finphdind

Trinity, I am sorry we lost focus on your questions with the discussions on rankings .. answering your specific questions. You must most definitely apply to Chicago. Though I must say that T5 colleges get most near perfect profiles, especially in Finance. Finance has the toughest competition in the realm of business PhDs, so these colleges get some very strong profiles. I do suppose that you have some strong recommendations .. which will definitely work in your favor. I have read at many places that recommendations are a very important part of your application and having a research relationship with strong academic professors (as in your case) would be helpful. So, apply to Chicago, but be cognizant that your profile probably falls short for some of the T5 programs. I won't spend too much time in scoring 170Q in GRE. You have a great GRE score .. however, there are many applicants with 170Q GRE. It takes lesser effort to get from 168 to 170 I guess .. a bit of luck .. and practice all the hard questions in maths from ETS GRE guide and ETS maths guide. Probably read the chapter you have some doubts on from the ETS GRE guide. I think it should take you some 5-10 days .. and it's worth that kind of effort. However, don't spend too much time on it also. Maybe you can mention about the bar in your personal statement, and just touch lightly on the subject in SoP. My advice would be not to sell it too much, though! Final verdict .. apply very broadly in T30 colleges. Try applying to some good European schools that don't show up always in standard rankings (like LSE, LBS, Oxford, Judge, Tilburg, INSEAD, SSE etc. .. based on your research interests and based on where people with backgrounds similar to yours get placed).

Hey everyone .. I had been off Urch for some days .. and just checked out this post. We are having a rather interesting discussion on rankings .. I believe that rankings are always imperfect. In my case, the rankings that I considered were - apps.wpcarey (for the last 15 years) Use rankings as a rough guide .. Also talk to your professors and ask them to suggest some schools. Sometimes, they have a very good idea on the kind of schools that have good faculty & good research going on in your areas, and also they know places where your seniors got placed/interviewed (in my case especially, my professors added some schools to my list which I might have not considered - and I ended up getting interviewed for most of them) Also if you have some time, go through this particular post by YaSvobodon on T5 versus T25 (especially for finance) - it's on page 111 .. giving you the page number, because we guys made this a really really long thread ;) http://www.www.urch.com/forums/phd-business/158055-2017-ph-d-business-administration-sweat-thread-111.html#post1009785 It also gives a good perspective on rankings and schools.

Your application looks extremely competitive. A good test score will help you in clearing the initial screening for the top schools. I would advice you to take the GRE. Given your maths background and 3 months of preparation time I would strongly advice you to prepare well for the GRE (using ETS test books) and take the exam in full confidence. I think once you improvise on your GRE score - you have high chances of getting selected in your dream schools (LBS, LSE, INSEAD). Though, I would be wary of the strategy of trying to compensate anything in your profile (in place of the GRE score). Also, versus GRE & GMAT, I know at least one school (Kellogg - Northwestern) that accepts only GRE for Finance PhD. So that's one more reason for you to take the GRE exam! All the best! :)

You have a good profile. I can answer on the GRE part, which applies specifically to your profile. I think given your maths and programming skills, and the grades in your advanced mathematics courses, I feel you are selling yourself short by aiming 168Q GRE. If I were you - I would prepare for a 170 Q GRE and have no doubts in securing it. Given your maths and finance background I am fairly confident that if you work on improving your GRE score - it won't be that hard. All the best!

Many many congratulations!!! All the best :D

Thanks a lot everyone!

I think any mail that implies acceptance of the offer .. is equivalent to signing a paper, or is considered as acceptance by the school. Even if you haven't signed the contract, but have written to the school that you will be accepting the offer - it means that its final. This is just my understanding of the process, views could differ.

Hey everyone .. I accepted my offer at the European Business school .. very excited to start my PhD this fall. It's been a very tough process .. and the last few months have been really stressful for me. I would like to thank everyone who kept posting their stories and encouragements on this forum. It's kept me going. For the last couple of months this sweat thread is the webpage I have opened as the first thing in the morning, and refreshed as the last thing before going to sleep. I would like to thank some of the senior members for their advice all along the way. From helping us decide between the smallest things to the larger things, I think their guidance and encouragement on the forum is invaluable. I also feel that the idea suggested by PobbleNou to summarize all the information on this thread is a wonderful one. Let's do it after the application season ends. Thanks a lot everyone! and All the best to all of you with the results.

I don't know if this information is true .. but the PhD coordinator of the school warned me of multiple acceptances He said you know the rules right .. if you accept another offer all your offers get cancelled .. and he said that this has happened to a person 3 years back .. where all his offers got cancelled! Perhaps he is just scaring me and this doesn't happen, but he mentioned it twice on call.

Taking your advice I informed both the T5 and European school about my acceptance .. both of them replied saying they will let me know soon .. earlier next week .. fingers crossed!

Thanks a lot everyone for the advice :) .. very happy to have received so much support and help from all the members!

I have received my first informal offer today .. it's a very good school .. and I have read the mail 100 times at least :) :D .. I am delighted and will definitely be starting my PhD this September .. thanks a lot everyone here! I have a question for everyone .. I interviewed with two more schools that I am waiting to hear from .. one of these schools is my dream school .. very well ranked T5 university .. during the interview the Professor insisted on twice to inform him whenever I receive any offers or interviews .. should I mail him to check on the status of my application and inform about this offer? I hope there are no downsides to telling them that I have been accepted at another school. What should be the content of such mails .. Silviatx please PM me your templates :) This school has a visit planned for domestic students this week (I am an international student so not flying) .. so should I mail them before or after the visit? Any ideas guys would help. The other school that I interviewed with is in Europe .. shall I inform them about my acceptance also and check the status of my application? This school is comparable to the university I am currently accepted in .. and has a more central/better location .. and I don't want to indicate that I would not want an admission there through my mails. So shall I inform them about this admit .. Anyways, I shall happily join the school that has informally accepted me! It's hard to believe that I shall be starting a PhD soon :) :)

Can someone confirm the finance waitlist of Michigan Ross posted on gradcafe? I am not hearing back from any place after my interviews .. especially when I had a feeling that they went well :(

Congratulations Skidoo .. Happy to hear that you got accepted at one of your top preferences! .. If you don't mind me asking where did you get accepted? Feel free to PM me ..

Congratulations Gecko .. I am guessing this was your second round of interviews with INSEAD. All the best with results! Has anyone else heard back from INSEAD Finance for the first/second round of interviews and acceptances?