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sihnt2307 · 06-29-2008, 02:07 AM

Profile evaluation and advice please!

Undergrad: small but good LAC
GPA: Overall - 3.845, Majors - Econ 3.94/Spanish 4.0, Minor - Math 4.0
GRE: Quant 800/Verbal 540/?
Econ: Principles (A), Intermediate Micro (A-), Intermediate Macro (A), Econ Stats (A), Internship Abroad - for credit, with econ research and consulting firm (A), Econometrics (A), History of Econ Thought (A), Game Theory (A), Intl Trade (in fall 08), Advanced Micro Theory (in spring 09)
Math: (took AP calc in HS), Cal 2 (A), Cal 3 (A), Diff Eq and Lin Alg (A), will take two Math Stats classes during the next year
LOR: 3 Econ profs who know me well and think highly of me (?), all went to very reputable schools
SOP: probably something about my research and teaching experience, want to go into intl econ

Ok I know my verbal score is pretty bad, but I feel it is not very reflective of my abilities. Does it matter to grad schools? What are some of my options?

asianeconomist · 06-29-2008, 04:45 AM

The verbal score is nothing to worry about. You should be more concerned with your AWA score. You currently seem a bit light on Math, but with the 2 stat. courses you should have a better profile. Try to take a math reasoning/intro to proofs course as well.

jeeves0923 · 06-29-2008, 11:52 AM

Please post on roll call thread.

Your options largely depend on how good your LORs are. Ask them where you should apply. Also, don't worry so much about verbal.

ImProcrastinating · 06-29-2008, 02:25 PM

With your profile as-is, I would say you've got a great chance at the top 25. You should definitely apply to some top 10s as reaches too, and as asianeconomist said, I think some sort of intro to proofs/real analysis course would help you get in to one of those. Some research experience (RAship?) would also help.

Also don't worry about verbal at all, you did well enough that adcoms won't care about it.

sihnt2307 · 07-01-2008, 09:04 PM

Thanks for all of the advice. Just a few more questions...if I were unable to fit more math into my schedule, how much would that hurt me? And how do I know how well-known/highly regarded my LOR profs are? I think they are really intelligent and interesting, but that doesn't mean that the rest of economic academia does...

jeeves0923 · 07-01-2008, 09:31 PM

Look to see where they have published and who they have published with. If they have published places like JPE, JET, Econometrica, QJE, AER, etc, that is good. If they have co-authored with people at MIT, Harvard, etc, that is good. If they went to an institution you are applying to, that is good.... pretty much if you intuitively think that something might be good for their notoriety, it probably is.

sihnt2307 · 07-10-2008, 04:26 PM

More questions...Sorry.

1) On another thread, someone mentioned that there are some small relatively unknown lacs undergrad institutions that produce more future phd economists than ivies and top institutions - does that matter?

2)How imperative is it that I take the aforementioned recommended math classes?

3) Any benefits to studying international econ at an international university?

asianeconomist · 07-11-2008, 04:15 AM

1) UGrad reputation can be a component of your profile, but more important things are your LORs, GRE, SOP...........

2) If you are shooting for a Top 20 admission, then the Analysis course will come in pretty handy.

3) I am not sure about what you're asking. There are schools that are specifically good in International Economics - are you referring to them ?

06-29-2008, 02:07 AM	#1 (permalink)
sihnt2307 Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 4	profile evaluation Profile evaluation and advice please! Undergrad: small but good LAC GPA: Overall - 3.845, Majors - Econ 3.94/Spanish 4.0, Minor - Math 4.0 GRE: Quant 800/Verbal 540/? Econ: Principles (A), Intermediate Micro (A-), Intermediate Macro (A), Econ Stats (A), Internship Abroad - for credit, with econ research and consulting firm (A), Econometrics (A), History of Econ Thought (A), Game Theory (A), Intl Trade (in fall 08), Advanced Micro Theory (in spring 09) Math: (took AP calc in HS), Cal 2 (A), Cal 3 (A), Diff Eq and Lin Alg (A), will take two Math Stats classes during the next year LOR: 3 Econ profs who know me well and think highly of me (?), all went to very reputable schools SOP: probably something about my research and teaching experience, want to go into intl econ Ok I know my verbal score is pretty bad, but I feel it is not very reflective of my abilities. Does it matter to grad schools? What are some of my options?

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06-29-2008, 04:45 AM	#2 (permalink)
asianeconomist Loving the game Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Where the grass is greener Posts: 848	The verbal score is nothing to worry about. You should be more concerned with your AWA score. You currently seem a bit light on Math, but with the 2 stat. courses you should have a better profile. Try to take a math reasoning/intro to proofs course as well.

06-29-2008, 11:52 AM	#3 (permalink)
jeeves0923 Within my grasp! Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 303	Please post on roll call thread. Your options largely depend on how good your LORs are. Ask them where you should apply. Also, don't worry so much about verbal.

06-29-2008, 02:25 PM	#4 (permalink)
ImProcrastinating Eager! Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 57	With your profile as-is, I would say you've got a great chance at the top 25. You should definitely apply to some top 10s as reaches too, and as asianeconomist said, I think some sort of intro to proofs/real analysis course would help you get in to one of those. Some research experience (RAship?) would also help. Also don't worry about verbal at all, you did well enough that adcoms won't care about it.

07-01-2008, 09:04 PM	#5 (permalink)
sihnt2307 Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 4	Thanks for all of the advice. Just a few more questions...if I were unable to fit more math into my schedule, how much would that hurt me? And how do I know how well-known/highly regarded my LOR profs are? I think they are really intelligent and interesting, but that doesn't mean that the rest of economic academia does...

07-01-2008, 09:31 PM	#6 (permalink)
jeeves0923 Within my grasp! Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 303	Look to see where they have published and who they have published with. If they have published places like JPE, JET, Econometrica, QJE, AER, etc, that is good. If they have co-authored with people at MIT, Harvard, etc, that is good. If they went to an institution you are applying to, that is good.... pretty much if you intuitively think that something might be good for their notoriety, it probably is.

07-10-2008, 04:26 PM	#7 (permalink)
sihnt2307 Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 4	More questions...Sorry. 1) On another thread, someone mentioned that there are some small relatively unknown lacs undergrad institutions that produce more future phd economists than ivies and top institutions - does that matter? 2)How imperative is it that I take the aforementioned recommended math classes? 3) Any benefits to studying international econ at an international university?

07-11-2008, 04:15 AM	#8 (permalink)
asianeconomist Loving the game Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Where the grass is greener Posts: 848	1) UGrad reputation can be a component of your profile, but more important things are your LORs, GRE, SOP........... 2) If you are shooting for a Top 20 admission, then the Analysis course will come in pretty handy. 3) I am not sure about what you're asking. There are schools that are specifically good in International Economics - are you referring to them ?

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