Bret Hart

I don't think your profile is suitable for an economics PhD. GRE Q is too low and your math background seems weak to me (what exactly is "advanced calculus"?). Your background and interests seem better suited for a public policy PhD but even then your GRE Q is pretty low. I think a lot is riding on how you do on the GRE retake. Having said that, I don't think getting a master's after an MPP is a good look for PhD adcoms. If you are truly interested in policy, then focus on that.

Hi all, I'd appreciate if you could help me assess my profile. What range should I be looking at for public policy PhD programs? PROFILE: Type of Undergrad: B.Sc., Economics, MIT Type of Grad: M.A., Economics, NYUUndergrad GPA: 4.4/5.0 cumulative GPA (mostly bogged down by humanities classes); 4.8/5.0 econ GPA Grad GPA: 4.0/4.0 GRE: 169 Q, 162 VMath/Stats Courses: Calculus I-III (A), Linear Algebra (B), Differential Equations (A), Probability & Random Variables (B). All in undergrad. Got an A in Advanced Mathematical Economics in my masters.Econ Courses: Intro-level to advanced-level micro/macro/metrics (in undergrad and masters), and a myriad of electives. Pretty much all As.Research Experience: Undergraduate thesis, high-quality masters thesis. Worked closely with a professor, but not sure if it will lead to a co-authorship. 2 year gov't RA, 2 year mid-level economic analyst position in gov't dealing with international/macro matters. Strong programming skills. Letters of Recommendation: Two from gov't economists, one from NYU professor I worked closely with.Research Interests: International economic policy, international security. I'm very focused and sure about my research interests.SOP: Highlight my research experience and passion for public service. I definitely want to continue my gov't career after the PhD.Concerns: No real analysis. I don't know if this is really an issue for public policy schools, even among the top-10. Thoughts?

Hi all, I'd appreciate if you could help me assess my profile. What range should I be looking at for public policy PhD programs? PROFILE: Type of Undergrad: B.Sc., Economics, MIT Type of Grad: M.A., Economics, NYU Undergrad GPA: 4.4/5.0 cumulative GPA (mostly bogged down by humanities classes); 4.8/5.0 econ GPA Grad GPA: 4.0/4.0 GRE: 169 Q, 162 V Math Courses: Calculus I-II (A), Linear Algebra (B), Differential Equations (A), Probability & Random Variables (B). All in undergrad. Got an A in Advanced Mathematical Economics in my masters. Econ Courses: Intro-level to advanced-level micro/macro/econometrics (in undergrad and masters), and a myriad of electives. Mostly As. Research Experience: Undergraduate thesis, masters thesis. Worked closely with a professor, but not sure if it will lead to a co-authorship. 2 year gov't RA, 2 year mid-level economic analyst position in gov't dealing with international/macro matters. Strong programming skills. Letters of Recommendation: Two from gov't economists, one from NYU professor I worked closely with. Research Interests: International economic policy, international security. I'm very focused and sure about my research interests. SOP: Highlight my research experience and public service. I want to continue my gov't career after the PhD. Concerns: No real analysis. I don't know if this is really an issue for public policy schools, even among the top-10. Thoughts?

Hi all, I'm applying to grad school in econ. I'm currently a year removed from undergrad. One of my econ profs told me at the end of a semester to feel free to ask him for any rec letter should I need it. I was the best student in his class and we talked after lecture hours often. I emailed him several weeks ago asking for a rec letter. He said he would be happy to write one so I emailed him my materials and asked him to confirm which email I should enter in the app system. That was the last I heard from him. It has been a week and I have not received any sort of response. Apps are due mid-Jan (he's aware of the deadline). Time to panic? Should I wait another week or arrange to visit him personally? Thanks

If your work experiences are in-line with your intended studies, a recommendation from your employer should be fine contingent on it being positive. I am currently in a similar dilemma.

Thank you, startz, super helpful. To be clear, are you suggesting taking higher-level math courses (analysis, measure theory) separately as a non-degree student?

Hi all, I'd appreciate if you could help me assess my profile. What range should I be looking at for econ Phd programs? PROFILE: Type of Undergrad: Economics, MIT Undergrad GPA: 4.4/5.0 cumulative GPA (mostly bogged down by humanities classes); 4.8/5.0 econ GPA GRE: 170 Q, 162 V, 6.0 AWA Math/Stats Courses: Calculus I-III (A), Differential Equations (A), Linear Algebra (B), Probability & Random Variables (B) Econ Courses: Intro Micro (A), Intro Macro (A), Intermediate Micro (A), Intermediate Macro (A), Econometrics (A), Energy Economics (A), Labor Economics & Public Policy (A), Economics of Incentives (very rigorous, PhD level) (A), Public Finance (B), Intro to Comp Sci. (B), Research in Econ/Thesis (A) Research Experience: Undergraduate thesis, 1 year RA for gov't agency, 1 year RA at NBER. Both RA stints went well -- learned a lot, improved my programming knowledge tremendously (fluent in R, Python, Stata, Matlab, Mathematica, etc.). Hope to have a coauthored paper or two published soon. Letters of Recommendation: One from economist at gov't agency, 2 from NBER economists. Fully expect all of them to be enthusiastic. Research Interests: Behavioral Economics, Industrial Organization, Labor Economics SOP: Try to highlight my research experience. Standard boilerplate I guess. Concerns: Many, specifically my dearth of proof-based math courses and a B in linear algebra. I was considering applying for a math/econ masters solely to bolster my math background. Any comments are really appreciated.