colacoca

Seconding this for Stern. Doesn't seem like anyone has posted anything for Stern Econ at GC so I am at a lose as to what's going on there.

Kinda both, darkhorse. I received an automated email congratulating me on the acceptance and it says I was accepted on myASU. I would post on GC, but would like to hear some funding news first.

Anyone else get into ASU but unable to open their admittance letter? A little frustrated I can't view the funding situation, but still stoked for my first acceptance!

Sorry if I was unclear; sometimes people troll gradcafe. I just wanted to see if anyone could verify that the Minnesota postings are legitimate, is all!

Anyone able to confirm or deny the Minnesota rejections on GC?

Catrina, I'm very new to all this so take my advice with a grain of salt. If you think OSU is strictly better than Rice, you should go to OSU. Remember, the professors at Rice probably got their PhD's at top universities and, even if they're on the rise, they will understand that it may be better for you to go to OSU. I was in kind of a similar situation with Maryland. I got a very generous offer and really fell in love with the department after meeting all the professors. However, when I told the DGA that I was between the Fed RA job and Maryland, he didn't hesitate to tell me I should take the RA job because it was the clear better choice. Professors understand that you need to do what's best for you. If the professors at Rice can't see that you're acting in your best interest, then are they really the kind of people you need to worry about having good contacts with? Just my two cents. You seem like you'll be fine with whichever choice you make. Good luck and try to remember that this is a nice problem to have, even though it is a difficult choice.

PROFILE: Type of Undergrad: Top 50 undergrad, top 50 in economics; LSE study abroad Undergrad GPA: 3.86/4.00 at home university; First at UK university Type of Grad: n/a Grad GPA: n/a GRE: 167Q/155V/4A Math Courses: Calculus I/II/III (A,A,A-) Diff. Eq. (A), Linear Algebra, proof based (A-), Group Theory (A), Ring Theory (A), Abstract Algebra and its Applications (A), Sets and Logic, intro to proofs course (A-), Game Theory (A), Proof based Econometrics (A-), Advanced Calculus I/II (A; IP) Econ Courses (grad-level): PhD Micro (A) Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Micro/Macro 101 (A,A), Intermediate Micro/Macro (A,A), International Trade (A-) Other Courses: Took undergraduate probability theory (A), graduate probability theory (B+) Letters of Recommendation: Econometrician from UK university, Mathematician from UK university, Economist/Undergraduate Advisor from home university Research Experience: RA'd for my international trade lecturer in my 2nd year, and currently working on my honors thesis. Teaching Experience: TA for Macro 101 at my home university Research Interests: monetary/macro SOP: standard RESULTS: Acceptances: Maryland ($$), UT-Austin ($$), George Washington Waitlists: BU, BC, and Johns Hopkins Rejections: MIT, Yale, Northwestern, NYU, Columbia, Michigan, LSE, Georgetown, Penn State, and Virginia Pending: None Attending: Going to RA at a Fed branch for 2-3 years! Comments: If you would have told me in August my results, I probably would have been pretty disappointed. I really did not know that research and letters would play such a huge role. However, this really has worked out for the best. I’ve gone through the process so it’ll be easier the next time around; I get to make some money before grade school while gaining invaluable research experience and, hopefully, great LORs and networks from the Fed economists at the branch I will be attending. I will probably aim lower next time but I think with the RA experience and taking classes at the top 15 university nearby I really do think I will be a very competitive T20 applicant next time around, and hopefully even a T10! What would you have done differently? I shouldn’t have ignored the warnings on the internet of how important letters and research experience are. I think I did the best I could with meeting professors, given that most of the econ classes at my university are taught by PhD students and that I was only at LSE for a year with no LSE professor willing to have a study abroad student as an RA (and understandably so!). However, I should have realized I’d need to get an RA position either at a university, Fed, or some other public entity between undergrad and grad. Thus, I should have applied to less PhD programs and more RA positions. Obviously, all these observations are ex-post, so there’s no way I could have known any of this without learning everything I have this year. Luckily, it all worked out for me and then some this application season. I won’t be attending a graduate school next year, but I will be immersed in macro research for the next two years where I’ll get some great programming and research experience, I’ll get to have more fun in my early 20’s, and I’ll actually get to make sure that a life as a researcher is something I really want. Thanks for all the help everybody- I’ll try to stop by every once in a while but if not, see you in the 2015-2016 application season!

Take the micro/macro sequences; don't take the Econ GRE.

So I'm considering either going to Maryland or BU where I am accepted in the former and wait listed at the latter. Since it's getting to the point where I need to get my preferences fully in order prior to hearing back from BU due to time constraints, I wanted to get clarification on what's it like as a PhD student at BU. From plenty of people, the reception has been, on net, negative. I am interested in macro/money and I hear King and Gilchrist don't work with students as much as they use to. A lot of people tell me it can be a competitive environment as well, but I believe that has more to due with the fact that the department didn't find everybody in the past. Now that they do, I could see this changing. So BU students, potential students that went to the visit day, or even faculty- tell me how the atmosphere is for students at BU. Have my responses been wrong or misleading?

Alright, mmoya. As a current undergrad about to graduate from UF, I may have a better idea of what your grades mean then everyone else. I think you seriously need to evaluate why you want to do an Economics PhD. Looking at your profile, it's not just that your GPA is poor, but you seem to have struggled in every class that had any chance of challenging you mathematically. I don't even think retaking courses would be too wise since you have consistently struggled with every upper level math course you have taken. I know you think that your grades don't reflect your full academic potential, and I would agree if you just had 2 or 3 B's/B+'s, but absolutely nothing in your profile tells me your ready for the rigor of even a T60 PhD program. It would be one thing if you've shown excellence at least in your economics classes, but you got B+'s in the only two economics courses at UF that were challenging. If you got a B+ in Intermediate Micro, there is no way you should take PhD Micro. I hate writing this, especially since our school sends few students to econ grad school as is, but I can't have you wasting your life in your 20's. I just don't see the Economics PhD route ending well. On a lighter note, don't let this discourage you from getting a PhD! If you really can't see yourself doing anything in life besides research, start looking into other disciplines where you could answer the questions you want to research that have less intense barriers to entry. Maybe Political Science, Sociology, Public Policy, etc. I don't how much easier this route is, and your GPA will probably hurt you a bit in whatever you do, but if you are truly interested in making it as a researcher, I personally think this is the route you need to take. Sorry if all of this is either harsh or blunt, but I think a lot of people are giving you the idea that you will see success at the end of the tunnel of getting an Economics PhD and I thought it was only fair to give you, IMO, the more realistic answer.

No offense to TomRod, but I think Maryland's a bit better than he is leading on. With respect to placements, Maryland's closer to T20 than it is T30. It does well in the academic job market relative to the schools near its ranking on US News. As well, for government jobs outside of academia UMD is as good as it gets- you can see for yourself on their recent job markets page. IMO, Maryland was a T20 place but is just outside it now. However, they are recruiting faculty pretty hard and I believe it is still a strong department and could maybe get back to T20 if things work out for them.

That's a really tough one. I'm guessing you are interested in macro? BU is a great school for macro- outside of the top 10 its about as good as it gets. However, if you're set on a top 10 the Boston Fed may get you there. I saw your resume and it looks like the only thing you were lacking is more math, a better math GRE, and research experience which can all be improved with two years at the Fed and taking classes at one of the big four econ programs in Boston/Cambridge. It really just depends how risk loving you are- are you willing to forgo a T20/near T20 admit for a chance at a T10?

Yeah, I appreciate you keeping the forum up to date!

Does inside information include informal emails?

So I don't know whether the Penn State admits on GC a month back were fakes or they were PSU's top choices but I just called the department and they told me that they are still admitting people for the PhD program.