James Madison: Poli Sci/Global Studies for IB student?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about U of SC? State school, football, outside the DMV, hits that JMU sweet spot of being a pretty good school that’s not insanely hard to get into. And if I recall correctly they have substantial study abroad and international business programs as well as IR.

OP here. Thanks, we’ll look. What is the deal w/ getting In State in SC? I thought I read something about getting that once you’ve been for a couple years. I could be wrong!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, this “big step down” poli sci grad had a job offer from the White House before graduation.

Clearly, JMU failed me.

Seriously. I just have to laugh at the cluelessness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, this “big step down” poli sci grad had a job offer from the White House before graduation.

Clearly, JMU failed me.

Trump Admin

Seriously though, IR and generic politics degrees are not the same things. A quality IR program will be a standalone department, not an also ran track in poly sci. And will require foreign language fluency, economics, history, government — plus a couple of politics classes. Kids will be encouraged to consider fluency in a critical language, studying abroad in a country with that language and specializing their coursework in that area. They are looking for CIA, NSA, etc, State Dept, NGO jobs.

IDK about JMU politics. But UVA and WM are clearly stronger in IR. So first, OP’s kid should think about what their goal is.

DP. I highly doubt the PP was graduating from college during the Trump administration. Additionally, the International Relations major at UVA is indeed a track under the politics dept. Everything else you mention is also required of kids majoring in International Relations/Studies/Affairs/National Security at both JMU and VT, and I imagine at GMU as well.

OP, I would encourage you and any other parents looking for IA/FR/NS programs for your kids to explore ALL options available to you.

[Anonymous]

An aside for IR kids— keep your nose clean. American citizens (especially with American citizen parents who also don’t raise red flags) who learn a critical language are in high demand— if they can get a security clearance. A DUI or occasional pot use at 19 might not prevent this, but it can slow things down. And if you start adding stuff up, present a high clearance. If your kid is serious about State, . Your kid should realize that, in the future, people might come and talk to roommates, professors, employers, etc

Also, start a word doc and keep track of addresses, contact info. When I did my upgraded clearance, it took me forever to find th exact dates of every country I had visited. Especially in the Eau without passport sts,AP. A day in Gibralter. Through Andorra with a stop for lunch. Write the dates down.

[Anonymous]

^^ should say serious about state, national security, CIA, DIA, etc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:An aside for IR kids— keep your nose clean. American citizens (especially with American citizen parents who also don’t raise red flags) who learn a critical language are in high demand— if they can get a security clearance. A DUI or occasional pot use at 19 might not prevent this, but it can slow things down. And if you start adding stuff up, present a high clearance. If your kid is serious about State, . Your kid should realize that, in the future, people might come and talk to roommates, professors, employers, etc

Also, start a word doc and keep track of addresses, contact info. When I did my upgraded clearance, it took me forever to find th exact dates of every country I had visited. Especially in the Eau without passport sts,AP. A day in Gibralter. Through Andorra with a stop for lunch. Write the dates down.

DP here. Excellent advice, and generous of you to write this out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, this “big step down” poli sci grad had a job offer from the White House before graduation.

Clearly, JMU failed me.

Trump Admin

Seriously though, IR and generic politics degrees are not the same things. A quality IR program will be a standalone department, not an also ran track in poly sci. And will require foreign language fluency, economics, history, government — plus a couple of politics classes. Kids will be encouraged to consider fluency in a critical language, studying abroad in a country with that language and specializing their coursework in that area. They are looking for CIA, NSA, etc, State Dept, NGO jobs.

IDK about JMU politics. But UVA and WM are clearly stronger in IR. So first, OP’s kid should think about what their goal is.

DP. I highly doubt the PP was graduating from college during the Trump administration. Additionally, the International Relations major at UVA is indeed a track under the politics dept. Everything else you mention is also required of kids majoring in International Relations/Studies/Affairs/National Security at both JMU and VT, and I imagine at GMU as well.

OP, I would encourage you and any other parents looking for IA/FR/NS programs for your kids to explore ALL options available to you.

Not technically true at UVA. Yes there is a foreign affairs major in the politics track but there is also a separate major called Global studies -security and justice (https://globalstudies.as.virginia.edu/global-security-justice). It’s interdisciplinary and requires a foreign ianguage beyond the normal UVA language requirement.

[Anonymous]

It's so funny that the OP was asking specifically about JMU and the usual annoying UVA booster has to keep interjecting. I mean, seriously? Read the room!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's so funny that the OP was asking specifically about JMU and the usual annoying UVA booster has to keep interjecting. I mean, seriously? Read the room!

how is it boosting UVA to respond to someone else's comment who brought up UVA and correct misinformation? I realize that you may clearly have some angst against UVA but you must know that many parents whose kids are interested in this field are viewing this post - not just those who are interested in JMU - and when advice is being offering presumably by people in the field, that seems to be acceptable. However correcting misinformation is not? Interesting view.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you asking about JMU? It’s not in the DMV, for starters. It’s a 2nd tier VA state school that takes a lot of bright, social kids who take the APs and get decent SATs but miss the cut for UVA/WM/VT STEM.

It also a big step down from UVA and WM in IR/ politics/ government/ history, which is the multi-disciplinary field you are looking at.

Nothing wrong with going to JMU for IR, but I’m not sure you would seek it out as particularly strong in that field either.

If he wants state U not in the DMV, using DC TAG, ED WM, which has a program often ranked in the top 10 nationally and which gives ED applicants (and men) and edge. If he wants larger, football etc, Ohio State is surprisingly well regarded. Pitt is also good.

Sounds about right. Nobody outside of VA ever heard of this school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's so funny that the OP was asking specifically about JMU and the usual annoying UVA booster has to keep interjecting. I mean, seriously? Read the room!

how is it boosting UVA to respond to someone else's comment who brought up UVA and correct misinformation? I realize that you may clearly have some angst against UVA but you must know that many parents whose kids are interested in this field are viewing this post - not just those who are interested in JMU - and when advice is being offering presumably by people in the field, that seems to be acceptable. However correcting misinformation is not? Interesting view.

It isn't but clearly they got a bad case of UVA envy. Likely their child was rejected and they've never gotten over it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:An aside for IR kids— keep your nose clean. American citizens (especially with American citizen parents who also don’t raise red flags) who learn a critical language are in high demand— if they can get a security clearance. A DUI or occasional pot use at 19 might not prevent this, but it can slow things down. And if you start adding stuff up, present a high clearance. If your kid is serious about State, . Your kid should realize that, in the future, people might come and talk to roommates, professors, employers, etc

Also, start a word doc and keep track of addresses, contact info. When I did my upgraded clearance, it took me forever to find th exact dates of every country I had visited. Especially in the Eau without passport sts,AP. A day in Gibralter. Through Andorra with a stop for lunch. Write the dates down.

OP here. Thanks. My kid doesn’t even swear. But I’ll remind him.
For JMU haters, my kid doesn’t have the grades to go higher. But thanks for boosting your schools. They sound good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:An aside for IR kids— keep your nose clean. American citizens (especially with American citizen parents who also don’t raise red flags) who learn a critical language are in high demand— if they can get a security clearance. A DUI or occasional pot use at 19 might not prevent this, but it can slow things down. And if you start adding stuff up, present a high clearance. If your kid is serious about State, . Your kid should realize that, in the future, people might come and talk to roommates, professors, employers, etc

Also, start a word doc and keep track of addresses, contact info. When I did my upgraded clearance, it took me forever to find th exact dates of every country I had visited. Especially in the Eau without passport sts,AP. A day in Gibralter. Through Andorra with a stop for lunch. Write the dates down.

OP here. Thanks. My kid doesn’t even swear. But I’ll remind him.
For JMU haters, my kid doesn’t have the grades to go higher. But thanks for boosting your schools. They sound good.

Getting into JMU is increasingly hard, esp as getting into UVA and WM becomes increasingly hard. Your kid would need solid stats to get in. I’m not pulling up scattergram, but is Ohio State or Pitt Arts and Sciences harder than JMU OOS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you asking about JMU? It’s not in the DMV, for starters. It’s a 2nd tier VA state school that takes a lot of bright, social kids who take the APs and get decent SATs but miss the cut for UVA/WM/VT STEM.

It also a big step down from UVA and WM in IR/ politics/ government/ history, which is the multi-disciplinary field you are looking at.

Nothing wrong with going to JMU for IR, but I’m not sure you would seek it out as particularly strong in that field either.

If he wants state U not in the DMV, using DC TAG, ED WM, which has a program often ranked in the top 10 nationally and which gives ED applicants (and men) and edge. If he wants larger, football etc, Ohio State is surprisingly well regarded. Pitt is also good.

Sounds about right. Nobody outside of VA ever heard of this school.

Really? Is that why JMU has alumni chapters all over the country, as well as internationally? At any rate, most schools are not well known outside of their state.
https://www.alumni.jmu.edu/s/1591/18/interior.aspx?sid=1591&gid=3&pgid=7560

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's so funny that the OP was asking specifically about JMU and the usual annoying UVA booster has to keep interjecting. I mean, seriously? Read the room!

how is it boosting UVA to respond to someone else's comment who brought up UVA and correct misinformation? I realize that you may clearly have some angst against UVA but you must know that many parents whose kids are interested in this field are viewing this post - not just those who are interested in JMU - and when advice is being offering presumably by people in the field, that seems to be acceptable. However correcting misinformation is not? Interesting view.

It isn't but clearly they got a bad case of UVA envy. Likely their child was rejected and they've never gotten over it.

I’m the first PP. None of my kids wanted to apply to UVA at all. Sorry to disappoint!