Question about Finance PhD

[DreamFactory]

Originally Posted by kuejai

Here is the list I have so far, can someone give me some suggestion?

Carnigie Mellon???
Iowa
Penn state
Colorado
Georgetown
Boston

Backup
U conn
UNC
Umass
Florida State Univ
UC Irvine

Do you mean Backup as a safety? If UNC is UNC-CH, then it won't be a safety. Also, UC-Irvine is also a great school. I don't know about the others, but I recommend you apply to wider range of programs. Your profile is good, but I'm not sure how it will appeal to others. Especially, your grad GPA will hurt you a lot. Unless you have good connection with the faculty members, as well as faculty members having good connection with the professors in the school that you're applying to, I'd say getting in to CMU, BC, PSU will be really tough (I won't say it's impossible). Well...If you have a safety school (for sure), it won't hurt applying to higher ranked schools

I thought I had a nice profile (although not the best ones), but I was rejected by 17 finance programs and 4 economics programs. Well, I did get into one (and was accepted at only one) of my favorite schools in economics so I'm fine.

Also, for most schools, you'll get a TOEFL waiver for sure, since you've being studying at U.S. for a while.

Good luck.

[FIN5965426]

I don't believe Georgetown has a Finance PhD, so that's not an option. Not to be a dream-buster, but there's no way, with your current scores, you're getting into Carnegie Mellon or UNC. You can apply, but you'd be a longshot at Boston College or Boston University, Penn State, and UC-Irvine. That leaves...

Iowa
UC - Boulder
UConn
UMass
Florida State

I think if you can pull up your verbal score to a reasonable number (600+), you would definitely stand a chance at these schools. It will really all depend on how hard these schools have been hit by funding cuts with the economy and sheer chance of what sort of student they're looking for. If I were you, I'd really start doing some in-depth research on these schools to see if you have any interests in common with the researchers already there.

[kuejai]

thanks guys for a reply. I put UNC there for econ program. Sorry for not being clear about it. Like I said, I haven't looked at the program before, so it's very confusing for me right now, so you might see some weird name up on the list. Here is my new list.
Iowa
Penn state
Colorado
Boston college???
Michigan state
Virginia tech
Pittsburgh
Rutgers

UMass

Thanks guys for giving your opinion. I don't have a problem with truthful answer. Feel free to write whatever you think, so I don't have to waste my money applying for these schools.
Also, do you think I should take GMAT? Is it going to make any difference since I got 800 on math GRE?

[koja]

I probably should add list of classes that I have taken so far also:
Math: Cal 1-3, linear algebra, real analysis 1-2, prob and stat, bus stat, time series (I got all As for my math classes)
Econ undergrad: int micro, int macro, econometrics, money and banking, developmental econ (all As)
Econ grad: micro (B+), macro(B), quant method (B), econometrics(A), public econ (B+), commodity market(B+), Agent base theory(audit),
Finance: corp fin, investment, intermediate finance, advanced finance, security analysis, international finance, portfolio management (all As)

Can anyone suggest some school names that I should look at? I would love to be in the big city if I can.

Hi. This will not be helpfull to you, but will help me understand USA schooling system...

You said you had those classes (among other classes) during your undergraduate and graduate studies. But it seems strange to me, that "minor" and all that mix of subjects. What were your other subjects, please?

This is why I'm asking... In my country (Eastern Bloc, communist country), we had something like this at the undergraduate level studies (postgraduate levels were similar - only subject area classes), at the faculty of natural sciences and mathematics (area of study: BSc in physics):

1. Mathematics 1 (linear algebra and analitical geometry)
2. Mathematics 2 (analysis)
3. Mathematics 3 (analysis)
4. Mathematics 4 (analysis)
5. General Physics
6. Molecular Physics
7. Physical Mechanics
8. Theoretical Mechanics
9. Electromagnetism
10. Waves
11. Optics
12. Structure of Matter
13. Thermophysics
14. Thermal Engineering
15. Numerical Analysis
16. Probability and Statistics
17. Statistical Physics
18. Theoretical Algebra
19. Mathematical Physics
20. Symmetries in Physics (higher algebra)
21. Electrodinamics
22. Quantum Mechanics 1
23. Quantum Mechanics 2
24. Electronics
25. Physical Electronics
26. Physics of Atoms
27. Physics of Molecules
28. Quantum Electrodinamics
29. Quantum Statistical Physics
30. Quantum Optics
31. Physics of Ionised Gases and Lasers
32. Solid State Physics
33. Spectroscopy
34. Nuclear Physics 1
35. Nuclear Physics 2
36. Physics of Elementary Particles
37. Physical Kinetics (selected mathematical topics)

... and Chemistry.


All subjects are usually 8 hours of lectures per week, but there are some that have only 6 lectures a week.
One year has two semesters, each semester has 15 weeks (30 weeks in total per year).

So what's the trick with those minors and majors in USA? Can anyone explain, please?

Out postgraduate studies look almost the same like undergraduate, except one can focus on a chosen field. For instance, subjects would be:

MASTER:
1. Special Topics in Nuclear Physics 1 (e.g. Rare Nuclear Reactions)
2. Special Topics in Nuclear Physics 2
3. Special Topics in Nuclear Physics 3
4. Special Topics in Nuclear Physics 4
5. Special Topics in Nuclear Physics 5
6. Special Topics in Nuclear Physics 6

PhD:
1. Advanced Special Topics in Nuclear Physics 1
2. Advanced Special Topics in Nuclear Physics 2
3. Advanced Special Topics in Nuclear Physics 3
4. Advanced Special Topics in Nuclear Physics 4
5. Advanced Special Topics in Nuclear Physics 5
6. Advanced Special Topics in Nuclear Physics 6


The same goes for studies in mathematics, the same goes for studies in economics (ok, economists have mathematics and sociology besides various economic subjects, I admit). How comes you have all those mixed together? Was that your choice, or that was a given curriculum?

That must be the reason why we have to study (more/basic) economics and finance before applying to finance departments in the West.

Thanks for your responses.
K.

p.s.
I guess if you have chosen more math to your economics studies, then you must seem more interesting to your future university than someone who had less mathematics. But that's just my oppinion/guess.

[kuejai]

Originally Posted by koja

Hi. This will not be helpfull to you, but will help me understand USA schooling system...

Basically, I have undergrad in econ, finance, and math minor at one school (Yes, in the US, you can have multiple major. Most math classes were taken to prepare for grad school in either econ or finance. In grad school, I have a certain require courses such as micro, macro, and econometrics. The rest of the courses are elective courses. In these elective courses, you can take anything pertinent to your degree. Since I'm heading for PhD, I'm taking more math courses and some econ elective courses such as commodity market and public econ. I'm kind of confused with your question. Hope this help. Feel free to ask for further info.