slatinas

rational choice ? Ok, you can think about utility maximization, that the person is choosing in order to maximize her utility under some constraints. But, you can think of assumptions on peferance relation, or the choice function that rationalize the preferences. And, there are some assumptions to put on the preference relation to have a well-behaved choice function, and in consumer theory, there are assumptions to have a well-behaved utility function, so one can maximize utility and obtain a solution..... So, you have to see Mascolell Ch. 1, 2

What about McGill ? There are no big names, only Rusell Davidson and soon Jean-Marie Dufour (both, econometric theory). But the "brend" McGill is very popular... I allready heard that they have a very good Phd placement (IMF, World Bank, US universities, Canadian universities, etc.).

well, it's pretty difficult to note ecn departments. There are many rankings based on the number of publications. Now, I'm glad to see the one based on Phd placement. But there many other important aspects for a Phd life : funding, atmosphere at the department, number of conferences and their quality, availability of professors and advisors (more publications usually means less time for teaching and for students), student life, etc. To have a good idea about an ecn department, one should consider all these....

well, it depends on other phd candidates in each program. Usually, THE big difficulty is in maths and stats and pression that department is putting on you to see how do you perform under pression (something like in army). Personaly, I think that it's unefficient method because people are not in army or in medecine or in police or other risky professions. But, you can choose a program with less pression and do a great thesis and get the job you want. In Phd, the challenge is not in curses and two years scolarship but in your new ideas and the quality of your thesis. Do not forget it. Comprehensive exams and all first year torture are, unfortunetaly, the necessary conditions in your program and they are far away from the sufficient conditions. So, do your best in first year to stay in program, to learn something in each area (micro, macro, econometrics) but manage your forces for following years....