urch

[QUOTE=asquare;645643]This post is especially intended for new TM posters. Some questions about applying to or attending graduate programs in economics come up frequently on TM. You're welcome to ask questions even though they've been discussed in the past, but there is a lot of useful information in the old posts, and I'd urge you to read through some of those posts to see if they help you out. You can search using the [URL="http://www.urch.com/forums/search.php"]search function[/URL] in the menu at the top of your screen, just below and to the right of the box that says "Welcome [username]."

To get you started, here are some of the most commonly asked questions, and some threads that I think do a good job of addressing them. Please feel free to add more questions and links to other useful threads to this discussion! I'm only listing a few threads of the threads that come up when I search for these topics, and I'm sure there are other excellent threads that people can link to. I'm not trying to replace the search function, just trying to give new posters a sense of what information is already available on the forums :)

1) Here's my profile. Where should I apply?
Start with this year's [URL="http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/92113-roll-call-fall-2009-a.html"]Roll Call thread[/URL]. Note that the Roll Call thread is for reference. Please post your profile there but save any discussion for separate threads.
Other useful threads include the "Profiles and Results" threads from previous years:
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/85985-profiles-results-2008-a.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/66608-profiles-results-2007-a.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/37272-profiles-results-2005-a.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/71470-profiles-results-part-2-non-top-50-programs.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/63510-post-complete-profile-admissions-decisions.html[/URL]

2) Who should I ask for a letter of recommendation? Is it important to have LORs from famous professors? Should all of my letters be from economists?
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/83133-true-about-recommendation-letters.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/77148-letters-recommendation-non-economists.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/76909-should-i-ask-professor-write-me-letter.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/76246-drafting-ones-own-letter-recommendation.html[/URL]

3) What does a strong (or weak) letter of recommendation sound like?
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/86397-gift-future-applicants.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/77092-what-does-lukewarm-letter-recom-usually-mean.html[/URL]

4) How important is math to the application? Is real analysis necessary? What math classes are useful during first year?
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/98305-how-important-real-analysis-admission.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/92883-yet-another-real-analysis-thread-sigh.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/73861-must-math-courses-phd.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/56198-how-much-actual-math-phd-programs-once-youre-there-not-get.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/56071-how-much-linear-algebra-do-you-need.html[/URL]

5) Should I get an MA in economics (or math) before I apply to PhD programs?
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/80843-why-exactly-m-economics-nyu-not-good-step-towards-top-phd.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/69641-fallback-options-well-qualified-applicant.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/56188-ms-math-econ-phd-prep.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/79874-why-us-econ-ma-not-good.html[/URL]

6) How important are GRE scores? Do I need an 800 on the quant section? Does the verbal score matter?
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/96462-gre-scores-required-schools.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/75003-verbal-300-ger.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/58924-whats-point-gre.html[/URL]

7) What matters most in admissions? letter of recommendation? GPA? GRE scores?
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/60877-weighing-different-factors-admittance.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/93806-degree-importance-among-admission-criteria.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/79348-how-applications-looked-analyzed-first-round-adcoms-any-idea.html[/URL]

8) Can I transfer from a lower ranked school to a higher ranked school after my first year?
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/77956-common-students-low-ranked-phd-program-transferring-high-ranked.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/66991-university-transfer.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/65104-transferring-schools.html[/URL]

9) What are placements like from different tiers of schools?
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/81306-placements-place-class.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/71484-tenure-sure-after-getting-econ-phd.html[/URL]
(there are tons of threads on this subject; search for "placement" and whatever school you are interested in, and you'll get lots of information)

10) What are attrition rates like? How common is it for students to fail prelims/quals?
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/92125-attrition-rates.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/90437-preliminars.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/53478-competitive-culture-grad-school-why-do-econ-students-drop.html[/URL]

11) How does funding work? What should I do if I'm not offered funding at my first choice school? How much does grad school cost?
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/83542-faqs-about-funding.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/86272-help-meaning-april-15-a.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/65990-attending-school-without-funding.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/65378-current-phds-how-much-can-we-bargain.html[/URL]
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/65057-can-current-grad-students-give-cost-living-numbers.html[/URL]

12) How should I choose between the schools that admit me?
[URL]http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/63673-questions-ask-current-graduate-students-prospective-schools.html[/URL][/QUOTE]