Apply Now or Wait Until Next Year?

[YoungRui]

Hello,

 

I have been reading through the posts on this site for about a month now (they have been extremely helpful!) and have come to realize the importance of Real Analysis on admissions to Econ Phd Programs. I am a Senior and, having only recently decided to go for a PhD, will unfortunately not be able to take Real Analysis until next semester (second semester of senior year, I am taking Foundations of Mathematics now). I am struggling to decide whether to apply this cycle (with only grades from Calc III and Linear Algebra) or wait until next cycle when I will have taken Foundations of Mathematics, Real Analysis, Ordinary Differential Equations, Intro to Math Bio, and Probability. Thank you for the advice!

 

Here is my profile:

 

Type of Undergrad:Top 35 US University, Economics Major, Math Minor

Undergrad GPA: 3.86 (3.85 Econ)

Type of Grad: N/A

Grad GPA: N/A

GRE: 167Q

Math Courses: Calc III (A), Linear Algebra (B+)

Econ Courses (grad-level): N/A

Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Intermediate Micro (A), Intermediate Macro (A), Econ Stat (A), Econometrics (A), Comparative Economics (B), Economics of the Public Sector (A), Envir/Nat Resource Economics (A-), Applied Financial Derivatives (A-)

Other Courses: Typical courses

Letters of Recommendation:One from Summer Research Advisor (Portugal PhD but very active) should be very strong, One from Economics of the Public Sector Professor (recent Maryland PhD) should be decent, One from Intermediate Macro (very recent Northwestern PhD) should not be too strong.

Research Experience: RA'd for same Professor for 2 semesters working on Energy Economics, Independent research over the summer that should be completed next semester and hopefully submitted for publication on Energy Economics.

Teaching Experience: TA'd for a semester in Intermediate Micro and Econ Stat

Research Interests: Energy Economics, Agr/Nat Resource Economics, Applied Econometrics

SOP: Should be pretty typical

Concerns: Lack of Math and nothing published, possible poor math grades in Foundations of Mathematics and Real Analysis (currently struggling in foundations), poor grades in study abroad program

Other: Studied abroad in Berlin

Applying to:

UCSB, Maryland ARE, UC Davis ARE, Duke, possibly some other reaches/safeties

 

Thanks again for the advice!