econsgirl

oh.. but say after i am done with the math masters and i don't intend to do a PHD anymore, will it be useful in the private sector jobs? how about other degrees such as financial engineering/financial mathematics? I don't know why but I always get this impression that anything financial in your degree is very helpful for private sector jobs. Mmm it will be easier to work in US [ i want to relocate to be with my boyfriend =( ] if I get a masters in US compared to getting it in UK/europe wouldn't it? Anyway, do people abuse the PHD system? As in, PHD is usually funded, so although they only want a masters they apply to a PHD programme and then drop out and end up with a MA degree (which doesn't require a lot of $$$)

oh yes thanks for pointing out the confusion. I am an international student studying in Asia, and thus it will be harder for me to get into good MA/PHD programmes so the adcoms won't know much about my calibre, unless of course i have good rec letters (which i don't) I am interested in doing my masters in US actually because I might want to work there in the future. I just hope I can get into a decent masters programme. Oh yes are most econs-related programmes 1 or 2 year course?

so here it is.. i have finally finished my econs undergrad education and gotten an overall GPA of 3.83/4.0. I have taken some maths classes with an average of A- (calculus/linear algebra/diff equations/real analysis/maths for econs/stats). Econs probably average grade of A(intro/micro/macro/labor/econometrics.. etc). I am an international student. Haven't taken my GRE yet, but I know my recommendation letters will not be fantastic (because I don't really have any profs who really know me in school, i spend most time outside school). I don't think I stand a good chance at even top 10-30 schools since my letters will prob only be average. Plus, I am not sure what I really want at this point but I'm pretty sure I wanna go to a grad school (either a masters or a PHD).. though I think a masters will suit me better because 1) I might be able to do more math classes/ "suck up" to professors and get better rec letters which will be better for my PHD application if I want to do the PHD 2) 5 years for PHD seems a little long.. a masters will probably give me some time to think about it I've never really thought about doing a Masters programme before because a lot of my friends have said that the states doesn't really have quality Econ masters programmes. And even if you get one, you are "kinda no different from a bachelor grad"... How true is this? (but since I'm an international applicant, I guess graduating from a US masters programme will be much better than just an overseas bachelor from some unknown university if I intend to work in US right?) Plus, there's so many masters programme out there.. in econs/financial engineering/financial mathematics/financial economics.. what are the "hottest" econs-related masters programme? ie. better job prospects Lastly, how competitive is it to get into a good econs-related masters programme in the states? Will it be much easier than getting into a good econs PHD programme? How good will my chances be at getting into say a top 10 programme as an international applicant? What are the elements that the adcom emphasize on (will it be the same as PHD applications?) Thanks for the help!

so here it is.. i have finally finished my econs undergrad education and gotten an overall GPA of 3.83/4.0. I have taken some maths classes with an average of A- (calculus/linear algebra/diff equations/real analysis/maths for econs/stats). Econs probably average grade of A(intro/micro/macro/labor/econometrics.. etc). I am an international student. Haven't taken my GRE yet, but I know my recommendation letters will not be fantastic (because I don't really have any profs who really know me in school, i spend most time outside school). I don't think I stand a good chance at even top 10-30 schools since my letters will prob only be average. Plus, I am not sure what I really want at this point but I'm pretty sure I wanna go to a grad school (either a masters or a PHD).. though I think a masters will suit me better because 1) I might be able to do more math classes/ "suck up" to professors and get better rec letters which will be better for my PHD application if I want to do the PHD 2) 5 years for PHD seems a little long.. a masters will probably give me some time to think about it I've never really thought about doing a Masters programme before because a lot of my friends have said that the states doesn't really have quality Econ masters programmes. And even if you get one, you are "kinda no different from a bachelor grad"... How true is this? (but since I'm an international applicant, I guess graduating from a US masters programme will be much better than just an overseas bachelor from some unknown university if I intend to work in US right?) Plus, there's so many masters programme out there.. in econs/financial engineering/financial mathematics/financial economics.. what are the "hottest" econs-related masters programme? ie. better job prospects Lastly, how competitive is it to get into a good econs-related masters programme in the states? Will it be much easier than getting into a good econs PHD programme? How good will my chances be at getting into say a top 10 programme as an international applicant? What are the elements that the adcom emphasize on (will it be the same as PHD applications?) Thanks for the help!

i see.. so what you mean is write a list of your maths/econs courses (excluding all the electives and unrelated core courses), and then calculate your maths/econs GPA and report it yourself? But because this maths/econs GPA is not reflected on your actual transcripts, if the adcom doubt the maths/econs GPA you calculated yourself, they can always go back to the transcript and check the individual courses and grades?

Heyyy thanks for this.. it may not be of concern to a lot of Americans but I guess it is very important to international students like myself.. But I have an even bigger problem... I'm not sure if I'm eligible to apply for work visas in the first place because I just completed my exchange programme in the states on a J1 visa and thus am subject to 2 year residency requirement in my home country. Waivers of this requirement can be obtained though.. So I do have some questions that I'm dying to ask but my country's American Embassy is not doing a good job at replying emails....is anyone here facing the same situation? Anyone who held J1 visas previously who are subject to the same requirements?

Heyy I have a question... When you apply for grad schools, do they have a section for you to fill up your math and econs classes you have taken plus your separate maths and econs GPA? Or do they just ask you to submit your transcript and they work it out themselves.. (I only have an overall GPA) I am doing 2 majors, econs and finance. Some math courses are under my finance major... and some are just additional electives and not part of the econs core... Not sure if this will make a big difference. Just thought that if they have a separate section on the application form, I can organize my maths/econs courses and grades and make things look simpler..

Hey everyone.. regarding all those SAS programmes you have mentioned, did you learn them when u were an undergrad? Or do you learn them only when you do your PHD? I'm in the last semester of my undergrad studies with an Econs degree, and the only programmes I've used for my courses are Eviews, Maxima and Matlab.

LOL i like this

Wow. So even if I don't go into a high rank school I can still make 100K in private sector jobs? I hope that's not too optimistic because I don't really know what the job market is like in the States cos I'm Asian.... but I do pray what u say is true! What do the rest of you guys make of it? Anyway, my next question probably doesn't belong to this thread but I really like my stats and math courses and programmes like MATLAB more than econometrics courses. What kinda concentrations will have most math/stats exposure and least econometrics? Anyone has any idea? Or maybe I should start a new thread for this..

this is such a wonderful thread. As an international applicant, I doubt my chances of getting into top 20 programmes are high. Like what some people have already told me in this forum, it will be tough to get a teaching job in a good college, but definitely as you move down the rank some schools will be willing to accept you (low-rank/schools without grad departments). I'm really interested to know the job placemenets for private sector jobs though, because that's probably where I'll be heading. And all the jobs I've heard available to Econs PHD so far seems pretty limited (research in banks, research in institutions, consultancy).. what other jobs are available to us? Will it be tough to get these jobs say if you're from a top 25-40 department? I'm kinda worried about the job market, say if I want to do research at IMF/world bank/investment banks, will it still be fairly easy to get the jobs considering i'm not going to top departments? I don't want to spend 5 years doing my PHD (and forgo the money my friends are making), then graduate and be unable to find a job, or just a low paying private sector job...

Don't be scared! I know it's hard because I'm probably taking mine in June/July and I haven't started studying so I don't know how tough/easy it is that's why I'm not scared yet. But I'm sure you'll do well.. =) are you an international applicant?

What kind of fees are this? Like orientation? misc fees? I'm an international student so how much does "in-state tuition for public schools" cost?

really sweet post. i have a question. is it common that schools don't waive your tuition fees but give u TA/RA-ships? So say if you get 12K stipend a year from working as TA/RA, it will still not be enough since you have to pay for your tuition fees? Or is it more common that schools give u TA/RA-ship on top of a waiver of tuition fees?

Hey guys, so here's the situation. I have talked to some of my professors and they frankly told me that chances to get into Top 20 programmes are slim. (because I am an international applicant and I am not from a very reknown university in Economics plus I have not done anything that drastic to impress anyone yet) However, my professors have told me that if I'm not aiming to become a professor, then I don't have to worry about not getting into top 20 programmes. My concern here is that lets say I get into top 20 to 50 programmes, what kind of career options are available for me in the private sector/institutions? I know people hire Econs PHD to do research in institutions like IMF/Fed/Banks, consultancy... what are other widely available jobs? Will it be easy to get these jobs if I graduate from top 20 to 50 schools? I'm not aiming to make lots of money... But say get an 80K-100K job for starting pay in private sector? Is it gonna be tough?