Hello,
I plan to apply to a few PhD programs this Fall. The constraint is that I have to be in a city in the NE corridor. My profile is not strong enough for a top 40 program so I am looking at top 50 or beyond.
I have identified the following programs: (GWU in DC, Drexel and Temple in Philly, possibly UDel but it is not in a city, Rutgers (close enough to trains) and Northeastern in Boston).
I am quite interested in GWU's and Temple's programs. Is anybody familiar with these two programs? I have heard good things about both. Living in DC is expensive while Philly is a bit cheaper. Temple's department seems to be rebuilding and they seem to have a young and active crowd but I am somewhat worried about their reputation. I am planning to get in touch with current grad students and the DGS to get a bit more information about conditions (I heard stipend is around 20k for 5 years with the possibility of either teaching in the summer or getting a research award). GWU is also a good program - I am interested in macroeconomics, but I am not certain I will be competitive.
