TestMagic Forums - View Single Post - Yet another weird international profile eval

OneMoreEcon · 09-22-2006, 03:28 PM

If you have good LORs from LSE, then I would imagine you have just as good of a chance as most students graduating with undergrad degrees from top US PhD programs. You obviously impressed someone at LSE enough for them to invite you to finish your degree there, which I think is a great signal. And if it's been made clear to you that the MSc EME option is available if you want it, then that again means that there are economists at LSE who clearly beleive you have a lot of potential. You should work on making sure you get good LORs from your professors at LSE. I'd go for at least 2 from LSE and 1 from Polish institution, but preferably 3 from LSE if possible.

Since it's never a guarantee to get into top 10 schools, I would apply to the schools you'd like to go to. If LSE EME is a guaranteeed "safety", don't apply to schools you wouldn't attend. Wait and see what your options are in the spring, and decide from there. At worst, it sounds like your "only option" might be LSE EME, which is still an awesome option. At best, you go straight to a top 10 US PhD program.

The only issue here is the cost of applying. But spending the application money now could save you two years of time (since if you just wait and do LSE EME, then you'll have to start at the beginning of a PhD program in the US and still do the 2 years of coursework... you won't get credit for the MSc courses). I think the opportunity cost is worth spending the money.

Also, as I said on another thread, there's always a risk with doing more coursework that you might potentially weaken your profile (relative to the application pool). If you wait to apply and get a few bad grades in the MSc, it may decrease the chances of a great admit compared to your current profile. I think this is another reason to apply now and use EME as a backup.

09-22-2006, 03:28 PM	#4 (permalink)
OneMoreEcon TestMagic Guru-in-Training Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 551	If you have good LORs from LSE, then I would imagine you have just as good of a chance as most students graduating with undergrad degrees from top US PhD programs. You obviously impressed someone at LSE enough for them to invite you to finish your degree there, which I think is a great signal. And if it's been made clear to you that the MSc EME option is available if you want it, then that again means that there are economists at LSE who clearly beleive you have a lot of potential. You should work on making sure you get good LORs from your professors at LSE. I'd go for at least 2 from LSE and 1 from Polish institution, but preferably 3 from LSE if possible. Since it's never a guarantee to get into top 10 schools, I would apply to the schools you'd like to go to. If LSE EME is a guaranteeed "safety", don't apply to schools you wouldn't attend. Wait and see what your options are in the spring, and decide from there. At worst, it sounds like your "only option" might be LSE EME, which is still an awesome option. At best, you go straight to a top 10 US PhD program. The only issue here is the cost of applying. But spending the application money now could save you two years of time (since if you just wait and do LSE EME, then you'll have to start at the beginning of a PhD program in the US and still do the 2 years of coursework... you won't get credit for the MSc courses). I think the opportunity cost is worth spending the money. Also, as I said on another thread, there's always a risk with doing more coursework that you might potentially weaken your profile (relative to the application pool). If you wait to apply and get a few bad grades in the MSc, it may decrease the chances of a great admit compared to your current profile. I think this is another reason to apply now and use EME as a backup.