Profile Evaluation - Marketing (Quant), Canada

[slimshady]

Hello Everyone, I will be applying this year for PhD in Marketing in Candian schools in Ontario. I have an economics background and my decision to apply for PhD Marketing has to do with my interests for Structural IO, and Discrete Choice Methods. Given these interests and the current deplorable state of the Econ Job Market I've thought it might be a better idea to go for PhD at a business school.

 

Test Scores (GMAT/GRE): Old scores (163Q, 160V, 4 AWA), preparing and retaking soon and hopefully get 165+ in Quant

Undegrad GPA: 3.5 - B.A. in Economics school outside North America, tough grades frequently sends students to top econ programs in U.S.

Graduate GPA: 3.8 - M.A Econ at 2nd tier Canadian school like SFU, McGill, McMaster, top student in my cohort.

Research Experience: 1 year Research Associate at Canadian University working on health economics.

Teaching Experience: TA for many Econ courses

Work Experience: Nothing relevant for marketing, internship at international organization (WTO), and some other jobs.

 

Concentration Applying to: Marketing (Quant)

Number of programs planned to apply to: not determined yet, some for sure are Rotman (Toronto), Ivey (Western), Schulich (York), maybe Laurier.

 

Dream Schools: Toronto (Rotman)

 

 

Other Questions:

 

What made you want to pursue a PhD? I want to pursue a research career, I have already been involved in writing and publishing papers in economics and would like to continue.

 

 

Questions or concerns you have about your profile?

No direct relationship to marketing, apart from an undergraduate course in it many years ago, I think it will be hard for me to signal to schools my interest in the area.

 

Also recommendation letters are very strong but come from faculty in economics, I don't know if this has a bad effect for my profile.

 

Last year I was accepted into several PhD Econ programs in Canada (4) first tier and second tier alike.

 

Low GRE quant score, hopefully will improve.

 

 

Any additional specific questions you may have:

 

What are some schools that potentially could be on my reach in Canada?, and have strong faculty in Marketing (Quant)?

[BrazilianPhD]

Quantitative Marketing is very closely related to Economics, it's mostly the use of Economics to study Marketing questions. So, I see a background in Economics as a positive thing for Quantitative Marketing. It's pretty common to see marketing professors and students with a background in Economics.

 

Of course you need to find a better motivation to do Quantitative Marketing than "the current deplorable state of the econ job market." This makes you look like a person who is not motivated enough about marketing issues, and motivation is important (not only for applications, but during the PhD).

 

About schools, I don't know Canadian schools, but check papers published by faculty that are related to your research interests. If the research fit is good, you should apply. Since you are only focused on Canadian schools, the number of schools is much more limited, and maybe you should apply even if the research fit is not that strong. That doesn't mean applying to schools you have of intention of going to.