ick

I've seen a lot of grad school applicants who have done three or four R.A. positions. Can/should you do more than one project at a time?

Thanks a lot. I had been using econphd and kind of picked schools that I had previously been interested in (Carnegie Mellon, Georgetown, Columbia). In retrospect they seem kind of random. The Emory memoir was interesting, and I think I'll definitely send PhD applications to unranked, and maybe only two or three masters apps in the top 50. Again, hopefully I'll be better off in two years in terms of options.

I see. When I'm closer to applying I'll post an update with a full profile, hopefully my odds will look a little better then. One of my big initial questions is still unanswered though: do adcoms look down on super seniors? As an aside, major GPA is closer to 3.6, if it's relevant. Can an unranked program lead to academia? Or are they just letters on a resume?

I appreciate your input. I don't have any expectations, I posted for assistance in knowing what to expect. I'm a junior trying to find out what the best path to grad school is, I didn't post this as someone who had applied to these schools anticipating a yes. You mean you don't see me getting into a funded program with a masters?

It it is a projected range. UDel is kinda like my safety because I like the campus and I know a few professors (home state.) right now I'm at 3.0 on the money, and given the rigor of my next two years I think it's realistic to anticipate being on the low end, close to 3.4. If I get straight A's for the rest of my UG I can swing a 3.7, which would be nice but idk if it's plausible. 3.7 is at least cum laude. Would a masters with a good GPA remedy a weak undergrad GPA? Should I go Econ or Math if so? I had a really rough semester Fall of last year, and I'm still kind of reeling from it. I also didn't really have much direction in terms of what I wanted to do until last March or so, and I've been reading this forum a lot. It looks like most of the prospective PhDs are looking at MIT and Harvard with Cornell as a backup, and I was hoping that coursework+research might get me into a good school.

PROFILE: Type of Undergrad: Mid-Small State School on the East Coast Major: Math & Econ Undergrad GPA:3.0-3.4/4.00 Type of Grad:N/A Grad GPA:N/A GRE: Haven't taken yet Math Courses: Calc I-III, Probability & Stat I&II, Linear Algebra, Ordinary Differential Equations, Discrete Math, Intro to Proof, Real Analysis, Optimization, 2 Grad Level Analysis Courses. Econ Courses: Intermediate Micro, Intermediate Macro, Econometrics I&2, Labor Economics, Public Finance, Game Theory, Forecasting, Economics of Financial Markets, Gov't Regulation of Business, Economics of Information and Uncertainty Other Courses: Intro Finance, Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting, several computer science/management information systems courses Letters of Recommendation: Work in progress, tied to research experience. No clue who to ask, really, but I've still got some time left. Research Experience: Working on an assistantship with a prof who is a Chicago PhD, some local economic history stuff. Teaching Experience: None Research Interests: Labor, Environmental, Behavioral SOP: I don't know what that means Concerns: Will be a fifth year senior, GPA, Letters, no TA experience, strength of Undergrad program I'd like to apply to several tier 2 PhD's, Brown, Carnegie Mellon, Georgetown, Columbia, Duke, Syracuse, Cornell, UDel Are these schools considered tier 2? Other than UDel. Should I try a Master's first? My school offers a minor in essentially business computing that offers a very well paid internship with one of several large national organizations, and I plan on taking that for the money and saving for grad school, which is why I'll be a fifth year senior. Will being here five years be looked down on by adcoms? Are there any courses I should/could cut out? Mostly the higher level stuff, some is required for major. Is/will my GPA good enough at ~ 3.25 to get into a tier 2? I'm a Junior right now, so I've got two years left. I didn't post grades because half of those courses have yet to be taken. Also intend on trying to do a thesis, but I haven't really "bonded" with any of my professors to have one of them be a thesis advisor. I'd rather not have the professor I'm doing research with (hopefully) be my thesis advisor because I need more letters. Thanks for any advice.