Econ/BPP PhDs at Business Schools

[EconChump]

hello campers.

 

i would really like to hear opinions on the following programs:

 

(1) Business and Public Policy @ Haas (Berkeley), Wharton (UPenn)

(2) Global Economics and Management @ Anderson (UCLA)

(3) Econ @ Stern (NYU)

 

i am particularly interested in the following criteria:

 

(a) Entry: much harder or comparable as compared top their respective econ depts?

(b) Industry experience: necessary?

© Perception: are these considered softer courses as compared to their econ dept counterparts?

(d) How would a BPP be different to an econ phd?

 

i would love to hear any other comments.

 

thanks all.

 

chump...

[PCG]

a. Comparable if not harder (due to size...these programs are much smaller)

b. probably not necessary for acceptance, might be helpful for perspective in performance

c. yes and no... the UCLA and Stern programs take at least significant portions of their coursework (particularly in the first year) in the econ depts. (not sure about haas and penn) but typically don't do as "hardcore" theory topics. More difficult to get jobs in econ depts from these programs, but these programs have good reps.

d. what's a bpp?

[EconChump]

Business and Public Policy dude.

 

Seriously tho, these programs are more competitive? i understand that econ/business econ at a harvard or stanford gsb is ridiculous, but i would have thought competition on these 'softer' programmes would be less significant.

 

do people on these programmes have more 'interesting' backgrounds, or just generic profiles? i am very curious and find it strange that noone has mentioned these kind of programmes on the forum. i only seem to find stuff on bizecon@harvard gsb and eap@stanford gsb.

 

did any tmians apply for any of these programmes? how was the experience?

 

cheers,

chump.

[ThunderBall]

Actually, it's harder to get for an econ program at Stanford GSB than at Stanford econ. My classmate applied to both, and was accepted at both places, too (along with Harvard and MIT econ), and he finally picked up Stanford GSB Econ Analysis and Policy PhD program.

 

Therefore, I would not assume that these programs are "ridiculous", let alone softer and easier to get in...

[Econ2006]

I would second ThunderBall's comments, and would add that Wharton (don't know much about the other programs listed) is definitely not "softer" than Harvard or Stanford GSB. I think they accept less than 10% of their applicants, and the 1st year core theory classes are taken in the econ. department at Penn. The faculty are also usually econ. Ph.D's from top 5 schools.

 

That said, the fields in which you can specialize will essentially be business fields, and you'll probably have to demonstrate a clear interest in doing business research (though I don't think extensive business experience is necessary). Also, you're not going to have the same academic placement as will econ. Ph.D.'s (unless you do, say, the Econ. Analysis program at Stanford GSB). In general, I wouldn't advise attending one of these programs if your goal is to teach in an econ. department.

[PCG]

Actually, it's harder to get for an econ program at Stanford GSB than at Stanford econ. My classmate applied to both, and was accepted at both places, too (along with Harvard and MIT econ), and he finally picked up Stanford GSB Econ Analysis and Policy PhD program.

 

Therefore, I would not assume that these programs are "ridiculous", let alone softer and easier to get in...

 

Actually, I think you miss interpreted econchump (yes, his/her grammer is bad, but surely not as bad as many here on the board). When s/he said SGSB was ridiculous, s/he meant highly competative, not the opposite, as you seem to have understood.

 

Econchump: Yes, these programs are highly competative. I don't understand why you are surprised, but these are prestegeous business schools that offer good funding and (as far as I know) boast of excellent placement. So my estimation might be not be perfect -- one or more of these programs might be less competative than its associated econ dept., but I'm sure they are at least comparable.

 

My experience is this: I applied to NYU stern a couple of years ago and was wait-listed and ultimately rejected. I think the competativeness here is very comperable with NYU's econ. dept. They offer significantly better funding and less teaching responsibilities, and they accept a very small number. I think they ultimately enroll something like 7 a year, maybe less.

 

I met someone who was admitted to UCLA anderson's global econ program at the UCLA econ visit day. She was choosing between a funded offer at UCLA anderson and an un-funded offer from Chicago econ. I don't know what she ultimately decided, but she indicated to me that she was leaning towards UCLA because she was interested in International topics (and said international is almost non-existant at chicago). This brings up the main reason that the question you are asking is ultimately doesn't make a lot of sense: people chose these programs usually because they are better fits for their interests, not because they are back doors into more prestegious econ departments. Interestingly, UCLA econ offers better funding to those students it offeres funding than the anderson school's global econ program. However, UCLA econ admits a lot of students without funding, whereas anderson funds everyone (as I understand).

 

I applied to Stanford GSB and was rejected. They also admit only a very small number. One of my letter writers is on faculty at Stanford GSB, and he indicated that they admit something like 8 students. I don't really agree with thunderball, though, that the GSB is better than the econ dept at stanford. TB's friend might have chosen the GSB because it was a better fit for his/her interests. At least my friend on faculty at the GSB said that, if you are interested in straight Econ, and you are choosing between SGSB and the Econ dept, then he would advise the Econ dept. (One surely couldn't chose wrong in such a circumstance, however).

 

So econchump, I suggest doing more research rather than asking such broad questions here. If you want to know what kind of students chose the programs you mention, then I am sure you can find the CV's of the students in those programs, or just call the programs and ask. Also, NYU stern usually has an "open house" in the fall where anyone applying can go and meet profs and ask questions.

[EconChump]

Thanks for the comments PCG. They are appreciated.

 

Just to clarify:

(i) I am based in the UK, so open houses,etc. ar unfortunately not a possibility for me.

(ii) My interests are primarily IO and I was curious as to how this would fit in at a business school, in a non-econ program.

(iii) I have absolutely no idea how truly competitive these programmes are - it seems to me that every PhD has 800 apps and admits 20!

 

Your response was very helpful.If there's anything else you'd like to add...

 

Cheers,

Chump.