PhD Profile Evaluation: Fall 2019

[Stuckmeister]

Undergrad: Large State School around 50th nationally

GPA: 3.8

Major/Minor: Econ Major, Stat and Math minor

GRE:167Q/160V

 

Econ Classes:

International Monetary Economics: A

Environmental Economics: A

Intermediate Micro: A

Intermediate Macro: A

Econometrics: A

Time Series Econometrics: A

Game Theory: A

 

Math Classes:

Calc 1: B+

Calc 2: A

Calc 3: A-

Intro to Proofs: A

Intro to Analysis: A

Linear Algebra w/ Proofs: B+

 

Stat Classes:

Statistical Inference: A

Applied Experimental Designs: B+

Applied Regression Analysis: A

Mathematical Statistics I: A

Mathematical Statistics II: A-

 

Last Set of Classes that I'm taking in the fall:

Senior Thesis

Econ of Education

Differential Equations

Real Analysis

 

Coding Experience:

R (strong), RATS (used for one class, I think this program is awful), LaTeX (learning this for a nice looking thesis)

 

Other Experience:

Did Literature Review for a Professor one semester on a research topic he was exploring.

With the same Professor, did a one-on-one class where he taught me discrete choice and how to code the models

Tutored Intermediate Micro for 2 years.

Interned at Porsche Cars North America last fall where I used some techniques I learned in Time Series to forecast car sales.

 

Personal Info:

During my Junior year I developed Crohn's Disease, it has been very hard for me. However, I recently found a treatment that looks like is getting me back to "normal." For this reason I am graduating in 4 and 1/2 years, which is not what I originally planned.

 

Thesis:

Writing my thesis on transportation demand estimation (using the famous Train discrete choice book). My adviser says that its the most ambitious senior thesis hes ever seen, however I don't go to an amazing school so I'll take that with a grain of salt

 

LORs:

One really strong letter from a professor I've worked with a while. One from My Intro to Analysis professor, and one from my thesis adviser. (I think the two economist letters should be pretty good

 

Goals:

My adviser seems to think that anything below 30 I should be really strong for, and have a decent chance 15-25. What do you guys think?

 

Thanks for reading!

[Stuckmeister]

Bump.

[applicant12]

I think your advisor is right about the schools ranked below 30. I think he/she might be a bit too optimistic about your chances at the 15-25 ranked schools. I'd say you are competitive for those places, but I wouldn't say you have "decent chance". That phrase sounds to me like you should expect to get in with relative ease, which I don't think is true

[Stuckmeister]

I appreciate the advice, I'll keep that in mind when I pick which schools to apply to.