Major for a kid who wants IR but is average student

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is crazy for being a DC area focused forum.

Come on - if you've worked in this space you know that the IR area skews much more t20/umc background than say - public health or housing policy or infrastructure.

there are underemployed SAIS grads in this town.

I cant believe multiple people aren't throwing up red flags on this idea

I hire I/R grads. First of all, people with undergrads are a dime a dozen and it's extremely difficult to find work in your field. It's much easier to land a job as a program assistant or in an administrative capacity. We only hire people with graduate degrees to be policy analysts. Secondly, where you go to school matters. He should go to community college and shoot for a highly-rated program.

[Anonymous]

OP, you are on the wrong website. These people are nuts.

Your son sounds like a great kid. Kudos to you for recognizing his academic limitations. There are probably 1000 schools out there with relatively low admissions standards that offer some kind of international affairs / relations major. Most schools also offer Spanish majors and double majors.

Since you’re paying OOS tuition regardless, public or private probably aren’t that much different cost wise.

I suggest your son look at lower ranked liberal arts colleges. They tend to be nurturing and full of social justice warriors like your son. Step One should not be his career. It should be finding a school that he’s likely to get into, has the majors he wants, and that he’s likely to graduate from. Worry about the career later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is crazy for being a DC area focused forum.

Come on - if you've worked in this space you know that the IR area skews much more t20/umc background than say - public health or housing policy or infrastructure.

there are underemployed SAIS grads in this town.

I cant believe multiple people aren't throwing up red flags on this idea

I hire I/R grads. First of all, people with undergrads are a dime a dozen and it's extremely difficult to find work in your field. It's much easier to land a job as a program assistant or in an administrative capacity. We only hire people with graduate degrees to be policy analysts. Secondly, where you go to school matters. He should go to community college and shoot for a highly-rated program.

What are the highly rated grad programs? And do you need a masters or phd?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is crazy for being a DC area focused forum.

Come on - if you've worked in this space you know that the IR area skews much more t20/umc background than say - public health or housing policy or infrastructure.

there are underemployed SAIS grads in this town.

I cant believe multiple people aren't throwing up red flags on this idea

Secondly, where you go to school matters.

That’s why learning languages is so important. If you can speak an in-demand language, nobody will care where you went

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Let me clarify. I KNOW my kid won't excel in IR, that is why I am asking what OTHER major should someone with this profile look at besides hospitality.
He's not a Stem kid, he has high social intelligence, interested in social justice, and travel, and is a mediocre student but a hard worker and very practical.

I'm trying to understand what do you mean by saying you know your kid won't excel in IR? This is a curious statement.

Do you mean in IR classes? (why not - these don't seem particularly onerous)

Or do you mean they won't in an IR career? (this is a broad swath - not everyone in IR is a diplomat or high level policy negotiator - there are many international non-profits out there and USAID etc.)

Side note - another option (probably not life long career option) is to work with tour companies that travel to Spanish speaking locations. The leaders of these groups need to have top level social skills to deal with both the families on their tour and manage all of the local logistics in the country being visited.

OP here, I mean excel careerwise. We live in DC and have friends in UN, State, IMF... I'm fully aware of what he'll be up against, even for super entry-level jobs. So I asked what else he could consider studying and making sure that he applies to schools that offer that. For example, he liked a school but later realized they didn't offer Spanish as a language. This has been a helpful thread. I know it's hard for DCUM to think lower than most. I really wish more here would talk about CC and 2 tier State schools. Not all of our kids can/need to go to top schools.

Thanks for the clarification. FWIW - we have colleagues at the places you mention UN, State, IMF, World Bank....but what I'm trying to say is that there are many other paths to international employment. I totally understand why you are asking for alternative paths as support - but I also think you may be underestimating the opportunities your child may be able to take and be successful. So I'm trying to throw in that support that side a bit. I also know people who do work in other countries at the ground level or for the federal government at basic levels - (not high powered jobs) and I suspect your child would be a candidate for that. But keep the Spanish and get internships and jobs that use the Spanish because actually using the Spanish will take him a long way. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anthropology, Sociology, Political Science

[Anonymous]

Maybe check the options available at VCU?

[Anonymous]

Why not hospitality? Friend's kid has worked at the Four Seasons in a few different places around the world. In school student was a B student who has really good social skills. Just looks like a friendly and approachable person.

[Anonymous]

I think he should consider international business - at least as a minor.

Another career for people with international interests is communication or journalism.

[Anonymous]

I think it's crazy to choose a major based on the likelihood of getting into the Peace Corp. Most people don't serve more than 2 years in the PC. So focusing on just your first couple of years post-grad seems kind of silly to me. Yes, majoring in environmental science may make it more likely you'll get into the PC, but I wouldn't suggest majoring in it unless you think you'd like a career related to that in the long run.

If you are willing to consider small Catholic colleges, I'd recommend St Anselm College in New Hampshire. Due in part to its location in NH which hosts the first presidential primaries, it hosts the NH Institute of Politics. It's a good place for a kid interested in politic--both domestic and international.

[Anonymous]

A few thoughts from a returned Peace Corps volunteer who’s worked in international development for 20+ years:

Where you go to college truly, truly does not matter for Peace Corps. Being motivated, resilient, and a speaker of a second language do. Having an undergraduate degree in a relevant field (ag, environmental science, public health) and strong college GPA is also important. Peace Corps service is a great entry point to working in development (or related fields like international education or training) and getting into a graduate program relevant to that type of work.

As others have said, many of the fields discussed in this thread tend to be wonky and highly competitive. Ultimately, grades will matter - although your kid can work towards that in college and grad school. Undergraduate major is much less important - although most of these fields prioritize excellent writing and analytical skills.

Would your son be interested in working in international education/study abroad? I’m thinking of some of the more immersive, international studies type organizations like the School for International Training. It might be worth him exploring this area, not just in terms of study abroad but future employment. An organization that does great work in this vein and hires college kids and new grads who speak Spanish is Amigos de las Americas - recommend he check them out.

[Anonymous]

State Dept, UN, etc all need IT professionals, as well as facilities, logistics, accounting/budget, and security. They also get to go abroad, even if it’s not immediately like FSOs. A major in something like that plus a minor in a foreign language would open a lot of doors. And don’t forget to tell him to be a Boy Scout when it comes to drugs and other behavior to help get past the security clearance process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Let me clarify. I KNOW my kid won't excel in IR, that is why I am asking what OTHER major should someone with this profile look at besides hospitality.
He's not a Stem kid, he has high social intelligence, interested in social justice, and travel, and is a mediocre student but a hard worker and very practical.

I’m the “completely wrong” poster above. Again, bluntly, if he doesn’t want to major in STEM it’s just fine. Good for him. It really doesn’t matter what he majors in. IR is no better or worse than any other non-STEM major, and if it keeps him interested in his studies then great. Get him through school, then count on his “high social intelligence” and practical thinking for his landing a job. And he can always travel and work / volunteer abroad doing something fulfilling and interesting. It just won’t be the Peace Corps.

One final piece of advice: no student loans if at all possible, even if it means going with a lower ranked and cheaper school. This is NOT a kid you want to weigh down with student loans, because he will have trouble paying them back.

NP here. I had no idea it was so competitive to get into the peace corps.

[Anonymous]

Actually, that was me!

I studied Agricultural economics, worked at USDA during the summers in their paid intern program and joined the foreign Ag service shortly after graduating with my MS (I worked at USDA and got my MS at Mason at night in public policy), which was a wonderful career until I retired in my 40's. I work in the industry space now like a lot of my former colleagues on policy issues in DC (mainly to support my spouse who was a trooper while we were overseas).

It was a fantastic career and really the best of the jobs in the embassy in my view. You did real policy work, worked on real issues (we all gotta eat!) and managed yourself because your issues were so niche no one cared (which is wonderful not having political bother you).

Your kid should 10000000 percent apply. I was initially an econ major and then changed when I learned about the program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually, that was me!

I studied Agricultural economics, worked at USDA during the summers in their paid intern program and joined the foreign Ag service shortly after graduating with my MS (I worked at USDA and got my MS at Mason at night in public policy), which was a wonderful career until I retired in my 40's. I work in the industry space now like a lot of my former colleagues on policy issues in DC (mainly to support my spouse who was a trooper while we were overseas).

It was a fantastic career and really the best of the jobs in the embassy in my view. You did real policy work, worked on real issues (we all gotta eat!) and managed yourself because your issues were so niche no one cared (which is wonderful not having political bother you).

Your kid should 10000000 percent apply. I was initially an econ major and then changed when I learned about the program.

OP here, I’m unclear what program you’re referring to. Peace Corp? Or were you responding to another post? But I appreciate your enthusiasm and encouragement!