Type of Undergrad: B.S. (Honors) Mathematics and Economics from the top 15 in US
Undergrad GPA: 4.0 (My school doesn't have A+)
Type of Grad : N/A
Grad GPA: N/A
GRE: Q170 ,V157, AWA4.0
Math Courses Undergrad: Linear Algebra (A), Calculus I-III (A), Analysis I-II (A), Abstract Algebra I-II (A), Logic (A), Linear Optimization (A), Topology (A), Complex Analysis (A)
Math Courses Grad: Differentiable Manifolds (A), ODE (A), Two semesters of Ph.D. analysis sequence (both A), Measure-theoretic probability (A), Stochastic analysis (A), Modern discrete probability (A)
Econ Courses Undergrad: Intro to micro and macro (A), Intermediate micro (A), Intermediate macro (A), Econometrics (A), Game Theory (A), IO (A), Growth theory (A), Independent research (A), Honors thesis (IP)
Econ Courses Grad: Two semesters of Ph.D. micro sequence (both A), First semester of Ph.D. macro sequence (A), Advanced micro theory (A)
Other courses: Two programming classes in Java and Matlab
Letters of Recommendation:
- Math Professor whom I did research with (Very strong - the best student he has ever had for 20 years)
- Assistant Professor from intermediate macro and growth theory classes (Strong)
- Well-known professor in micro sequence whom I did research with over the past summer (Strong)
Research Experience:
- Two years of math research in dynamical systems with the first LOR writer (1 working paper & 1 in-progress)
- Math REU at U. Chicago over the past summer about optimal stopping time
- One semester of independent research class on matching theory
- Research on games in contracts with the third LOR writer over the past summer
- Honors thesis about search theory (I didn't have a strong relationship with my advisor, so I didn't have him writing a rec letter for me)
Teaching Experience: TA for analysis, combinatorics, and stochastic process classes
Research Interests: Microeconomic theory (Game Theory, Information economics)
SOP: How I can use my problem-solving skills from math competition to solve problems in economic theory and help my research in theory. I also make a connection between what I learn from math class and my potential research topic in the future.
Other information: IMO silver medalist for three years and Putnam top 50 for three years.
Results:
Acceptances: MIT ($$$), Princeton ($$$), UC-Berkeley ($$), Yale ($$$), Caltech ($$$), U. Penn ($), U. Michigan ($$$)
Waitlists: Northwestern, Harvard
Rejections: Stanford, Columbia, U. Chicago
Attending: MIT!
Comments: After I got the offer from MIT, I withdrew applications from many colleges (UCSD, UCLA, UW-Madison, U. Rochester, BU, BC, UT-Austin...Yes, I was so desperate that I would not get in any program, so I applied a lot). What I was concerned most about was that I did not let my thesis advisor write the letter (If you want to know why, see my previous forum: Profile Evaluation for 2021 and concerns about LOR (www.urch.com)), so I was afraid this was a red flag to ad com showing that my thesis was bad. The first offer from MIT relieved me a lot! I was so glad that ad com didn't take it into account.
What would you have done differently? I am happy with my results so far. Maybe I should have done application materials earlier so that I didn't have to be stressed out during late November and December. I should have applied to fewer schools and save those money for travelling lol.