<p>What region are you interested in, if any?</p>
<p>I'm open to that still, but I'm most interested in the poorest developing countries. I'd say at this point Africa is my first interest, and the developing areas of southeast Asia would be second.</p>
<p>SIPA and IR/PS come to mind. Also look at SAIS.</p>
<p>It seems IR/PS could be very good choice if I go the SE Asia route, but assuming Africa is my primary interest, or if I want to study development in general (not necessarily specific to a region), then do you think SIPA and SAIS are my best possibilities? And how would SFS compare?</p>
<p>SFS is definitely good.</p>
<p>On a random note, may people at IR/PS actually find themselves in the Africa niche and do well for themselves. The core skills you learn here are applicable anywhere, especially the quantitative skills.</p>
<p>What kind of work experience or major does one need to become a strong applicant to top programs?
I'm interested in US-Western Europe relations, I'm an econ. major at the Sorbonne (rising sophomore,) I speak English and French fluently, Spanish very well and I plan or self-learning German or Italian next year. I may switch to an honors masters (magist</p>
<p>bump please?</p>
<p>Major is pretty immaterial. As for work experience, it really doesn't matter as long as it's somehow international and somehow substantial.</p>
<p>There are, sadly, plenty of English teachers at the top IR programs.</p>
<p>The AU program seems like a good fit for me and my academic capabilities. My work experience is totally international and I'm double-majoring in Economics and History so it should be fine.</p>
<p>Are there any competitive one-year MAs out there?</p>
<p>The only one-year that I hear a lot about is LSE's. But most people call it a cash cow, so I don't know exactly what to tell you. </p>
<p>All of the top US programs are two-year programs.</p>
<p>University of Chicago's IR program is 1 year.</p>
<p>Hmm... Chicago's MA in IR is good, but I don't know if it's one of the top programs. I was thinking more along the lines of SAIS, SIPA, SFS...</p>
<p>But I didn't know that. Thanks for the update!</p>
<p>Yep I knew Chicago was a one-year program, but the location doesn't seem that well-fitted or an IR program. I really like Johns Hopkins' program as it leans towards foreign languages much more than any other program I think... Columbia's tuition gave me a headache. It is just sick to ask that much money. </p>
<p>Again, I'd like to ask how competitive these programs really are and what kind of students their admission officers are looking for. I really honestly do believe I am born to do this and can't imagine myself doing anything else.</p>
<p>EDIT: I just checked out the UChicago program again. Totally a cash cow. I don't think there are any good one-year MAs... God how am I gonna pay for that?</p>
<p>"I don't think there are any good one-year MAs"</p>
<p>Thats a bit of a general statement.</p>
<p>How much can you get out of a one-year program?</p>
<p>All the top programs offer language development, not just SAIS.</p>
<p>As far as competitiveness, my impression is that the admissions folks really strive for diversity, so you can have students who differ vastly from each other. That is to say that there's no real formula for getting in. Your background is good although without work experience I'd probably say your statement of purpose will be crucial in addressing your desire to go into that field.</p>
<p>For public policy, don't forget to look at Harvard KSG, Princeton WWS (don't they offer most students in that program full rides?), and even UT Austin's LBJ School.</p>
<p>Since you are from France, Sciences Po and ENA are really good too.</p>
<p>I don't think you can get much out of a one-year program because of the complexity of current international relations either... </p>
<p>As for work experience, I'm actually getting more than what I thought I would through my exchange student organization (I work with airports a lot,) I'm probably doing an internship for them next year (interviewing prospective students, dealing with angry/worried parents...) </p>
<p>I come from a very very very modest background (raised by part-time working spanish immigrant single mom until she passed away when I was 18, now living all by myself,) first generation of high school graduate (let alone college) etc., and I don't want to use that as an excuse for my eventual shortcomings compared to senators' sons, most likely to be accepted to the programs in question, but more to encourage diversity, which will apparently be one of the arguments of my application I will focus on the most (I can't tell whether this is a good or bad thing.)</p>
<p>Finally, I know Sciences-Po and ENA are excellent and the usual way for French people to become diplomats, but since I'm in college and will be abroad for a while, I won't have time to prepare for the hard-ass if not impossible Sciences-Po exam (if everything goes as planned,) and I won't be caught dead even thinking about applying to ENA... I don't think I could get in anyway but this school wants me want to vomit... so does our political system (which is partly why I want to work abroad, but still serve my country, whose "Etat Providence" basically put me to college with a stipend and allowed me to live quite well...)</p>
<p>I will keep the ivies in mind but their tuition are kind of repelling as well. Anyway, thank you very much for your answers and don't hesitate if you have particular advice to give me.</p>
<p>psmyth,</p>
<p>I still haven't found a one-year MA in IR that I think is as good as the top two-year programs. They tend to lack either the quantitative training or a strong foundation in IR theory.</p>