Unsure about grad school right away...

Graduate School
1

<p>Hi...</p>

<p>I am torn on whether or not to apply to grad schools right out of getting my B.A. or taking a few years off to get more experience (i was thinking the peace corps) before I apply...</p>

<p>These are my stats:</p>

<p>-Transfer student: GPA 3.8 at time of transfer</p>

<p>-UCLA--Middle Eastern and North African Studies GPA (after a year): 3.4....thanks to a C+ in a second year arabic course...arggggg</p>

<p>-UCLA honors program</p>

<p>-Hebrew University of Jerusalem (study abroad); GPA: 3.76</p>

<p>-Middle Eastern Studies Honors program at Hebrew U</p>

<p>-Intern for one semester in Jerusalem at the Harry S Truman Institute for the Advancement of Peace doing research on the global threat of Iran, more specifically its ties with Africa south of the Sahara; will brief ambassadors and foreign dignitaries on my research at the end of the semester in a forum.</p>

<p>-Published and potential to get published again after this semester</p>

<p>-teaches english to Darfur refugees in Jerusalem</p>

<p>-Tutors Palestinian children in the West Bank</p>

<p>-many extracurriculars, though i'm not sure if they really care about these in grad school (played in orchestras, tutored, was a student instructor in Physical Anth and French (both subjects not in my field) etc)</p>

<p>-potential strong Recs...including one from a man who was the former Israeli ambassador to Kenya (till '95)</p>

<p>-Conversational level Hebrew, reading knowledge of French, 2 years of Arabic, 1 year Farsi</p>

<p>-Haven't taken GRE yet</p>

<p>I plan on applying to the following schools:</p>

<p>Georgetown University --Security Studies Program (#1 choice)
George Washington University--Security Policy Studies
U of Chicago--2 year Public Policy/International Relations A.M/M.A.
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor--Middle Eastern Studies
Columbia--Islamic Studies (Liberal Arts M.A.)
UCLA--Islamic Studies
BU
amongst others... </p>

<p>Though I have a year left to bring up my UCLA GPA, i'm still worried that I don't have that much experience or research in my field (save for this current internship), and also that unis will turn me down because of my low UCLA GPA without seeing my improvements (because you apply for most of these places when you have only the first semester showing)...</p>

<p>I mean....after looking at some of your guys' stats I can't help but think to myself: do I even have a chance?</p>

2

<p>I think your stats are fine and you have some great experience. I would say you probably have a high chance of being accepted to at least one of the programs you mentioned right after getting your BA. That being said, work experience would make you an even stronger candidate, and may make a big difference for some of the more competitive schools like Georgetown. Speaking from personal experience, I can also say that a couple of years of work experience has not only made me a much more competitive applicant than I would have been right after graduation, but I also feel that my job has honestly help me grow as a person and prepare for grad school and beyond.</p>