Public Policy PhD Profile Evaluation

[Bret Hart]

Hi all,

 

I'd appreciate if you could help me assess my profile. What range should I be looking at for public policy PhD programs?

 

 

PROFILE:

Type of Undergrad: B.Sc., Economics, MIT

Type of Grad: M.A., Economics, NYU
Undergrad GPA: 4.4/5.0 cumulative GPA (mostly bogged down by humanities classes); 4.8/5.0 econ GPA

Grad GPA: 4.0/4.0

GRE: 169 Q, 162 V
Math/Stats Courses: Calculus I-III (A), Linear Algebra (B), Differential Equations (A), Probability & Random Variables (B). All in undergrad. Got an A in Advanced Mathematical Economics in my masters.
Econ Courses: Intro-level to advanced-level micro/macro/metrics (in undergrad and masters), and a myriad of electives. Pretty much all As.
Research Experience: Undergraduate thesis, high-quality masters thesis. Worked closely with a professor, but not sure if it will lead to a co-authorship. 2 year gov't RA, 2 year mid-level economic analyst position in gov't dealing with international/macro matters. Strong programming skills.

Letters of Recommendation: Two from gov't economists, one from NYU professor I worked closely with.
Research Interests: International economic policy, international security. I'm very focused and sure about my research interests.
SOP: Highlight my research experience and passion for public service. I definitely want to continue my gov't career after the PhD.
Concerns: No real analysis. I don't know if this is really an issue for public policy schools, even among the top-10. Thoughts?