gamecock

PROFILE: Type of Undergrad: BS in Economics, flagship state university Undergrad GPA: 3.986GRE: 800Q, 720V, 5.0W Math Courses: Differential Equations (A), Vector Calculus (A), Linear Algebra (A), Applications of Complex Variables (A), Statistical Analysis I and II(A) Econ Courses: Intermediate Microeconomic Theory (A), Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory (A), Industrial Organization (A), Game Theory (A), Econometrics (B+), International Monetary Economics (A) Other Courses: Politics of Taxing and Spending (A), International Political Economy (A), Comparative Economics of Third World Countries (A) Letters of Recommendation: Chairman of Economic deparment at my school, prof I TA'ed for, prof out of Georgetown I interned with in a White House agency Research Experience: Honors Thesis, RA for a summer to an economics prof, internship at the CEA Teaching Experience: TA for Principles of Microeconomics for a year Research Interests: Public Economics and Macroeconomics SOP: Modified for every school Other: RESULTS: Acceptances: UNC(?), UWash (?), UVA ($$$, fellowship) Waitlists: Michigan, Duke Rejections: Let's not dwell on the past... Attending: UVA ($$$) What would you have done differently? - My undergrad university is seen as very weak - I should've taken more math/stat courses, maybe even some more computer science - Should've done better in econometrics - Applied to too many high tiered schools, should've applied to lower ranked schools All things considered, I am pleased with my results. UVA has really started committing a ton of resources to economics and I expect it to become a much program while I am there. Above all else, they have good placements, sending a lot of students to the Federal Reserve and other governmental agencies. Love the location, Charlottesville is just pleasant.

Understandable, but ridiculous. I'm sure we all have offers from others schools that we have to take care of.

From the UNC graduate director: "... I will be away from Chapel Hill for the week of March 12, 2012. We usually send out our offers on March 20 or 21. I now anticipate that this year it will be March 26 or 27." Guess this means the real Chapel Hill offers won't be out for a while?

If you want to make money, stick with the construction job. If you want to build your resume, I'd suggest something in DC. A bunch of government departments look for interns, but those are all unpaid. Try a think tank like EPI or AEI if you want a (modestly) paid internship.

The grad director I spoke with in an interview said that he encuoraged his students to decompress that first summer. First year is tough, relax while you have no research to do.

Well shoot, Maryland was my best hope. Eh, such is life. I've got a good compensation prize, regardless of what other schools say to me.

I don't know that that we can cross UMD off quite yet. It seems only international students have received word about admittances on Testudo, at least according to GC. I find it very hard to believe that some American who's been accepted would not have posted already. It is frustrating, granted.

Don't go by my experience. I was awarded a university wide fellowship. I'm less clear on the TAships.

5. Four handles of bourbon, one for each school I've been rejected from so far.

Thanks for the well wishes. It's my only acceptance so far (four rejections and waitlisted for one), but $30k a year, plus health and tuition remission, is one hell of a compensation prize haha No, they have been increased dramatically. It's tutition remission, healthcare, and $20k for five years. The graduate school at UVA has decided it will devote more resources to economics in the coming years (more funding for grad students, more research money, and hiring more faculty). It's an ok program now, but wheel barrows full of money have a way of making programs better.

UVA gave me a fellowship. While I was up there interviewing for it, we talked with the department, so that information is straight from the graduate director. Because they have new procedures to go through, I would figure that it's going to take longer than it normally would. They are NOT accepting people without giving them funding.

UVA changed their funding formula this year to 18 students, all fully funded with TAships, and admitting less than they have in the past.

I should probably point out that this is the fall of my senior year. When I send my official transcripts in October/November to the programs I'm applying to, the course will only show that I am enrolled, not what my grade is. Will they follow up on that grade??

The way Analysis is handled at my school, technically it's a graduate level class. Sure, undergraduates can take it, but I'd say over half the class are grad students taking it for grad credit (including a few econ MA students). At this point though, I can't drop the class without a W.

I'm in the fall semester of my senior year and currently take Analysis. However, I don't think I can do well in the course. Should I take the hit to my GPA and struggle through the class or should I drop it and maintain a better GPA? I'm not sure how important this class is for adcoms (I want to go to a good doctoral program in economics).