Anyone who is interested in Erasmus Mundus QEM master could "shoot" me:)

[fedosei]

Originally Posted by lazyboy007

What's the profile of the guy that went on to Tilburg? Maybe he was already good to begin with?

Yes, I think so, he is an indian, and he told me once he did his bachelor in the best statistics institution in India.

[fedosei]

Originally Posted by Palikari

I must strongly disagree with your assessment of the program! I did the QEM program and found it to be a tremendously beneficial experience.

The fact that you are complaining about a brand new building in the center of Paris leads me to believe that you have some kind of axe to grind with the program administration. As for the "FAQ":

1) Yes, this is true. The program requires a fairly strong mathematics background and the most successful students tend to have a math major, or an economics major with a heavy mathematics component.
2) I don't know much about the MMEF (Mathematical Methods in Econ and Finance,) but as I understood there was a lot of freedom in regards to which courses MMEF students can take. The MMEF program is more for people with a weak math background. Obviously it is not as strong as the QEM program, but if someone's math background is weak and they feel unprepared for the QEM program, they can learn a lot in the MMEF. In my year about a quarter of the class flunked out or was made to repeat
3) There are some problems with the administration being unresponsive, but as I understand, this is the case anywhere in Europe, a continent where bureaucracy is a nightmare.

As for placements, UParisI: Pantheon-Sorbonne is top 5 in Europe (ideas.repec.org/p/ctl/louvec/2005041.html) . You can definitely place well coming from Paris I.

I also can't believe that people are complaining about lack of access to faculty. I did the QEM program, spent 3 semesters in Paris, and had several classes (around 4) with under 5 people in the course! In what other masters program can you take classes that small?

You may be right that the coursework is not as rigorous as a PhD program, but well, it is a masters program. Overall, I would highly recommend the program to those interested in improving their mathematics background with an orientation towards economics and finance.

I really doubt whether you know about the program or not.
Honestly speaking, I am not good at math, but the math they are requiring are already in a quite low level, unless you do the second year of QEM in Paris with the specialization as MMMEF which is quite stochastical. Otherwise, if you choose the ETE, the math level could at most be gauged as a normal one. Not competitive at all. They send all the students whom they think are good at math to MMMEF.

About the MMEF program, you could never say they are of lower level. First, they share several courses with QEM1 students; Second, it has been the lowest math requirements if you want to do some quantitative things, in fact elementary. Many good students with strong math background were sent to that program with pre-scholarship because of their late applications or some reasons else. While many QEM students even are not capable to follow the MMMEF, some of the MMEF students were accepted directly to the MMMEF, the M2.

I do not know whether you have close interactions with the phd students, surely the French students will not care about this kind of things, because it is normal for them, but foreign students are not happy about this at all.

And for small number of people, that is complete not the case now. Even for Demography or household economics, there are not bad number of people. I do not know when you did it, but for this year, that is not the situation at all.

Finally I must say you count too much on the rankings and are too optimistic about the econ phd programs in Europe. Of course, there are still many good ones which are following the US systems, BUT Paris 1 is really a typical bad case, they have so many econ professors, that if their papers can not achieve certain number, they should have felt more shameful. Now they have the Paris school of economics thing, that is pretty business, I would say. You must admit that they have great problems fitting foreign students into the French education system, and the way the parisiens treat people, ouf..

You are right for your last paragraph.

[Gecko]

useful info from both posters

[meiloya]

I am a prospective student of the QEM Erasmus Mundus programme. I need you to let me know when the application for 2010-2011 QEM Erasmus Mundus programme will be available.

I also need you to let me know what I need to do in order to be considered for the full EMS. I had applied twice- in 2007 and in 2008. In 2007, I was graded C and in 2008, I was graded A, put on the waiting list of the EMS and eventually given the Consrtium scholarship. However, I did not attend the programme becuase I could not get other sources of funding.

Now I want to apply again. My main aim is to get the QEM full EMS scholarship.

Considering all I have said, do you think the admissions committee would want to consider me this time? I am thinking that since I had applied twice in the past then the admissions committee would want to consider me this time.

I am currently in a mathematical institute in SA studying towards a PGD in mathematical sciences. I got this offer when I could not attend the QEM programme. It is a full scholarship offer. After my programme there, which will be around June 2010, I hope to come for the QEM programme in France.

Kindly let me know what to do. I studied mathematics and statistics at undergraduate level. I am now studying mathematical sciences(more of the applications of mathematics) at a mathematical institute in Cape Town, SA.

I look really forward to getting a response from you soon.

Regards.

[fedosei]

Originally Posted by meiloya

I am a prospective student of the QEM Erasmus Mundus programme. I need you to let me know when the application for 2010-2011 QEM Erasmus Mundus programme will be available.

I also need you to let me know what I need to do in order to be considered for the full EMS. I had applied twice- in 2007 and in 2008. In 2007, I was graded C and in 2008, I was graded A, put on the waiting list of the EMS and eventually given the Consrtium scholarship. However, I did not attend the programme becuase I could not get other sources of funding.

Now I want to apply again. My main aim is to get the QEM full EMS scholarship.

Considering all I have said, do you think the admissions committee would want to consider me this time? I am thinking that since I had applied twice in the past then the admissions committee would want to consider me this time.

I am currently in a mathematical institute in SA studying towards a PGD in mathematical sciences. I got this offer when I could not attend the QEM programme. It is a full scholarship offer. After my programme there, which will be around June 2010, I hope to come for the QEM programme in France.

Kindly let me know what to do. I studied mathematics and statistics at undergraduate level. I am now studying mathematical sciences(more of the applications of mathematics) at a mathematical institute in Cape Town, SA.

I look really forward to getting a response from you soon.

Regards.

Hello,

I could not tell you when they will start the procedure, I do not know and they will not give me a definite answer about this, just wait for the updates of the website.

Before everything, I would like to say, do not count too much on my suggestions, I will try to give you unbiased information, but I can not guarantee it.

I would say their decisions are really random, because the decisions are made by four universities together. If you got 3 oks, but one awful, then you will even not appear in the waiting list I think.

As I mentioned, if you are quite mathematical, then you have a good chance, but you have to apply early I think. And I am really not sure what will their reactions be to see your application for the third time.

To be a strong applicant, I would have to give standard answers. From my experience, I would suggest you to give useful reference letters, I am only sure the Paris and Barcelona committees will give more scores on these, the others, I am not sure. Also, I am sure to show your intelligence, math capacity and your activeness instead of too much on your diligence will absolutely augment your chance. The TA and RA things, I do not know really, but I could say, if you want to spend most of your time in Paris, your math background and precedent TA experience will almost surely lead you to a TA in Paris(in Paris they only give 2 english-speaking TA posts as far as I know). That is pretty it. And Paris really really really like math students.

I do not know what you want to do later, or whether you really have special feelings for Paris and want to do something there, what I want to say is: do not attach too much on this program, just at the same try some other good phd programs (there are plenty of good ones in Europe) maybe you will get better chance and will receive more. If you want to be some one, this is definitely not a good place, you are in a good level of math, do not lower yourself.

[meiloya]

Thanks a million for your response. I am currently running a Postgraduate Diploma programme(PGD) in mathematics, not a PhD.

How do I show that I have these good qualities you have spoken about? And you seem to speak so badly about the QEM programme, is it substandard?

How do I really present myself in the best way possible? Are you also running the programme in QEM at the moment?

Yes, I am planning to apply the minute the call for applications becomes available.... Do you think the admissions and scholarship committee read statement of purpose letters?

Kindly respond...

Thanks

[meiloya]

That is, how to show my intelligence, math capacity and activeness in such a way that I become a desirable candidate for the programme.

[fedosei]

I do not know what is a standard, but compared to Barcelona's Phd program in ECON, Paris's is worse. And do not even mention the administration, they are quite bad.

And sorry, you questions are too specific, I could only say if you study math in your undergraduate level, and you are actually in a postgraduate level of math, then you should not apply for this program unless you like paris so much and you are interested quite in Quantitative Finance, you could get better offers in other econ phd program.

[meiloya]

Thanks again for your reply.

Can you please tell me where I can get better offers in other econs PhD programme. You have said this more than once and I would like you to let me know where I can get such offer......

Thanks so much and I look forward to getting a response from you.

Ragards....

[meiloya]

I really need you to link me to those PhD opportunities in Europe you have been talking about.

Thanks.