staying an extra year in undergrad

[kkk1111]

If i stay an extra year in undergrad and improve my profile, such as through better math grades in advanced courses including graduate levels and econ courses) and through being involved in more research experiences and get relatively good LORs, will it still hurt my chance when I apply to PhD? (If I do stay and extra year, I'll be applying right after my senior year)

[chateauheart]

Seems more optimal to do a year of RA in almost every regard. You can often take or audit grad courses while being an RA. You also get paid.

 

(though we've been repeating this advice on this forum so frequently that I suspect the full time RA market is going to get saturated)

 

edit: after seeing your math background and the fact that you're still a junior in college, there's virtually no reason for you to stay an extra year. Taking a bunch of graduate math electives aren't going to help. Take grad micro and spend all the rest of your time on research.

[tutonic]

While you shouldn't be too hasty to offer, doing free RA work and concurrently sit through grad coursework is still very beneficial if you can find other sources to sustain yourself for that one year. The reason for this odd suggestion is because profs might sometimes stretch and come close to overrunning their budget at times. Hence, if the opportunity presents itself, doing free RA work for a renowned/consistently publishing prof is a strictly dominating strategy as compared to doing paid RA work for a junior prof.