admission to agricultural economics programs

[Kazanka]

Hello, I would love to hear if anyone has advice on applying to programs in agricultural economics. My undergraduate GPA was around 3.5, but I went to a school with a strong reputation (and no grade inflation) and my professors thought I could probably get into UMD, which is my dream. I have spent the last two years doing a masters in "mathematical methods in economics" - i.e. coursework in higher-level mathematics, statistics, and computer programming. I got a 660 on the GRE quantitative section last time I took it, mostly, I hope, because I was unfamiliar with the format and timing and didn't move fast enough. I am going to retake the test and wondering how well I need to do, and also what other schools/ programs I should look at. My long term goal is a degree that will allow me to teach or work with a NGO in Morocco.

[jeeves0923]

I would think to be even in the picture for those top ARE schools you'd need 770+ or maybe even 780+ on the GRE Quant.
Otherwise, it seems like you have a good application from a good school. Your GPA could hold you back unless your LOR writers can clarify.

[jlist]

Hi Kaz: I have written several times about arec programs, so please go to my past posts to check out my thoughts on an arec degree.

Best,
JL

[Golden Rule]

Links to John's past posts on Ag Econ can be found in the FAQs about Graduate School in Economics and Links to Useful Threads thread stickied at the top. So read those first. One of those threads had info on typical QGRE scores.

[Kazanka]

Thanks! I retook and got a 790. (-: I also read through the earlier posts on AREC programs. I'm sorry if I am again asking questions that have been discussed before, but how does funding factor in to the application process? Maryland for example on their web page states that a "large number" of admitted students recieve financial support/ research assistanceships. Does that mean enough to live on? Or will I be accumulating huge debts? I suppose that in general it is easier to get funding at a less competitive schools, but do you have any ballpark estimates of how much grad students end up paying?

[jlist]

Hi Kaz: Most ag. schools that I am familiar with are competitive for level of funding and number of opportunities, and you will live just fine.

More generally, I see the coming year difficult, however, for a few reasons. First, ag. schools are by definition state funded schools (one exception is Cornell, which is .5 private .5 public the way that I understand) and therefore will feel the pinch of the economy perhaps more than the privates (though our endowment is hurt by this mess too but it seems we are better protected than state schools).

Second, I think this year the pool of applicants across all econ. programs will be much stronger than usual. Why? Because a big demander of undergraduates is now taken off the table so some of the best undergrads will go to grad school rather though become rich in the financials. You would be surprised how many of the best domestically trained undergraduates go on to such jobs each year.

This should be interesting to watch, and I urge all readers to think hard about their application strategy in light of this fact. You might wish to see my SEJ study with Gallet and Orazem for how up and down markets affect
the supply and demand sides in the academic job market.

Best,
JL

[buckykatt]

Originally Posted by jlist

This should be interesting to watch, and I urge all readers to think hard about their application strategy in light of this fact. You might wish to see my SEJ study with Gallet and Orazem for how up and down markets affect
the supply and demand sides in the academic job market.

Interesting paper. Are you suggesting simply that the market for Ph.D. admissions may function in a similar way? If so, we may need to lower our sights a bit to have a realistic chance of admission. But, at the same time, if we assume that we won't be in a boom five years from now, your paper suggests that the value of graduating from an elite program may be even higher than otherwise (?), and it might therefore make sense to increase the intensity of our search among "reaches".

Aw, heck. I'm just going to apply to 50 schools and be done with it! Surely my profs will understand why I have no time for homework next month...

[buckykatt]

(...and, of course, another implication is that a Ph.D. may not be worthwhile if the market is going to suck five years from now. I prefer not to think about this possibility, though...)