Profile Eval: 2009 Comparative Politics Applicant

[cpaige]

I just figured I would see what you all think of my chances:

Undergrad: Georgetown University School of Foreign Service (3.84 cum, 3.92 major - 37/385); Major: International Politics; Minor: Russian and East European Studies

Research Experience: two senior theses, one for honors and one for my minor (on multiple political parties in states with little political pluralism and on the role of the people in Russia's sovereign democracy, respectively); RA for a couple of profs

GRE: taking it on 10/30, but from practice tests, I'm expecting 750+ V, 680ish Q (really trying to push it up to a 700) and 5.5+ A

Recommendations: two will be from my thesis advisors and the other from a professor I had for a seminar in modern Russian politics; my letters should be really strong

No publications or conference presentations. I won an award at graduation that's given to the senior whose interests and activities related to Russia are most notable.

I'm planning on studying the legacy of communist rule, political party structures, and governance infrastructures in hybrid, non-democratic, post-communist states.

I'm applying to Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Chicago, Columbia, Berkeley, Duke, UNC, Cornell, Georgetown, UT-Austin, UCLA, UVA

What do you all think of my chances at those places? Should I add more schools in the Georgetown/UVA range, rankings wise? Thanks!!