Which recommenders would you choose

[zurich_econ]

I'm applying for the Fulbright partial grants at the moment. For Fulbright, it is only possible to submit 3 LORs, and in case that I should win a grant, the application to Fulbright will automatically be my application to my most preferred grad schools as the IIE will forward my application to the schools.

Is it possible to send a fourth letter of reference to the grad schools directly, after the IIE has sent my application to them?

If not, which two of following three would you choose:

1. Prof A. I RAed for him for 1.5 years and did some interesting and challenging stuff, although I didn't get co-authorship or something like this. He also knows me from the classroom, and I believe he thinks highly of me. He is merely reasonably well published, but manages to invite Harvard-Faculty to his chair (which is why my workplace was occupied for a week).

2. Prof. B. The prof that lectured my analysis I to III courses (that includes real analysis, measure theory, some diffeq, and analysis on manifolds). I aced all his exams, and he is a very likable person, who will probably write as good a letter as he can. But he is no economist, and he only knows me from the classroom. Besides that, I do not know how well published he is.

3. Prof C. He knows me from classroom, and had offered me a PhD-assistantship at his chair. He is quite well published, that is, he has somewhat over a dozen articles in AER, Ec'trica, Nature, etc. He knows me well from classroom, and I had tried to initiate some research with him, which I abandoned for some other reasons. His field, however, is exactly the same as that of the fourth prof whose letter of reference I will certainly submit. Also, I do not know how well acquainted he is with the US-university system, and the standards regarding LORs that apply there.

[Gecko]

option 3 will be good, seeing that he is well published. option 2 will be a testament to your skills, the final letter can then emphasize on thy research ability

[zurich_econ]

That sounds like good advise, thanks. BUT: Wouldn't it make a very bad impression if I did not include a letter from the prof that I have worked for for 1.5 years and who should, therefore, know me better than the other two? Particularly, considering the fact that I also RAed for a fifth prof whom I won't ask for a letter?

[Oikos-nomos]

I would go for Prof. C definitely, and Prof. A. Prof. B as Gecko said will only serve to signal your math skills, which won't be necessary ,I think, if you did well in those analysis courses you mentioned.

Math here is over-emphasized, IMO. However a necessary condition for top admits (at least at a certain level, marginal benefits of math beyond real analysis are "very" concave, I think), LORS weigh a lot more I think. Because credible LORs can give adcoms much more info about much more things than math courses. I mean, if you took intro analysis, measure, functional analysis, and the like, and you did great in those courses, well, then you've proven your point. There's no need to waste a letter to say that you're good at math, unless you don't have any other one to send. Use that other letter to say that you are hardworking, creative, talented, or whatever.
Besides, adcoms are more familiar with economists than with mathematicians, so if his/her name can ring a bell with adcoms, then it's a useful letter. More even so if he/she has contacts at some schools you're applying to.

[appliedtheorist]

Prof C, i.e. Ernst Fehr

[zurich_econ]

wrong guess. I'd be stupid to not include a letter from him, wouldn't I?

[Gecko]

is it possible to include options 1 ,2 ,3 together? ^^ then the problem is solved.

[zurich_econ]

Well, no, that's exactly the problem. Fulbright only allows you to send three letters, and for one letter I know for sure that I'll send it. Therefore, I need to chose two from options 1,2 and 3.