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Hello! I'm taking IELTS on 6-11. I look for someone taking IELTS about the same date who can critique each others' writing and speaking answers. The idea is to commit to comment on each others' writing and speaking answers on any one set of practice test every day for the seven days preceding the exam date. (You choose which practice set you use. We don't have to answer the same questions. In fact it might be better that we answer different questions, to give us more exposure to different sets.) I am taking IELTS General Training, so would prefer someone taking General Training as well. But I would be happy to work with someone taking IELTS Academic too. They are pretty similar anyway. Let me know if you are interested.

I don't quite like working as a TA (by that I mean mainly grading exams and homeworks and holding office hours). You have to follow whatever the professor teaches, and sometimes the department will assign you courses that are completely irrelevant to your research and of which you know very little. Then you'll have to learn the whole thing by yourself. I like teaching my own independent course. Of course it takes a lot of time to prepare the lecture notes (I'm the kind of old-school instructor writing on the blackboard all the way) and exams, but it is fun to be creative along the way, and rewarding when students come up after class and tell you how much he/she likes your class. And when you teach the same course for the second time, you'll already have all the lecture materials and there will be a lot less to prepare. Everything said, it is my opinion that on the job market, teaching really isn't valued that much (except, of course, for positions with a teaching emphasis). So teach only what you need to.

PROFILE: Type of Undergrad: BBA Applied Economics/Applied Mathematics (minor) from a mid-sized university in Hong Kong Undergrad GPA: 3.76/4.00 (#1 in the program) Type of Grad: - Grad GPA: - GRE: Q800 V530 AW4.0 Math Courses: Calculus & Linear Algebra (A); Mathematical Analysis I (A); Mathematical Analysis II (B+); Linear Algebra (A); Statistical Methods & Theory I (A-); Differential Equations (A-); Real Analysis (B); Numerical Methods I (A-); Mathematical & Statistical Modeling (A) Econ Courses: Principles of Microeconomics (A); Principles of Macroeconomics (A); Intermediate Microeconomics (B+); Intermediate Macroeconomics (A); Mathematical Economics I (B+); Applied Econometrics (A); Money & Banking (A-); International Economics (A); Industrial Organization (A); Aisa-Pacific Economies (A-); Public Finance (A); Money & Finance in China (A) Other Courses: Letters of Recommendation: One professor from another local university (Stanford PhD); one regionally well-known professor (UW Madison PhD); one statistics professor with a PhD from Germany. At least the latter two letters are very strong. Research Experience: Summer research at another local university; honors degree project Teaching Experience: Research Interests: Macroeconomics, International Economics SOP: I put much effort into writing it; mainly explaining my interest in economics and my past learning experience Other: RESULTS: Acceptances: IUB PhD ($$, attending), Albany PhD ($$), Simon Fraser MA ($$) Waitlists: Rejections: Cornell PhD, PSU PhD, UPitt PhD, USC PhD, Notre Dame PhD, etc. Pending: CUHK MPhil What would you have done differently? I think I’d have done better had I picked Mathematics as my major and Economics as minor. That way not only could I have taken more math courses, but I also could have taken them systematically. Now I often had to taken advanced math courses early on without the basic courses. If I could have taken them systematically I would have better math grades.

Institution: University of Toronto Program: MA Economics Decision: Rejection Funding: - Notification date: 5/5/11 Notified through: Email Posted on GF: No Comments: Not going even if admitted. Got better plans.

Hi Does anyone know about the housing options at IU Bloomington? What are the pros and cons of living on campus vs. renting a private apartment? I'm going there this fall. Thank you in advance!

Indiana University Bloomington

Still haven't heard from USC (PhD) and CUHK (MPhil).

Institution: Indiana University Bloomington Program: PhD in Economics Decision: Acceptance Funding: Waiting list Notification date: 4/4 Notified through: Email Posted on GF: No. Comments: Really hope I can get funding... Update: I was informed of funding for five years at around 2:30am (UTC+8) Apr. 16. Very happy and have already accepted their offer!

I can't think of any. Congratulations!

I think if you have taken basic mathematical statistics, you should take set theory at this moment.

I think what you have talked about are basically valid. I'd make the same choice if I were in your position.

I am also rejected by Iowa but have not heard of this until now. Where did you guys learned that they're discontinuing the program? Or this is implied by the fact that nobody has reported any Iowa accepts so far? If they are really discontinuing the program, some collective action would be needed.

Institution: University of Notre Dame Program: PhD in Economics Decision: Rejection Funding: - Notification date: 3/30/11 Notified through: Email Posted on GF: No Comments: -

But even with the PhD-level courses I wonder how the placement of the regular MA goes. It's only eight months, no thesis, and probably little research exposure as well (which I guess would be dominated by the PhD and Doc Stream students). When you apply again you're basically still using your undergrad portfolio. That's my guess. Hope someone who have been in the program could give some more insights.

Hi Thank you for your advice! I guess this is the old risk-aversion thing again.