Good chance of getting into Top 10 US Phd program after Oxford MPhil?

[dr-dere]

Hi guys,

I got accepted by Oxford for their MPhil Economics program.
After that I would like to obtain a Phd from a top 10 US institution.

Do you guys think that Oxford is a good springboard for that? Have you heard of people who actually managed to do this?

Would the LSE MSc Econ give me a lot higher chance of getting in?

I would be very thankfull for your advice.

[asianeconomist]

As far as I know, the LSE has a better track record of placing its Masters graduates in top US schools. Oxford shouldn't be far behind, especially if you're into development/economic history......

It would also be suitable to state that admission in top 10 is a truly difficult undertaking, and as usual there is little that can be guaranteed.

[EconChump]

*the top 2 kids from the mphil place into top 10 US phds every year (or they did when i was there)
*the top 5-7 (i.e. distinction or almost) have a great shot at top 20
*given there are approx 4 times as many grad students at LSE it is not surprising that there placement record looks better
*GREAT refs will get you into a top 20 US program, whether you go to LSE or Oxford. a (relatively smaller) two year program will make it easier to get these refs
*top 20 programs wont care about econ history, just math econ
*LSE EME is definitely the best program, LSE Econ less so

[Econapply]

*the top 2 kids from the mphil place into top 10 US phds every year (or they did when i was there)
*the top 5-7 (i.e. distinction or almost) have a great shot at top 20
*given there are approx 4 times as many grad students at LSE it is not surprising that there placement record looks better
*GREAT refs will get you into a top 20 US program, whether you go to LSE or Oxford. a (relatively smaller) two year program will make it easier to get these refs
*top 20 programs wont care about econ history, just math econ
*LSE EME is definitely the best program, LSE Econ less so

Do you also know something about the placement of Cambridge MPhil in Economics?

[dr-dere]

*the top 2 kids from the mphil place into top 10 US phds every year (or they did when i was there)
*the top 5-7 (i.e. distinction or almost) have a great shot at top 20
*given there are approx 4 times as many grad students at LSE it is not surprising that there placement record looks better
*GREAT refs will get you into a top 20 US program, whether you go to LSE or Oxford. a (relatively smaller) two year program will make it easier to get these refs
*top 20 programs wont care about econ history, just math econ
*LSE EME is definitely the best program, LSE Econ less so

Thanks for the great info Econchump.
It seems in order to have a shot I really need to be outstanding.

Are offers at top US econ departments conditional? Would they state something like ' you need to obtain a distinction'?

[asianeconomist]

Do you also know something about the placement of Cambridge MPhil in Economics?

Yeah. Anyone ?

[EconChump]

*cambridge econ has not been making the same recruiting efforts that ox has in recent years and is not as highly regarded
*LSE is and has always been a great department
*UCL is doing much better and the Blundell/IFS crowd are awesome
*@dr: you do not have to be outstanding, just get good refs. grades from the mphil do not matter at all, except good grades probably mean good refs if your reference writer has no further information (such as thesis). if you do the mphil follow one of two strategies:
1) get 3 distinctions (one for each comp) in the 1st year and apply at beginning of second. this is the hard way.
2) get good 1st year grades and write good dissertation. build solid relationship with adviser (meet EVERY week and discuss work). make sure you write thesis that follows adviser's work closely, so you can have good interaction. get good second year grades and excellent reference from adviser. apply in fall after mphil.
*i followed strategy 2 and was admitted to schools that others (who got distinctions overall) were not.
*grades are not everything. once you get into a US phd Oxford metrics and micro will put you in great shape. you will almost have to learn macro from scratch.

[asianeconomist]

*cambridge econ has not been making the same recruiting efforts that ox has in recent years and is not as highly regarded

Is that for the MPhil or PhD ? I ask this because MPhil is primarily a taught degree and hence probably should not be highly correlated with the quality of the faculty.