Profile evaluation for 2015

[laa]

Hi all,

 

It's finally (almost) time to start the fall applications. I got a profile evaluation earlier last year and want a final evaluation for the 2015 cycle.

 

 

Specific questions:

• Should I retake GRE?
  
• What should I be focusing on during the current Fall term? Is there anything left I reasonably can do to improve my chances?
  

 

• Range of schools to shoot for? (Other than the reaches I listed.)
  

 

 

Type of Undergrad: Top 10 US undergrad. Math/CS major.

 

Undergrad GPA: 4.2/4.33 (A+ = 4.33, A = 4.0).

 

Type of Grad: Nope.

 

Grad GPA: See graduate courses. (4.3)

 

GRE: 170Q/166/4AW (might retake to improve AW)

 

Math Courses:

• Calculus I, II, III. (Proficiency exam).
  
• Linear algebra (honors). A+
  
• Intro to real variables ("baby" real analysis) A
  
• Analysis I (A) -- standard Baby rudin treatment
  
• dAnalysis II (A+) -- (e.g. lebesque int., dominated conv. thm,etc type stuff)
  
• Complex analysis (A)
  
• Differential geom (A+)
  
• Commutative algebra (graduate level) (A)
  
• Probability (grad level) A+
  
• Stochastic processes (grad level; a rigorous treatment of Stochastic diffeq that were frankly over my head) A+
  
• Intro to Discrete mathematics (A)
  
• Discrete mathematics (A+)
  
• Functional analysis (pass/fail) :victorious:
  

 

Ongoing math courses:

• Topology
  
• "Hardcore" graduate level real analysis (might just pass fail this one).
  

 

 

 

Econ Courses (grad-level):

 

• Decision Theory (A+)
  
• Gen. Equilibrium Theory (A)
  
• Game Theory (A+)
  
• Micro sequence (A+, A+)
  
• First year grad. macro (A+)
  

 

 

Ongoing:

 

• Grad metrics sequence.
  
• Topics in micro theory.
  
• Topics in probability/statistics (essentially a math class).
  

 

Econ Courses (undergrad-level):

• Principles of Micro, Intermediate micro (A, A+)
  
• Industrial Organization (A+)
  
• Game theory (A)
  
• Environmental Econ (pass/fail) :watermelon:
  

 

 

Ongoing:

 

 

• Nothing.
  

 

Other Courses: A bunch of advanced CS classes (mostly A+). Also some ongoing.

 

Letters of Recommendation:

I have 4 economics/business school profs who will write very good letters (because I had the best score in their respective graduate/upper undergrad level classes).

 

Of these 4, I have a decent amount of RA experience w/ 2 of them (see below).

 

 

Research Experience:

• RA'ship with a couple profs -- ongoing. Just the general type of undergraduate research. Profs generally/very satisfied with my work, though I made no original contributions.
  

 

 

Teaching Experience:

• TA'd for various CS classes.
  

 

Research Interests: I/O. Probability theory. Finance.

 

 

SOP: Not written. (see concerns).

 

 

Concerns: Low GRE writing score.

NO publications :upset:.

Never taken a diff eq class (have no idea how to even solve a simple one) except SDE.

No optimization classes.

Large undergrad, so there'll definitely be other people, possibly as good as me (but in another area, say, physics), competing for the same schools.

 

 

Other: High ranking in the Putnam math competition.

 

Applying to: Want to get into a top 5 (reaches), but need some targets and safety schools to apply to. Thoughts?

[Slimy]

Just apply to the top 10. You'll be fine.

[pizzle]

Apply to the top 10. I literally see no flaw. Just concentrate in in getting your SOP across with your interests. No need for retake for GRE .

[laa]

Thanks for the reply. I'm considering toward retaking because Stanford specifically states that "most" successful applicants have a AW score at least 4.5.

[Food4Thought]

"most" successful applicants haven't taken 10 PhD courses

[laa]

Hmm ... the issue is that I don't want to be tossed in a "problem pile", assuming adcoms do a preliminary scan based on GRE scores (which is plausible, considering the # of applications).

[publicaffairsny]

I'm interested in the application of CS to social science research. If you don't mind me asking, how do you plan to apply your CS background to your work as an economist?

[laa]

I haven't really explored the intersection of CS and economics. Though I imagine some things like machine learning or networks could be applicable to metrics or game theory ...

 

Imo, the main benefit of a CS degree to my future career is being a decent/passable programmer.

[publicaffairsny]

Yeah, I was working with something who was telling me about Machine Learning and economics, though he didn't call it that. Seems like that idea has some big potential.

[f p ramsey]

"You'll get in everywhere you apply", as they say. Apply to Top 10 and don't sweat it. No need for other "safety schools" unless specifically suggested by letter writers.

 

No publications is a complete non-issue—see this thread.

 

Nobody remembers how to solve differential equations beyond separation of variables (that's my excuse, at least). Surely you've done some optimization in your analysis classes, and even if you've never seen KKT before, it won't take more than an afternoon to learn it. If by optimization you mean dynamic programming, the majority of incoming students (even at the very top schools) have never seen it before. Your math background is clearly not an issue!

 

From what I've gathered, your AW score may harm you, if at all, at UC schools (Berkeley). I wouldn't retake.

 

There is a large intersection between CS and some parts of microeconomic/game theory that you may wish to explore. Some links to get you started: Turing's Invisible Hand, Jason Hartline's webpage, Nicolas Lambert's webpage.

[behavingmyself]

AW scores are weird. I wouldn't retake just for an AW score.

 

This might sound like a strange recommendation, but I suggest that you at least read an undergraduate metrics textbook at some point. Alternately, you might read a bit in Mostly Harmless Econometrics. This isn't to help you get in somewhere; from what you've posted here, you'll be a very strong applicant everywhere and I'm sure you'll do well in the metrics sequence. But graduate metrics courses typically assume you've built some intuition from prior exposure, and I suspect it would be healthiest for your development to get that intuition in place earlier rather than later.

[laa]

Thanks for the advice :). Are there any intro metrics book you would recommend, aside from Mostly Harmless? The undergrad metrics at my home institution is all but a Stata tutorial class ...

[behavingmyself]

Thanks for the advice :). Are there any intro metrics book you would recommend, aside from Mostly Harmless? The undergrad metrics at my home institution is all but a Stata tutorial class ...

Mostly Harmless is really a graduate text, but it's chatty and it focuses on an applied perspective, which helps build intuition. I think it's accessible to a bright and motivated undergraduate, which you seem to be. The most popular undergraduate texts seem to be Wooldridge's and Stock and Watson's.

[Eyi]

I feel desperate when looking at your stats, and I feel excited to have a competition like you.

Since you r from a top 10 underg, I would assume an ivy or somewhere like UCB or Virginia, you literally can go anywhere given your background. Good luck my friend! and please make sure apply for Caltech, UPenn and Columbia! :cyclops: