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Sorry for reviving this thread. I am in a similar position to Freeman and will be RAing at UChicago for the next couple of years. Freeman, which classes did you end up taking?

I see you received an offer from NY Fed. Did you receive a specific salary offer in the 50-55k range you were mentioning?

How much does the NYC Fed pay? Also how much would you expect the Boston Fed to pay?

Great! Thanks for posting those links. Also, do you know how much the Fed in Boston or Chicago pays? Glassdoor shows RAs get paid about $60K. Does this sound about right for a first year hire? Or is this number closer to what senior RAs get paid?

What jobs/roles would you suggest as a first job for an undergrad looking to make a career out of development related work. The eventual goal is to either work in organizations such as the World Bank or to join politics or a government arm in a country and influence the policies for the nation. I know that a lot of people get their PhDs before entering organizations such as the WB but I would like to get some experience before going to grad school. Right now, I have the Fed as one of my choices. Do you guys have any other suggestions?

Catrina, most of my other classes weren't proof based but were considered to be upper level electives. The only proof based class I took was Number Theory which I unfortunately got a B in. This poor performance was mainly attributable to me doing a bunch of other stuff during the semester and not being able to put in the required amount of time to become acquainted with proof writing. Here is a list of my classes with the grades I received in them. Here is the part of my profile that is relevant to this discussion: Type of Undergrad: Top 30 US Liberal Arts college Major: Mathematical Economics GPA: Cumulative 3.81, Econ 3.94, Math 3.8 Relevant honors: Graduated magna cum laude, received distinction in mathematical economics, and was awarded award for most outstanding senior thesis GRE: Yet to take but should be able to get 165+ on the quant with practice Math Classes: Calculus I II III (A-, A, B+), Linear Algebra (A-), Number Theory (B), Ordinary Differential Equations (A), Partial Differential Equations (A), Probability Theory (A), Probability and Statistical Modeling (A), Stochastic Processes (A), Numerical Analysis (A). Econ Classes: Intermediate Micro (B+), Intermediate Macro (A), Econometrics (A), Advanced Econometrics (A), Mathematical Economics (A), Labor Economics (A), International Finance (A), International Trade (A), Environmental Economics (A)

Here are the course topics copied directly from the syllabus. Book to be used: Introduction to Real Analvsis. Third Edition, Bartle & Sherbert, John Wiley & Sons, (2000) Catalog Course Description: This is the first course of a two-semester sequence which includes a treatment of calculus with emphasis on proofs of theorems. The topics covered will be selected from: struchKe of the real number system, infinite series, vector calculus, applications of partial differentiation, integration, and function theory. (Senior Experience) Topics: PRELIMINARIES A. Sets and Functions 1. THE REAL NUMBERS A. The Algebraic and Order Properties of R B. Absolute Value and Real Line X. The Completeness Property of R D. Applications of the Supremum Property E. Intervals 2. SEQUENCES AND SERIES A. Sequences and Their Limits B. Limit Theorems C. Monotone Sequences D. Subsequences and the Bolzano-Weierstrauss Theorem E. The Cauchy Criterion 3. LIMITS A. Limits of Functions B. Limit Theorems C. Some Extensions of the Limit Concept 4. CONTINUOUS FUNCTIONS A. Continuous Functions B. Combinations of Continuous Functions C. Continuous Functions on Intervals D. Uniform Continuity E. Continuity and Gauges F. Monotone and Inverse Functions 5. DIFFERENTIATION A. The Derivative B. The Mean Value Theorem C. L'Hopital's Rule D. Taylor's Theorem 6. THE RIEMANN INTEGRAL A. The Riemann Integral B. Riemann Integrable Functions C. The Fundamental Theorem D. Approximate Integration 7. A GLIMPSE INTO TOPOLOGY A. Open and Closed Sets in R B. Compact Sets C. Continuous Functions D. Metric Spaces

I am beginning to think that I don't necessarily need to get the Analysis class from a good institution for admission purposes. I say this because I have already taken a host of math/economics classes and done well in them at my undergraduate institution. In addition, I should be able to get excellent recommendation letters from professors in the department. These two points make me feel that I don't need to signal my ability to do well in Math classes any further. The only reason I am considering taking analysis then is because it is a prerequisite and I am afraid the adcoms will frown upon me for attempting to get into a program without possessing the required knowledge. Am I correct in thinking that the RA class in this case will not signal my ability to do well in math but will only serve to tick the box for prerequisite knowledge, but this won't be a problem since I have already done well in other Math classes at my undergraduate institution?

The institution as a whole is unranked. It is a very uncompetitive state school in one of the mid western states and I believe it accepts close to 100% of its undergraduate applicants. However, I took a look at the syllabus for the Analysis class and it seems to cover most if not all of the topics that one might expect a rigorous class to cover (I figured out what to look for by referring to previous posts on URCH).

Thanks for your quick reply. I definitely intend to get an A in the course. I was just wondering if getting an A from the program will make a big difference as far as signaling to phd programs is concerned.

I just graduated from a top 30 Liberal Arts College and am interested in applying for PhD programs this fall. However, I didn't take Real Analysis while at college and am considering taking it as a non-degree student at a nearby college. Unfortunately, the only option for me is to take the class at an unranked institution. Is there any point in taking this course from such a university? In other words, will adcoms entirely discount my analysis course at this university due to its ranking or lack thereof? Furthermore, can it have any negative impact on my application?

I can't seem to see chateuheart's latest post. I am just posting this to see if this fixes the problem.

You seem to have most of the Math and Economics prerequisites for PhD programs. I don't think you need to attend another masters program especially since you have taken over 4 econ courses at the graduate level. You will definitely be made to retake the micro, macro, econometrics sequence that you seem to have already taken and received A's in. I can't see how redoing these courses will be of much help as far as signaling your ability to PhD programs is concerned. The real deficiency in your profile seems to be a lack of proof based math classes and research experience. I would suggest taking up a research assistant type job while enrolling in Real Analysis and any other proof based courses that appeal to you at a nearby college. This will allow you to save the money you would have spent for a masters degree while beefing up your math background - something some Econ Masters programs don't allow. You should take my advice with a grain of salt because I am just graduating college and applying to PhD and Masters programs myself. I wish you all the best.

Once again, thanks for your reply chateauheart. Would you mind shedding some light on why you think my range of schools is going to be fixed at 10-25 even if I get a good Masters? In other words, what about my profile makes you think I won't be able to crack the top 10 even with a Masters? Do successful admits at T10 usually go to T10 or better ranked undergrad institutions? Alternatively, do these admits tend to be the ones who have taken a barrage of proof based math classes such as Measure Theory? I hope I don't come across as being angry at you for having suggested that I should aim at 10-25. On the contrary, I am rather glad that you guys think I have a shot at such highly ranked programs in such a competitive discipline. I am just curious about what would make my profile T10 material and I think future readers of URCH would find it helpful to refer to a write up that outlines these reasons. Thanks a ton.

Based on your responses, I think I will try to take an intro to analysis course this fall as a non-degree student and apply to PhD programs ranked 10-25 as well as some good masters programs. I have a few more questions and would greatly appreciate your input. Firstly, other than my lack of Real Analysis, do you guys see any other obvious deficiencies in my profile that I should address to become competitive at 10-25 ranked programs? Secondly, assuming I take Analysis this fall and get an A in it, how much will a good masters degree help with enhancing my profile? In other words, will good performance in a masters program such as the ones offered by LSE, Oxford or Duke allow me to significantly increase the level/rank of PhD programs I target? It seems that you all think I should be applying to 10-25 ranked PhD programs with my current profile. Will a good masters allow me to realistically target top 10 schools?

Thanks so much for your replies everybody. @sczm I am very glad to hear that someone else with a profile similar to mine got offers from T20 programs. This certainly gives me hope and I am beginning to think that spending this fall seriously working on PhD applications might not be a waste of time after all. I have a couple more questions and would appreciate it if you could help me with them. Firstly, you said that your math/econ background was very similar to mine, however, you did not specifically address whether you had taken Real Analysis or not. Could you let me know if you took RA? I would like to know this specifically because some PhD programs, such as Duke, state that they would like their incoming students to have taken Analysis 1 at the minimum. Secondly, did you find that your lack of upper level proof based classes put you at a disadvantage for the core micro/metrics sequence at your PhD program?

The structure looks fine. However, there are a number of grammatical errors that you should correct. I'll use the following excerpt to show you some of your errors. Firstly, I would replace natural medicines with natural forms of medicine. I would also say the people of Nepal and not People in Nepal. Combining these sentence corrections, you now have the following: ... the people of Nepal could have resorted to other natural forms of medicine. In the second sentence you say "...where as the United states could have visited the dentists." I think you should replace "the United States" with "the people of the United States". The types of errors I just pointed out are littered all over your essay so it would be in your interest to spend some time and detect them. Lastly, I think your argument fails to bring an important deficiency in the prompt to light, namely, the prompt's failure to acknowledge that people in the US are more likely to consume/use things that are harmful to their oral hygiene. For instance, Americans are more likely to drink Coca-Cola than people in a hilly region who don't even have access to dental care facilities. This is important to point out because you are not comparing two populations with similar characteristics. The study needs to control for the fact that Americans have poorer oral hygiene than the Nepalis of the Himalayan region to begin with.

purlea, thanks for the reply. I will definitely put in at least an application or two for the T20 Ph.D programs. However, I would find it helpful to know what my chances are for these schools since I could then put in an appropriate amount of time into the process. I do not want to end up applying to all T20 schools and paying a ton of application fees if I have an extremely slim chance of getting in. Furthermore, hearing more from people will definitely give me a peace of mind. Can more people weigh in on this and let me know what my chances are for a T20 admit?

jrdonsimoni, thanks for the quick reply. I just created a new thread.

For the longest time, I have been under the impression that my profile is not good enough for a T20 US Ph.D admit. The reason I have doubted my chances for a T20 admit is because unlike many successful applicants who post on URCH, I have not taken upper level proof based math classes such as Real Analysis, Topology, Measure Theory, etc. As a result, I have considered applying to good European Masters degree with the hope that having such a degree under my belt will make up for my lack of these classes and thus, improve my chances for a T20 admit. However, an acquaintance who currently attends a T15 recently told me that I am worrying unnecessarily about my lack of proof classes and that I should apply to Ph.D programs. He also thought that since lack of RA was the only real shortcoming in my profile, paying 24,000+ pounds to get a masters in Europe might be a waste of money and time. Instead, he suggested I take RA in a nearby college as a non-degree student if I really thought I needed to get a boost in my profile. Can you all please take a look at my profile below and let me know if I have a decent shot of getting into a T20 Ph.D program in the US? Am I overreacting about my lack of proof based classes? Will it be a waste for me to attend a good masters program such as LSE's Msc Economics, Oxford's Mphil Economics or Cambridge's Mphil Economics given that my end goal is to attend a top Ph.D program in the US? Type of Undergrad: Top 30 US Liberal Arts college Major: Mathematical Economics GPA: Cumulative 3.81, Econ 3.94, Math 3.8 Relevant honors: Graduated magna cum laude, received distinction in mathematical economics, and was awarded award for most outstanding senior thesis GRE: Yet to take but should be able to get 165+ on the quant with practice Math Classes: Calculus I II III (A-, A, B+), Linear Algebra (A-), Number Theory (B), Ordinary Differential Equations (A), Partial Differential Equations (A), Probability Theory (A), Probability and Statistical Modeling (A), Stochastic Processes (A), Numerical Analysis (A). Econ Classes: Intermediate Micro (B+), Intermediate Macro (A), Econometrics (A), Advanced Econometrics (A), Mathematical Economics (A), Labor Economics (A), International Finance (A), International Trade (A), Environmental Economics (A) Research Experience: Wrote a thesis that won the award for most outstanding senior thesis. Advisor was impressed and we are trying to publish the work. I have also worked as a research assistant for three other professors, with one professor publishing the paper I helped him with. The work with these professors mainly involved writing Stata code, importing and cleaning datasets using excel and SAS, and creating pretty graphs and tables for the final paper. Recommendations: Should get excellent recommendations from all of the professors I researched with, especially my thesis advisor. My thesis advisor, who also taught me two advanced mathematical economics classes, will be able to talk to my aptitude for econometrics and mathematical economics since I aced all of his classes. He also saw me self-teach myself time series econometrics for the thesis. The other recommendation will come from the professor who had published the paper I had RA'd for. He also taught me two econometrics classes, both of which I aced. Teaching Experience: Worked as teaching assistant and grader for multiple economics classes. Also worked as a tutor at the college's mathematics tutoring center for three years. Concerns: Main concern is lack of RA and other proof based classes. Secondary concerns include B/B+ grades in Calc III, Intermediate Micro, and Number Theory. I am hoping that my straight A's in advanced math and mathematical economics classes will mitigate these low grades.

Hi All, I know that people are generally expected to start their own thread when asking for a profile evaluation. However, I thought this might be one instance when it is better not to follow the rule since I am applying to the same programs as the OP and it will be easier for users to comment on one thread. Please let me know if you would rather have me start my own thread. If not, can you all please let me know what my chances are for the Mphil Economics at Cambridge/Oxford and the Msc Economics at LSE? Also, should I bother applying to a Top15 Ph.D program at all? Type of Undergrad: Top 30 US Liberal Arts college Major: Mathematical Economics GPA: Cumulative 3.81, Econ 3.94, Math 3.8 Relevant honors: Graduated magna cum laude, received distinction in mathematical economics, and was awarded award for most outstanding senior thesis GRE: Yet to take but should be able to get 165+ on the quant with practice Math Classes: Calculus I II III (A-, A, B+), Linear Algebra (A-), Number Theory (B), Ordinary Differential Equations (A), Partial Differential Equations (A), Probability Theory (A), Probability and Statistical Modeling (A), Stochastic Processes (A), Numerical Analysis (A). Econ Classes: Intermediate Micro (B+), Intermediate Macro (A), Econometrics (A), Advanced Econometrics (A), Mathematical Economics (A), Labor Economics (A), International Finance (A), International Trade (A), Environmental Economics (A) Research Experience: Wrote a thesis that won the award for most outstanding senior thesis. Advisor was impressed and we are trying to publish the work. I have also worked as a research assistant for three other professors, with one professor publishing the paper I helped him with. The work with these professors mainly involved writing Stata code, importing and cleaning datasets using excel and SAS, and creating pretty graphs and tables for the final paper. Recommendations: Should get excellent recommendations from all of the professors I researched with, especially my thesis advisor. My thesis advisor, who also taught me two advanced mathematical economics classes, will be able to talk to my aptitude for econometrics and mathematical economics since I aced all of his classes. He also saw me self-teach myself time series econometrics for the thesis. The other recommendation will come from the professor who had published the paper I had RA'd for. He also taught me two econometrics classes, both of which I aced. Teaching Experience: Worked as teaching assistant and grader for multiple economics classes. Also worked as a tutor at the college's mathematics tutoring center for three years. SOP:​ Not sure yet. Will think of one if I feel that I have a decent shot at getting in.

Bump??

Thanks for the replies. Based on your replies, it seems the difficulty of the EME stems not from the use of super advanced math topics but rather from the competitiveness of other students, time management and use of Diff EQ/ Prob / Calc / Linear Algebra. @Chateuheart, for someone who has taken classes in and aced ODE, Probability, LA and Calculus, do you think reviewing the topics from these classes will be a sufficient way of getting ready for the program. If knowledge of concepts from RA, Topology, etc., is neither expected of students nor used in classes, what else can someone with my math background do to prepare?

As the title suggests, I am interested in finding out how difficult the EME program is at LSE. I have done my research and used the search function to look for past discussions on this topic. While there are posters who say that the EME is so tough that about a third of the class fail their finals, they don't quite go into the details of why the course is so difficult. I would really appreciate it if you all could weigh in and let me know what you think about the following questions. What is the math background of the average student in the 1 year long EME program? This information would be helpful for me because it could help me get an idea of the types of students I will be competing with. Do I have sufficient math experience to do well in the program? I want to make sure that I am not entering a program that uses concepts from advanced classes that I have not taken such as Real Analysis, Measure Theory, Topology etc. I have taken ODE, PDE, Lin Algebra, Probability Theory, Stochastic Processes, Numerical Analysis, Number Theory and Calc I-III. In addition, I have taken Econometrics and Advanced Econometrics and have been exposed to using linear algebra to derive the OLS estimators, etc. I received As in all the classes mentioned except Calc III and Number Theory (Got B+s in them). I was taking a look at the classes that students in the 2 year version of the EME take in their preliminary year. The first year of the 2 year long EME is meant to equip students without a strong math/econ background with the required knowledge for the actual year of the EME program. I thought it would be helpful to look at the classes that LSE prescribes in the 1st year because it could reveal what LSE believes to be essential knowledge for successful completion of the core EME courses in the 2nd year. The website states that 1st year students can take Probability, Distribution Theory & inference, Further Mathematical Methods, Microeconomics, Microeconomic principles II, and Economic Theory and its applications. These classes look like the standard Linear Algebra, Calc I-III, ODE, economic theory and econometrics sequence that a Mathematical Economics student in the US would take in their sophomore or junior year. They don't seem to cover upper level topics such as RA, Abstract Algebra, Topology, Math Stats, and Measure Theory. Since these first year classes are meant to equip students with the necessary mathematical and economic tools for the core EME classes, can I assume that the EME core courses do not, in fact, require exposure to upper level proof based classes such as RA and Measure Theory? If the LSE only equips its 1st year EME students with what many URCHers would consider basic level math knowledge in the first year, why are there so many posts here stating that the EME course is the toughest thing out there. It must either be the case that the classes that LSE puts its 1st year students through is not adequate preparation for the core EME courses and that the 1st years who move on to the 2nd year are all of a sudden expected to understand proofs and concepts that they have never been exposed to, or that the 1st year courses are adequate and that the people who have posted here did not have good exposure to Linear Algebra, Calculus, etc. I find it hard to believe that the latter is the case so maybe LSE does in fact under prepare its 1st year students. What are your thoughts on this? If the EME does use upper level math concepts in their classes, how are these concepts used? Are they presented in a hand-wavy fashion such that students only need to understand the concepts from a high level without getting down and dirty with the proofs, or are students actually expected to produce rigorous proofs akin to the proofs one might write in a RA class? Thank you in advance to everyone who can help me with this. I look forward to hearing from you.