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  1. Hey guys: What are my possibilities to get into PhD in economics in Europe? Like Zurich, Bocconi, SSE or EUI? I am not considering US My grades are pretty low: Masters in economics (8.2/10) at Carlos III Bachelor in economics (7.3/10) at Carlos III But I have a lot of research experience: Research intern at Bank of Italy Research assistant at UPF (Pompeu Fabra) Research intern at a famous German institute Research Fellow at Barcelona school of economics Soon I will join DG Research at ECB Really good recommendation letters Do I have any chance? I did not take GRE yet.
  2. *Looking for Advice* Hi there! I am new (just joined yesterday), so apologies if I am not doing this right, but I am wondering if anyone might be willing to provide their insight/advice on approaching this situation. Relatively short version~~~ -I am currently an RA at the Fed (have been remote my entire time there), and I have applied to both PhD Econ programs and Pre-Docs. -PhD application was not well prepared (GRE = bad, SOP meh, letters of rec are B to B+ grade-ish overall I’d guess), didn't even apply to a couple of my dream schools -Got in to a ~top 20 and ~top 25 school for econ PhD (but I am not terribly passionate about either) -Got in to a pre-doc at a top business school with a great Econ department (top ~2 Econ department, would be working with a full prof with an Econ degree and an AP with a management degree focused on econ-related issues) --> Unsure of what to do I don't want to take the existing PhD offer and then always wonder "what if" I had truly put together the best application I could and applied to all of my target schools On the flip side, I don't want to take another pre-doc only to do worse in the next cycle I apply to. (As an aside, I am not terribly concerned about the age and money issue at this time, except in the ways that they might affect my career outcomes) Any thoughts, comments, roasting, recommendations, etc. are all very much appreciated. 😓
  3. Most people find Year 3 to be the most mentally challenging time of their PhD. You are just starting to define your research agenda and projects, but the pace is slow and the feedback is almost always negative. Around this point, PhDs begin to question their ability to write a dissertation, become an academic, or even do useful work in general. Below is advice I wish I would have gotten prior to my (very rough) 3rd year in a Management (Macro) PhD program. You'll soon see that writing a paper is just your small contribution to a conversation that the rest of the field is having, nothing more and nothing less. Thus, you need to be (1) interested in the topic of conversation and (2) understand how the rest of the field discusses topics and is expecting the conversation to evolve. Most PhDs with bad advisors don't fully understand the critical importance of point (2). The current state of our field is built by a complex social process of egos, ideas, and tradition which is unlike any other industry. You can easily see this in the field's large amount of conventions that would be obscure, counterintuitive, or bizarre to laypeople and even other academics. For most people, it takes a year or two to figure out how to come up with ideas faculty will find interesting, how to write papers are written to appeal to reviewers, how topics evolve in a predictable way, etc. Don't be hard on yourself when it takes you a while to figure this out. Around the middle of year 4, assess if you meet both criteria (1) and (2). For example, you may realize that you like what you research but learn that you find the entire writing, review, and publication process glacially slow, overly focused on almost useless theory, beholden to fads, reliant on bad science, and that you've made no meaningful contribution when all is said and done. If you (1) lose the fire for topics of interest or (2) realize that you don't like the often dysfunctional academic production function, you should ask yourself whether you want to do research academia for the next 40 years. The job essentially doesn't change as you get more senior-- you just do a bit more teaching and service. If you aren't energized by (1) and (2), it can be a miserable life. There are many tenured professors in this position. If you fall into this camp, start looking at adjacent industry jobs, which would almost certainly be a better fit, allow more mobility, give you more locational flexibility, and often have relatively higher pay once you get five years out of your PhD. Industry has other issues (e.g., less autonomy, less temporal flexibility, less pure intellectual engagement), but in the long run, you'll almost always be judged on your current skills, ability to learn, ability to work well in a team, and by what you can produce. Make sure to find the best fit for you (and your loved ones!).
  4. I used to be in a top Management PhD program but quit later because of research interest and relationship with one of my committee members. This year I am applying a Marketing (CB) PhD program. Should I mention my past experience in the Strategic Management one? Actually my performance (GPA) was very good. It's a plus or minus to include it in my application? Many thanks in advance for your kind advice!
  5. Hi guys, I am new member in this forum. Nice to meet you all! I'm here mainly to get some advice for my Econ PhD application since my case is pretty rate. All the best!
  6. Hello everyone! I am currently in my last year of undergrad, and I am interested in getting my PhD in accounting. I am really unsure as to where I should start in this entire situation, and I was hoping I could gain a little clarity as to what I could focus on. Undergrad: 3.86 GPA in Accountancy and Finance. Graduated in 3 years from a top accounting school. Graduate: Will be completing my MAcc in the upcoming year. GMAT: Never taken an actual exam, I have scored in the 740-750 range on practice exams. Courses: Have completed a variety of courses related to accounting and finance. Macro, micro, and intermediate micro economics. A variety of statistics courses. Calc 1 and 2. Teaching experience: I am the head TA for a course related to business management, and teamwork. I am, also, planning on teaching accounting courses for duration of my MAcc. Research: I have little research experience, but I am looking at being a research assistant at my University in the upcoming semester. Work experience: I have held an internship in the past, and I will be interning at a big four accounting firm next Summer. Letters of rec: I have multiple people that I know would be willing to write a letter of rec for me. One of them has a strong background in research, and others are in accounting academia. Weaknesses: Most obviously my work and research experience. Letters of rec I think are also something I could improve on. Also, my math background is also very weak. Questions: Are there any courses that you think I should try taking over the next year? Should I apply to PhD programs in the upcoming Fall, or should I wait until I have more tangible work experience? What are my biggest weaknesses to an observer? I am a little lost in this entire process, and I really appreciate any and all feedback that you guys have for me. Thanks for taking the time to read my post. :)
  7. Hey all, I am currently a junior at a moderate level United States research school. I am studying math with a minor in economics, will have far more classes than required but am avoiding the business school pre-reqs of a double major. I am trying to start formulating a plan for how to boost my application to graduate school or pre grad school programs next fall. Here are my current school stats and relevant experience. GPA: 4.0 (80 credit hours) Relevant Courses: econometrics, intermediate micro/macro (planned), law and economics, natural resource economics. Calc 1-3, Intro diff eq, Linear Algebra, probability, stats (planned), advanced cal. Relevant research experience: Working paper on terrorism that I will be a co-author on. Started undergraduate research on energy regulations in the US. From this and my classes, I already have rec letter writers. Relevant job experience: Currently interning in a think tank out of DC where I am working on terrorism, energy, and carbon tariffs. GRE: I plan to take the GRE next spring and additionally next summer, shooting for a 165 quant or higher. I am wanting to go to graduate school somewhere that has energy and environmental economics as a top option, with preferably some decent connections in the public policy, government sector. Any advice on schools I should be looking at or things to do to boost my application are greatly appreciated.
  8. Thank you for any help and suggestions that you can give!
  9. Hi Based on advice from a previous post, I would love for a complete profile evaluation. I will try to be as descriptive as possible. Any advice is welcome. Research Interests Environmental and climate economics, with impact on health and energy sectors. Education 1. BA (Hons) Economics - No. 1 university available in my developing country for humanities. Ranked third in college with first class distinction (75 percentage). Not sure how to convert to GPA, but university toppers have marks around 85% NOTE: Took a gap year in between 2. MA in Environmental Economics - Only college to offer this course, but in terms of econ programs, top 5 institutes in my country for postgrad education 8.2 CGPA (graduated this year). Top 5% of all econ programs with around 250 students. Completed thesis with departmental and highly cited professor as advisor Math Courses 1. Bachelors (took all math courses available at university level, didn't know how important this was then) STATISTICAL METHODS IN ECONOMICS-I and II; MATHEMATICAL METHODS FOR ECONOMICS-I and II; INTRODUCTORY ECONOMETRICS I; MATHEMATICS AWARENESS; LINEAR ALGEBRA AND CALCULUS; ELEMENTS OF ANALYSIS (All purely math papers have 80+ percentage, but I did screw up in stats and micro with 60-70 scores ) 2. Masters level Statistical Methods; Mathematical methods; Econometric methods; advanced econometric methods and Stochastic models (Scored A or A+ in all courses in masters which is 70-90 in percentage) Experience 1. RA with highly professor from a top 200 college in the US. 5 months (during covid lockdown) work on data cleaning and analysis, report making etc. They have put up my work on their website too, so really lucked out with the prof. 2. RA with econometric prof from my college and prof from an MBA institute. 7 months work on data cleaning and analysis report making etc. I have also rejoined as co-author recently, 3. Research Intern during summer break (2 months) at an NGO for development research. Did literature review. (4) Editor for student led blog at masters NOTE: None of the experience directly relates to my area of interest Letters Strong letters from professors I worked as an RA with (including US prof). Also expecting strong letter from my thesis advisor especially based on my active involvement (organizer, editor) in academic lectures and events at master college. Works in progress As mentioned, joined as co-author for the project I worked as RA with. I also am working with my thesis advisor and converted my thesis into a working paper. GRE- Not taken yet, targeting end of the month Other Info Good social presence on twitter and linkedin. Made my own website on advice of the US prof Expertise in STATA (codes put up on github); learnt C++ in school; learning python and GIS right now Final Remarks Currently I am looking for RA positions related to my field of interest, but they have been few and very competitive. So any other advice on strengthening my profile is welcome. Especially since my areas of interest is very specific. Also, will you suggest I apply this November/ December based on my current profile? It may be worthwhile to know a few of my alumni have went on to join programs in the US, Europe and New Zealand. I am also interested in schools in Europe, with an open mind for interdimensional research. Thank you for any input you can offer!
  10. Hi all I have a question. I am beginning my grad school applications and I am hoping to get into a decent econ PhD program. At my school where I received my degree from (double major in math and econ) my GPA was good (3.88), however I transferred schools after my freshman year, where my GPA was probably around a ~3.2. I am worried that sending my transcript from freshman year will ruin my chances of getting into a good program. I just requested my transcript from freshman year so I can get more specific with classes and grades once I receive it but I believe the only econ class I took was micro and I got a B, and other than that it was other random gen eds... I know admissions will mostly care about my math and econ grades however I am just nervous that my GPA from freshman year will just be an automatic negative for my application, regardless of the classes I took during this time. Additionally I did not do great on the GRE (162V, 164Q, 4.5 AW- probably will take it again in Oct to try for 166+Q). Some top programs have waived the GRE requirement, so I presumably stand a chance of not automatically being discarded, however I am wondering if my GPA from freshman year will ruin any chance I have at these schools. I'll provide some more background on my profile below. Any advice is appreciated:) PROFILE: Undergrad: double major in math & econ (B.A.) Undergrad GPA: 3.88/4.00 overall GRE: Q164 / V162 / AWA 4.5 LOR's : Should be really strong, 2 from professors I did research with during undergrad (one with a PhD from MIT, one with a PhD from Harvard), and one from my current supervisor who has overseen my research the past few years and has a PhD from an international uni. Research Experience: Worked at the fed during undergrad as a research intern and now in an RA program at an international institution. I have many research acknowledgments and one published working paper.
  11. PROFILE: Type of Undergrad: B.A. Mathematics (Honors), B.S. Economics, B.S. Computational Data Sci (Rising Sophomore @ T80 - Honors College) Undergrad GPA: 3.93 Overall, 4.00 Econ Type of Grad: N/A Grad GPA: N/A GRE: N/A Math Courses: Honors Linear Algebra (A-), Discrete Mathematics I (A), Partial Differential Equations (A) Econ Courses (grad-level): N/A Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Behavioral Economics (A), Honors Microeconomics (A) "equivalent of intro micro + intermediate micro", Intro to Econometrics (A) Other Courses: Some programming classes @ Current Uni (all A's)Modern Cryptography, Calc I-III, Differential Eqs, Analysis I @ Dual Enrollment in HS + a lot of AP credits Letters of Recommendation: Currently unknown, but I'll definitely ask the chair of the Statistics department at my university. Others not sure, but will likely ask those who are teaching the graduate courses I'm enroll in later on. Research Experience: RA over Junior Summer of HS (co-authored on article accepted to MAA, to be published sometime in 2020), RA for two projects last semester working under Chair of Statistics department (some presentations at home institution), RA this Summer working under Chair of Statistics department (solely responsible for drafting a manuscript to be submit to a journal in developmental economics, not sure which journal though, chair will decide, might also be national conference presentation possibilities + further pubs). Teaching Experience: N/A as of yet, but applied to a TA position in the Fall for an introductory C++ programming class. Research Interests: Unknown at this point in time, but I plan to apply for Ph.D. in either Applied Mathematics or Economics. SOP: N/A Concerns: I'm considering transferring to the University of Michigan (instate). I don't like the atmosphere at my current university, but would be willing to bear my discontent if it meant that I could continue to build a graduate school application with strong research credentials. Other: I haven't drawn up an extensive undergraduate coursework plan as of yet, but I do know what my Sophomore year will be. My Fall semester includes the following courses: Graduate Parallel Computing, Graduate Econometrics Ia,Graduate Probability & Statistics I, and Honors Abstract Algebra I. My Spring semester is much the same with the following: Graduate Numerical Linear Algebra, Graduate Econometrics Ib, Graduate Probability & Statistics II, and Honors Abstract Algebra II. My current university has offered a lot of flexibility with the courses I can take, which I consider a positive. Regardless of whether I transfer or not I still want to move forward with building a strong application for graduate school, so any input on this front based on the profile above is appreciated. I'm looking for advice on some of the concerns I demonstrate in the last few sections, and I do plan to ask my research mentor/some other students the same questions and get their input too. Thanks for any advice.
  12. Hey, Does anyone know what sort of questions they ask for the Masters in Applied Economics interview? Im pretty nervous and was just wondering if any one had any advice. Was wondering more specifically on technical questions.
  13. I am always heartened by all of the optimism and excitement that so many on this forum show every year around this time. I was in your shoes 6 years ago, trying to suss out how management (STR/OB) academia actually worked. I relied on posts on Urch, even though I was highly intertwined with management academia prior to my PhD. Looking back, I had both good and bad times in my program. Upon graduation, I'll start as a data scientist at a financial institution. Here's my retrospective take for folks considering this path (starting with a healthy dose of tough love). This career path is much more challenging and less appealing than most prospective students realize. First, the norm for program length has decidedly gone from 5 to 6 years at high-ranked R1s over my time in the program, and I imagine that 6 years of PhD + postdoc may become the norm by the time you graduate. Nowadays, when going into this profession, you have to be willing to move across the country, delay having a family (if you want one), and delay solid financial stability for 7-8 years. Moreover, you must be *uncommonly certain* that these preferences won't change as you grow older. For most people, they will. When I began, I thought that I'd be happy as a professor at any institution and any location as long as I was doing research work that engaged my mind and was useful in some way. Through the six years of my PhD, I got married, had a kid, and watched from afar as my partner's parents began to develop health issues. In short, my preferences changed pretty dramatically. If you do well on the academic job market, you'll get a handful of flyouts, one or two offers from schools from anywhere across the US/world. It's rare that the schools that give you offers will jive super well with your preferences. For example, many top schools (e.g., Berkeley) are located in HCOL areas with wildly expensive property values, so many new Haas faculty live in subsidized apartments for a good chunk of time pre-tenure. While our field is doing better than most PhD fields on many dimensions, you're still doing a PhD and that comes with challenges. There will be constant, low-level stress that you're not doing enough to hit the moving target of getting a job, huge cultural pressure from professors to stay in academia at all costs, and (at least at my school) you will quickly lose contact with students who drop out and professors who don't get tenure. Unlike most private sector jobs, it's very hard to "turn off" at the end of the day or over the weekend. This combination of factors generally leads to mental health challenges. I'd estimate about 50%+ of the folks in my highly visible R1 program periodically experienced mental health issues due to these pressures (including myself). There's a good chance that you would face similar issues too. Usually, these issues manifest in moderate to severe depressive episodes that span 2-6 months, often crop up around the start of the 3rd year, and reappear every so often thereafter. The PhDs in my group were uncommonly open about these issues, and I'm very thankful that I had a supportive network when I struggled. In general, this is a big issue among PhDs that research is just beginning to address (New study says graduate students' mental health is a "crisis"). On a systemic level, remember that advice and opinions from professors reflect survivorship bias (i.e., you don't hear from the folks that aren't in academia anymore). There's not much (if any) positive growth in b-school enrollments any more, especially compared to the growth period 1980-2010. Tenure lines in STR/OB, while still relatively commonplace compared to other PhD fields, are slowly shrinking at many schools as older professors retire and are replaced by cheaper adjuncts. I've gotten the sense that year-over-year demand for rookie PhDs in management academia has marginally but noticeably slowed over my time in the program, while tenure requirements are also getting marginally but noticeably tougher. I'd guess that around 25% of graduating PhDs in STR/OB don't stay on the academic track (at least at highly visible R1 schools, which is my reference set). Some of these "leavers" can't get an academic job they like, and some realize that they don't want to continue to make sacrifices that the academic arena requires. To add a silver lining, however, I'm happy I did a PhD. I recognize that I was privileged enough to not worry too much about providing financially for a family, parents, etc. I was also well-connected and "culturally ingratiated" in academia prior to starting my PhD; there are huge barriers to entry in this field for those without cultural or financial capital. I learned a lot about myself, managing my time, how to do good research, and the ability and necessity to set my own course in work and life. Unlike some horror stories online, I loved the other folks in my cohort and program, and our culture was quite cordial. If I had to do it again, I probably would, but I would have tried to graduate ASAP, learned as many practical stats/metrics/coding tools as possible, and spent less time worrying about management theory (which oftentimes isn't geared towards actual managers and sometimes, in my opinion, verges on fluffy and poorly-developed philosophical rambling). If you're in any way put off by this message, you should consider similar jobs that require brainpower and research skills (data science, statisticians, UX, etc.). These jobs will give you a good salary, are less competitive, are more location-flexible, allow you to gain marketable skills more rapidly, and don't require a long, low-paid training period. If you want to teach, an alternative is to get a masters and adjunct on the side so that you can align incentives with university administration, who generally want to minimize expensive tenure lines subject to constraints from accreditation bodies (AACSB). The PhD journey is wickedly tough. Experiences and outcomes differ (wildly and often randomly) from person to person. For the vast majority of folks that think they'd be interested in this path, they should take a hard look at their preferences, desires, and life goals. If you're not at least 90% sold on this path, you should consider something like what I prescribe above. However, if you are part of that 10% that could only see yourself as a full-time business school researcher, then you should go for it. Good luck!
  14. Is it a very formal event?
  15. Hi all. Need some advice on where I might be the best fit for a masters program to prepare for a PhD. I am American-Canadian and have spent a year out of undergrad on a prestigious area studies work fellowship abroad but I'm realizing that I want to take a different direction. I love economics, especially as it relates to development and international macroeconomics, and would like to use my brain a helluva lot more and have autonomy instead of going into development project management as my current path would be headed. Problem is in undergrad I had exactly the opposite intentions: I focused mostly on leadership and work experience. So I'll need to work hard to compensate for avg grades and develop strong math and research skills to demonstrate my seriousness and preparation. Please take a look at my schools and let me know if they're a good match for my interests/needs and if I'm competitive. Undergrad school: Top 5 public institution in USA, top 20 econ dept Undergrad GPA: Business Economics Major: 3.6/4.0 Cum: 3.4/4.0 GRE: 163Q - 167V (will be retaking until I boost my Q to >167) Math Courses: Calculus of Several Variables (C+), 5 score on AP Calc AB and BC tests Econ Courses:Statistics for Economists (A), Microeconomic Theory (A+), Macroeconomic Theory (A+), Intro to Econometrics (B+), Intro to Game Theory(A+), Industrial Organization Theory (B+), Theories of Economic Development (A-), Environmental Econ (B)Research Experience: Current events research with an Area Studies dept of my school (so pretty much n/a) Teaching Experience: n/a Research Interests: Development, macro, public Terminal masters applying to: Columbia, Duke, Simon Frasier, University College of London, UT Austin, University of Wisconsin, University of Ottowa, Warwick
  16. Hey guys, I'm currently a sophomore (UG) at Carnegie Mellon, and I'm interested in becoming a teaching prof. My goal is to teach econ at a liberal arts school, and do less research. Would appreciate any future applications/current schooling advice given. Major: Econ/Math GPA: 3.6/4 , math is ~3.4, econ is ~3.8 No GRE or rec letters yet Math classes: Calc3, diffeq, intro proofs class (Bs), Matrices (A), Probability (this sem) (no +/-) Econ classes: Micro/Macro (A/probably A) I'm taking real next semester, so that's definitely important. After that, I'm planning to take some algebra/discrete into some pure math courses (topology, graph theory, etc.. ?). Also looking at a grad measure theory course and econ courses (not sure if allowed). The econ stuff will probably be a typical bunch of econ major stuff (econometrics, electives, etc..) Also in the running to get some TA/RA duties soon, and working with some other undergrads on a nowcasting project, etc.. I've not been able to get much substantial advice from my advisor(s) about how to go about my goals; I understand that I'm seeking a long and difficult path for relatively little gain, and my credentials are pretty subpar in addition. I have the following questions for you guys: 1) Is there such a thing as entering grad school with the intent to teach afterwards? Are there schools that offer these kinds of opportunities? 2) My school doesn't offer many (any?) opportunities in economics research to underclassmen. Does anyone have experience/advice in working for a think tank or similar summer research positions? 3) I would also appreciate any other advice. I don't have any mentor figures who have been in my shoes or anything similar. Thank you for your time!
  17. HI, I'm a Korean undergraduate student from Top 3 Econ school in my country. I have read through lots of posts here and they all have been of tremendous help to me. Straight to the point, I am planning to take advanced calculus and differential equations next semester, but the problem is I have yet virtually no math background except mathematics for economics, college math, and general stuff like that. After conquering those courses, (hopefully) I will need to take more advanced courses like real analysis, and etc. Now, I strongly feel that I have to start digging into some math to build a solid foundation for the tough ones (in my view) coming up next semester and ahead, but I have noticed that calculus books alone were like 1,200 pages thick (e.g. James Stewart), so I'm wondering if it is a wise strategy to go through all of it. I'm not allergic to math or anything like that but I'm just curious what would be the most recommended way of building mathematical structure in my brain. I'm currently having an internship in one of the UN offices in my country so I need to spend my time wisely because I do not have a plenty of time to focus on my study. I would very much appreciate any kind of advice. Thanks :)
  18. Test Scores: GMAT: 720; Quant: 44, Verbal: 44, IR: 7 Undergrad GPA: ​3.7; accounting major at a Big 10 school Graduate GPA: 3.7; MSA with concentration in tax from Notre Dame Research Experience: None Teaching Experience: None Work Experience: 2 years as a tax associate at a Big Four firm Additional Info: CPA licensed Computer science minor Plan on receiving letters of recommendation from professors at ND Plan on retaking GMAT and improving quant score No calculus taken in college Interested in research-focused program Research Areas of Interest: the intersection of technology and accounting Questions: 1. With my masters in tax and tax experience will I be limited to tax research? Or have better chances of getting into a program with a focus on tax? 2. Should I take a calculus course or other math course before applying? Online or community college? If online, what are good options? 3. Would I need to find schools that have professors publishing about my research area of interest or is that too specific a criteria? 4. What tier of schools should I be looking at, given my profile? Thank you!
  19. Hi everyone, I am planning to apply to accounting PhD program this fall and looking for advice about the best way to improve my profile at this point given that I still have a few months before starting applications. Brief background: Went to a top 20 undergrad accounting program, also got my masters in accounting at that school, have my CPA, will have 6 years of experience at time of application (including time in Big Four audit). Undergrad: GPA between a 3.5-3.6. Only took a few math classes in college: Calc 1 (grade: A), business Calc (grade: B), and statistics (grade: A). Have not touched math since these classes (nearly 10 years ago!) but have always enjoyed math and pick up on it pretty quickly. GMAT: took recently and scored a 730 (46Q/44V, 8 IR). Could make plenty of excuses for underperforming on Quant that day but I won’t. I’m very interested in research (still not decided on method or specific areas of interest). I’ve been reading different publications and starting to refine my specific interests but I am ultimately hoping to end up at a school where I will have some flexibility as I don’t know what will ultimately interest me the most/ what I will be good at. Any advice for best ways to improve my profile at this stage? I think my math background could appear weak given the time away, so I’ve start a Calculus class on Coursera and plan to complete that class as well as another Calc and Linear Algebra course (or at least have them in progress at the time of application). Would focusing on taking these classes be the most beneficial or should I focus on re-taking the GMAT in hopes of scoring closer to my practice tests (~760) with a higher Quant score? thanks for any advice! Stalking this forum has been very helpful haha
  20. Warwick is in the UK and GTown offers a locational advantage that is hard to beat. Any advice on choosing between the two programs will help a lot.
  21. I am on a bit on unorthodox path. Currently I work in fire/ems having graduated in 2016 with double major in biology and economics (good grades, T50 undergrad program). I am applying to medical school, but the soonest I can attend is the 2020 fall semester, so on a whim last winter I took the GRE to see if I could apply for a masters program in economics. The reason for this is that I hope to work in emergency medicine to help develop and improve upon rural pre-hospital care systems throughout North and South America. I would love to tailor my masters degree towards international developmental economics, similar to my undergrad. I am in a spot where I am following my girlfriend to law school, and we are more than likely ending up in NYC. I am pending an NYU decision on my masters app (though it seems unlikely given that most acceptances seem to have gone out), but I have received a NSSR acceptance to their masters program with a very generous scholarship. I had two professors who received their PhDs from there, so I am somewhat familiar with the school's teachings, however, I am unfamiliar with how the school is viewed in academia. I have checked online, but other than a few old forums with charged opinions 7+ years ago, I can't find any thoughts or inputs on attaining a masters from this program. What is the New School's reputation?
  22. Hey everyone, I have been accepted into CEMFI (Msc.) and Toulouse M1 in Econometrics and Statistics. I want to pursue a PhD in economics, either in the US or maybe even continue at these places. I am having trouble deciding where to go. I was therefore looking for some advice in this regard. My research interests are in Econometrics and Applied Microeconomics. Toulouse has given me a fee waiver where as CEMFI has no funding. Toulouse has received some negative reviews on urch so I am confused. On one hand CEMFI is a smaller class with faculty that are very approachable (some have already contacted me and expressed interest). On the other hand, Toulouse is cheaper and also has good placements for its PhD program. Therefore I am very confused about my decision and any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.
  23. Hello all ! I have been admitted into the M1 program at the Toulouse School of Economics. There have been several negative reviews about the program on this forum in the past. I was wondering whether these still hold true about the program or things have changed for the better. If anyone who is currently in the program or graduated recently could please answer some questions about the program I would be grateful. Thanks in advance! Questions are below: How is the quality of the teaching at Toulouse? Did you find the professors approachable? I have been admitted into the M1 in statistics and Econometrics program. I do not want to completely rule out private sector jobs in data science. In this regard how are the placements into the private sector? I am not an EU citizen so I know it will be hard. Even then, can I at least expect to get an internship between the two years? Or is this too difficult for internationals? How is the M2 program with regards to PhD placements? Overall was your experience positive with the Masters program (there has been an overwhelming negative feedback in the past on urch) Given my other acceptances are Cemfi (unfunded Msc.) BGSE (fee waiver), do you have any recommendations for me? Note: My goal is to do a PhD but I would like to also keep the private sector as an option. My professors at my undergraduate warn about how competitive the job market for academics has become. Therefore I would like to keep private sector roles such as data science as an option. Thank you once again for your help.
  24. Hi! I am accepted into 3 PhD programs in business and need your advice on which to attend. 1. Lousiana State U ( OB/strategic management, you can choose either of them according to your interest) 2. U of Houston ( you can choose the Micro/Macro OB/strategic management), requirement: independent research project that starts from year 1, preliminary exam in year 1, qualification exam in year 2 3. Oklahoma State U , you are required to finish 1st and 2nd year papers by working with the faculty on their projects. students' responsibility is to write the papers. Concerns: 1. I am not sure if I am able to write the papers, since I don't even know how to do the research without the training. 2. even if you are the co-author, I dont think you would be the 1st author, so it actually doesn't matter a lot? And it doesn't necessarily mean the paper could be published? 3. it might take up too much of your time for study and coursework should be the first priority? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! thanks!
  25. Guys I can't believe I'm writing this, because even disregarding the two wait lists I am on I got some offers I would be thrilled to take. But, due to some purely personal factors it looks like I might have to give up on going to a program this fall. If this happens, I don't want to give up on my dream and I plan to reapply in 2 years and I'm furiously trying to set up a backup plan in the meantime. I would be moving to a major East coast city, which I guess is lucky given the prevalence of universities there. I guess my two options if I still want to do my PhD are: 1) Get an RA position -- this would possibly increase my competitiveness, right? Easier said than done, though, particularly given my relatively weak programming skills and lack of formal training. 2) Get a consulting job -- I assume this would more or less maintain my current level of competitiveness (my letter writers will all stand by me just as strongly in two years, I've talked to them and I go to a tiny school) And, regardless, I guess try to take some math classes. Does anyone have any advice for me? What else can I do to maintain or increase competitiveness? My nightmare is that I have to decline my offers, don't line up EITHER of these two options, and then my window of opportunity is closed forever.
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