GPA/Research and getting into a Ph.D. program

<p>I am currently a junior majoring in politics. I am looking at Ph.D programs in politics. I am looking specifically at foreign policy and had a few questions about going to grad school. </p>

<ol>
<li>How do you select/rank programs for politics? Should you guide your search by going to a university where your someone in your field does good work or is overall reputation of the university is more important?</li>
</ol>

<p>2.Do grad schools look for students to have done research in the field before?</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Do grad schools look at cum GPA or GPA in your major? I ask because I have a low cumulative GPA but my GPA is politics is reasonable.</p></li>
<li><p>How important, if at all, is work experience important in terms of making you attractive to grad school adcoms?c</p></li>
<li><p>What is the best way to prep for grad school?</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Thanks so much!</p>