Go to Carlos 3 de Madrid?

[chenliang]

Hello,everyone!
I was admitted by the Phd program in economics, will anyone go to this university?
Or is there anyone could offer more useful information about this program, except what can be found on their webpage?

[phdphd]

First of all, congrats!!! I have a friend that was kicked-out. He told me they force you to keep a certain average (I don't know exactly the figure) which is really hard to deal with. This guy was notified in the end of the second trimester that he was already out. And I can say that his grades were not bad at all. He said that even one professor of him, who went to teach there from Penn State, considered the program unfair. But, again according to him (his girlfriend is still there), the situation is changing and now it seems that they are admiting less students and making them go through the program.

[chenliang]

Thanks a lot for your reply, and how unlucky is your friend!
could you please tell me how to contact him or his girlfriend?
I want to know more details.

[veroniquaz]

I am currently in the program with a Spanish girl who studied there. After several years she transfered to a different university. She said it was the most horrible experience of her life. According to her words people there are treated like sh*t and she would not recommend anybody to go there. She started quite a few years ago and from her year out of 45 people 13 left with the degree.

[chenliang]

I am currently in the program with a Spanish girl who studied there. After several years she transfered to a different university. She said it was the most horrible experience of her life. According to her words people there are treated like sh*t and she would not recommend anybody to go there. She started quite a few years ago and from her year out of 45 people 13 left with the degree.

You words shock me deeply!
But you said you are in the program too, right? so what your comments about the program? Do you think it was as horrible as the spanish girl said?

[argyecon]

Hey, come on people!!!, I know professors at that program and students as well and it is not as you say.
It is important that you have a strong background in maths and that you work hard (not as hard as in many US Phds) and you will do through the program. Come on, we are talking about a PhD program!!!
The problem is that it is true that in last years they took a lot of people and during the program they were seeing who was staying and who was not. Strategy was similar to Chicago's one. They were taking many risks with a bunch of people that seemed promising (unknown uni maybe but strong GRE and good grades) and then they saw.
And, as in Chicago, if you feel that you are one of these students but you know that you have a strong background in economics and in maths you have nothing to worry about. In case that you do not have it but you are work hard, then you have nothing to worry about again.

[veroniquaz]

You words shock me deeply!
But you said you are in the program too, right? so what your comments about the program? Do you think it was as horrible as the spanish girl said?

I am not at Carlos 3. I am currently studying with this girl in a different program.

argyecon: I did not like what she told me about the overall atmosphere. The stories were bad enough to make me not apply there at all. Of course PhDs are hard, but I do not need to hear all the time that I am sh*t or my research is sh*t as they were doing to her. I expect a response that probably she was sh*t, but I doubt so. She has published in quite a decent journal and was recently quoted in an IMF paper, so it cannot be so bad. I just do not like this Chicago style approach and therefore would not go to Carlos 3, that´s it. However if someone is happy in such an environment, then he/she should go, it is not my life.

[ter123]

I am shock!
it is true that the master program requires a B average and a maximum of one D but this is common. On the other hand the are in the European network of Training in Economics, rank 32 of the word by her placement of graduate students and provide full funding from the first year on and no one is kicked out unless he/she decide not to be a full time student or have poor performance. You shall ask your friend what her situation was.

http://www.eco.uc3m.es/english/teaching/

[veroniquaz]

I am shock!
it is true that the master program requires a B average and a maximum of one D but this is common. On the other hand the are in the European network of Training in Economics, rank 32 of the word by her placement of graduate students and provide full funding from the first year on and no one is kicked out unless he/she decide not to be a full time student or have poor performance. You shall ask your friend what her situation was.

http://www.eco.uc3m.es/english/teaching/

I know they rank well, but so do Chicago and Wisconsin and still their reputation in some things is not good. She started her PhD 9 years ago, so there is some small chance things changed over time, but I do not see a reason not to trust her. And she was not kicked out, she managed her coursework and later decided to transfer from reasons I will not analyze here.

[bscout]

I am shock!

As they are strong in Time Series you will not have any problem performing an intervention analysis to yourself.