Value of a Master's from a Chinese University/Profile Evaluation

[GoodGoodStudy]

Hello, I'm currently in the position of trying to plan the next few years with the goal of entering a Ph.D. program in economics in the fall of 2016 or 2017. I am currently in the process of determining whether to attend a top economics university in China to earn a master's in economics next year. The master's degree is taught on the main campus of the university by one of the main departments of the university (so hopefully differing from the PKU post from earlier). I am a US native. Below is my profile as it stands now.

 

PROFILE:GoodGoodStudy

Type of Undergrad: Top 50 Public B.S. Mathematics '13

Undergrad GPA: ~3.75

Type of Grad: (N/A)

Grad GPA: (N/A)

GRE: (N/A)

Math Courses: Calculus 1-3 (A), Linear Algebra (A-), ODE (A), Mathematical Biology (A), Dynamical Systems (B+), Intro to Real Analysis (B+), Bio Stats (A), Intro to Proofs (A), Geometry (A), Intro Stats (A), Intro Probability (B)

Econ Courses (grad-level): (N/A)

Econ Courses (undergrad-level): None

Other Courses: Many engineering/physics, biology and chemistry courses (about 4/5 of each)

Letters of Recommendation: Good (as seen from the ones given for my master's degree applications)

Research Experience: None

Teaching Experience: 1 year teaching AP mathematics courses full time

Research Interests: International Finance

SOP: Not sure yet

Concerns:

Other:

Applying to: Hopefully BU

 

I have broken the idea of attending a Chinese university into what I think are the major advantages and disadvantages.

 

Advantages

* Gives me a chance to take some foundational economics courses.

* Entire economics department has graduated from top US universities (hopefully beneficial for letters of recommendation).

* A thesis is required, giving me research experience.

* Gives me a chance to further improve my Chinese fluency.

* Scholarship for tuition and, relative to the cost of living, good living stipend.

 

Disadvantages

* Opportunity cost of not studying a more prestigious master's program in the US.

* Delaying my entrance to a Ph.D. program by 2 years.

 

 

Any comments or critiques on how I should proceed overall? I know I don't have a lot of the steps completed, but hopefully knowing what I should focus on will help me better the application.

 

How will the master's from a Chinese university reflect on my application? Does it seem to you guys that the master's would be worthwhile?

 

If I attend the Chinese university, what should be the my next priority to bolster my application? Any advice you guys could offer would be greatly appreciated.

[Th000]

Believe me, you definitely should not do that. I know it well. The education of economics especially graduate level, is not that good in China.

[Lhasa1951]

Believe me, you definitely should not do that. I know it well. The education of economics especially graduate level, is not that good in China.

 

Well, I can tell you that my undergraduate advisor, a professor in political science, said that attending grad school in poli. sci in China was a bad idea since the work being done there lacks the cutting-edge methods that are used in American graduate schools. But that's political science -- not entirely sure if the same thing is true for economics. (this professor was from Hong Kong and originally had his bachelros from a University there, and went on to enter an American university for graduate school).

 

I've done alot of research in Chinese economics; in fact, I'd say it's one of my core research interests. However, I chose to stay in an American PhD program to specialize in this area.

 

There are American campuses in China that would carry alot of weight with Econ PhD adcoms. Have you considered Johns Hopkin's-Nanjing university? They have alot of economcis courses in their China studies M.A. that would be a good precursor to your PhD studies.

[Econ2014Phd]

After Heng-fu Zou left, PKU is just a bunch of retards

[Th000]

Heng-fu Zou seems more like a 'media' economists in China. He used to sent a lot of students of Wuhan University to top US universities, most of them failed. Now he is at CEMA, which is another sucked program with just-so-so undergraduates and 'stupid' masters, he said this in the class.

 

I do think it's a big loss for PKU students that Zou left. If Zou is still in PKU, then students won't suffer so much compared to their Tsinghua comrades.