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Am I actually qualified for an MPA/MIA program?
ChopperDave
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
It's that time of the year: applications are due next month, and I either need to put up or shut up if I want to enroll in a graduate program for next fall.
The problem? I don't feel terribly qualified.
I'm 23. I graduated cum laude from a very good school (Amherst College) with an award-winning honors thesis, a 3.7 GPA, and a dual degree in English and Polisci. I aced the GREs.
All good so far, right?
Here are the problems:
I've drafted a few essays, talked to my letters of recommendation writers, gotten otherwise ready to send out apps... but there's this niggling feeling that I'm just not qualified yet and shouldn't be wasting my time or money on applications this year.
This problem is compounded by my interest in pursuing a dual MPA/JD or MIA/JD degree. I'd love to get a law degree too, but I haven't taken my LSATs yet and won't until early December -- too late to apply to law schools. Most dual degree programs require that you apply to both schools separately, and get into each one. UGH.
Is it the right time for me to be applying to these types of programs? Am I overestimating the importance of economics/math knowledge or job experience when applying to these schools? And if I should be biding me time... what do I do to make myself a better applicant in the future? Night classes or something?
This whole process is getting a little bewildering for me. I know plenty of people my age get through it and accepted, but man...
The problem? I don't feel terribly qualified.
I'm 23. I graduated cum laude from a very good school (Amherst College) with an award-winning honors thesis, a 3.7 GPA, and a dual degree in English and Polisci. I aced the GREs.
All good so far, right?
Here are the problems:
- I have very little math or economics experience -- two things which most public policy schools say are "strongly preferred." I only took an Intro Economics course (very comprehensive, but still, intro). I've never taken Statistics. I haven't touched Calculus since my Junior year of high school.
- I only have two years in a foreign language (Arabic). Bonus points for being a critical language, I guess, but not terribly impressive.
- I have very little relevant job experience. Spent a year teaching abroad -- which is cool, but totally unrelated to politics or policy -- and have been interning at a non-partisan non-profit GOTV group for the last three months. Everything I did before that was either a) summer job bitchwork or b) research assistant (two years) with professors at my college.
- I've only been out of college for a year and a half. I have no idea if this is a selling point or something that will count against me.
I've drafted a few essays, talked to my letters of recommendation writers, gotten otherwise ready to send out apps... but there's this niggling feeling that I'm just not qualified yet and shouldn't be wasting my time or money on applications this year.
This problem is compounded by my interest in pursuing a dual MPA/JD or MIA/JD degree. I'd love to get a law degree too, but I haven't taken my LSATs yet and won't until early December -- too late to apply to law schools. Most dual degree programs require that you apply to both schools separately, and get into each one. UGH.
Is it the right time for me to be applying to these types of programs? Am I overestimating the importance of economics/math knowledge or job experience when applying to these schools? And if I should be biding me time... what do I do to make myself a better applicant in the future? Night classes or something?
This whole process is getting a little bewildering for me. I know plenty of people my age get through it and accepted, but man...
3DS code: 3007-8077-4055
ChopperDave on
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You should go talk to a professional from your former university or the office of the programs you are applying for.
You are good to go. Usually departments are willing to talk to incomming / applying students about how the department works and whether or not they are ready to be there.
Nothing you posted indicates that you are not ready for graduate school.
$80-100 per app and one "strike" out of three, for most universities.
Though I suppose if I fail to get into a university three times it wasn't be meant to be no matter how much experience I have, eh?
I guess I'm psyching myself out...
Has anyone applied for dual degrees in law? Do you think it'd be possible for me to get to "stagger" my applications, seeing as my LSAT scores won't be ready in time?