Profile Evaluation for Fall '21

[spanishfan1]

Type of Undergrad: Top 30 US, B.S. Mathematical Economics

Undergrad GPA: 3.96

GRE: Not taken yet, not concerned

 

US student

 

Math courses: Real Analysis I (A), Ordinary Differential Equations (A), Calculus series (A), Linear Algebra (A), Statistical modeling (A); plan to take optimization theory, intro to math modeling, computer science, and probability before graduating

 

Econ courses: Econometric theory (A), applied econometrics (A-), quantitative asset pricing (A-), monetary theory (A), international finance (A)

 

Letters of recommendation:

1. Professor who I have RA'd for 2 years now, coauthor on 3 papers published together

2. Professor for real analysis, strong relationship, he has an economics background and we connected well

3. Department chair, 2 courses and independent study

 

Research Experience:

Published 3 articles in history of thought journals as coauthor with recommender #1, 2 were peer reviewed. Plan to write a senior thesis. Interning at Fed virtually this summer in macro.

 

Concerns:

Undergrad school ranking, research is published but qualitative (journal of economic education), not enough math background

 

Questions:

Do I go straight to PhD or try for Fed RAship/predoc? What schools are reach/target/safety?

[tutonic]

Whether you apply straight to grad school or not depends on the goals you wish to achieve. Are you only eyeing Top 10 or Top 20 programmes? If so, depending on where past students have gotten into, it might make sense to go for a predoc/RA-ship first.

 

You also have a sufficient level of math so it shouldn't be a main concern for you.

 

Rather than taking more math, it makes sense to take PhD Micro and/or Metrics.

[startz]

Go ask recommender #1.

 

The information you've given suggests that you could be a possible admit at every school...or maybe an admit at program 20. Where have your recommenders sent students before?

 

Also, don't use a math professor unless they have sent students to econ PhD programs before (unless they're going to say you're one of the best students they've ever seen.)