<p>Leadership, friend. Emphasize it.</p>
<p>Have you done any service? It’s never too late, as long as it’s meaningful (pick something that you can speak passionately about). </p>
<p>Talk about being a Democrat in Utah. Harvard, Columbia, Georgetown, etc. are in worldly cities, so talking about how you want to learn not just from the school, but from the multitude of resources around you would be good, too. </p>
<p>Get interviews and knock them out of the park. It can’t get you in alone, but it shows them you’re not boring, gives you a contact/connection, and proves that you are interested. Plus, they’re kind of helpful for ideas for essays and can even be fun, depending on who your interviewer is and what his/her style is.</p>
<p>Have you traveled? Why are you into international relations? Show them what your interest says about you and what you intend to do with it and have done with it. Tell them about your internship and what it taught you. See if you can get that senator to write you a good recommendation, if you got close enough to him.</p>
<p>Make sure they understand that your GPA is unweighted. Show them the weighted if you can, too. Emphasize the APs, your strengths (French ftw!) and show them why you took these APs. Be it for interest, for love of learning, for sheer challenge, or whatever good reason, demonstrate it.</p>
<p>Hope this helps. Can you chance me? Mine’s called Crossing My Fingers. Thanks.</p>