cbranh01

Haha I might not actually. Right now I am working about 70 hours a week in Haiti so it seems like a break right now

Bachelors. Once I finish up my gap year responsibilities I will have a month off before Math Camp. I will probably study 5-6 hours a day and probably just relax(could be my last chance for a while). Probably visit friends up and down the east coast

PROFILE: Top 50 US university(No Econ) Type of Undergrad: BS in Mathematics and Economics Undergrad GPA: 3.58/4 (3.81/4 in last 4 semesters) Type of Grad: N/A Grad GPA: N/A GRE: V 158 / Q 170 / A 4.0 Math Courses: Calc 1-3 (AP,AP,A-) adv calc(A-), diffeq(B), linear algebra(B+), adv linear algebra(A-)(UG & G), foundations of math(B+), stat methods(A), modern algebra(A-), math stat 1&2(A,B)(UG & G), real analysis w eco apps 1&2(A,A), Monte Carlo Methods(A), Topology(A-) Econ Courses: intro macro/micro(A-,A-),intermediate Macro/Micro(A,A), Dynamic Macro(A-) (Structured to be graduate level), Development Aid(A), econometrics(A-), Research Methods(A), Thesis(A), Game Theory(A-) Other Courses: Letters of Recommendation: 2 from top 10 schools (1 knew me very well) 1 from top 40 (He has been pretty successful though) Research Experience: Senior Thesis, Summer RA, Thesis Teaching Experience: TA Macro-Theory aid course (1 semester), Taught AP Micro/Macro to a high school student, Taught economics 1 year in Haiti. Research Interests: Development, Applied Micro, some others too SOP: I think it was solid Comments: year in Haiti after graduation, Proficient in Stata and R, capable in other languages as well. RESULTS: Acceptances: Trinity MSc(no funding), LSE MSc(no funding), Barcelona GSE(no funding), Vanderbilt(4 years of funding), Maryland ARE(4 years of funding), UNC(4 years of funding), Maryland(5 years of funding), Michigan State(5 years of funding) Rejections: UCLA, DUKE, Brown, UVA, UC Berkeley ARE, Michigan, Columbia, NYU Pending: Attending: Maryland full funding!!! Comments: I got in off the waitlist and am very happy to be attending. They have a good development group. Access to the World Bank. Access to UMD ARE faculty. Very good situation for me. What would you have done differently? I may have applied to a few more reaches. My profile is strange because I have taken more math classes than most people but not always the best grades. I also improved substantially as my college career went on. I think if I had done a yearlong Research assistant job I could have improved my resume a lot but I got in where I wanted to go. I am very happy with UMD one of my top 3 choices going in.

I still haven't heard anything from Duke... No Acceptance, rejection, or waitlist What do you think that means? Do I still have a shot? They have rejected a lot of people by now and I don't know why I haven't been.

Agreed! The arrogance is laughable. People who go to the top programs still have a tough time and often drop out. Many of them also don't go on to be succesful researchers. Getting into graduate school is not really all that much of an accomplishment nor does it put you above other people. It is what you do in graduate school and afterward that seems to be the real accomplishment.

What are peoples thoughts on Maryland ARE if I am interested in economic development. I saw someone say you shouldn't go unless you are interested in resource economics

The expectation is 1 year. That sounds like exactly my situation too. My grades were okay, but I took very good coursework with a lot of preparation in Math. My recommenders are good, but not elite across the board.

The start date is flexible and I think they want the earliest possible. So I could start in maybe middle of July. Which would give me 5-6 months of work. That should be plenty for a good recommendation.

I am not that old (really just in a hurry). I am definitely tempted. Once I know more details about the job and other places I am still waiting on the decision will probably clear up. Thanks for the opinions. Yes it would be halfway through the J-Pal. The Alumni of the job have all gone to the PhD Programs of their choosing it sounds like. Plus Duke is my number 1 choice so if I do a good job that shouldn't be a difficult option. I know it sounds silly but I am a Florida boy and I went to Philadelphia for college and was depressed for 2-3 months every year. Seasonal depression... Anyone know the UMD ARE program at all? How competitive it is?

I have a number of options that are all pretty good and I would be happy with each of them, but I can't seperate them. I am hoping I get an awesome offer so I don't have to make a decision. NOTE: I hate cold weather 1. Maryland ARE: Admitted with funding. Good Qualities: > Really Highly ranked(#2) ARE department, but I don't know how that compares to regular econ. > Access to UMD econ department > Not Southern but close enough with okay weather. Problems: >. They don't seem to be very focused on Development (my field) >. I don't know how its rank compares 2. Vanderbilt: Admitted with funding Good Qualities: >. Lots of development economists. >. Southern with beautiful weather Problems: > Rank seems a little low (#36) 3. Michigan State: Good Qualities: > Lots of Development economists especially when including the Agriculture economics department > Most consistently rankings (25-35) Problems > It is COLD. I don't know if I could live somewhere that cold for 5 years 4. Research assistant with J-Pal MIT Poverty Lab at Duke University Good Qualities: > High Pay $50,000 >Could launch me to get into my dream school DUKE (Said her recommendation can help get me whereever I want to go) > Work with a professor I have always wanted to work with Problems > An extra year of my life before starting a 5 year PhD program and I am not getting any younger. Any Advice or knowledge would be greatly appreciated

What will a recommendation from someone on the board of trustees at Brown University do for me. I have an employer who is meeting with the Brown University president this week and whose brother is on the chair of trustees for Brown. My employer said he would get me a quality recommendation this week. How much can this help my recommendation?

Thanks for the advice. A lot of those points are things that I am discovering now and I appreciate your insight. I think because of all of the work I have put in and my skill set I am still going to attempt to enter a PHD program or a masters program to try it out and give it more of a chance. What do people think of my chances at getting into those schools. As far as the poverty stuff is concerned I certainly agree that it is often a lesson in triviality, but I also think it is more complicated then how your explaining it and it is still my interests. I am not naive in the issues that are being faced in global poverty. I know that development aid is primarily political even in multilateral agencies. But, globalization, among other things, has brought over a billion people out of poverty in the past 30 years, so poverty reduction is certainly not a complete failure as a field. I don't want to get in a large discussion about poverty reduction over the internet though.

Hi all, I have been reading this forum for years and am so thankful for all of the information people give out, but I have been having some trouble finding answers to some of my questions. (They are out there just taking a long time to track down). After my profile I will ask some of the questions I have been trying to figure out. Here is my profile: Top Business school, top 60 national university but no grad econ GPA/Math GPA/EconGPA-(3.6/3.65/3.85) Low GPA in Engineering first 3 semesters (3.8 since) Math-Calc 1-3 (AP,AP,A-) adv calc(A-), diffeq(B), linear algebra(B+), adv linear algebra(A-)(Grad-Level), foundations of math(B+), stat methods(A), modern algebra(A-), math stat 1&2(A,B)(Grad-Level), real analysis w eco apps 1&2(A,A), Monte Carlo Methods(A), Topology(A-) Econ- intro macro/micro(A-,A-),intermediate Macro/Micro(A,A), Dynamic Macro(A-) (not technically Grad-Level, but taught to be Grad-Level), Development Aid(A), econometrics(A-), Research Methods(A), Thesis(A), Game Theory(A-) GRE-170Q,158V 4.0 Writing Research- Senior Thesis, Summer RA, Thesis will win an award (won’t be available until next cycle) Teaching-TA Macro-Theory aid course (1 semester), Taught AP Micro/Macro to a high school student, Taught economics 1 year in Haiti. Research interest- Development econ, applied micro LOR: Top 5 PHD decently famous will write me a great Rec Top 10 PHD a little less famous write me a decent Rec Either top 40 PHD who has been published a lot and will right me the best letter he possibly can or a top 5 PHD who got fired from his last job and will write me an average letter Other relevant info- year in Haiti after graduation, Proficient in Stata and R, capable in other languages as well Schools applying to-, Brown, UVA, Duke, NYU, Maryland, Maryland ARE, NC State ARE, Vanderbilt , CAL Berkeley ARE, LSE MSc, Oxford Mphil, Barcelona GSE, UCL MSc maybe some others in California with strong Development Econ(top 20) This summer I have been doing research and I realize that I enjoy it immensely and the academic path is a career path that I would enjoy thoroughly. But, I am also starting to realize that most research doesn't make a substantial impact in the real world. (At least the research I am looking at) While I enjoy math, statistics, and economics my true passion in life is to help those in poverty. I used to think an academic job was capable of that, but I am starting to doubt that. So I am re-evaluating my plan and starting to look at the private sector and different development organizations as well, but I want to at least attempt an academic masters program or a PHD program since I enjoy it so much. I also don't want to go to a PHD program outside the top 20-25 because then I would have serious reservations about the impact I could make on the developing world. My new plan is to apply to schools in the top 25 and if I get into one go there and at least pick up a masters and if I really like it then stay on for the PHD (Most PHD programs give you a masters after one year correct?). If I don't get into any then go get a masters in europe and try to get into the top 15 or so. My question is what are my chances to get into one of these PHD programs? What are the chances of me getting into any of these Masters programs? Any other advice or insight given my situation would also be greatly appreciated. Sorry for being so long winded...