leguan

Actually, I have done precisely that (i.e., obtaining two letters during study abroad programs, both of which tremendously helped my applications), although not with the primary goal of securing a letter. However, I had ridiculous luck and would not count on that again. In any case, studying abroad at a good university will definitely not hurt you, even if you do not get a letter out of it, and you can only win (well, unless you entirely flunk your courses... which is probably not what you have in mind). Also, Munich should have some decent exchange programs, which would dampen the cost of spending a year or a term abroad substantially.

Since you mentioned the 2010/11 year, I assume you're talking about the MSc. It's as you said, once you applied (and have sent your letters of recommendation in) you'll get a decision four to eight weeks later. They don't officially have rounds, but it still occurred to me that they decide on applications (or send out the decisions) in several waves: Usually, a couple of applicants got notified within a few days on the forum, and then nobody for three to four weeks. This would, by the way, also explain their policy to require a decision whether you want to attend or not within four weeks after the notification. Anyways, what rolling decision primarily means is that the earlier you apply, the higher your chances for admission and funding are. And note that, while the application deadline is somewhere in July, and September for EU citizens, the MSc in Economics is already now full.

Princeton, and I am sure dozens of other universities also, offers online streams of some lectures online; usually public lectures of general interest, so you might find something there. Also, for the purpose of getting used to classroom situations, I found some of the practice software for the TOEFL (I think it was then) quite useful.

I'd rather second economics here; as said earlier, English will be, from the start of your graduate education on, the language in which you write, teach, think, and discuss (besides math); even more so than your native language. So if your profile is roughly on par with someone else's, but you have a (substantially) lower AWA, I'd not bet on you getting admitted, despite being an international student.

Political Science and Public Policy (if that is what you mean with government progams) should be favorably impressed by your verbal score (more so than econ programs, that is). Your quant score should be less of a problem for these programs, but as always a higher score would, of course, make your life a lot easier. But in general, I'd say that PoliSci programs look much more at your entire profile (including extracurricurlars, living abroad, etc.) than econ programs.

I somehow wonder why they should ever care about the letters. Do you expect that they track the status of your applications? In this case, you could just send the letter there.

Sorry for that, and my sincere apologizes! Frankly, I would have associated lizette with neither gender, but now that you say it, it makes sense to me. So again, sorry. Anyways, congrats to your admit and a good time in Princeton! I did not imply that any university in Berlin is on par with these places, rather that they are not as bad as claimed here (I would also say it is on equal footing with Frankfurt). Some of the professors (and not only one or two) are really well-connected, which matters a lot in terms of placement. The point is that these programs were intended to prepare you for scientific work, i.e. a PhD. When you come out, you are supposed (or at least, have been) to be capable of writing a dissertation. Since five years of courswork overall is a rather tight schedule for this purpose, your first-year economics courses typically are what is considered as intermediate level in the US. It might also help in that regard that people usually come out of high school with much more math skills than in the US, on average.

Oh, and regarding Danish programs: There is a guy here on the forum who will attend Princeton (Woodrow Wilson School, though, not 'pure' econ; but should be even harder to get in there) this fall and did his degree in Copenhagen.

What is missing in the discussion so far is an important point about the structure of the German education system: Until most recently, you did have five-year undergraduate programs, and you would come out with something comparable to a master. After that, you would start your PhD immediately. Hence, these programs have been much more rigorous than any US undergraduate or even terminal master program. And I would still say that, with a master from a decent German program, you have a good shot at the US (PhD program, not job market!). Regarding Berlin, Humboldt is not as bad as some people here imply. They still have people like Burda; doing your master there and getting a letter from him will boost your admission chances at most places in the US, and there a couple of people trained in the US. By the way, Burda is among the people who should not even exist according to economics -- he repeatedly declined offers from highly ranked US universities. The same for Uhlig, who went to Chicago only after declining several offers from top US universities. Similarly, look at Collier at FU Berlin (PhD MIT, then employed in the US, and after that coming to Europe). Also, in case you want to do your PhD in Germany, it is pretty easy to go to top US institutions for a year while writing your thesis; there are plenty of funding opportunities. Having said that, it should be clear that, if you have the chance to go to the US, then go there. The research culture at a US institution is a lot different from a German (or typical European) one, the students are much more focused on their studies, professors much more accessible, and your peers are, on average, simply brighter (no offense to German students here). A full disclosure should also be appropriate; I studied a while in Germany and Europe, but then went to the US to do my graduate work; mainly for the reasons just stated.

About the same as the Tinbergen Institute scholarship (slightly higher), but guaranteed for two years. Plus some additional expenses that are covered. And, of course, a line on your resume.

yes, but will decline it. anyways, a very nice scholarship... good luck!

Did anyone apply to the Huygens Scholarship Program? The results are sent out by e-mail!

For international organizations, I would definitely consider IHEID/The Graduate Institute in Geneva. Outstanding faculty, and extremely well connected in the policy world. And great funding is also available.

I doubt that Paris is much, if any, cheaper than Milan. And if your goal is to end up in a US Ph.D., I would definitely go with Bocconi. Their Ph.D. program, however, seems to have less reputation; perhaps because almost all of their brightest MSc students leave for other top programs, don't know about that.

I am inclined to misunderstand that ('that' is 'typically' and the plural). :)