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Canadian MA or Lower tier PhD Please advice


hopethebest

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I have posted the profile before, but there is updated information and as suggested by members of this forum for my last post it seems that i am unlikely to get in to a PhD programme given my grad results. So any opninion on possiblity of admission to MA econ in Canada or suggestions for good MA are welcome thankfully. If there is any possility for PhD in Syacuse, Texas AM, UIC, Washignton State University please also comment.

PROFILE:

Type of Undergrad: BSc. Engineering- Electrical (4yrs) south asian country

Undergrad GPA: 3.53 (overall) 3.64(maths)

Type of Grad: Master in Financial Economics (1yrs) south asian country

Grad GPA: 68%

GRE: 165 Q 156V 3.5AW

Math Courses: mathematics(includes real analysis, set theory complex)-A, mathematical methods(include ODE, Multivariate calc) -A, Differential equations (C+ :(), calculus(vector cal)-(A-), Linear algebra (A-), Discrete maths (A-), applied stat(C+), operational research (A)

Econ Courses (grad-level): Micro (B 71%), macro(B 74%) Econometrics (A) several other courses most of them are Bs. There is no sub grading in the uni (i. e. A+ B+ etc) and grading is really tough.

Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Not applicable

Other Courses: CFA level 1 exam completed.

LORs: two economic professor, one economic Dr. From work place one Engineering professor of undergrad. Not well known proffessors. From my country.

Research Experience: nothing much

Work experience: Worked in a government regulatory authority. Related to economic policy making

Teaching Experience: Done some seminars related to work

Research Interests: Financial Economics, Financial Markets and International Finance and IO

SOP: To be prepared

Concerns: two C+ s in crucial math courses? B in micro and macro Reference letters and no research experience

Other. Grades are tough in my grad uni hopefully LOR will explain that too.

 

Applying to (Hopefully): Masters- SFU, UBC, UWO, Alberta PhD- UIC, WSU, Texas AM, Purdue [suggetions]

 

Thank you for all who replied and adviced me in earlier thread. Hope more comment and thank for the Forum without as international students we will never get this much of information and guidance. Thanks all.

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FYI UWO isn't a master's really, it's a direct entry to PhD. That said, it is probably a good fit for you since they tend to accept students with atypical backgrounds more frequently than other schools.

 

That said, it is extremely hard for me to evaluate your profile since I have no idea what your grades mean. I would strongly encourage you to get access to some measure of your class rank or percentile before applying, because otherwise adcoms will just be shooting in the dark too.

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FYI UWO isn't a master's really, it's a direct entry to PhD. That said, it is probably a good fit for you since they tend to accept students with atypical backgrounds more frequently than other schools.

 

That said, it is extremely hard for me to evaluate your profile since I have no idea what your grades mean. I would strongly encourage you to get access to some measure of your class rank or percentile before applying, because otherwise adcoms will just be shooting in the dark too.

 

Thank you for your advice.

 

My undergrad grades are quit similar to USA and i was around top 10%-15% of the class.

For my grad there is no GPA. they percentage pointts only and over 70% means a merit pass. eventhough they not providing percentile rabking i could be coming under top 10%. i will be able to give my percentile ranking trhough LORs.

that said, my goal is to earn a PhD in economics and i am looking for masters becuase my grades are not that great. UWO is something i would really prefer as they seems to offer PhD level courses i would like take my chances.

 

One more quaetions;

 

for masters studies i would able to secure some funding my own. Is that helpful in admission and should i mention when i am applying?

 

Thank you again for your valuable input.

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FYI UWO isn't a master's really, it's a direct entry to PhD. That said, it is probably a good fit for you since they tend to accept students with atypical backgrounds more frequently than other schools.

 

That said, it is extremely hard for me to evaluate your profile since I have no idea what your grades mean. I would strongly encourage you to get access to some measure of your class rank or percentile before applying, because otherwise adcoms will just be shooting in the dark too.

 

I don't know if I'd say UWO's method of "if you do well in your MA, you are welcome to continue onto a PhD" is really all that unique. Since OP mentioned SFU, SFU also has the exact same option, it's just not exactly common knowledge. With that said, I'm pretty sure I read on the SFU department website that students that excel at the MA level are given the option to transfer into a PhD without applying. I also know that's a possibility at McMaster, pretty sure you don't have to reapply.

 

But back to UWO, I do agree that they seem to take a lot of students out of engineering/math backgrounds over traditional econ applicants so that might work for you OP.

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As for Canadian programs, I'd say apply to both UBC and Toronto for MA programs, those two are the biggest MA programs and certainly take way more international students than anywhere else.

 

Thank you.

i will apply to UBC. But in case of UoT in their typical profile require A- average for undergrad which i done have. They say in the website that practically it is stric requirement for internationals. (MA FAQ 17). So i am little worried about that

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I would McMaster and McGill to your list. They are well known MA programs and have placed students into very good PhD programs recently.

 

Thank you.

I went through two programmes. I will consider them applying. Just a clarification if you are ok pls. McGill is in the french region of Canada and i do not know a word of french. Will that be a issue for me to live around there?

it is also noted that McMaster have a small cohort about 12-15 and seems like they prefer Canadians than internationals. Anyway I i want to apply their.

 

thank you again gradeconomist and sevet

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As for Canadian programs, I'd say apply to both UBC and Toronto for MA programs, those two are the biggest MA programs and certainly take way more international students than anywhere else.

 

I think there are only 4-5 international students in my MA cohort at UofT. 1 in doctoral stream.

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McGill is in the french region of Canada and i do not know a word of french. Will that be a issue for me to live around there?

 

No the language of instruction is in english. Montreal is also very anglophone, you will easily get by with just english, especially among the McGIll community.

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I think there are only 4-5 international students in my MA cohort at UofT. 1 in doctoral stream.

 

Thank you very much for information. It seems that i may not apply to UoT as the chances for me are slim? and of course there is a budgetary concerns of applying too... I am looking for maximum 5 - 6 MA application right now given my income.

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No the language of instruction is in english. Montreal is also very anglophone, you will easily get by with just english, especially among the McGIll community.

Thats a valuable input. I will look more into the McGill programme, BUT from all the posts and replies above, while thanking all of them, it appears that I have a very little chance of getting admitted to Canadian MA eventhough I could fund my self for a MA ????

 

SHOULD I foucus on a British MA like Manchester or Warwick hopefully?????

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Thank you.

I went through two programmes. I will consider them applying. Just a clarification if you are ok pls. McGill is in the french region of Canada and i do not know a word of french. Will that be a issue for me to live around there?

it is also noted that McMaster have a small cohort about 12-15 and seems like they prefer Canadians than internationals. Anyway I i want to apply their.

 

thank you again gradeconomist and sevet

 

Montreal is a very multicultural place and you will not face any problem. My friend, who is also south asian, in his 4th year in the phd program and doesn't speak French.

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