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LSE International Relations - Americans
Has any american applied and received an offer to the LSE International Relations program and if so, could you please post your stats? Outside of AP scores(supposedly A level equivalent) what did you emphasize in your application? I know the personal statement is very important but is there anything else? For instance, how much is the recommendation weighted in the admissions process?
If anyone has any important UCAS tips for an american attempting to learn the english system, it would really be helpful.
Thanks,
Ryan
If anyone has any important UCAS tips for an american attempting to learn the english system, it would really be helpful.
Thanks,
Ryan
first of AP is hardly Alevel 
Loads of americans make it to LSE. In UK we are far more focused on academic excellence rather than having a billion extra curriculars in cookie making
. (not to say that they don't matter) Try to perhaps talk about what interests you for most of the PS with the last para on extracurricular stuff (i had about 6lines on it in mine). Try to show you are really eager, maybe by reading a few impressive books (and try to mention them in the PS).
The recomendation is very important, although here its called a reference. It should be very good and supportive of your application, id say its one of the most important things in your application.
The LSE seems to be highly grade orientated, so if you've done well it is very easy to get in. Depending on your age/time you have/facilities in the states you could try tosit a few alevels like maths, politics, economics, history or soemthing like that..i can see that as being impressive.
How did your SAT and APs go? I suspect you will need 5's.
Loads of americans make it to LSE. In UK we are far more focused on academic excellence rather than having a billion extra curriculars in cookie making
. (not to say that they don't matter) Try to perhaps talk about what interests you for most of the PS with the last para on extracurricular stuff (i had about 6lines on it in mine). Try to show you are really eager, maybe by reading a few impressive books (and try to mention them in the PS). The recomendation is very important, although here its called a reference. It should be very good and supportive of your application, id say its one of the most important things in your application.
The LSE seems to be highly grade orientated, so if you've done well it is very easy to get in. Depending on your age/time you have/facilities in the states you could try tosit a few alevels like maths, politics, economics, history or soemthing like that..i can see that as being impressive.
How did your SAT and APs go? I suspect you will need 5's.
Can any one (especially someone from the US) who was admitted to LSE for the MSC in International Relations post their undergraduate stats?
I was accepted to the MSc in Politics and Communication, but am really interested in the IR MSc more.
Not sure if I have a chance at it, though:
I was accepted to the MSc in Politics and Communication, but am really interested in the IR MSc more.
Not sure if I have a chance at it, though:
•
Not a too well-know undergrad school (maybe someone from LSE will by chance know of it)
•
3.64 Cum GPA
•
Dual majors - Communications and International Studies
•
4 internships (one at a business consultancy in London, another at a public affairs firm in Brussels)
•
a year of work experience in Washington, DC for an international strategic communications and public affairs firm.
Hah, I know AP is hardly A - Level, but they are evaluated on a similar level as A-levels for some odd reason. I already posted my stats in another post - I have 5,5,5,5,4,3 so far in exams and am waiting to hear back on 8 more. My SAT I isnt that impressive(2120, 1420 M + V) but on the LSE website it says they don't accept SAT I. By the time of sending in the app, I should have one semester of american Uni complete as well with courses definitely related to my prospective major at the LSE.
I didn't even know they offered A - Levels in the states?
I didn't even know they offered A - Levels in the states?
ryan2288
Hah, I know AP is hardly A - Level, but they are evaluated on a similar level as A-levels for some odd reason. I already posted my stats in another post - I have 5,5,5,5,4,3 so far in exams and am waiting to hear back on 8 more. My SAT I isnt that impressive(2120, 1420 M + V) but on the LSE website it says they don't accept SAT I. By the time of sending in the app, I should have one semester of american Uni complete as well with courses definitely related to my prospective major at the LSE.
I didn't even know they offered A - Levels in the states?
I didn't even know they offered A - Levels in the states?
you will be fine
mfoerster
Can any one (especially someone from the US) who was admitted to LSE for the MSC in International Relations post their undergraduate stats?
I was accepted to the MSc in Politics and Communication, but am really interested in the IR MSc more.
Not sure if I have a chance at it, though:
I was accepted to the MSc in Politics and Communication, but am really interested in the IR MSc more.
Not sure if I have a chance at it, though:
•
Not a too well-know undergrad school (maybe someone from LSE will by chance know of it)
•
3.64 Cum GPA
•
Dual majors - Communications and International Studies
•
4 internships (one at a business consultancy in London, another at a public affairs firm in Brussels)
•
a year of work experience in Washington, DC for an international strategic communications and public affairs firm.
I'm a Canadian who got into the MSc IR program.
- 3.9 GPA (though it was a few points lower when I applied)
- dual Honours majors in political science and history - 3.9 GPA or so in each
- no work experience
- great letters of rec (or so I assume)
- small school that no one here has heard of
- solid, but not spectacular, letter of intent (in my opinion, anyways)
Feel free to ask any other questions. Did you apply to IR as your first choice?
Hi there. I'm an American...did the whole public school thing through high school and then did my undergrad at Barnard College, Columbia University. I did pretty well there (but definitely not as well as McBeer there :-P), but I'd say my grades probably didn't impress the admission people all that much.
Stats:
-3.62 GPA (qualified as magna cum laude)
-Dean's list for 3 years
-Major: Political Science, Minor: English
-4 internships (editorial intern at documentary firm producing pieces for PBS, NYSE magazine, Sports Illustrated, Sports Illustrated for Kids)
-Writing Fellow at school's prestigious Writing Center for 3 years
-4 year athlete (national champs), Columbia University Varsity Archery
-various awards which don't count for much in the real world including: archery medals, Anna Quindlen Writing Fellow Fellowship, Student Leadership Award, and other randomness
-GREs...i bombed them. I'm not a good standardized test-taker and was relieved to see that LSE didn't require them.
-Current job as staff writer at Current Biography magazine. I've had a lot of articles published so I also submitted a list of past, current, and future publications.
I'm assuming that receiving a double-A for my senior thesis on the politics of fear in the war on terror helped my application tremendously. My extracurriculars, though they are a lot, probably didn't do much b/c they were not at all related to politics. I mentioned them in my personal statement b/c I said I was gaining field experience in journalism and hoping to apply my political science studies to eventually become a political journalist. I talked a lot about how studying in London and my past experiences would help tremendously on that career path and how I needed to get away from the American-centric approach to political science. Ummm, I also got really good references. 1 was mediocre, but the other one was from a professor who's known in american politics circles and is regularly invited to speak at UK universities. I imagine those helped my app a lot.
To be honest, I was completely surprised that I got accepted to LSE although my professors were not oddly enough. AP scores were not even a factor, neither were high school grades or SATs.
Hope that helps!
Stats:
-3.62 GPA (qualified as magna cum laude)
-Dean's list for 3 years
-Major: Political Science, Minor: English
-4 internships (editorial intern at documentary firm producing pieces for PBS, NYSE magazine, Sports Illustrated, Sports Illustrated for Kids)
-Writing Fellow at school's prestigious Writing Center for 3 years
-4 year athlete (national champs), Columbia University Varsity Archery
-various awards which don't count for much in the real world including: archery medals, Anna Quindlen Writing Fellow Fellowship, Student Leadership Award, and other randomness
-GREs...i bombed them. I'm not a good standardized test-taker and was relieved to see that LSE didn't require them.
-Current job as staff writer at Current Biography magazine. I've had a lot of articles published so I also submitted a list of past, current, and future publications.
I'm assuming that receiving a double-A for my senior thesis on the politics of fear in the war on terror helped my application tremendously. My extracurriculars, though they are a lot, probably didn't do much b/c they were not at all related to politics. I mentioned them in my personal statement b/c I said I was gaining field experience in journalism and hoping to apply my political science studies to eventually become a political journalist. I talked a lot about how studying in London and my past experiences would help tremendously on that career path and how I needed to get away from the American-centric approach to political science. Ummm, I also got really good references. 1 was mediocre, but the other one was from a professor who's known in american politics circles and is regularly invited to speak at UK universities. I imagine those helped my app a lot.
To be honest, I was completely surprised that I got accepted to LSE although my professors were not oddly enough. AP scores were not even a factor, neither were high school grades or SATs.
Hope that helps!
Wow...I have no idea how I got an offer from LSE compared to these people!
Although mine's for MSc Global Politics
Stanford University
Major: International Relations (graduating next week!)
Minor: African Studies
GPA: 3.45 (offer for 3.5 GPA so we'll see how this all works out)
Volunteer work: HIV education in Africa
Internship @ think tank in Ghana last summer (I won a fellowship from Stanford)
Study Abroad: 2 terms at Oxford
Strong recs: 1 big prof at Stanford, 1 big prof at Oxford
I guess because I go to Stanford? I have no idea how this happened. I actually got in everywhere I applied for grad school (UCL, King's, SOAS, LSE) and I was shocked.
Although mine's for MSc Global Politics
Stanford University
Major: International Relations (graduating next week!)
Minor: African Studies
GPA: 3.45 (offer for 3.5 GPA so we'll see how this all works out)
Volunteer work: HIV education in Africa
Internship @ think tank in Ghana last summer (I won a fellowship from Stanford)
Study Abroad: 2 terms at Oxford
Strong recs: 1 big prof at Stanford, 1 big prof at Oxford
I guess because I go to Stanford? I have no idea how this happened. I actually got in everywhere I applied for grad school (UCL, King's, SOAS, LSE) and I was shocked.
mfoerster
Can any one (especially someone from the US) who was admitted to LSE for the MSC in International Relations post their undergraduate stats?
I was accepted to the MSc in Politics and Communication, but am really interested in the IR MSc more.
I was accepted to the MSc in Politics and Communication, but am really interested in the IR MSc more.
Sorry this was what I was replying to...
Is that a problem?
It's ok! You'll spend a good portion of your year here trying to figure just why they let you in, or at least I did! My coursemates here at LSE have been amazing, but there's also got to be a reason why they decided that each and every one of us were worthy to be here!
MSc Human Rights
3.84 GPA (politics)
study abroad (in London)
three years of state government summer jobs & a couple of political internships in the UK
tiny Quaker liberal arts school!
massive amounts of Model UN & a personal statement that was coming out a very raw emotional place, post Hotel Rwanda
Unlike some of the other people, my professors were surprised (and delighted) because we'd never had anyone get into the LSE before.
MSc Human Rights
3.84 GPA (politics)
study abroad (in London)
three years of state government summer jobs & a couple of political internships in the UK
tiny Quaker liberal arts school!
massive amounts of Model UN & a personal statement that was coming out a very raw emotional place, post Hotel Rwanda
Unlike some of the other people, my professors were surprised (and delighted) because we'd never had anyone get into the LSE before.
Earlham
It's ok! You'll spend a good portion of your year here trying to figure just why they let you in, or at least I did! My coursemates here at LSE have been amazing, but there's also got to be a reason why they decided that each and every one of us were worthy to be here!
MSc Human Rights
3.84 GPA (politics)
study abroad (in London)
three years of state government summer jobs & a couple of political internships in the UK
tiny Quaker liberal arts school!
massive amounts of Model UN & a personal statement that was coming out a very raw emotional place, post Hotel Rwanda
Unlike some of the other people, my professors were surprised (and delighted) because we'd never had anyone get into the LSE before.
MSc Human Rights
3.84 GPA (politics)
study abroad (in London)
three years of state government summer jobs & a couple of political internships in the UK
tiny Quaker liberal arts school!
massive amounts of Model UN & a personal statement that was coming out a very raw emotional place, post Hotel Rwanda
Unlike some of the other people, my professors were surprised (and delighted) because we'd never had anyone get into the LSE before.
I have a few questions about the MSc programs if you have a sec.
- What is the work load like in terms of reading, essays, finals, etc.?
- How are the job prospects coming out of the MSc programs? Obviously there will be some variance, but how much on-campus recruiting is there and how is career services?
Feel free to add any other advice you might have.
I should be studying right now, but....
The amount of work that you have through the year is totally a matter of preference and management. We realized pretty quickly that we weren't really supposed to be able to read everything and certainly would be able to do it physically unless we were one of those kids who lived in the library 24/7. That said, most of us read different amounts depending on the class, our level of interest, and the extent to which class participation depended on the amount of reading that we'd been doing.
I'm doing two whole-unit law modules, plus my core class in sociology. Both of the law modules are 100% exam, so no essays. Sociology had one essay, which seems sort of standard for that department (and about 70% exam). I have a friend, though, who's in history of IR and he had to write an essay every 1-2 weeks all year and had mock exams. Some courses will have you take four classes, one of which will be "examed" on the basis of your dissertation. Others, like the MSc Human Rights, have the dissertation as your fourth module. Anyway, it's doable. You just have to figure out what's your style!
As for job prospects, I'm not really sure. There certainly seemed to be quite a few posters for i-banks and other big companies running recruitment programs. There were also quite a few job fairs, but the types of things that my coursemates and I would be looking for weren't really the types of places to show up at those things. It probably depends entirely on you and your preferences, more than on the LSE's on-campus recruiting. For Human Rights students, not so much, but I could see how an accounting & finance or economics person might be very happy. We just joke about being in it for the money.
Hope that helps! It's been one of the most stimulating and intellectually exciting years of my life!
The amount of work that you have through the year is totally a matter of preference and management. We realized pretty quickly that we weren't really supposed to be able to read everything and certainly would be able to do it physically unless we were one of those kids who lived in the library 24/7. That said, most of us read different amounts depending on the class, our level of interest, and the extent to which class participation depended on the amount of reading that we'd been doing.
I'm doing two whole-unit law modules, plus my core class in sociology. Both of the law modules are 100% exam, so no essays. Sociology had one essay, which seems sort of standard for that department (and about 70% exam). I have a friend, though, who's in history of IR and he had to write an essay every 1-2 weeks all year and had mock exams. Some courses will have you take four classes, one of which will be "examed" on the basis of your dissertation. Others, like the MSc Human Rights, have the dissertation as your fourth module. Anyway, it's doable. You just have to figure out what's your style!
As for job prospects, I'm not really sure. There certainly seemed to be quite a few posters for i-banks and other big companies running recruitment programs. There were also quite a few job fairs, but the types of things that my coursemates and I would be looking for weren't really the types of places to show up at those things. It probably depends entirely on you and your preferences, more than on the LSE's on-campus recruiting. For Human Rights students, not so much, but I could see how an accounting & finance or economics person might be very happy. We just joke about being in it for the money.
Hope that helps! It's been one of the most stimulating and intellectually exciting years of my life!
Hey Earlham,
Finally i have found someone who is taking the MSc Human Rights course. I should have been in your class, but decided to work for the year. I will be coming to LSE in the fall.
If you wouldn't mind answering some of my questions........
How difficult you have found the program?
How are the people in the program?
Is there any opportunity for internships - do IO's recruit at LSE?
Also, how was the class trip experience?
Thanks so much.
Finally i have found someone who is taking the MSc Human Rights course. I should have been in your class, but decided to work for the year. I will be coming to LSE in the fall.
If you wouldn't mind answering some of my questions........
How difficult you have found the program?
How are the people in the program?
Is there any opportunity for internships - do IO's recruit at LSE?
Also, how was the class trip experience?
Thanks so much.
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