Where would you apply?

[Polak]

GPA: 3.68
GRE :790qt 700vb 4.5aw
BA-Statistics (UMN)
BS-Economics (UMN)
3 references from professors (2 econ, 1 stat)

No preference in econ specialties yet.

Please give me a few "maybe in" schools and a few "likely in" schools.

[whatdoido]

Not enough info. Post math and econ. courses and research assistant work.

[Polak]

MATH- Calc I,II,III , Linear algebra & DiffeQ, Applied Linear Algebra
ECON- IntermediateMicro, IntermediateMacro, DevelopEcon, Cost/Bene Analysis
STAT- STAT Theory I, STAT Theory II, Applied Linear Regression (All Stats are Grad Level 5xxx, which UMN recommends for its undergrads)

No REAL Research Assistant Work yet..

(Still have a Year to go so there will be more class's and ability to find a research assistant spot)

[TomRod]

My advice for the next step:
* Get research experience. 100% helpful. Doesn't have to be in economics. Do what you can.
* Take econometrics and real analysis. Both will help in research and in the first year
* Take a programming course

You said you still have a year to go--get that and you'll have a solid admit. Where? Too early to tell--a lot depends on exogenous factors in the economy and the like. Maybe check back later in the summer for a more solid idea? Your current stats look well in line for a top 25 admit (find untitled's threads or look at his/her signature to see analysis on trends of acceptance for the past few years).

[Polak]

Well Econometrics is required for the BS in ECON at UMN.
C++ is required for the BA in STATs at UMN.
And Every STAT class seems to uses R.

So finding a research exp over the summer is most crucial?
Any tips for finding a good one..?



(Also, took the GRE really early, should I take again n try for a 800?)
Thanks

[TomRod]

790 is probably fine. You could retake, but there is always the risk of running lower.

R is good to know. C++ is good to know. If you know C++ & R together, then the de facto standards (GAUSS, Matlab, STATA) will be a cakewalk for you.

If you have to take some econometrics, then take more--unless your research interests are theoretical. Then I'd recommend topology or multivariate real analysis and/or measure theory.

Get some research between now and apps time. If only to show that you can research. Well-specified SOPs should include research interests: thus, it's nice to have performed previous research interests in order to have distilled to yourself your interests, and to show adcoms you CAN research. You don't need to necessarily research with a professor. A strong capstone project, honors thesis, or writing seminar paper will do wonders--especially when it comes to getting recommenders/letter writers enough information to assess your potential.

Best of luck!

[Charis]

In terms of more general advice, it might be good to bias your apps to larger schools since you still don't really know your interests. Hard to say anything about your ideal range since you have a lower GPA (how are the math grades) but are coming from Minn with some pretty advanced stats classes. Maybe go in talking to your profs about this expecting them to say around top 30 (obviously whatever the say trumps what we say with our incomplete information set).

[barkles]

I'm at UMN right now and about to graduate/go to grad school. I was B.S. Math + B.S. Econ, so I've taken a lot of the same courses that you have.

Getting research experience in the econ department will be tough/impossible. The only way I know of to be an RA for an econ prof is through what's basically a job opening: the economics dept offer RA spots to up to 5 undergrads a year, preferring people with strong math backgrounds (thats you). The minimum GPA to apply last year was 3.75, but if you can manage to get that after this semester then you should apply. Email Dr. Sahi in the fall about it, the dept is terrible about getting that information out to students in time.
I'm an RA right now and it's been very cool. The only downside is that you don't get to pick what field you work in. But I got paired with an awesome prof so I'm happy. It also pays a small stipend.

You can also do research in math/stats just by emailing a bunch of professors to see if they want to advise an undergraduate project (or if you can help them work on something of theirs). Make sure you've looked at their work and are interested in their field (don't ask an applied mathematician to supervise an algebraic number theory project). That's what I did to get the research for my honors thesis (math dept). You can even apply for a UROP if you want to get paid.

Real Analysis (or another upper division math course like topology or abstract algebra) would probably help IF you do well. However, from looking at the courses you've taken so far I can tell you that Real Analysis will be MUCH harder than anything else you've taken. That said, if you don't take it now you'll probably end up taking it in graduate school anyway based on the number of econ grad students that were in my real analysis classes.

If you want to know anything more feel free to PM me.

[TomRod]

I'm at UMN right now and about to graduate/go to grad school. I was B.S. Math + B.S. Econ, so I've taken a lot of the same courses that you have.

Getting research experience in the econ department will be tough/impossible. The only way I know of to be an RA for an econ prof is through what's basically a job opening: the economics dept offer RA spots to up to 5 undergrads a year, preferring people with strong math backgrounds (thats you). The minimum GPA to apply last year was 3.75, but if you can manage to get that after this semester then you should apply. Email Dr. Sahi in the fall about it, the dept is terrible about getting that information out to students in time.
I'm an RA right now and it's been very cool. The only downside is that you don't get to pick what field you work in. But I got paired with an awesome prof so I'm happy. It also pays a small stipend.

You can also do research in math/stats just by emailing a bunch of professors to see if they want to advise an undergraduate project (or if you can help them work on something of theirs). Make sure you've looked at their work and are interested in their field (don't ask an applied mathematician to supervise an algebraic number theory project). That's what I did to get the research for my honors thesis (math dept). You can even apply for a UROP if you want to get paid.

Real Analysis (or another upper division math course like topology or abstract algebra) would probably help IF you do well. However, from looking at the courses you've taken so far I can tell you that Real Analysis will be MUCH harder than anything else you've taken. That said, if you don't take it now you'll probably end up taking it in graduate school anyway based on the number of econ grad students that were in my real analysis classes.

If you want to know anything more feel free to PM me.

Polak

This is probably the best, most specific advice you'll get!

In my opinion, if you were to leave everything right now and apply this season, you'd crack top 50.

barkles advice will help you crack top 25 (again, my opinion here), and possibly top 15.

Best of luck!