Profile Evaluation Before Applying!

[lucky123]

I've finally settled on my list of schools that I'm applying for, so I wanted to post one last profile eval to get some advice/comments on whether or not my list of schools seems realistic, given my profile.

 

Academics: 3.90 Undergrad GPA (accounting/economics), currently enrolled in Masters' of Economics program for the year at UofT also. My GMAT Score was a 720 (49Q)

 

Research Experience: By the time my application is submitted, I will have worked as the lead RA for a professor for 1.5 years, and I also worked for another professor (full time) for 6 months as their RA. Lots of experience working with accounting data through data collection, but I'm very comfortable with using data analysis software and other relevant programs.

 

Teaching Experience: I've TA'ed for 8 different courses including some accounting courses, economics courses and a calculus/linear algebra course. From what I've heard, teaching experience isn't very important for PhD applications.

Letters: The two professors I've done research with have already agreed to writing letters for my application. One of them is an accounting professor, while the other one (6 month position) does research in economics. My last letter will be from an accounting professor that I had during my undergrad, who knows me very well and I did very well in his class.

 

These are the schools that I've finally settled on. I'd appreciate it if you could tell me if this is a good range of schools:

 

Schools:

 

Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Toronto, University of California, Berkeley

 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Chicago, University of Michigan,

 

University of Illinois, Urbana - Champaign, Indiana University, University of Washington,

 

Cornell University, Northwestern University, Duke University, Yale University, Columbia University,

 

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, University of Waterloo, Purdue University,

 

Ohio State University, University of Alberta

Edited March 6, 2020 by Erin
By request of author

[Mandalorian]

I take it you're going into accounting? It's not explicitly mentioned.

 

If you are, it looks like a solid profile and you've given yourself a good range of schools. You're a well-qualified applicant for any of those schools, but the problem is there are always more well-qualified applicants than slots, so really focus on using the essays to sell yourself and your research goals.

[YaSvoboden]

Do you know Ole-Kristian Hope? I think he would be the best person you could get a letter from coming out of Rotman. Of course, their whole group is solid, so you a good letter from any of them will do well.

 

You have a solid profile. The GMAT is a little low for your top schools, but it is still worth applying. I think your list generally makes a lot of sense. I would remove Purdue and Alberta. I don't think you need to expand your list to them. Waterloo is reasonable if you have location preferences, but is a notch below most of your list.

 

You could consider adding USC, UT Austin, Texas A&M, Georgia, Iowa, NYU, Penn State. No need to though, you have enough schools there.