I’ve been accepted and am now trying to picture life after graduation. I plan on majoring in International Relations. Do people with this major find themselves being accepted in good grad schools or finding jobs in D.C.? I have heard that the grade deflation puts people at a disadvantage when they graduate… Is this really true? Does W&M’s reputation make up for it? How selective are the the study in D.C. programs? I am deciding between W&M and American. American seems the obvious choice for an International Relations major and I would love to live in D.C., but I feel like W&M has more of the school spirit and traditions that I want in an undergrad experience. I would appreciate any feedback <3
William and Mary is terrific for government/international relations. Students do great getting into grad school. One of my best friends was an IR major and got into UVA and Michigan law schools and Johns Hopkins, Emory, and others for IR. They are now a professor at an elite university. Another good friend worked on the Hill for two years and then went to Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). James Comey, Jen Psaki, Robert Gates (CIA Director and Secretary of Defense), and Jon Stewart all graduated from William and Mary, as did Serge Kovaleski, the outstanding New York Times reporter who was mocked during the presidential campaign. Good luck!
Regarding “grade deflation”, almost all schools have been experiencing grade inflation over the last 30+ years and W&M is no exception, and grade inflation is particularly acute at elite schools. See W&M data points in the following site: