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smokytan

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  1. Hi All, I am an international junior aspiring to attend a top economics phd program. I have posted my profile and questions below and would greatly appreciate it if you could help and advise me. PROFILE: Type of Undergrad: Top 30 Liberal Arts College Major: Math, Economics(Double Major) Undergrad GPA: 3.80 Math Courses: Completed ----- Calc I (A-), Calc II (A), Calc III (B+), Number Theory (B), Linear Algebra (A-), Probability & Statistical Modeling (A), Ordinary Differential Equations (A), Partial Differential Equations (A), Probability (A), Stochastic Processes (A), Numerical Analysis (A) Next Year ------ Real Analysis, Measure Theoretic Probability, Mathematical Statistics, Abstract Algebra and Stochastic Differential Eq Econ Courses (grad-level): N/A Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Intermediate Micro (B+), Intermediate Macro (A), Econometrics (A), Advanced Econometrics (A), Labor Economics (A) Letters of Recommendation: I am pretty sure that I will be able to get a solid letter from an economics professor (got a PhD from a top 10 institution) who I have done research with for two years now. I am also counting on securing a strong letter from a math professor with whom I will have taken Probability and Real Analysis with, and another economics professor whom I have done research with as well. Research Experience: Freshman year- Worked as a research assistant for a business professor. My main task was reading relevant papers and writing a draft for the literature review section. Sophomore Summer - Worked as an institutional researcher and was mentored by professors in the economics department. Work involved the use of STATA, linear regression, and various other econometric methods. Junior Summer - I have already secured a summer research position with the prof (from top 10 PhD) mentioned above. I will be working in the capacity of co- author and we are aiming to get this paper published in a journal sometime during my senior year. Teaching Experience: Tutor for the Quantitative Tutoring Center. Research Interests: Have yet to form strong preferences. Concerns: I know it is not worth dwelling upon past scores, but I am slightly concerned about the B+ in intermediate Micro and Calc 3. I hope the adcoms take into account the fact that I took both these classes during my freshman year when I was trying to adjust to the american style of education. I feel that my profile does not stand out very much. I have fulfilled all the math and gpa requirements that are expected of applicants in top programs, but I do not see how I could stand out among the vast sea of accomplished applicants to these programs. Perceived Strengths: I haven't received a single B since freshman year. I hope to keep up the work during my senior year and have a transcript that shows A grades for every class during my Sophomore, Junior and Senior Year. I have not come across many students on this forum who have taken Measure Theoretic Probability and Stochastic Differential Eq's. I am hoping these classes will help me stand out just a little bit. Questions: Given the option of taking another math class (maybe Analysis II or Topology) and Grad level Micro, which one do you think would look better. Keep in mind that I will not be taking a class in an actual graduate school since there aren't any nearby. I am just calling it "Grad- Level" because I will be doing an independent study at my college that follows the course schedule of a standard graduate course on the topic. Do you have suggestions for any other advanced math courses? Do you see any other ways that I can improve my profile? Which schools do you think I should apply to? I would greatly appreciate it if you could categorize your suggestions into Target, Reach, and Safety.
  2. Hi all, Thank you for your replies. The general consensus seems to be that Royden is a difficult text but not impossible to understand if used in a one-on-one independent study setting. I think I will go ahead and use Royden for this class. My professor mentioned that we will try to cover the first 7 chapters of the text. This includes the chapters on Lebesgue Measure, Lebesgue Integration, Differentiation & Integration, and L^P spaces: Completeness and Approximation. Assuming that we complete these topics, does it make sense (from a signaling perspective) to do a typical undergraduate course in Real Analysis II after the completion of this course that uses Royden? The description for the Analysis II class says that it will give a rigorous treatment of derivatives and integral, culminating in an introduction to continuity and differentiation of functions of several variables and vector valued functions. ps: Even though I can read the list of topics covered in these courses, I do not have the ability to understand what they mean since I haven't studied Analysis before. Please bear with me if any of my questions seem obvious or stupid to those educated in analysis.
  3. I am currently a junior at college and am considering doing an independent study (one-on-one with professor) in Real Analysis. The professor has suggested that we use Royden's Real Analysis (3rd ed) for this course. I am a little concerned because I have come across numerous postings in URCH and other websites that describe Royden as a graduate text and advise against using it for a first course in analysis. In addition, the non- independent study (regular) Real Analysis classes normally offered by the math department at my college use books that are either at the level of baby Rudin or below Rudin. However, my professor thinks that I have the ability to understand this book and do fine in the class. Has anyone heard of an undergraduate analysis course that used Royden? I am willing to take on the challenge and work my a$$ off, but I would like to know what you guys think of this idea. Does it seem like a bad idea? or are there people out there who have done well in a first undergraduate analysis course that used Royden? Also, does Royden leave out any important topics that are otherwise covered in an introductory undergraduate analysis course that uses baby Rudin or other books at the level of Rudin? As compared to Rudin, how well do you think Royden would prepare me for a second course in undergraduate analysis such as Real Analysis II. I look forward to your replies.
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