UT-Austin Questions: can anyone give us more information?

[monks]

Hi Guys

So the 'wisconsin 1st year taking questions' thread has beene xtremely helpful so I thought it might be good to set up a similar thread for UT-Austin.

Obviously ideal for them to be answered by someone currently attending the school but I think even sharing information among us prospective students will be helpful.

So I'll start with a few questions:

1) I've heard the attrition rate at Austin can be pretty bad? Something like 40-50% usually fail prelims (this is just what a friend told me) ... can anyone verify or disprove this?

2) What are Austin's main strengths in terms of fields? I heard they are pretty good at labour?

3) I know Austin is ranked considerably lower than other public schools like Umich/UW-Madison etc but how much does this matter in terms of placement prospects??

[Owell]

I am currently an econ grad. student at UT. Do yourself a favor and don't come here if you have other options. There is very little to say about this department that is good.

[dsdoodle]

I am currently an econ grad. student at UT. Do yourself a favor and don't come here if you have other options. There is very little to say about this department that is good.

Youch.

[2pm]

I am pretty much committed to Texas regardless, but am starting to worry after hearing so many negatives about the department. Owell, would you be able to share some more information about the department?

[eigenman]

I am currently an econ grad. student at UT. Do yourself a favor and don't come here if you have other options. There is very little to say about this department that is good.

...!

tell us how you really feel

but in all seriousness.. can you be more specific?

[dsdoodle]

Although I find it weird that it was his first post. Not saying this is the case, but we shouldn't discount the possibility that someone on the Texas waitlist is wanting to get in!

[Owell]

Although I find it weird that it was his first post. Not saying this is the case, but we shouldn't discount the possibility that someone on the Texas waitlist is wanting to get in!

Well I'm not on any waitlists...just giving some friendly advice. To help prove that I'm a current student here are some very objective facts:

1. We have NO macro professors right now. Macro I and II were taught by two visiting professors this year. The second semester has both visiting professors splitting it....
2. Micro I was taught by Svetlana Boyarchenko. Micro II is taught this semester by Marcin Peski and Takashi Hayashi. Nothing against Dr.'s Peski and Hayashi, but they ARE very young and barely have teaching experience.

[dsdoodle]

Well I'm not on any waitlists...just giving some friendly advice. To help prove that I'm a current student here are some very objective facts:

1. We have NO macro professors right now. Macro I and II were taught by two visiting professors this year. The second semester has both visiting professors splitting it....
2. Micro I was taught by Svetlana Boyarchenko. Micro II is taught this semester by Marcin Peski and Takashi Hayashi. Nothing against Dr.'s Peski and Hayashi, but they ARE very young and barely have teaching experience.

That's a very big concern if there's no macro professors. That's something I'm looking to get into. D'oh.

[Owell]

That's a very big concern if there's no macro professors. That's something I'm looking to get into. D'oh.

To be very fair...we do technically have Dean Corbae. The 1st years this year didn't see any of him at all and he is currently visiting in Cambridge (is he thinking about leaving too? I don't know). Other than Dean Corbae, I don't know who else we have in Macro. If we did have anyone else then maybe they would have let them teach Macro I or Macro II for the 1st years instead of visiting professors.

[2pm]

I didn't know Dean Corbae is also on leave...

Owell, if you don't mind answering my biggest concern, I would really appreciate it: how do you feel about the prelims? Is it expected that a majority of first year students will fail either one of the two in June, or the sentiment is more along the line of as long as you work hard you will be fine? I have confidence in my ability, but the popular notions that prelims are very difficult and attrition rate is high at UT have put some serious doubts on my mind about my ability to do well in the program...