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OneMoreEcon · 2006 March 14th, 03:43 PM

We all keep trying to figure out what gets you into the top schools. So, to break some of the tension around here, I thought I'd throw out the question to see what kind of responses people have.

Profile: Harvard undergrad (summa cum laude), econ major
Math courses: one calculus class, nothing else
Honors: Young prize for best senior thesis in economics dept

LOR: I'm guessing thesis advisor, probably two other well-known Harvard profs

***Levitt won an NSF, but I think he won it during his first year at MIT. (NSF Fellow '92-'94, and was awarded his PhD in '94. I'm pretty sure he finished his PhD in 3 years, but that means he entered in Fall '91, and won NSF the following spring... the point here being that an NSF Fellowship didn't help him get into MIT, since he was already there).

About only having one calc course, that was mentioned in the JEP article announcing the Bates Clark Medal going to Levitt.

So, what do you all think... would Steven Levitt get into MIT if he applied today?

snappythecrab · 2006 March 14th, 03:51 PM

I think its pretty fair to say that, holding their backgrounds constant, most economists would have a hard time getting into grad school these days. As applicants, we've got better information, and, IMHO, the applicant pool gets a little better and hence more competitive each year. So I'm going to say no on Levitt.

There's still the "you got it or you don't" factor. It can buy you an awful lot. Levitt's got 'it', though, no question.

ramlau · 2006 March 14th, 03:54 PM

Backdoor admission. Yea.

Connex is all you need.

Ram

Freethinker · 2006 March 14th, 03:55 PM

I would wager a cautious yes because the alma mater, grades, LORs and thesis seem to outweigh the math thing. Would be interesting to know what GRE he had...

planetes · 2006 March 14th, 03:57 PM

Backdoor admit.. duh. These happen all the time. Work those CXN with top profs

OneMoreEcon · 2006 March 14th, 03:59 PM

I keep going back and forth on this one. While I think the connections may have gotten him in, I can't help but think the total lack of math background would have gotten him into the auto-reject pile, even before they read the recommendations. But, then again, maybe the Young prize was the signal that he had 'it'. My final answer is no, he wouldn't make it... and if he still would, then I know we'd all get depressed knowing that the investments we've made were overlooked in favor of a backdoor admission. (Not that I stood a chance of getting into top schools in the first place, but still...)

Ross123 · 2006 March 14th, 04:30 PM

[quote=OneMoreEcon]
***Levitt won an NSF, but I think he won it during his first year at MIT. (NSF Fellow '92-'94, and was awarded his PhD in '94. I'm pretty sure he finished his PhD in 3 years, but that means he entered in Fall '91, and won NSF the following spring... the point here being that an NSF Fellowship didn't help him get into MIT, since he was already there).

quote]

He graduated from Harvard at 1989, he spent 5 years on PhD?

http://pricetheory.uchicago.edu/levitt/LevittCV.html

OneMoreEcon · 2006 March 14th, 05:48 PM

Ross, his CV doesn't say when he started at MIT. I know we usually assume that people begin a PhD right after the BA, but I seem to recall reading that Levitt finished his PhD in three years. Also, if he was an NSF fellow from 92-94, he didn't hold the fellowship for three full academic years (92-93, 93-94, and maybe an extra semester). Since NSF is good for three years of study, it seems that he finished very quickly.

diogenes · 2006 March 14th, 06:31 PM

[quote=OneMoreEcon]

Math courses: one calculus class, nothing else

/quote]

Calculus can mean many things, i.e., it might have been on the level of an intro to analysis class.

goodcall · 2006 March 14th, 08:44 PM

Well, his CV says he was working for two years in private sector before attending MIT.

2006 March 14th, 03:43 PM	#1 (permalink)
OneMoreEcon TestMagic Guru-in-Training Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 671	Fun with Econ: Would Steven Levitt get into MIT today? We all keep trying to figure out what gets you into the top schools. So, to break some of the tension around here, I thought I'd throw out the question to see what kind of responses people have. Profile: Harvard undergrad (summa cum laude), econ major Math courses: one calculus class, nothing else Honors: Young prize for best senior thesis in economics dept LOR: I'm guessing thesis advisor, probably two other well-known Harvard profs ***Levitt won an NSF, but I think he won it during his first year at MIT. (NSF Fellow '92-'94, and was awarded his PhD in '94. I'm pretty sure he finished his PhD in 3 years, but that means he entered in Fall '91, and won NSF the following spring... the point here being that an NSF Fellowship didn't help him get into MIT, since he was already there). About only having one calc course, that was mentioned in the JEP article announcing the Bates Clark Medal going to Levitt. So, what do you all think... would Steven Levitt get into MIT if he applied today?

2006 March 14th, 03:51 PM	#2 (permalink)
snappythecrab TestMagic Guru-in-Training Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 690	I think its pretty fair to say that, holding their backgrounds constant, most economists would have a hard time getting into grad school these days. As applicants, we've got better information, and, IMHO, the applicant pool gets a little better and hence more competitive each year. So I'm going to say no on Levitt. There's still the "you got it or you don't" factor. It can buy you an awful lot. Levitt's got 'it', though, no question. _ _ _ _ SIG _ _ _ _ University of Wisconsin - Madison: Took my Masters and ran.

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2006 March 14th, 03:54 PM	#3 (permalink)
ramlau Within my grasp! Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 325	Backdoor admission. Yea. Connex is all you need. Ram

2006 March 14th, 03:55 PM	#4 (permalink)
Freethinker Within my grasp! Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 269	I would wager a cautious yes because the alma mater, grades, LORs and thesis seem to outweigh the math thing. Would be interesting to know what GRE he had...

2006 March 14th, 03:57 PM	#5 (permalink)
planetes Within my grasp! Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: shittsburgh! Posts: 278	Backdoor admit.. duh. These happen all the time. Work those CXN with top profs

2006 March 14th, 03:59 PM	#6 (permalink)
OneMoreEcon TestMagic Guru-in-Training Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 671	I keep going back and forth on this one. While I think the connections may have gotten him in, I can't help but think the total lack of math background would have gotten him into the auto-reject pile, even before they read the recommendations. But, then again, maybe the Young prize was the signal that he had 'it'. My final answer is no, he wouldn't make it... and if he still would, then I know we'd all get depressed knowing that the investments we've made were overlooked in favor of a backdoor admission. (Not that I stood a chance of getting into top schools in the first place, but still...)

2006 March 14th, 04:30 PM	#7 (permalink)
Ross123 Within my grasp! Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 133	[quote=OneMoreEcon] ***Levitt won an NSF, but I think he won it during his first year at MIT. (NSF Fellow '92-'94, and was awarded his PhD in '94. I'm pretty sure he finished his PhD in 3 years, but that means he entered in Fall '91, and won NSF the following spring... the point here being that an NSF Fellowship didn't help him get into MIT, since he was already there). quote] He graduated from Harvard at 1989, he spent 5 years on PhD? http://pricetheory.uchicago.edu/levitt/LevittCV.html

2006 March 14th, 05:48 PM	#8 (permalink)
OneMoreEcon TestMagic Guru-in-Training Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 671	Ross, his CV doesn't say when he started at MIT. I know we usually assume that people begin a PhD right after the BA, but I seem to recall reading that Levitt finished his PhD in three years. Also, if he was an NSF fellow from 92-94, he didn't hold the fellowship for three full academic years (92-93, 93-94, and maybe an extra semester). Since NSF is good for three years of study, it seems that he finished very quickly.

2006 March 14th, 06:31 PM	#9 (permalink)
diogenes Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 19	[quote=OneMoreEcon] Math courses: one calculus class, nothing else /quote] Calculus can mean many things, i.e., it might have been on the level of an intro to analysis class.

2006 March 14th, 08:44 PM	#10 (permalink)
goodcall Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 18	Well, his CV says he was working for two years in private sector before attending MIT.

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