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poleringer · 09-18-2006, 08:18 PM

I'm trying to finalize my list of schools to apply to, and was wondering what an average amount of schools is? I started with 8 or 9, and without taking cost of app into accont, see no reason not to apply to twice that number. I am working now, and am not constrained by family, geography, and paying for the extra apps seems worth it to me. so, is there any reason I shoudln't apply to every top 15 (and their business school counterpart phd) and then a couple lower down. will my professors be annoyed they have to send their letter in to 20 different schools? it just seems that with the randomness of top ranked adcoms, increasing the pool of schools will weakly increase my chances of admission. i know this is not typical of the discussion here, but thanks for any help!

UMSL_Losh · 09-18-2006, 11:05 PM

I'd cut it down. You're going to make yourself INSANE with keeping track of the essays (which you'll have to 'personalize' for each institution, after all the top 15 programs have substantial differences in what they look for in their students), not to mention letters.

Pick two or three dream schools, two or three you'd be okay with (in case it's a tight year at the PhD programs), and take a load off your poor professors, for gosh sake.

By the way, why business schools too? Why not look at what you're most interested in, and apply to programs that match that specialty well?

OneMoreEcon · 09-18-2006, 11:29 PM

I did 16 econ apps last year. My profs didn't care about the letters (as they told me each time I apologized for asking them to do something else). Really, they just send the same letter, so it's not a huge inconvenience... the marginal effort for them to hit 'Print' one more time is almost nil.

Apply where you want to go to school. Not every top 15 is good in every research area. I applied to every top 20/25 school (take your pick of rankings) that I felt strongly focused on micro, labor, and int'l econ and threw in one safety. (My favorite example here because it's easy... don't apply to Caltech, even though it's a top 10, if you want to do macro. For that matter, you shouldn't apply to Minnesota unless you want to do macro.) Rankings are important, but not everything.

shootermcgavin7 · 09-18-2006, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneMoreEcon

For that matter, you shouldn't apply to Minnesota unless you want to do macro.)

Or unless your fiancee would make your life a living hell because she has no interest in spending 5 years in Minnesota

.

user_name · 09-19-2006, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneMoreEcon

For that matter, you shouldn't apply to Minnesota unless you want to do macro.

I'm doing exactly this. My professor got his PhD from Minnesota recently, and he seems to be a very good game theorist.

OneMoreEcon · 09-19-2006, 12:45 AM

OK user_name, I admit my mistake. However, I think the general comment still holds... don't apply to good schools just because they're "good schools" - apply because they have people doing research that meshes well with your interests.

UMSL_Losh · 09-20-2006, 10:51 PM

I asked one of my profs about this - he actually suggested I apply to 20 different schools. This is still mind-boggling, but I guess it has to do with the level of competition.

I do have to ask about your dominant strategy, poleringer. Are you applying to the Top 15 because they are the Top 15? Really there's a lot of difference in the foci involved. And to their business school components - I'm assuming you're chasing an MBA at this point. That will get you into a high corporate standing, but that's a far cry from the ivory tower.

And what's wrong with Minnesota? At least it's not Arkansas ;-)

mosfro · 09-22-2006, 03:03 PM

i applied to 29 schools in the 2004-05 season, all over the spectrum of "rankings". True i had a lower than average profile, but 2 of the 3 schools i got in to were ones that I would not have applied to had i limited myself to 8 or 9....
but thats just me
and i sold my car in order to pay for apps

in retrospect, it was pointless of me to apply to any of the top 20, but i didnt want to have any regrets

Corneconomics · 09-23-2006, 07:44 AM

I know a couple of kids who just applied to 5 or 6, but they had jobs that they wouldn't leave unless they got into somewhere with a program they wanted, etc.

09-18-2006, 08:18 PM	#1 (permalink)
poleringer Eager! Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 35	# of schools to apply to I'm trying to finalize my list of schools to apply to, and was wondering what an average amount of schools is? I started with 8 or 9, and without taking cost of app into accont, see no reason not to apply to twice that number. I am working now, and am not constrained by family, geography, and paying for the extra apps seems worth it to me. so, is there any reason I shoudln't apply to every top 15 (and their business school counterpart phd) and then a couple lower down. will my professors be annoyed they have to send their letter in to 20 different schools? it just seems that with the randomness of top ranked adcoms, increasing the pool of schools will weakly increase my chances of admission. i know this is not typical of the discussion here, but thanks for any help!

09-22-2006, 03:03 PM	#8 (permalink)
mosfro Within my grasp! Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 283	i applied to 29 schools in the 2004-05 season, all over the spectrum of "rankings". True i had a lower than average profile, but 2 of the 3 schools i got in to were ones that I would not have applied to had i limited myself to 8 or 9.... but thats just me and i sold my car in order to pay for apps in retrospect, it was pointless of me to apply to any of the top 20, but i didnt want to have any regrets _ _ _ _ SIG _ _ _ _ Attending: George Washington University Interests: International Finance Please add some Reputation for me if you like what you read........

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09-18-2006, 11:05 PM	#2 (permalink)
UMSL_Losh Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 13	I'd cut it down. You're going to make yourself INSANE with keeping track of the essays (which you'll have to 'personalize' for each institution, after all the top 15 programs have substantial differences in what they look for in their students), not to mention letters. Pick two or three dream schools, two or three you'd be okay with (in case it's a tight year at the PhD programs), and take a load off your poor professors, for gosh sake. By the way, why business schools too? Why not look at what you're most interested in, and apply to programs that match that specialty well?

09-18-2006, 11:29 PM	#3 (permalink)
OneMoreEcon TestMagic Guru-in-Training Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 500	I did 16 econ apps last year. My profs didn't care about the letters (as they told me each time I apologized for asking them to do something else). Really, they just send the same letter, so it's not a huge inconvenience... the marginal effort for them to hit 'Print' one more time is almost nil. Apply where you want to go to school. Not every top 15 is good in every research area. I applied to every top 20/25 school (take your pick of rankings) that I felt strongly focused on micro, labor, and int'l econ and threw in one safety. (My favorite example here because it's easy... don't apply to Caltech, even though it's a top 10, if you want to do macro. For that matter, you shouldn't apply to Minnesota unless you want to do macro.) Rankings are important, but not everything.

09-19-2006, 12:45 AM	#6 (permalink)
OneMoreEcon TestMagic Guru-in-Training Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 500	OK user_name, I admit my mistake. However, I think the general comment still holds... don't apply to good schools just because they're "good schools" - apply because they have people doing research that meshes well with your interests.

09-20-2006, 10:51 PM	#7 (permalink)
UMSL_Losh Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 13	I asked one of my profs about this - he actually suggested I apply to 20 different schools. This is still mind-boggling, but I guess it has to do with the level of competition. I do have to ask about your dominant strategy, poleringer. Are you applying to the Top 15 because they are the Top 15? Really there's a lot of difference in the foci involved. And to their business school components - I'm assuming you're chasing an MBA at this point. That will get you into a high corporate standing, but that's a far cry from the ivory tower. And what's wrong with Minnesota? At least it's not Arkansas ;-)

09-23-2006, 07:44 AM	#9 (permalink)
Corneconomics Eager! Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Ithaca, NY Posts: 82	I know a couple of kids who just applied to 5 or 6, but they had jobs that they wouldn't leave unless they got into somewhere with a program they wanted, etc.

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