Prof Eval- Help decide which schools to apply to

[vamuska]

Hey y'all, another lurker here. It's about time I posted my profile because I have little clue about what my chances are at getting into some programs. My interests are really varied, I really enjoy political economy, public economics and development, but I also really enjoy applied microeconomic theory and economic thought. My ambitions are not to be the intense research professor clawing his way up to tenure in at a major university but rather a modest researcher who focuses more on students and teaching at a good liberal arts school.

PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: (lower of the) Top 50 Liberal Arts, not a well-known econ dept at all
Undergrad GPA: 3.71 (3.9 in Math, 3.8 in Econ, damn gen ed classes)
Type of Grad: none
Grad GPA: -
GRE: Q800 V600 AWA ??? (guess 5.0)
Math Courses: Calc I-II (A-), Diff EQ (A), Linear Alg (A), Math Finance (A-), Abstract Alg (A-), Prob + Stats I-II (A, A), Real Analysis (A-), Discrete (A), Senior Sem (A), will take Topology, and either Measure Theory or Analysis II, haven't decided yet
Econ Courses: Stats (A-), Intermediate Micro (A), Int Macro (A-), American Econ History (B+), Econometrics as Ind Study (A), Ind Study on Criticism of Economics (A-)
Other Courses: Some philosophy, nothing special
Letters of Recommendation: 3 solid ones, 2 UChicago Phd, 1 Penn State, but none are really active researchers and don't know me too well (a worry of mine)
Research Experience: none real noteworthy, some math research on finance stuff, but Econometrics paper was best in a while according to advistor
Teaching Experience: TA for Calc I, Calc II, Pre-Calc, Introductory Micro and Macro
Research Interests: all over the place
SOP: normal
Other: my school hardly has people go to grad programs but the last two (two in the past 10 years) have both made it to Northwestern so that makes me feel good, but otherwise am worried because it's not a school with well-published professors and I could have made my profile better

I'm hoping to get into a school in the 15-30 range. Is that a reality? Would love to make it to Northwestern but that's obviously a reach. I'm also thinking about UMich, Cornell, Penn State, OSU, Georgetown, WashU, etc.

Let me know if I'm being reasonable please!

[ICECOLDECON]

Seems reasonable to me

[breakz]

You might want to find professors who know you better. If the recommender doesn't know you well, it'll come through in the strength of their LOR.

Also: apply to NW anyway. What's the worst that could happen, aside from a reject and loss of application fee?

[TruDog]

Economic thought is basically dead at most top-30 schools, so really de-emphasize that on your application. Additionally, when you apply to every school at Cornell, you should say that you want to be a researcher at a top-tier school, as that is what they want their graduates to do.

Shameless plug: if applied micro is your interest, you might as well consider Wisconsin. We're pretty good at that around here, and Wisconsin likes accepting students from smaller LACs.

[GymShorts]

Originally Posted by breakz

Also: apply to NW anyway. What's the worst that could happen, aside from a reject and loss of application fee?

And a possible admit if he applies to Northwestern in place of another school that is easier to get into. That being said, given your school's history, it's probably not a bad idea. But the lose of an admit at, say, a top 20 school is a possible cost.

[breakz]

Originally Posted by GymShorts

And a possible admit if he applies to Northwestern in place of another school that is easier to get into. That being said, given your school's history, it's probably not a bad idea. But the lose of an admit at, say, a top 20 school is a possible cost.

I'm assuming he cuts one of his safety schools to apply to NW. You're definitely right though.

[vamuska]

Thanks all for the advice, I never really looked into Wisconsin, maybe because of location but I have also heard some good things about it.

Yeah I figure the NWU track at my school can only be a good thing. I'm just not sure what schools could be considered a safety for me. all the variance in the admissions process makes me hesitant. Like would my profile be consider a safety for places like WashU, UVA, and UWashington?

Also due to my career aspirations of being a professor at a liberal arts college, does where i get my phD really matter all that much except for top liberal arts schools?

[italos]

I would say go for the range of 5-15 or 5-20 and drop also an speculative application to the top 5.But make sure you include also as many as good safeties. Good luck!

[info]

I just want to emphasize that you should definitely have 25-50 in your applications. I am from a top 40 LAC with stronger profile (much more research, 4.0, great LORs and similar math classes) and I did not get any admits in top 40.
Not to discourage you but I think you will be better off to find a research job in DC for example for a year or two and get some solid letters from relatively well published economists and apply then. That's the best way to get out of the LAC stigma with unknown LORs' writers...