International Relations at Princeton, Yale, Harvard, Georgetown, or UPenn

College Majors
1

<p>I am interested in studying International Relations - specifically International Development, Aid, and Human Rights. I have studied 4 World Languages (French, Chinese, German, Spanish - in that order of fluency) and 1 classical language (Latin) and I would ideally like to continue my language studies and expand the number of languages in college.</p>

<p>I know Princeton has the Woodrow Wilson school but how good is the undergraduate program? Does anybody have any insight into Princeton's undergraduate international studies program? If I don't get selected, can I still take courses in the program or should I just transfer schools at that point? </p>

<p>Yale is revising theirs and that concerns me as I might get caught up in a messy program - but I love how many languages they offer! How many would I be able to realistically take? As for Harvard, I didn't really like it on my visit, the other students seemed so haughty, but they do have a Human Rights study and I am very interested in that. </p>

<p>I know very little about Georgetown's program other than their graduate school is phenomenal. But it's also about 30-40 minutes away from my house so I'd rather go to college further away... However, I'd reconsider this if their study abroad program is really good and tied into the international relations major.</p>

<p>UPenn has the Wharton School, but I have not applied to that. I know they have an International Relations Program that works within the Wharton Program, so how difficult would it be for me to transfer into Wharton? I am fairly good with math but my liberal arts are better. However, I wonder if I shouldn't just suck it up and get better at math and econ since I eventually want to go to SAIS which is econ heavy. </p>

<p>Another thing is I'm FIERCELY liberal - I'm talking pro marriage equality, anti-war, pro choice, pro welfare, etc. And I'd ideally like to be able to fit in at school! :)</p>

<p>Please advise me! Or point me in the direction of where I should seek advice I've very new to the site and I'd really appreciate the help from much more knowledgeable individuals!</p>

2

<p>Some comments:
-All of those are very good schools for IR. But all of them are very selective; unless you have very top credentials, I don’t think it’ll be a matter of picking and choosing among them. Instead, it will be more a matter of attending whichever one you’re lucky enough to get into.
-It’s not necessary to have a specific IR program in order to study international development, aid, and human rights. Many schools offer coursework in those areas, usually in their economics and political science departments.
-It’s a real plus that you have skills in several languages, and that you plan to continue language studies and expand the number of languages. I don’t know what level of proficiency you have in each of you languages, but consider the matter increasing your proficiency in languages you already have vs. adding more. For some of these, this will require time spent in countries where the language is spoken. This necessarily constrains the number of languages you can learn to an adequate degree of proficiency.
-Are there particular regions that interest you? You might consider the matter of developing language and area expertise vs. developing skills in many languages from widely disparate regions.
-If you’re lucky enough to get into Princeton, but you don’t gain admittance to the Wilson School program, it would be downright stupid to transfer schools just for that reason.
-Yes, Yale offers many languages, but so do many other schools. And Yale is not even necessarily the best place to study some of the languages it offers.
-As I understand the new Yale IR program, you could run into the same problem you anticipated for the Princeton program, i.e., only a limited number of students will gain admittance. IIRC, though, I think they are continuing some version of their existing IR major.
-Harvard does not even offer a specific IR major, but it’s a great place to study IR, nonetheless.
-Penn has an IR major apart from the program offered in Wharton.
-One of the potential drawbacks of an undergrad interdisciplinary program such as IR is that it tends to spread your coursework among so many departments such that you might not get a solid grounding in the theory and methods of any single discipline. Arguably, it is better to major in a traditional discipline, e.g., economics, and supplement this with languages and other elective coursework with an international focus. Also, if you plan to enter a graduate professional school program in IR anyway, it’s worth considering whether your undergrad studies are best focused on IR or getting a more solid grounding in a traditional discipline and/or language & area studies.
-SAIS would only be economics-heavy if you selected a subspecialty focused on economics. In any case, it wouldn’t necessarily be as math-intensive as a grad program in econ.
-Also, see my posts in these threads:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/749245-undergraduate-foreign-policy-schools.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/749245-undergraduate-foreign-policy-schools.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/other-college-majors/902677-political-science-vs-international-relations.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/other-college-majors/902677-political-science-vs-international-relations.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/932091-what-makes-good-school-ir-some-criteria.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/932091-what-makes-good-school-ir-some-criteria.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

3

<ul>
<li><p>True. But I am a Harvard legacy and I got called for interviews with Yale and Princeton. I also have a 4.0 unweighted from a top prep school, 2280 SAT with perfect Verbal and Writing but a 680 Math which I think is the one thing that might drag me down. I’m adopted from Asia when I was 7 by two dads, which admittedly I’m hoping will give me a minority boost when it comes to other East Asians. I have extensive volunteer work and leadership roles. 9 APs with 6 of them being 5s.</p></li>
<li><p>I am fluent in French and Chinese in that I can easily read college level texts. I achieved a 5 on my AP Latin so I hope that means I’m good at it! I did 3 years of German and 1 accelerated (2 levels in one year) year of Spanish but the Spanish I use a fair amount when I visit my doctor dad at his practice so it’s gaining in fluency. </p></li>
</ul>

<p>-Are there particular regions that interest you?
I’m interested in East Asia and Africa. I really want to work with post-conflict states that are working on rebuilding their community and enpowering their people. </p>

<ul>
<li><p>If I don’t get into WW but get into Princeton, what choices do I have to do IR? Just major in Politics?</p></li>
<li><p>Thank you so much for your advice on these schools! What are the best non economics driven graduate school programs?</p></li>
</ul>

4

<p>Well, you certainly added a lot of details not mentioned in your initial post.
-So, you’d definitely have a very good shot at the schools you mentioned.
-Since you already have skills in several languages, you already have a headstart on many students who would have to focus on this area. Basically, you’re freed up to focus on languages or not, as you choose. One way to look at it is in terms of regions. From a regional perspective: You have three West European languages (English, German, French); one East Asian language (Chinese); two African languages (French, English); one Latin American language; no East European languages (except possibly, German); no Middle Eastern languages; no South Asian languages. It’s really then a matter of where you want to put the focus. You could acquire languages for regions in which you currently have no language. You could expand the number of languages for regions in which you already have one or ore languages. You could expand the number of languages for the regions that interest you. You also could focus your efforts in terms of most useful languages overall, regarless of region, e.g., [The</a> Twelve Most Useful Second Languages for English Speakers](<a href=“http://www.buzzle.com/articles/the-twelve-most-useful-second-languages-for-english-speakers.html]The”>http://www.buzzle.com/articles/the-twelve-most-useful-second-languages-for-english-speakers.html) Of course, some non-Western languages, e.g., Arabic, would require more extensive coursework as well as some time in a country where it is spoken in order to acquire some degree of proficiency; others, e.g., Indonesian, are relatively easier. You also could plan on using intensive summer institutes for this purpose, e.g., [Critical</a> Language Scholarship Program](<a href=“http://www.clscholarship.org%5DCritical”>http://www.clscholarship.org), as well as the better than average opportunities for funding, etc. available at the universities you mentioned.
-With respect to Princeton: If you were admitted, but didn’t get into the WW program, you could still major in Political Science (or, another social science) and complete one of the area studies certificate programs. Especially if you have any plans for a graduate degree in IR, it won’t matter as much that you didn’t have an undergrad IR major.
-With respect to Yale: I believe the new global studies major will be ready for next fall. This is a selective program so it may be similar to the WW program in that respect. I think Yale is also retaining an International Studies program, but this must be completed along with a regular departmental major. As I mentioned in my previous post, completing a major in a traditional discipline has some advantages.
-I don’t know which is the best non-economics driven grad program. Whether you have a great deal of exposure to economics probably depends on which subconcentration you choose in those programs.</p>

5

<p>I don’t think you can go wrong with Harvard, Yale or Princeton. If you are accepted to any of these three, with your interests, I wouldn’t even consider the other schools. All three have HUGE names in human rights, though I think Harvard might have more to offer for development (the Kennedy School seems to have a big emphasis on development).</p>

<p>The Politics Department at Princeton is a great and has many professors also teaching at the WWS, so if you don’t get into WW, don’t worry too much.</p>

<p>Based on what I’ve read here, I would lean toward advising Harvard or Princeton. Yale might be the best choice if you’re really into the legal aspect of HR, development and aid.</p>

<p>Wish you the best!</p>

6

<p>I don’t mean to hi-jack the post but everyone here so far has some valuable inputs and insights and I would like to hear your opinion please. </p>

<p>I’m trying to realistically assess my chances of getting into the MSFS program in the next three years to five years (it is my dream program atm). I am an international student, senior year at Penn State majoring in International Politics conc. IR. My GPA when I graduate will be between 3.50-3.55. I’ve had a couple of internships working with non-profit focussing on us-middle east relations, an international airline company (marketing), and at an oil and energy contractors (planning and contracts dept). </p>

<p>Trying to find work experience in the States will be tough for me when I graduate this Dec; getting hired with a work permit on just a B.A. will be tough, esp. in the IR, government relations field (which is what I am interested in). </p>

<p>So I am considering getting a Masters of International Business at an Australian school (Monash), using that to get some good work experience either in the US or elsewhere, and use that as a launching pad for G’town sometime in the next 3-5 years. </p>

<p>In addition to English, I can speak an Indian dialect extremely well, learning Arabic and Malay. </p>

<p>I’ve got a fair amount of extra curricular activities too but nothing spectacular or in any leadership position in the last 2 years. </p>

<p>No GRE scores to speak of as yet but I am sure I can do well in those with adequate preparation.</p>

<p>What do you folks think - stand a chance of getting in? Thanks!</p>

7

<p>To OP</p>

<p>Sounds like you’re “Ivy” material, but given the very low acceptance rates this year at these schools (6% is some cases) - I’d look towards some “sub-ivy’s” as safety schools.</p>

<p>I know you said GT is “too close” to home, but their Walsh SFS is 1st class. However, GT is run by Jesuits and is more conservative than you sound.</p>

<p>I’d save JHU for Grad school since their SAIS is actually in DC and very hard for undergrads to study their from Baltimore Homewood campus.</p>

<p>GW - once again close by for you, but the Elliott School if IA’s is very good and GW is very liberal - possibly a good fit.</p>

<p>AU in DC - their SIS is also highly ranked for undergrad.</p>

<p>Consider these as well as the ivy’s - No one is guaranteed an Ivy admission these days!</p>

<p>Regards</p>

<p>CJ
If NE is an option - don’t forget Tufts - son loved it, but too cold!</p>

8

<p>Fiercely Liberal?</p>

<p>Consider not going to college. You’ll end up protesting more than studying.</p>