Profile Evaluation

[Georgian Economist]

Hello all; yet another lurker popping up to hopefully take advantage of the collective intelligence of this forum. I have checked this forum periodically over the past few years and have always been amazed at the amount of collective wisdom floating around, so I was hoping to partake of some of that wisdom in the form of a profile evaluation. I am neither dumb nor naïve enough to believe that I could compete with the talent I’ve seen for spots in top 10 programs (although, this is not to say that I don’t have some reaches). However, I do think that I have at least a shot at some 20-50 programs (however small that shot may be). I have a preliminary list of the schools to which I plan to apply, but I would greatly appreciate any insight anyone has as to which schools I should add to that list and/or which schools I should remove. My interests include IO, public econ, law and econ, and political economy. Unfortunately, not many schools (the kind that I can get into anyway) offer a formal field in law and econ, and even fewer even touch political economy as such. I also have some interest in health econ. I also had one additional question regarding recommendation letters. I am pretty sure of where two of them will come from, but as for the last I have 3 options, and I’m not sure which is best. First, I could ask for one from my social choice theory prof (PhD Maryland). Second, I could ask my linear algebra prof, but I’m not sure if econ depts would want to see a math prof recommendation or not. Finally, I could ask the professor for whom I have been a research assistant, but the caveat there is that she is a political science prof. Any insight into this conundrum would be helpful. If anyone needs further information in order to provide greater insight, I would be more than happy to provide such. Thank you very much in advance.

 

PROFILE:

Type of Undergrad: Top 30 national university according to US News

Undergrad GPA: 3.93

Type of Grad: N/A

Grad GPA: N/A

GRE: 790(q), 650(v), 6.0(w)

Math Courses: calc I (A), calc II (A), multivariable calc (A), linear algebra (A), intro stats (A), statistical methods (A)*, optimization theory (A)**, dynamical systems (A)**, real analysis (in progress at time of application), math stats I (in progress)

Econ Courses: intro econ (A), micro I (A), micro II (A), macro (A), microeconomic models (A-)**, macroeconomic models (A)**, social choice theory (A), econometrics (in progress)

Other Courses: minor in political science

Letters of Recommendation: should be fairly solid: 1 from micro II and micro models prof (PhD Chicago), 1 from micro I prof (PhD Virginia, still deciding on the last one (see above)

Research Experience: 1 year for political science prof (not terribly relevant)

Teaching Experience: none

Research Interests: IO, public econ, law and econ, political economy

SOP: should be good????

Concerns: lack of relevant research experience, lack of graduate classes, I’m sure there are other things I’m not thinking of right now

Schools (for now anyway): Reaches: Cornell, Duke, Virginia, Cal Tech, WUSTL; What I feel are possibilities for me: Georgetown, George Mason, Clemson, FSU, Notre Dame, Georgia, Kentucky: Safeties (I think these would be considered safeties for me, but I could be way off base): American, South Carolina

 

 

*Statistical methods is the introductory stats class for math majors. Basically, you learn everything you would learn in a basic intro stats class, but you learn it on a deeper level.

**All of these were half semester classes required of all mathematical economics majors. Optimization theory involved the basics of optimization in one, two, and multiple variables (the last ten minutes of the last day we talked about Kuhn Tucker restrictions if that helps explain the type of class and what was covered). Dynamical systems was basically an idiots guide to simple differential equations that may appear in simple models. Micro and macro models just introduced a few of the basics of economic modeling.

 

 

Thanks again for your help.

[ICECOLDECON]

I wrote you a nice long response but I got logged off so this is going to be considerably shorter.

 

Axe your safety schools, there is no way FSU (or Georgia or Kentucky) wouldnt take you with full funding. You are underaiming, the schools you list as reaches seem like they should be target schools. Cal-Tech, in particular, would seem to match your background and interests quite well. George Mason is another school that seems to match your interests well (though definitely take Cal Tech over Mason). A school that I might add to your list is UCLA....

 

So anyways,

 

Leave FSU or Georgia or Kentucky (whichever you like best knowing that youre pretty much a lock at any of those). Add George Mason and Cal Tech.....apply to a bunch of schools in what you now consider to be reaches and maybe sprinkle a top 10 program in the mix for some flavor. I think your biggest problem is going to be not having a real analysis grade on your transcript, but if it is a Fall class, then hopefully you can send the updated transcript before app deadlines.

[econofrosh]

I think you should aim for some more top 20 schools. I mean you have an excellent GPA and transcript. the only problem i see is that you are missing two key courses but from the looks of your grades so far, adcoms would probably think you'll ace them.

 

if you're really not feeling confident, why don't you go top 10-40 instead of 20-50? :)

[jeeves0923]

I think you ought to apply to UChicago as a reach. There are some young assistant profs with interests similar to yours. Also check out Chicago GSB. I recall that Shapiro and Gentzkow do some work with IO/Political Economy overlap. You may not get in, but it's most definitely worth a try.

[pevdoki1]

I think you should aim higher. Don't put yourself in the situation where you get into every single one of your safeties with funding. Maybe leave one or two safeties, but definitely add some higher ranked schools to your list (Chicago, Columbia). You never know and I would say your odds are quite good!

 

As for math letters, 2 out of 3 of my recommendations were from math professors (abstract algebra and real analysis). Also, I met both of them the semester I was applying to grad schools. The fact these two courses were proof-based might have played a role, but I think that generally speaking a math recommendation may be helpful.

[asianeconomist]

IMHO, you should not require more than 2-3 match schools. For that, you could narrow down your choices from the Match and Safety school list that you've already drawn up. It would make more sense to apply to 5-8 Top 20s, 2-3 from Top 20-30 and include a few safeties.

 

Btw, have you asked your professors as to the range of schools that you should apply to ?

[Georgian Economist]

Thank you very much for all of your advice and insight. Having read your responses, I will definitely begin revising my list of schools. I will definitely be applying to CalTech and George Mason, and I will add several more highly ranked schools.

 

Asianeconomist, I have talked to my professors about the range of schools to which I should apply, but that was before I received my GRE scores, so they couldn’t be too terribly specific, but my major advisor strongly hinted that UVA would be a good match for me pending my GRE scores. I will be speaking with him as well as several others as soon as I arrive back on campus.

 

Regarding George Mason, I have looked very carefully at them and have liked everything I’ve seen, but when I mentioned GMU to my advisor, he reacted badly. He didn’t use these words, but the idea of professional suicide seemed to be the idea he was trying to convey. Would going to GMU severely limit my professional options in either academia or the private sector?

 

Thank you again for all of your help

[ICECOLDECON]

My thinking is that George Mason has alot of people in Public Choice and Austrian paradigms, which arent exactly main stream....so that might be the reason for the pessimism. I would ask George Mason for a placement list if you are interested there, as I couldnt tell you where they place. I regularly read the blogs of the professors there (kaplan and marginalrevolution in particular), very interesting people.

 

But since it seems like you would like public choice, it definitely would be worth exploring. I can tell you of two not too shabby placements that I know of off the top of my head: UConn and George Mason.

[GymShorts]

I would be shocked if you didn't get into UVA.

[TruDog]

American tends to be heterodox.