Political Science/IR major looking to transfer from "small name" college

Transfer Students
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<p>I am an 18 year-old male freshman student at St. Mary's College of Maryland (the "Public Honors College of Maryland"). I love the St. Mary's environment but am considering transferring to a "big name" school to better my chances at eventually attending a big name grad school (save me the argument here; I realize this is a controversial topic) and to make future career connections. </p>

<p>I am looking to transfer to a more prestigious program for political science or IR junior year (I will stay at St. Mary's for my sophomore year next year), keeping in mind that I plan to attend grad school for IR or law school. I am wondering what colleges and universities have the best programs and what chances I have at these institutions. I will have great teacher recommendations. Any differentiation between the best schools for political science (and between the difference in the American Politics and International Politics depts.) and the best schools for IR would be great! </p>

<p>At St. Mary's, I am a triple major in international public policy, political science and history, with a Democracy Studies minor. I ended my first semester with a 4.0 GPA in two 100-level classes and two 200-level classes. This semester, I am in two 300-level classes, one 200-level class and one 100-level class and expect to also garner a 4.0 again(knock on wood!). I am able to take these upper-division classes in large part because I graduated Bethesda Chevy-Chase High School having taken 12 AP/IB courses (though I only received 4s and 5s on 7 of those exams). At St. Mary's, I serve as a student counselor (give admission interviews to prospective students), student ambassador (tour guide) and next year will be a peer mentor for a freshman seminar (a type of TA) and will also serve on the Student Judicial Board. I am also a member of the Water Polo team. </p>

<p>A bit about high school: freshman and junior year my GPA was mediocre, but junior and senior year I stepped it up. I had a few Cs but I received straight As all of senior year in 6 AP classes, so I do have a trend working for me. I have 5 years of work experience under my belt, including an internship with Senator John Kerry. I expect to have a medium- to high- prestige internship this summer at a government agency or NGO, possibly with a Senate committee. I got a 2150 on the SAT (writing: 740, reading: 730, math: 670). I was president of the Green Schools club and highly active with the local theater community.</p>

<p>Thanks! And sorry for the very very long post....</p>

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<p>Since you’re interested in international relations, etc, I would look at schools in Washington D.C., like Georgetown, George Washington, & American.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the response.</p>

<p>Right…but what about the tradeoff between attending a DC school like GW with a school like Yale or NYU, institutions have better academics and resume power, but are farther from DC. To say nothing of the fact that many, many schools have better Poli Sci programs than GTown, which is the best of list you suggested.</p>

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<p>

Better than GW? Yes for Yale, probably for NYU. But NYU does not have better academics than Georgetown… Nor better “resume power.”</p>

<p>

You probably included too many "many"s in that sentence. And Georgetown is arguably the best for IR, which was one of your interests in the thread title, so it was an appropriate suggestion.</p>

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<p>Of course. I was referring to the Poli Sci dept. at Gtown, not criticizing the reply!</p>