Need some advice

[vanstar]

I'm currently a ECON major student in China, and I plan to pursue a doctoral degree in ECON in America. I know that it is very hard to get into a decent program if I complete my bachelor's degree in China, so I am considering transferring to America to complete my undergraduate study. Will it really help me get into a good doctoral program if I transfer to America.

[tm_member]

I'm currently a ECON major student in China, and I plan to pursue a doctoral degree in ECON in America. I know that it is very hard to get into a decent program if I complete my bachelor's degree in China, so I am considering transferring to America to complete my undergraduate study. Will it really help me get into a good doctoral program if I transfer to America.

 

If you go to a good US school and do well, yes, of course it will help. The best ranked schools in the world are mainly in the US.

[pch]

I'd say, it depends what university in China you are at and to what university in the USA you would transfer.

[vanstar]

I'd say, it depends what university in China you are at and to what university in the USA you would transfer.

I am currently in a university ranked about 7 in China，but we do not have any famous professor except our department chair who graduated from Uchicago and is the former department chair of university of Hong Kong. I expect to transfer to University of Michigan or University of Minnesota Twin City. there might be some chance of me getting into Brown，Cornell or JHU.

[vanstar]

I'd say, it depends what university in China you are at and to what university in the USA you would transfer.

I am currently in a university ranked about 7 in China，but we do not have any famous professor except our department chair who graduated from Uchicago and is the former department chair of university of Hong Kong. I expect to transfer to University of Michigan or University of Minnesota Twin City. there might be some chance of me getting into Brown，Cornell or JHU.

[Kaysa]

To be honest, it might be better to go to a top european institution.

[vanstar]

To be honest, it might be better to go to a top european institution.

Why is that?

[Linethan]

I guess rank-7 university in China is good enough....(China is a very big country....)

If you can transfer to a top school in US (at least top 5 I think), then go for it. If not, I don't think you have to do that.

 

Rank of school is important, but I think it is inappropriate to compare the world ranks of two schools in different countries. You may think Harvard is better than any university in China, but do you really think a student from a top school in China cannot compare with a student from Harvard?

 

Try to get your GPA as high as possible and be the top student in your school. That's indeed helpful.

Edited July 25, 2014 by Linethan

[Econ2014Phd]

According to my experience, it's virtually impossible for a fresh undergrad from China to get into a good US phd program. You have to do a master degree in US or some very good chinese master program such as CCER. I have looked into my school's past students CV, and they have never admitted a single fresh China school undergrad. And my school is even a LRM, needless to say for top 30

[Python7768]

According to my experience, it's virtually impossible for a fresh undergrad from China to get into a good US phd program. You have to do a master degree in US or some very good chinese master program such as CCER. I have looked into my school's past students CV, and they have never admitted a single fresh China school undergrad. And my school is even a LRM, needless to say for top 30

 

I know two first year students; one at NYU and one at Colombia who both came straight from China undergrad, so it might just depend on school and the selection of students. They were both quite highly ranked within their department and were at a very good China undergrad.