Postgraduate applicants for 2015 entry

I'm doing a Masters at Warwick starting in September, and will probably re-apply for PhDs at Cambridge, Imperial and TCD for physics and Soton for chemistry/maths (they're all the same topic, but are housed in random departments). Also considering applying to Edinburgh Uni and TU Munich for Analysis, and if I ever have enough cash for the GRE there are a couple of places in the US that also look quite interesting. Well, I'll stagger applications again.

Applications should go a lot better than this year because I've learned from interviews (they improved progressively!) and am now published. I figure the PGCert I somehow scraped and that Master's should also help.

Thanks In which college are you and what do you study?

been to over 50 countries

Bleeding heck, how have you managed that?

Sorry though, I can't help you much with your LSE reapplication. Have you tried the LSE board here on TSR? It'd probably be helpful to contact some current students on the course you're interested in. Also if you are in the UK at any point you might be able to meet with an academic involved in the course to discuss your suitability and any advice.

Haha - I blame my dad! I've been really lucky and that's why I see myself wanting to go to school outside of the US. Thanks for your suggestion! I've posted over on the LSE thread so hopefully I get some help there. Good call on speaking with students and/or academics. Appreciate it!

The only thing I can say is that your GPA seems on the low end for postgraduate applications and that is what might be holding you back. If your work experience is relevant to international development, though, that should help with your admissions. Unfortunately as you know, LSE is very competitive and receives numerous applications from around the world. It might just have been that last year they only picked the applicants with the very top grades in their pool.

Thank you for the insight! I want to find a way to prevent my GPA from holding me back. Do you have any guidance as to specifics LSE Admissions may be looking for in a CV, Letter of Recommendation, or Personal Statement that may help my cause?

I do maths and computer science at Exeter College

I'm sorry if this is obvious to you already, but it's worth noting that, at least at undergrad level, personal statements and things like that tend to be very different in the UK compared to the US, so do make sure you get a chance to talk it through with someone familiar with the UK system and expectations before applying again! Did you manage to get any feedback on why you got rejected last time?

Thank you for the insight! I want to find a way to prevent my GPA from holding me back. Do you have any guidance as to specifics LSE Admissions may be looking for in a CV, Letter of Recommendation, or Personal Statement that may help my cause?

I didn't apply to LSE but I did make a successful masters application so I can be of some help:

It may be possible that LSE aren't considering applications from those who don't meet the grade requirements so don't pin all your hopes up. The CV for university admissions should normally be an academic one (unless it says otherwise) - I highlighted my best modules and the grades I got in them at the top.
Then for the Personal statement you need to make sure you address the following:
Why that course
Why that university
Why that department

See guidance from Durham along with examples at the bottom of this page:
https://www.dur.ac.uk/careers/s/pgstudy/app/

Thanks everyone!! Harsh it may be, but given that I haven't gone to school outside of the US I need a reality check.

Riddle me this - I was accepted to a few programs for Fall 2014 that I have since deferred to Fall 2015 to save some more money. Programs in question are City University of London's International Politics and Human Rights (1 year program full time), and George Washington University's International Development Studies (2 year program full time).

Would it make sense to see if I can rescind the deferral and start this fall and still apply to LSE for Fall 2015/Fall 2016?

Would it make sense to apply and find a new job that is more in line with actual development work, and still apply to LSE for Fall 2015?

What has become very apparent to me is that my current line of work will take a LOT of spinning in a CV to make it sound remotely relevant.

Many thanks!

Thanks everyone!! Harsh it may be, but given that I haven't gone to school outside of the US I need a reality check.

Riddle me this - I was accepted to a few programs for Fall 2014 that I have since deferred to Fall 2015 to save some more money. Programs in question are City University of London's International Politics and Human Rights (1 year program full time), and George Washington University's International Development Studies (2 year program full time).

Would it make sense to see if I can rescind the deferral and start this fall and still apply to LSE for Fall 2015/Fall 2016?

Would it make sense to apply and find a new job that is more in line with actual development work, and still apply to LSE for Fall 2015?

What has become very apparent to me is that my current line of work will take a LOT of spinning in a CV to make it sound remotely relevant.

Many thanks!

Thanks everyone!! Harsh it may be, but given that I haven't gone to school outside of the US I need a reality check.

Riddle me this - I was accepted to a few programs for Fall 2014 that I have since deferred to Fall 2015 to save some more money. Programs in question are City University of London's International Politics and Human Rights (1 year program full time), and George Washington University's International Development Studies (2 year program full time).

Would it make sense to see if I can rescind the deferral and start this fall and still apply to LSE for Fall 2015/Fall 2016?

Would it make sense to apply and find a new job that is more in line with actual development work, and still apply to LSE for Fall 2015?

What has become very apparent to me is that my current line of work will take a LOT of spinning in a CV to make it sound remotely relevant.

Many thanks!

Although I know next to nothing about development as a sector, I would think that the work experience relevant to your sector is the best thing to do, if you can get it.

The wider questions seems to me to be, why LSE? Do you really want that course so badly that you would fork over another £50k+ in fees and living costs (N.B. this is just a guesstimation) to get a second Masters, just so it's from LSE? If so, I would suggest a long hard look at your motives, because rationally that doesn't seem right.