yang2017

Hello. I'm going to apply for full-time research assistant positions from universities, think tanks and maybe some other places (Fed doesn't work for me since I'm international) as a preparation for future PhD applications. I'm wondering if it is a good idea to contact the researcher (if listed on the job description) before applying for the position. Or is it better to just apply?

I've actually taken two comp sci classes before, but we learned Java, which is not helpful at all. I could actually take math classes and learn R, Python and GIS (GIS is important to me since my research interest focuses on environmental) at the same time, but that's too much for one summer. I do have an 8-week RA job for the summer so I don't think it's a good idea to make my summer plan so aggressive.

Thanks for your advice, Isaacn18. May I ask what type of undergrad you are in? I feel that a liberal arts college is at a big disadvantage in either sending students to PhDs or preparing us for RA jobs. We have only one econometrics class and it's only offered in spring. So this is what I'm doing: I self-studied the materials covered in our econometrics class last semester and in winter. Then my professor allowed me to sort of skip the normal class (I'm auditing the class with no credit, I do all the homeworks but never go to lectures) and take an independent study with him to study more advanced materials (of course it's not as advanced as an actual graduate level class), through which I learned a lot of Stata. I can say my Stata skills are way above average at my college, but I don't know how competitive I can be compared with top students from top schools. Another question is, do people value independent studies on the same level as normal classes? I'm a little worried that in my case, I won't have a letter grade for a normal econometrics class, but instead I will have a grade for my independent study in advanced econometrics. Will this be an issue for employers or ad com? I'm planning on taking online courses for Python and R from coursera while working this summer. I'm just not sure if it worth taking more math, which will take me 6 weeks.

I think the class I'm looking at includes both partial and ordinary differential equations. I'm experienced with Stata. I've learned a year of Java in college, which is not very useful but at least get me familiar with programming. I've seen a lot of RAships ads that recommend Python. Do you think R is necessary to learn? Since I'm from a liberal arts college where there's no graduate level class available, I plan to take some graduate econ classes and more math classes while working as a full-time RA. But I need to get an RA job first... So I guess it's better for me to focus on building up technical skills at this point?

Hi everyone, I'm a junior econ&math double major with a goodish GPA (3.94 overall) from a liberal arts college ranked around 40. I've got a research assistant job for a professor at my college for 8 weeks this summer. I wish to self-learn Python at the same time. I also applied for some think tank internships but haven't heard any good news at this point, so I guess that would be it. Then I'm thinking how to arrange the rest of my summer: Take differential equations and some other math class in a summer session (I won't be able to take differential equations at my college next year and it's not required for my math major) ? Or focus on my self learning plan for Python (and maybe take some time to have fun)? My overall plan is to get a full-time research assistant job after college for a year or two and get into a top 20 PhD.

I see your point. Since I've got a summer position at my school in January, I just didn't think about cold emailing after then, but I still hope to get a position at a well known school (you know, for a good letter). There is a small chance for cold emailing to actually work, but it won't hurt anything to try. I might still want to try cold emailing next semester for next year's full-time RA jobs (and PhD programs).

I am applying for some research internships at some economic think tanks, but it's always beneficial to expand my search scope. So I have a couple questions regarding cold emailing: 1. Is it OK to email researchers from the same school, given that my research interests match theirs? 2. How do you feel about cold emailing famous researchers? or researchers from very top schools (like Harvard, Stanford, etc.)? 3. Is it a good idea to attach my resume? Will that be too aggressive? Thanks a lot!

Thanks a lot for your comments! We did send a student to a top 15 a couple years ago, but based on what I know, that student started working for a professor as an RA since freshman year. I guess I am a little unlucky since our department is experiencing some turnovers right now. Our department chair is going to retire and he simply just don't do research any more. So I can't really blame myself for not finding an RA job last summer. Work visa should not be a problem for me. I am a math major and I have 2 years of OPT which allows me to work without a work visa. I just feel a little discouraged since it's understandable that most professors will prefer to hire students from their own schools as full-time RAs. Also is sending e-mails really a good strategy? But other than that, I don't how I can network with top institutions, given the fact that most of our faculty don't have any connection with those institutions.

I am definitely considering masters, but my college tuition is already a big burden for my family. Can I try to get into a lower ranked but funded PhD first? Or I can try to apply for some fellowships. Another thing I can consider is to take probability theory in a summer school so that I can take advanced econometrics in the fall and apply the knowledge into my senior thesis at the same time.

Well I'm just not very confident in my competitiveness in getting an RA job or getting into a top 30... I had a chance last year to apply to an exchange program at Oxford, but this program is specially designed for humanities majors. For whatever reason, I failed at the last round of interview, which made me very depressed. I know that working as an RA for a year will make a huge difference on my profile and I do have an ambition for a top 20, but I don't know how well I could do. That being said, I will still try my best. I can self-learn some more programming skills and econometrics and apply those skills in my own empirical work, which hopefully can help me to find an RA position? As for letter writers, of course the professors at my college have some publications, but as no one was doing any research last summer, I have no idea what will happen this year. I am sure the professor who supervised my research last year will be willing to speak for me and I'm planning on continuing with her to do my senior thesis. I guess one benefit of liberal arts college is, it's easier to develop personal relationships with your professors.

Thanks a lot purlea! I will do my best in my math courses in the following year. I'm frustrated by the availability of my college's course offerings. The probability sequence is offered every other year and I am so lucky that it is not offered in my junior year. I'm wondering what level of programming skills and econometrics will be needed in getting a full-time RA job? And how can I get information about such job positions? I know Harvard and MIT both have full-time RA positions, but you know, it's Harvard and MIT so...

Thanks thagzone! I do understand GRE is possibly the least important thing in an application package. However as I said, I am not optimistic in getting RA experience or good letters. In my current situation, GRE is much more controllable. Also a question regarding recommendation letters: If my letters are well-writen and are in great detail but not from well-known people, do I still have a chance in getting into a top 30?

Thank you so much pch! I did think about finding a full-time RA job after graduation, but I think that is just impossible for me due to citizenship and lack of RA experience during undergraduate. I'm planning on self-studying the Wooldrige econometrics book and Stata in winter (econometrics is not offered in Fall semester in my college) and apply the knowledge in my own research work, if that could help me to get a summer RA job. I can't wait until next semester to start learning econometrics. That is too late. I will see if my professor could help me to learn some advanced materials in econometrics next semester since I should have self-studied the Wooldrige book by then. I could possibly take a higher level of Computer Science instead of the econ history seminar next semester? I do feel that programming skills are so important, but in that case my senior year coursework would be horrible. Or maybe I can just self-learn some programming skills (specially skills useful for doing econometric stuff) and don't necessarily have to take more courses. Is there anything else I could try to get an RA job? I really can't think of anything else. Also another question regarding course load: I am usually taking 5 classes (normal load is 4) and have a sort of not so bad GPA (top 2.7% right now). Will that possibly speak to my academic ability? As for TA, our econ department simply don't hire TAs, but I will see if there're opportunities in the math department. I guess schools ranked between 50 and 60 might be more realistic for my case if I'm going to apply right out of college? I do not think I am capable of finding a full-time RA job after graduation. And due to my financial ability, I really have to get myself into a fully-funded program. Is there a possibility to go to a lower-ranked program first and reapply next year after I can some more research experience? However I guess a low-ranked program possibly won't have good faculty who can write good letters for me. I am really worried at this point. I am working really hard but I don't know if any of my hard work would make any difference. :upset:

Could anyone please help me here :) Thanks a lot!

Hey guys! I am currently a junior and would like to see how strong my profile is at the current point and how I could improve myself in the next year. PROFILE: Type of Undergrad: Econ&Math double major, top 40 liberal arts, econ department really weak Undergrad GPA: 3.93 overall (I hope to get all As my math courses and bring my GPA up to 3.95 when applying) Type of Grad: n/a Grad GPA: n/a GRE: Q168,V157,AW4.5 (will retake this winter and hopefully get 170 in Q and 160 in V) Math Courses: Single/multivariable calculus(both As), Discrete Math(in progress), will take linear algebra and integration&infinite series next semester. I plan to take real analysis, probability theory I&II, abstract algebra and complex analysis in my senior year. Econ Courses: Intro micro and macro (A and A-), Intermediate Micro(A), Intermediate Macro(A), environmental econ(A-), contending perspectives in economics (A), independent research (A, topic is about air pollution), statistical methods in economics (in progress), labor econ (in progress), will take econometrics, senior seminar in US econ history, empirical data analysis next semester. I will also try to take advanced micro or macro or econometrics if anyone can teach me those as independent studies in my senior year. Other Courses: Intro computer science I&II (A and A-) Letters of Recommendation: Not yet decided, see comments below Research Experience: 1. I did an independent research in my sophomore year, had an about 30 pages paper but it was totally just literature review since I don't have econometrics at that point. 2. I am currently writing a research paper for my labor econ class, will include some regression analysis, but pretty small project 3. a research-based internship at my college's sustainability education center. (Not sure if this intern is helpful, since none of my work there could be published in academic journals. My job is mostly analyzing sustainability data and writing reports. I presented a poster at a local sustainability conference. I will try to involve some econometric modelings in my work next semester and I think there will be opportunity to present at a student symposium) 4. Will try my best to find an RA opportunity next summer. 5. Will try to do a publishable senior thesis. Teaching Experience: none Research Interests: mostly environmental, possibly labor Other comments: I am experienced with excel, SPSS, Latex, and basic java programming. I'm going to learn Stata and ArcGIS. I am also the founder and president of our econ club (Not sure if this is helpful at all). Concerns (and plans actually): 1. My biggest concern is our weak econ department. Almost half of our faculty focus on heterodox econ and none of our econ courses is math-intensive (other than econometrics). No high-level theory course offerings. 2. Letter writers. This is related to the first one. There is only one professor who has a top 10 PhD and he is retiring. I don't know if I could have him as my letter writer since he will be retired when I apply for schools. There is a harvard econ PhD in our business department and I'm going to take his class next semester. I am also self-learning some micro concepts that are not covered in our intermediate micro under his guidance (after he refused to teach me advanced micro as an independent study...) Another thing I would try to do is to get a research opportunity hopefully at a top institution next summer and see if there is potential letter writer for me. There are some other professors who don't have top school phds but know me really well. 3. I will be able to finish a math major but I did start my math track too late (I had no idea what I want to do when I was a first-year). I will be taking real analysis at the point of application, but I am not sure if it will hurt my application since I won't have a grade for it in December. 4. Not enough research experience. I don't think any of the "research experience" I listed above can be considered as real research experience. However I hope these experience could help me find a research opportunity next summer. My plan is to see if there will be opportunity at my school first and if any of my professors have connections at other schools, but since no one was doing any research last summer in my school (that how I ended up taking GRE last summer) and most of our faculty don't have degrees from top schools, I am not optimistic about this plan. Another thing I would do is just to send e-mails to professors who have similar research interests as mine at other schools and apply for some public programs(I will definitely try Resources For the Future), but still I guess it will be really hard since I'm international. Basically all REU (or NSF sponsored) programs don't accept international students and I am pretty sure most of the professors will prefer their own students and simply ignore my e-mail. If my summer research plan fail, I will just try to build on my previous work and do an excellent job in my senior thesis. 5. Got an A- in intro macro, though it wasn't counted into my GPA since I took it in a summer school. Got an A- in environmental econ since I was suffering from some health issues that semester (most of my A-s were from that semester). Schools: I will be very satisfied if I can get into a top 30 or just any school that has good environmental econ faculty. I would possibly try some top 20s (like UCLA, Brown or Cornell), but I can't aim too high based on my profile. Thanks for reading this and I am really really thankful for whoever could give me some advice for what I could do for the next whole year!