<p>Okay, I honestly apologize for the obscene length of this post, but I'm pretty much at my wits' end and don't want to elicit frustrated, "we can't answer your question because we need more detail" reactions, so...</p>
<p>I'm a dual EU/US citizen currently living and working in France. I graduated in June from the University of Washington (Seattle) with a BA in History and minors in European studies and music (my original major). I have a 3.7 cumulative GPA (higher in-major, blah blah) and wrote a relatively substantial senior thesis on which I got a good mark (3.9) and for which I did in-depth(?) research in English and in French. The only reason I did not qualify for departmental honors was that I missed the junior-year 'pre-thesis seminar' because I was studying abroad in France. (I loved it, and it allowed me to improve my French enough to come back and live here, but oh, it hurt to watch that 'With Distinction' drop off the mental image of my diploma.) At one time I assisted a professor in another department with research for his book, but he mysteriously stopped responding to my emails (?!? very frustrating), so I don't believe a letter confirming/evaluating my work would be forthcoming.</p>
<p>Anyhow. I want, want, want to work in the public sector, especially at the regional/city level (I really regret discovering urban studies/history so close to the end of undergrad), and it is my intention to make my life in France for as long as that is viable. And, although contemplating the tuition makes me nauseous, Sciences Po de Paris has EXACTLY the type of program I want: a master's degree in Regional and Urban Studies that involves internships/professional insertion AND the possibility of writing and defending a thesis, under the supervision of (needless to say) some pretty amazing people.</p>
<p>Hi, just found your message when I searched ‘Sciences Po’ - so not sure about your changes but my daughter will be attending there for spring semester as an undergrad(senior year). Her college (UGA) has a reciprocal arrangement with Sciences Po. I’ve read a lot on their website and looks like maybe they have a similar arrangement with graduate level studies. Tuition costs aside, housing costs are what I’m afraid will break us! Do you have any insight about best student housing - thinking about a homestay at this point but still probably 800-900 euros. Good luck to you - you do seem like a good fit - Go for it!</p>
<p>I appreciate pumpkin5’s advice above, but am doing a bump to see if I can get some input from people (especially Americans) who have applied/are applying to actually pursue a degree at ScPo. I see that, even pushed so far back, it has (what I think is?) a fair few views, so I’m really hoping for some more input, not just for myself but for other US students feeling stumped by the French system or the idea of doing grad degrees abroad generally. (Working on the umpteenth version of my SOP/lettre de motivation now, blegh.) Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>Sorry again to drag such an old thread back up, but for what it’s worth:
If anyone interested in Sciences Po should find this thread later, I was admitted to the master’s program I wanted in May. I’m moving to Paris this month and classes start in three weeks! So it is possible to be admitted there without an OMGSOAMAZING, I-worked-for-three-NGOs-before-the-age-of-25 profile (although it might just be that the master I wanted is not necessarily in high demand amongst applicants).</p>
<p>Peakes- how has your Master’s degree been going at Sciences Po? I’m interested in applying to the double degree at Sciences Po and LSE and I was curious to hear about life as a student at Sciences Po. I was on a different thread and there was a Master’s student who wrote about the difficulties they had at Sciences Po. If you still read this thread, I would appreciate any info about the school from a US perspective!</p>
<p>You might want to try getting enough posts so you can send peakes an e-mail/private message since it’s been about a year since they last dropped by here.</p>