Interest in International Relations

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I'm a junior and I know I definitely want to major in International Relations. I have a couple colleges in mind, but they're definite reaches just based on the caliber of school, and I would like to know if any of you can suggest schools to me that I may have been overlooking.</p>

<p>Basic info about me and what I'm looking for:
Indian female from NJ
Coming from a non-competitive high school which is ranked poorly, I take the most rigorous course load possible for my school.
Looking for a urban campus or somewhere near to a city
No small schools (my high school is 1200 kids, so I'm wary of small LACS)
Looking for schools on East Coast
Must have International Relations as a major and established program (obviously)
School must have good alumni network</p>

<p>Academics by application time of senior year:
Cumulative weighted GPA is a 4.9, which is what I'm going to send out.
I currently take AP Language and Composition, AP Macroeconomics, and AP US History.
As a senior I'm going to take AP Lit, AP US Gov't and Politics, and AP Psychology. I don't expect to get anything below a 4 on any of those exams with the exception of Macroeconomics. </p>

<p>Tests
SAT-2020 (aiming to break 2100 on my last SAT because I did poorly on January's)
Math: 600
CR: 770
Writing: 650
I plan on taking the US Hist SAT II and the World History SAT II in May and maybe the Spanish SAT II.</p>

<p>ECs:
4 years of student government (president one year)
Editor-in-chief of award-winning school year as a junior and a senior
President of Model UN (again, as a junior and a senior)
Varsity Debate judge
NHS, English Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Social Studies Honor Society
I work as a teen assistant for supplementary academic classes for gifted children on the weekends (four years)
Approximately 200 volunteer hours over course of high school career </p>

<p>Schools I'm thinking about:
Georgetown
George Washington University
American University
Barnard
University of Maryland (doesn't have a great program but price and location are factors and I've had family members attend) </p>

<p>I'm also looking at a few all women's schools in addition to Barnard, but I'd like to know where else you all think I could be looking that I'm not. I'm looking for selective schools, but not to the level of the Ivies. I'm willing to pay for a private education, but something that'll be bang for your buck. Thanks!</p>

2

<p>GW and American should be matches at least, so your list is already looking moderately balanced. Just don’t make it obvious that you would rather go to Georgetown.</p>

3

<p>NYU and Tufts</p>

4

<p>Goucher is in Maryland and has a strong IR program plus compulsory study abroad, and it relatively easy to get in to (it is a small lac though) William and Mary in Virginia has a great program, including a dual degree with st Andrews university in scotland for IR (twp years in the US, two in Scotland) U of Richmond in Virginia is also highly ranked. Connecticut College has a good program. Eckard in Florida could be a safety and they give away lots of merit scholarships and IRs a top major, its right on the beach:) I’m also a junior wanting to major in IR so I know quite a bit about different programs if you have any more questions. Tufts has one of the top programs (in boston) but as hard to get into as Georgetown</p>

5

<p>if you’re not totally set on the East coast the Claremont Colleges and Occidental in LA have great programs. Occidental has a special world affairs and diplomacy major, as well as a program where you can intern at the UN in New York</p>

6

<p>oh, and American isn’t a reach, more like a low match</p>

7

<p>In addition to those mentioned, Johns Hopkins is also a top IR school.</p>

8

<p>I realise most of the schools I’ve mentioned are LACS but some are 3000+ which arent’s really considered ‘small’ LACS. most of the top IR bigger universities are very hard to get into, such as hopkins and the Ivy leagues. Georgia tech (though not really East Coast) has a BS in international affairs, the only one in the country. They also have dual degrees (BS) in IA and modern languages and IA and economics, which would give a solid practical asset to you if you want to work in the foreign service</p>

9

<p>Georgetown’s IR degrees are all BS…</p>

<p>^That sounds funny, lol.</p>

10

<p>SummerAus, your suggestions are great, thank you very much. It was really the ‘small’ college thing that I’m avoiding. I’ve considered Occidental and even UC Berkeley but having to fly home is really a dealbreaker for me financially. Still, Georgia Tech is an option I hadn’t considered before. </p>

<p>I’m definitely adding Tufts to the list, but I think JHU might be too competitive of a school for me in terms of the vibe. Maybe it’s just rumors but I’ve heard a lot of things like that about JHU.</p>

11

<p>Any other suggestions?</p>

12

<p>Do a search for previous threads, IR gets asked about a lot!</p>