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I guess I shouldn't have said anything about GPA in retrospect. I suppose there just isn't really any clear meaningful way to convert UK grades into a GPA because the UK system rewards specialisation rather than consistency, something that is perhaps reflective of the UK education system in general. Hopefully my references will interptret the UK grades into something US admissions tutors will understand. Thanks for all the comments.

Thanks for the responses. But what does that mean? Top 10 or top 20 or top 30 or what? This whole system is totally alien to me and quite intimidating. And where do UK schools like LSE and Oxford fit in with all this?

I believe so. I have no idea how many though, it happens to be what I'm hoping to do.

Ah right, OK, I have no idea what the GPA equivalent would be then. In the words of the course website the maths course covers: The Mathematics for Economics course covers: Sets and Sequences Functions of One or More Variables Equations and Matrices Comparative Statics Probability and Distributions Ordinary Differential Equations (ODEs) Difference Equations Mathematical Methods (Static Optimisation) covers: Optimisation of Functions of Several Variables Optimisation: Concavity and Convexity Envelope Theorems Mathematical Methods (Dynamic Optimisation) covers: Optimal Control Theory Dynamic Programming (discrete time) Dynamic Programming (continuous time)

Hi, I'm currently on the Mphil. I think it's a good course, very high pressured (I think most of my classmates have found the first year very stressful). I think you have to bear in mind that, as is typical for Oxford, the course is structured very differently from comparable courses elsewhere. In your first year you get zero choice over what you study, you have to take micro macro and econometrics and you are evaluated on all three in a series of gruelling 3 hour exams at the end of your first year. In the second year you choose five options from a wide selection of economics courses (on which you are examined at the end of that year) and complete a thesis. It doesn't offer any optional maths courses (this is typical of UK courses) and instead offers a compulsory maths course at the beginning of the first year that is supposed to cover such things. Teaching is delivered by lectures (which are fairly interactive), you'll have about 3 hours of these every weekday in your first year, and classes which are based around homework assignments (of which you do two a week). It isn't automatic to go from Mphil to Dphil, you typically need to get over about a 65 average in your first year exams. This doesn't sound like much but the grading system is very different here, typically 65 will be about the median mark for the mphil cohort (and anything over about 72 will place you in the top 10% of the year). I'm not sure how easy it is to get Dphil funding. The Dphil is indeed only thesis-based, typically the Mphil thesis will constitute one chapter of your Dphil thesis (after being somewhat polished and improved). I think the big advantages of Oxford are the repuation and the fact that you get to spend your time in these beautiful ancient buildings.

Hi all, confused European here after some advice about the mysterious world of US econ PHD applictions. EDIT: have put profile in the format eveyone here uses PROFILE: Type of Undergrad: UK BA (Oxford, PPE weighted about 70% econ) Undergrad GPA: Good first class (so 4.0 I guess) Type of Grad: Oxford Mphil econ with good scholarship Grad GPA: Came close 2nd in my year in first year exams (so I guess like a 4.0, idk) GRE: 169Q/168V/6.0A Math Courses: Mphil has one big compulsory maths course that covers a range of stuff Econ Courses (grad-level): micro, macro, metrics, advanced micro 1&2, advanced metrics 1&2, Theory based empirical analysis Econ Courses (undergrad-level): intro micro, intro macro, micro, macro, metrics, advanced metrics, micro theory Other Courses: Various politics and philosophy courses in undergrad Letters of Recommendation: thesis supervisor (top 5% on rpec), professor I'm RAing for, undegrad econ professor who I know very well Research Experience: worked in a research institute last summer (name on two papers), RAing in my department this summer Teaching Experience: none at all Research Interests: Micro theory, metrics, empirical micro, political economy. SOP: not yet written Concerns: should I retake the GRE to try and get quant up to 170? Other: Applying to: US top 5? Top 10? Top 20? Top 30? Not sure what I should be aiming for... Basically, what I want to know is: do I have a shot at a top 10 programme? And if I don't then should I apply to US top 20 or stay where I am (I have already secured good funding for the Oxford PHD if i want it)? Also should I retake the GRE and see if I can get up to 170 Q? Any comments very much appreciated.

Oh right, thanks for the heads up. Yeah I emailed asking about it, by now Julie Minns must be utterly sick of my emails...

Yeman, 1st October right? (BTW did other people get an information pack about this sort of thing becasue I didn't? I'm just going off Julie Minns' emails and the offer letter thing...)

Told I was nominated by the department for funding on Wednesday, I assume someone dropped out, either way am well chuffed. See y'all quite soon.

http://www.www.urch.com/forums/images/ranks/fish.gifhttp://www.www.urch.com/forums/images/ranks/fish.gif http://www.www.urch.com/forums/images/reputation/reputation_pos.png http://www.www.urch.com/forums/avatars/mrsethward.gif?dateline=1363438730 Join DateOct 2012Posts159 Rep Power1 Good post? http://www.www.urch.com/forums/images/buttons/ha_plus.png | http://www.www.urch.com/forums/images/buttons/ha_minus.png Institution: Oxford University (Brasenose) Program: Economics Mphil Decision: conditional offer (need to get a First in finals) Funding: doesn't look like it Notification Date: 03/08/2013 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: Not sure what GC is?... Comments: Institution: Cambridge University (Clare) Program: Economics Mphil (Research) Decision: conditional offer (need to get a First in finals) Funding: none yet Notification Date: Around late February Notified Through: Noticed on application tracker then recieved email a few days later. Posted on GC: Not sure what GC is?... Comments: Institution: LSE Program: Economics Msc Decision: conditional offer (need to get a First in finals) Funding: nope Notification Date: mid January Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: Not sure what GC is?... Comments:

I didn't realise it was quite 90%, but considering the Guardian table says 80% of grad econ students are international and those that stay on to Dphil are probably more likely to be English I guess that is probably about right. I would guess maybe that's just the nature of high ranking graduate econ programmes, particularly in Europe where there's a lot of free movement between countries. I can't imagine LSE has any fewer.

Well I meant in terms of all of those things. In terms of personal preference I agree, I'd rather spend two years at Oxford (I've been there for the past three and would quite like to stay). But as I said, in terms of costs Cambridge would just be so much cheaper (tuition is half that of LSE and Oxford and the cost of living there is way lower.) Really difficult decision, will probably just wait until June and see if any funding comes last minute before deciding.

Yeah, I've got a call between this, LSE msc and Cambridge Mphil (assuming I even score high enough in my finals to meet the conditions of my offers), so far no funding from any of them. I was under the impression that in terms of how good the course is it very much goes Oxford>LSE>Cambridge but in terms of cost it's the other way round entirely.

Dammit. Didn't hear anything either. "We do not plan to make further decisions before June." Anyone know what that means? like, does that mean they're going to wait and see if anyone rejects their offer or doesn't meet the conditions or what?

They mean three terms as in each year is divided into three terms. They give you the amount for three terms i.e. a year and then multiply it by two to get the grand total at the bottom.