hedgequant

The budget is large. Perhaps effectively limitless. The initiative to change the program came from the very top of the university.

Take Linear Algebra 2 if you can.

As someone who turned down UT Austin, I still think that's the best choice.

why not accounting?

You need to consider dropping the top 10 applications (or lowering expectations on them) and add many more in the 25-60 range

I think you mean 2 weeks before everyone starts freaking out as 1 or 2 schools emerge. Although Texas A&M interviewed me on Dec 15th...so there's that...

advanced stats was like pre-metrics, with metrics starting this semester...also, I will be taking 2 empirical courses that are essentially applied metrics as well. I had no econ training at all...managed an A in micro theory...we had a visiting prof who was a big name in general equilibrium and we basically picked right up with that from week 3 on. Next is a game theory specialist for micro 2

The most difficult thing for me in the first semester was walking the line between "grades don't REALLY matter" and "sending a signal that you are cut out for this" In my program, the 1st semester is 4 courses: mathematical econ, advanced stats, micro theory, and asset pricing theory. I did a MSc in stats, but that only helped with about 25% of the stats course. With 3 courses in the econ department and 1 in the business school (arguably the hardest course we will take), it was not the volume but the depth/difficulty of the work. It was the first time I had ever relied on exams to be curved in any way. Ultimately I had B+/A/A/A- grades, which are sufficient to send the necessary signals, but at no time did I feel comfortable with all of the material being thrown at me. For me, it helped to have had experience working 80-100hr weeks, and if I'm being honest, I spent around 60-70 hours a week on average working this semester, with mid-term and finals weeks being higher (80-90). It was not as brutal as I expected/prepared for, but if I had come straight from an undergrad or MSc, I could see how it would've been a shock.

1- take linear algebra 2- take a graduate linear algebra course 3- take a math stats/regression course 4- maybe dynamic programming?

Good luck ladies and gents. Hope to see the best and the brightest of you at Rice.

If I were you, I'd focus on statistical finance. Hope that helps!

In the immortal words of Beyonce, "you've made your bed now lie in it"

If you didn't want to be bored senseless, why did you choose to take accounting classes?

I'm saying that there should not be a hard-line distinction between the two, as only focusing on "mathematical finance" will narrow your potential list considerably, both on the way into a PhD program, and on the way out (to the job market).

I thought daffodil's posts were ironic...so I'm quite confused now.

You may be surprised to realize just how "mathematical/quantitative" the average Finance PhD is, so if you are truly interested in finance, the math will take care of itself. There is a guy in my program who already has a PhD in math with an emphasis on mathematical physics...I think he works to solve PDEs all day long, but I'm not sure.

Some of us have actual work to do =p Asset Pricing Theory is just brutal

Step 1: Switch to Finance Step 2: Complete PhD Step 3: Please, please interview for jobs just before I walk in the room.

I got about 2/3 of the way finished, but did not wrap up the MSc...I used the courses (in both the grad math and stats depts, including a PhD level course) to both signal and get a strong letter from a publishing faculty member who was my advisor.

If anyone is curious, Google Ads informs me that the dream of a lifetime can be achieved at Grand Canyon University...just a thought. Also, I recommend freaking out NOW, but only because yesterday has already passed.

I was gonna go, but I will be skiing then :)

For n=1, I had a small section under my current degree pursuit (MSc, Stats) where I listed 1 line of coursework (the "hardest"/best signaling courses). I doubt it made much difference as all my coursework was on transcripts. I also used an optional essay where I could.

Congrats on almost being to the halfway point of the number of versions of your SOP!

Do a search for my post history...and read about my profile 3 years ago, and where/why I didn't get in: spoiler alert, I went 0-13...keep finding posts about my updated profile and see where I did get in... short notes: -you're going to want at least a 720 for some of those schools, and a few of them might be reaches even with that (Duke, Maryland, Texas) -what is your Master's coursework like? You need a bunch more math/stats to be taken seriously (I speak from experience on both sides of that coin)

^agreed