Best Schools/Majors for Those Interested in Intelligence/Analyst Career with NSA/FBI/CIA

College Search & Selection
1

To help with the college selection process, my daughter (junior) spent some time this week seriously researching possible careers. While she’s always leaned toward STEM, engineering and medicine just don’t grab her. For years, however, she has been interested in a career at the NSA/FBI/CIA in the cyber-intelligence, and she’s now seriously circling back to that goal.

She’s also considered joining the military as well; she participated in CAP in middle school and enjoyed it. The possibility of ROTC is still on the table at this point, particularly if it would make her still-to-be-determined dream school a reality. (Her much older sister was a signals analyst at the NSA for several years during her time with the Army, so that may be influencing her decision.)

In terms of aptitude/qualifications/stats, she’s very logical, disciplined, and analytical, a varsity swimmer, and outstanding student (4UW/4.7+W in IB.) She’s taking SATs today and hoping for 1550+ based on practice tests. She will qualify as an NMSF and hopefully a NMF as well - so she’d receive a COA scholarship to any Florida school (UF, FSU, UCF).

She’s strong in math, but has never taken any computer science classes as her IB program is quite prescribed. She may see if she can add AP CS over the summer as an online class, if she doesn’t get into the MIT Women in Tech camp (long shot I know!)

We have considerable financial constraints, but we both agree she should at least explore other top schools, realizing that virtually anything outside of Florida may be a financial reach. Geographically, she would like to go OOS and probably in the NE, but I’d prefer her to stay in the South (or at least somewhere with easy/cheap flights to Florida.) No real preference at the moment on size.

Any suggestions on top schools/departments that have strong relationships with these agencies? Thoughts on majors/minors - information tech, cyber-security, data science, stats? Any insights on the Florida options would be appreciated as well.

2

Becoming a lawyer, law enforcement and accountancy are best best paths to FBI. No drugs. Not even legal pot. Tell them early. It’s a big deal when they conduct the “in person” interviews with neighbors and friends.

Best friend went to The University of Massachusetts at Amherst and then law school. And nothing like a top 50. FBI and big position now.

Physically fit. Clean back ground. Tested well. Law school grad. = FBI.

UF would be a remarkably good start if admitted.

Not sure on the other departments.

3

University of Maryland is 20 minutes from DC so lots of opportunities for internships and co-ops with government entities.

4

JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY in Harrisonburg, VA - Intelligence Analysis major. Great alumni network in NOVA/DC area. OOS tuition isn’t onerous. http://www.jmu.edu/ia/

5

Maybe consider the Coast Guard Academy? https://www.uscga.edu/orca/

Or, as you say, an ROTC scholarship could bring a lot of otherwise-unaffordable options into range.
UF-for-free is a great default option, though!

6

@TrendaLeigh - My daughter is a recent JMU grad majoring in international relations and knew some of the students in the IA program, one of whom is currently employed by the FBI. http://www.jmu.edu/ia/program/overview.shtml

7

Sign up to follow the CIA Facebook page! They often have posts about recruiting. It seems like they have a really wide range of majors they will recruit from.

8

The CIA is like a white shoe law firm. It casts a wide net, but, it doesn’t hurt to graduate from an Ivy or a NESCAC college. Two of its 25 Directors attended Amherst and Williams and a Wesleyan grad with a storied past was recently treated to fulsome obituaries in all the major papers:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/david-forden-cia-case-officer-who-handled-pivotal-cold-war-operation-dies-at-88/2019/02/13/4384c19a-2fb2-11e9-8ad3-9a5b113ecd3c_story.html?utm_term=.c890e2c2ba8c

9

My D is a recent graduate of GWU Elliot School of International Affairs and has a great IA job in a great location. No graduate degree, Had a Boren Scholarship her junior year plus a summer and year-long NSLI-Y helped also.

10

You should look at UMDCP, excellent computer science department, but harder then it used to be to get out of state merit. Also, lot at UMBC, they have a long relationship with NSA and better chance at merit.https://cybersecurity.umbc.edu/about/

11

Also look at the Critical language flagships where she could major in CS. She’d have to learn Chinese AND CS (or Arabic and CS, or Russian and CS, or Korean and CS…) The flagships are heavily recruited.
UMD, GMU are also good picks due to location, and NESCAC/Ivies due to network.

12

I agree with @MYOS1634 about becoming proficient in strategic languages. The Air Force recruits and provides educational opportunities for those who are talented in learning these strategic languages, Mandarin, Korean, Russian, etc. if your daughter want to take that route.

13

If she gets good at algebra and number theory, that can be desired in some places.

It may be a good idea to look at the agencies’ job postings to see what kinds of skills and knowledge they desire, as well as what kinds of jobs they have.

https://www.intelligencecareers.gov/NSA/index.html
https://www.fbijobs.gov/
https://www.cia.gov/careers/opportunities

14

If the NSA and cyber security is an interest, look at CyberCorps - Scholarship for Service (SFS). It is a federal program that pays for education (with a living stipend even) in exchange for working for the feds in that field after college. There are also internship components to the SFS program. Only certain schools participate, and while some are ones you would expect (Carnegie Mellon, Georgia Tech), others aren’t–like University of Nebraska at Omaha) or Dakota State, which is building a SCIF (Sensitive Compartmentalized Information Facility)!

My son’s best friend wants to work for the NSA in cyber security, which is how I first heard about this (his mom and I are friends). His dad has a high level clearance and had him talk to his NSA contacts about how best to get a foot in the door–the contact said they recruit directly from these programs.

The following link takes you to the main information page:

https://www.sfs.opm.gov

15

Thanks so much! I shared this information with my daughter and she couldn’t believe the number of helpful responses - she laughs at my research on CC, but she appreciates it as well. Thank you!

She is now looking at UMD and UMD - BC much more closely; they both have some special programs that sound amazing with close ties to NSA/FBI/CIA/DoD, and lots of opportunities for internships that include clearances.

JMU seems to have more limited scholarships, but I think it’s worth at least having a conversation with the program advisor to learn more. I was also pleased to see several FL schools on the CyberCorp list; she can always go to school in DC/VA/MD for a masters if it doesn’t make financial sense to go out of state.

16

Hello! I am a senior in high school and I have earned a ROTC scholarship. If you have any questions of the application process just PM me!

17

@kaifortheWin, thanks! We may have some questions as we research more! And congrats!!

18

Also take a look at the University of St. Andrews. It is a feeder for Western spy agencies especially MI6. The current head of MI6, who is a graduate of StA, made his first public speech there a few months ago.

19

^ well, I don’t think OP is British…