Hi everyone,
I come from a low ranked (internationally in econ, fairly high ranked otherwise) tier 2 Canadian University (just outside top 4)
In my first year of undergrad, my average (in a business program) was 3.0 with an A+ in calc 1 but some Bs in intro econ courses.
After switching to a Math & Econ program, my grades in years 2 & 3 (going into 4th year now) has been straight 4.0 with only 2 3.9s. This includes:
-Calc & lin alg sequences (A+ except A in LA 1)
-Real Analysis 1 (A+)
-Topology (A+)
-And assorted math courses (complex analysis, few courses in ODEs, some prob/stats, etc...) (A+)
-Random econ field courses (A+)
-intermediate micro & macro (all A+ except A in inter. micro 1)
-econometrics (A+)
-econ research course (A+)
-game theory (A+)
-One withdrawal (W) in some 2nd year financial math course
I am currently doing an NSERC micro project and will write my GRE this summer which I should get close to 170q on. I plan on doing my econ thesis next year and should have some good letters of rec.
I plan on taking (high likelihood of getting A/A+ in all of them)
-Advanced micro / macro courses
-Micro 1 (MA / PhD stream)
-Real analysis 2 (graduate level)
-econometrics 2
I am going into 4th year but I will be staying for a 5th year and will only be taking 3 or 4 courses per semester until i graduate due to having to work part time. As mentioned, I plan on taking all the standard advanced econ courses, real analysis 2, and some other upper year math/econ electives later on and should finish with a 4.0 in my last two years.
However even if I get all 4.0s from now on (very likely), I can only finish with a CGPA of around 3.7.
-Will my crappy 1st year marks + 1 Withdrawal resulting in a rather meh CGPA really matter especially since I have gotten high marks in upper year math / econ?
-Will taking an extra year in undergrad while taking 3/4 courses instead of 5 courses a semester influence my results?
-Will my relatively unranked undergraduate institution factor heavily in my chance of going to a top school?
I want to and I do believe that I can do well in a top school but I am not sure where to apply to given my circumstances. Are there any chances of getting into a top 10/20 PhD right out of undergrad? Will doing a masters (think top 2 Canada or Duke) bolster my chances?
Thanks guys.