MA in IR?

Graduate School
1

<p>I'm really interested in reading for a MA in IR and was hoping to get a few questions answered.</p>

<p>I graduated from Oxford in Law and got a solid 3.6GPA. I also have a masters. I worked as a lawyer for 6 months but decided it was not for me. Since then I have been interning extensively (some even prior to the lawyer gig), includes:</p>

<p>6 month internship in Beijing law firm
3 month internship with international IP law firm
3 month strategy consultancy x 2
3 months policy internship - European work but based in London
6 months government internship (economic development)
2 months work in Bosnia</p>

<p>I have 3 internships to come before I matriculate (1 in Berlin, 1 in DC and other in London)</p>

<p>Yet to take the GRE but am optimistic. I test well. Got 171 LSAT when I was thinking of an American JD.</p>

<p>I speak 4 languages fluently and am conversational in Mandarin and German. Learning Arabic as we speak.</p>

<p>2 solid recs and one so-so (prof doesnt seem to want to meet, so am not optimistic about the quality of it) - 1 problem, I have no work experience recommendation (last 3 internships, people I worked for/with have moved on). </p>

<p>Questions:</p>

<p>1) schools I'm aiming for - Yale Jackson, CIR, SAIS, SIPA, Fletcher and Georgetown MSFS - based on your experience and general things you've seen and heard, what are my chances?
I'm thinking of adding Stanford, Elliott and UCSD as backups (Stanford only as backup because I'm not optimistic about aid). Speaking of financial aid, how likely do these schools provide aid?</p>

<p>2) Am I disadvantaged having work experience in form of internships and not full-time?</p>

<p>3) Will the lack of W/E recs have an adverse effect?</p>

<p>4) Can I put my future internships (confirmed) into my application to further highlight my candidacy? i.e. on resume</p>

<p>Love to hear your thoughts. Thanks!</p>

2

<p>Anyone with any insight? </p>

<p>I’m a little concerned about the fact that I have only internship experience rather then full time w/e.</p>

<p>Would be grateful for any help.</p>

3

<p>Dude, what exactly are you worried about? Most of us would give up our left nut to be in your position. You’re going to get in to a great school.</p>

4

<p>Thanks for the reassuring words. But still concerned about the lack of my work related LORs. Especially for SIPA, who say DO NOT have 3 academic LORs…</p>

5

<p>Would an internship LoR not count as work-related? I’m fairly certain it would. To get your MA in IR, I’m pretty sure they just want to see experience. Whether that comes from a paid job or an internship shouldn’t matter much, since you’re doing much of the same things either way. Your internships sound very impressive, or at least they seem to be, so I would say don’t fret so much about a lack of actual paid work experience. You seem to be VERY qualified regardless. </p>

<p>On the other hand, I’m just a high school senior so there’s a chance that everything I just said is wrong. But good luck!</p>

6

<p>Thanks. It would, however, I am having such trouble getting in touch with people (in the sense of them responding). My other internships were a few years ago, and I feel my graduate professors would be in a better position to provide a recommendation on my ability. </p>

<p>I got a hold of my other firm but they said my line manager has left and they have no forwarding email/contact, which sucks because I thought I did well in that job. I spoke to others there and they didnt know me well enough to write a rec (well, according to them). </p>

<p>I just dont want to let this affect my chances.</p>

7

<p>Anyone else with some insight?</p>