Reaches, Safeties for an IR major?

<p>Hey guys, I'm not the amazing CC student that so many on this board appear to be. I'm really hoping at this point to get into American University and possibly GW. Can you give me suggestions on other safeties and reaches, reaches that I actually may have a chance at? (ie. Not just Georgetown SFS bc its the best). I'd just like any thoughts you guys have on these schools and others that I may have overlooked as I apply this fall. Here are my stats and thanks for any advice.</p>

<p>-3.64 GPA (My school does not weight or rank students) at a competitive Jesuit school in Philly
- 26 ACT (35/24/23/21)
- Courses: By graduation will have- 4 yrs German, Religion, Eng, Math, 2yrs Latin, 3 yrs Science, and 5 yrs History - Will have taken AP US (5), Eng Lang (4), US Govt(4), Euro Hist
-ECs: Member and Pres of school Model UN (4yrs), School Drama Society (3yrs), History Club (2yrs), 80 hrs community service
-Awards: NHS, Silver medal and honorable mention on Nat'l Latin Exams, Gold metal and honorable mention on Nat'l German Exam
-Other: Will participate in a 3 wk. study abroad program in Germany this summer, have extreme interest in US govt particularly foreign policy / intelligence
-Essays will be solid and recs. will be excellent</p>

<p>Well, to start with, Georgetown SFS is not, hands down, the best. It is primarily for those who are determined to go into Foreign Service and has better notoriety because of its location. The big three (all reaches) are Georgetown University, Tufts University, and Johns Hopkins University. Good matches are GWU and American. I do feel you have a good shot at GWU and American, but Georgetown and Tufts are definitely reaches -- your GPA is lowish and your ACT as well. That being said, Your EC's and class load are good, nothing that will be out of the ordinary for the Georgetown/Tufts applicant pool, but still good for the running.</p>

<p>Some schools that are matches for you with great IR programs: Syracuse, UCSD, U Denver, U Maryland, NYU (actually this is more of a reach)</p>

<p>still, i think you've got a great shot at American and if you get your ACT up and maybe put a couple more things in your EC's you're in at GW.</p>

<p>UCSD is not a match with a 3.64 and a 26 act. i believe its averages are a 4.04 and a 27 act. and most of those admit students are in state. if the poster is out of state, he will have to have much much better stats than the 4.04 average and 26 act. UCSD would clearly be a reach, a large reach oos, john hopkins a large reach, georgetown a reach, tuffs a reach, NYU a slight reach/reach. the others listed likely matches or better.</p>

<p>WorldbandDX-</p>

<p>Please don't mislead the guy who is asking the question. These boards are not places to spread unfounded propaganda. You obviously love Tufts but facts are facts and they are stubborn things. there is no "big 3" of ir at the undergrad level. Georgetown SFS is simply way out in front of everyone else. </p>

<p>To give a simple illustration-</p>

<p>Georgetown SFS (not Georgetown in general) has a 25 to 75% SAT range of 1360 to 1550 this year for its accepted students. This is almost identical to the Ivy rates I found at US News of 1370-1560 for Princeton and 1380-1580 for Yale and even exceeds Stanford's range of 1340-1560 on the lower end. </p>

<p>Please don't come back with messages forcing me to belabor at length Georgetown SFS's army of distinguished alumni in every major avenue of America life (not just the foreign service), its small army of distinguished faculty and its dominant position in graduate fellowships versus the othertwo institutions. I don't want to make other very fine places look bad just ot refute an unsubstantiated and misleading point.</p>

<p>"Unfound propaganda"?? </p>

<p>First, don't be curt. </p>

<p>Second, actually go speak with someone familiar with IR/IS and mention Tufts. You'll see that their reaction is extremely positive. Also, ever heard of Fletcher? Or, search the hundred of CC threads that refer to Tufts superb programme. What you are stating are not facts; that "Georgetown is way out in front" is opinion. Pure opinion. Go look at Tufts middle 50 % for this year (check the TAAP website). Or wait, let me guess, you're going to come back now and put down Tufts even more. Georgetown is for those who want to go into Foreign Service. The Gourman Report, for example, ranked Tufts the best IR programme in the US. I'm not misleading anyone, and if you merely want to add yourself to the ranks of CC'ers who are dillusionary about Tufts' supposedly poor standing then that's your problem.</p>

<p>phillyguy:</p>

<p>UCSD: Reach (out of state)</p>