia, is it ok for Harvard? (as I focused on the extra-curricular during my studies - all the part time I did didn't leave me the time to sympathize with my professors - and that's a problem from LSE).</p>
<p>Last question, what would be considered as ''sufficient'' as a result at the GRE for the MPP?</p>
<p>Thanks a lot to everyone :-)</p>