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I have got admit from MSc economics program at BGSE (not advanced track) got rejection from their Phd track and also from master of economic analysis program at UC3M. Economic analysis program at UC3M leads to their PhD program but I am not sure how good their PhD program as it doesn't seem they have a good placement records but they pay a monthly stipend of 900 euros. I was wondering how good BGSE's master program to prepare for a good PhD program in either US or Europe? as I had horrible grades in mathematics in undergrad. Also how much sense it makes to go to BGSE instead of a PhD track program and waste additional one year after graduation for application to PhD programs and then enter one? PS: I am not from Spain

Hi All, I recently graduated with a BSc in economics degrees and have been applying to Master programs for the terms 20/21. As of now I hold offers from UCL and BGSE (BGSE incl. 50% tuition waiver and havent heart back of LSE as of now), however, I am very unsure which program I should choose. I initially had a preference for the UCL programm for the following reasons: I am more interested in Micro-/Labour-economics and BGSE seems to be better for Macroeconomics. I also heard that the quality of the courses at UCL is supposedly better than at the GSE and that it seems to be easier to graduate with distinction from UCL because the cohorts are more consistent. Regarding reputation, both programs seem to be more or less equally well regarded, however, I heard/read everything from UCL >> BGSE to BGSE >>> UCL. Most of these issues are of course very subjective so I am happy to hear your thoughts! I now received the offer from BGSE with a 50% tuition waiver (making it approx. 60% cheaper than UCL) and I am now wondering whether going to UCL for the reasons above outweights the difference in tuition fees. I am planning on going on to a "good" PhD program afterwards and potentially staying in academia so scoring well in the masters and also obtaining a degree of a well-regarded university seems to be quite important. So is UCL better than BGSE or is BGSE the better choice? Thank you a lot for taking the time to read through my question! Any recommendations or opinions would be much appreciated! Quick facts on my profile (since helpful for reference for future info seekers): * Graduated with an equivalent of a first class degree (Top 5%) from a "Top 3 University" in Germany (according to rankings at least). * GRE - Quant 165 * Worked as a RA and did a few internships at banks, insurances, economic consulting firms etc. (in hinsight found that to be helpful for master applications)

I have been admitted to both LSEs EME and BGSE Masters in Economics. Both of them are unfunded. I just wondered which has the best outcomes in terms of PhD placements? I have looked at some of the data on the websites but also wanted to get a second opinion on here! In terms of research interests, I am interested primarily in Empirical Macro. Additionally: 1) If I attend BGSE, I would take the advanced track. 2) I have no prior research experience. 3) LSE's course is twice the price of BGSE advanced track!

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Hi all Next year I will graduate from UPF Econ, which means I will be applying to master programs in just a couple months. My aim is to continue my education and eventually get into a decent PhD program, either in continental EU or in the UK -- I'm not too optimistic about my chances at the top US ones, and even then, there are additional costs of moving to another continent for that long. That said, I would not rule out getting into industry should a good opportunity come down the line. This kind of makes BGSE MSc Econ an obvious choice for me, yet from reading in forums and talking to some alumni who ended up going elsewhere for their masters (UCL, TSE) I don't see the decision as clear-cut as it seems on paper. For one, the comments and information that I have read of the program has been rather contradictory so far: opinions range from very satisfied with the course and its rigour -- which some compared to LSE EME -- to very disappointed. My impression is that going for the advanced track is risky and failing to place among the best of the class will hurt your chances to be admitted in doctoral programs. However, there is seemingly little value in worrying about this as I assume not doing the advanced track guarantees that you won't get there either. Interestingly, I noticed that students on the 'applied' masters held higher opinions of their courses than their counterparts in Econ. Another point that makes me hesitate is the reputation aspect. While the school regularly manages to place their stars into top US programs (I know a recent case of a student who went to MIT) I don't know that much about the average student. For example, they do not require the GRE and have accepted students with Q scores on the 70 percentile range, which is quite low. It seems to me that despite the rigour of the program, the BGSE brand is not as well known as other competitor institutions offering similar programs. Provided I am able to get admitted and ignoring the funding aspect (for now), I get the impression that attending the likes of Oxford MPhil or Bocconi ESS might offer a better safety net in case I change my mind about pursuing a PhD. Hence, I wanted to know about alumni and current students at BGSE. What were your impressions? Do you regret studying there? How about placements in PhD programs in Europe and industry? Thanks!

Hey Guys... I would like to ask for your help in picking a European master program. My two offers are LSE MSc Economics and BGSE MSc Economics (with partial tuition waiver). My main goal is to work in global macro development organizations or monetary policy organizations (WB, EBRD, IMF, ECB, BIS, etc). Or to continue to an Econ Ph.D. (maybe at the same school ill do the master), with specialization in macro development/monetary economics/international trade. It seems that both programs have good reputation and faculty for these particular subjects. However, from a brief search on the internet, I got the feeling that the LSE reputation is going down recently (IDEAS ranking placed BGSE above LSE) and also that the LSE invest less in their MSc students (big class and a weak thesis supervision). Of course, the BGSE option is much cheaper, but are both products really similar? is BGSE can place students in jobs such as WB or IMF like LSE? is LSE selective admission process (13% acceptance rate) really worth the money in this case? Thanks for the help!

Hi, I have been admitted to Barcelona Graduate School's masters in economic program with full tuition waiver. When I researched I have seen that it has been highly praised for its macro classes. However I couldn't find any information on how it stands in econometrics. I would like to pursue a PhD afterwards (maybe in Upf if I can perform good enough) and I would like to do something in econometrics. I would be really grateful if you can share your thoughts or experience :)

Hi! I'll cut it to the point: I put BGSE in the title because I have been admitted into the Economics program, but since I have no scholarship it's almost impossible for me to pay for it. I was rejected today from PSE which had become by second choice. I am Italian and I have an offer from the University of Bologna (LMEC), which I hear has got a good program but is far less present in forums and discussed. Hence, as of now I have three choices -Stockholm School of Economics (SSE), of course MSc Economics -Bologna LMEC -stopping for a year (I am graduating in July), retake the GRE (only got 161 Q, even if I have 169 V which is kind of useless anyway), maybe do an internship or look for a job and re-take some applications, in order to improve my chances of getting scholarships and admissions where I have been rejected. Of course, as my username suggest, I'd like to go on to a PhD. My first choices where LSE (where I have been rejected) and BGSE so I am a bit taken aback from how it turned out. I hope you can help me! Thank you very much!!

Hi everyone! I hope i am not posting this in the wrong section. I have been accepted into the Economics Program in Barcelona GSE and the MSc in Economics at Stockholm SSE. Plus, I am waiting for answers from other schools, especially LSE PSE and Bocconi. I am confident I will be accepted in Bocconi, a little less for the other too, I don't know what to expect, but anyway I want to start picturing my options. I am paying the reservation fee in BGSE so that I can take some time to choose Given that I am passionate about Macro, I would lean to choose Barcelona, but the fees are high (no funding, unfortunately) and I am doubtful. I think that it is better compared to Stockholm, given that the latter is free (i am a EU citizen) but I would have to spend two years in the much more costly (and less entertaining, also) Stockholm. Hence, I am thinking about making a bit of a financial stretch and paying for GSE. But what would you advise if i get into the other schools? Of course, as my ridiculous nickname suggests, I would like to continue to a PhD (hopefully the US) later. I am interested in Macro but I am also not sure about that, since I like lots of areas. Also: I got a pretty bad GRE (161 Q, with an interesting, but kind of useless, 169 V): given that I was able to get into a couple of good schools with this, should I think of retaking it anyway? I mean, if I take the Masters in BGSE and place myself good in the course, will the GRE still matter much for a PhD/MRes? (of course I think i can score higher than that, but I really have trouble in when to take the exam). Sorry if I have been long and asked wrong questions, new here. Thank you in advance!

So I recently got accepted to the BGSE economics masters without funding. I was wondering if it is really worth it, can I get into a top 20 US phd program from there? It must be hard to get a good recommendation because it's only a one year program and that the main issue I guess. I did my undergrad from an unknown university in US so I know I couldn't get into a top 20 phd straight away. I applied without GRE scores so I don't have the option of going to CEMFI or any of the other European school at this point. Alternatively I could get a masters from UT Dallas... not sure if I'm significantly improving my chances by getting a masters from BGSE.

Hi, I am in a bit of dilemma. I have acceptance from Barcelona Graduate School and Tilburg both without stipend. I am interested in macro, and clearly BGSE=>UPF path dominates Tilburg in that field.(i am not sure even if there are any guys who do DSGEs in Tilburg) However the BGSE tuition is extremely high, 16000 euros vs 2000 in tilburg. So i am not sure what to do at this point. accepting bgse would mean that i would use all my savings for the tuition plus the living expenses during first year there and then hope that i will be able to get GOOD(!) financial support during my second Mres and then hope to be admitted to the phd program. in tilburg the tuition is much lower however they again do not guarantee admission to the phd program and given the rumors of the financial difficulties they have been experiencing recently, i assume the phd admissions to be more limited in the future. plus i am not sure the strength of tilburg in macro. so i am not really sure what to do. does anyone have any idea whether bgse or tilburg is more student friendly in terms of providing financial assistance to students in second and third year? Thanks a lot and wish everyone good luck

Hello, I would really appreciate your insight on the following! Programs: I have been accepted into: MSc Economics at UCL and MSc Economics at BGSE. I am still waiting to hear about my application to the MPhil in Economics at Oxford. (I think it is unlikely I get in, given that I was rejected from LSE and Cambridge, but I guess we’ll see!) In either program (except of course Oxford, where it is not offered) I plan to switch into the Economic Policy Program because I want a more applied program. My interests: I am really interested in applied micro; especially development, behavioral econ, and health. I have a particular interest in these areas as they apply to women. About me: I have a BA in Economics from a top 10 liberal arts college in the United States. After I graduated, the plan was to work as an RA in the US for a year, and then for a year in the field, to gain research experience and really be sure that I wanted to pursue a PhD in Econ after those two years. Unfortunately, I was unable to get an Economic RA position (at places like JPAL, IPA, Urban Institute, AIR, etc, but also at smaller places) but have spent this year as a program assistant at a university research center and working as an unpaid RA for an Econ professor at that university (I have also taken multivariable calc, which I have done well in, but not totally enjoyed). This year has helped me learn that while I might still want to pursue another degree, it will probably not be a PhD in Econ. I want to take a little bit more time to think about that decision. Goals: In the future, I would like to work at an org/think tank that does research, but also more applied work in development or issues of economic justice domestically. I would still like to spend some time working in the field in either a research or more applied capacity. I applied to masters programs because I thought a master’s degree would help me towards this goal. In the short run, however, I would also like to enjoy my life. This year has not been one I have enjoyed (getting uniformly rejected from jobs will do that to you) so happiness is a slightly larger priority. Some of what I have read online has indicated that the programs at UCL and BGSE are seriously killer (read: miserable) years. However, I know there is probably a significant bias (I might not feel compelled write a blog post about my just-fine/not horrible experience at either school). Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy challenging work—but I don’t want to feel like I am being put through a meat grinder. I would like learn more about these programs to help inform my decision. Is one clearly superior (for my interests, in terms of options afterwards, or quality of training)? How might they differ in experience? Have you, or anyone you know attended? I would love to hear any and all information that might help to inform my decision (or any other career advice you want to give!). Thank you for your help!!

I am unable to take a decision and my BGSE deadline is this Thursday. Given I want to specialize in Macroeconomics and that both schools are strong in Macro, my assessment of the situation is as follows. Given the Program/department reputations and the cost benefit analysis, the only reason to choose the MA Economics at Columbia over BGSE would be because of it's brand name (Ivy League) and probable advantage in getting into a top PhD program in the USA. Although I'm not sure about to what extent the Columbia program (with all advanced courses as elective) would give me a better chance vis-a-vis BGSE (Advanced track) in getting into a top PhD. Plus it's their first year as a Masters program. Also I have questions as to what extent the Star Faculty at Columbia would be involved in the MA program. Plus there is another debate about the PhD courses oriented nature of a European masters vis-a-vis a professional bent of an American Masters. I would be grateful for any insights, suggestions and ideas. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Hi, I am really confused about few options I have My Profile Indian Age -27, 3 years work experience in Business Consulting, MBA from a fairly good institute in India and I have a strong Finance and Law background Academic orientation for Behavioral Economics but I will be happy to with a job , if it pays well. I have been given an admit in Barcelona GSE- Competition and Markets Regulation program, UC3M- Industrial Economics and Markets program, Tilburg- Master of Finance and Aalto School of Business - Master of Economics Pros and cons BGSE- Applied for Econ got selected for Competition and Markets Regulation program Pros-big brand name, rigorous curriculum Cons-9 month duration,hard to get a job though because of work permit issues (rules for Non-EU in Spain), 14000 EURO Fees Competition Consulting virtually non- existent in India and not sure if I will get job in US (BGSE as a brand name in US, finding a sponsor would be a problem) UC3M - Applied for Econ got selected for Industrial Economics and Markets program Pros-Brand name Cons- not sure about program - Industrial Economics and Markets program, hard to get a job though because of work permit issues (rules for Non-EU in Spain) Tillburg - Applied for Econ got selected for Masters in Finance Pros- Brand name, chances of getting job and work permit are good Cons- Not really the area of my interest, but can go for it if placements are good Aalto School of Business - Applied for Econ got selected for Econ Pros- One of the oldest universities, free education, 2 year duration, Economics - Finally!, getting work permit won't be tough Cons- Not sure how good it is in Economics area, not even sure about job prospects upon completing or even getting accepted for research by other colleges I am inclined towards Aalto, only college where I have got Economics admit, but I am not sure if its worth it, my next preference in BSGE for big brand name and good course but again not sure if I will get a job even outside Europe. Please, Please! help and advice....

Yeah, it's one of those threads again ;) It looks like I won't get anything better this year and will need to opt for a Master's program and try again in 2 years, as some part of me anticipated. I have been already accepted by BGSE (with half-tuition fee waiver). I am waiting for Bocconi and even though I cannot know if I will be accepted or not, I need to take the risk and decide ex ante which school I'd like to attend. Given having been accepted by BGSE and Duke, I guess there is a reasonable chance of me getting in although funding may be an issue. I would appreciate help in helping me decide which school to pick. I don't have a location preference unless one of the libraries is much nicer then the other and provides a 24/h spa. I came up with this: Barcelona GSE Pros - Cheaper city - More international program - Possibility to continue to PhD at Pompeu Fabra - Administration seems very efficient and well organized, at least so far (reply to e-mails on the same day!!) - More rigorous coursework (?) Cons - Inflexible curriculum for PhD track - only a 1 year program which requires takes a year off before reapplying - Less time to make connections with Profs (trimester system vs. semester system at Bocconi) - No RA opportunity Bocconi ESS Pros - Seemingly better placements at PhD programs - 2 year program - more time to get to know profs - possibility to RA with profs - more flexible curriculum - tiny chance of spending a year at Yale PhD program Cons - some unnecessary burden like language courses and 'social sciences" courses obligatory - more expensive city - not such an international program - more money to be spent because of a 2 year program - many people continuing from Bocconi bachelor's program may have an some advantage in terms of being better acquainted with regulations, way of teaching, style of exams, etc., which will make it a bit harder to stand out Both universities have professors in whose research I am really interested. Bocconi: Alberto Alesina, Guido Tabellini, Eliana La-Ferrara, Roberto Perotti BGSE: Jose Garcia-Montalvo, Xavier Sala-i-Martin, Marta Reynal-Querol, Antonio Ciccone Both allow taking PhD courses. Any suggestions/comments/hints would be much appreciated.

Hey everybody, I am thinking about applying to the master program in finance at BGSE. I have an undergraduate degree in Math, and will have a masters degree in Economics in July.(two years masters degree in a European country) The university where I did my masters is one of the best in my country but not well known in Europe, but my profesors all graduated from USA. I still have the feeling that I am not ready for Phd in the Usa. I have a good mathematical background, also programming skills. My courses in the master program: micro, macro, econometrics, time series, international trade theory and politics, International Monetary Theory And Policies, Growth Theory, Development Economics and my thesis subject is about USA. I am interested in macro, econometrics, development, growth, financial economics. Since I will have a degree in economics, I will apply to the finance program. But I still want to take some courses from economics program. How many courses can I take in one semester at BGSE? I am planning to take 4-5 courses per semester. Besides the core finance courses, I want to take macro or econometrics or growth courses. Do you guys think it is manageble to take 4 or 5 courses in a semester? My other question is about applying to Phd programs in the USA. Most of the programs have deadlines in December. So can I take letter of recommendation in December, in three months? I will be 25 years old when I finish the program and I do not want to wait for a year! Have you guys heard anyone who succeded to get an admission after there months at BGSE? It seems that I would even not get the results of the exams in December. The other problem is that there is almost no time to apply the Phd programs whose deadlines are in January. I have the felling that my profile is not enough for a top-30 school. By the wayI can get good lor at any time from my profs now. I may do like this: I may begin the BGSE (if I am accepted!), use its reputation and lors of my profs now. I do not waht to do! I am looking forward your comments. Thanks

My goal is to obtain a PhD but I got rejected from all the programs I applied to. My strategy will be to do a Masters and then reapply for PhD programs. I recently got a very nice fully-funded offer from SFU. However, I also have a meager-funded offer from BGSE. I realize that BGSE is much better ranked and might open a lot more doors but I would have to spend a huge amount of money that I wouldn't have to spend in Canada, considering tuition + other costs. Furthermore, while both Vancouver and Barcelona are amazing cities I would love to live in, I'd prefer to live in Canada on a longer term. I've read that the BGSE Economics MA is a great way to enhance your profile and that, if you do well, you can expect to get some offers from decent PhD programs (i.e., non top 10, more like top 30). I've also read that some of the best students from SFU's MA got into top Canadian programs (e.g., Toronto, UBC). I think I have a FAR better chance of being at the top of my cohort in SFU. I'm talking top 3%, here. However, given that I'm an international, getting funded offers from top Canadian programs is really hard. Canada is my top destination of choice and I plan on applying to US and European programs too but I'm afraid that SFU is not very well known outside of Canada. Right now I'm leaning towards SFU and I only have 4 days to decide. Do you think I'm making the wrong choice? What would you do?

Hi all ! I have just been accepter to master ITFD (international trade finance and development) from BGSE starting in September 2012. It's quite a late acceptance, I think I am going to accept but needs some inputs if some of you have done this master or know it : - reputation / seriousness : my first choice was master in economics, whom I know the international reputation is excellent. I didn't have much time to get feedback from ITFD master, but the courses don't seem very different, with a specialisation more oriented toward international trade of course, what pleases me as well. Do you know more about its international reputation ? - quantitative courses : I am from engineering background, and am curious to apply quantitative methods in macroeconomics. Same questions than previously : is this master good for those who like quantitative things ? - job placement : moreover it would be nice to have some examples of typical professional placements. I am interested in consulting in economics, banking sector, and international organisations. If you have some inputs, many thanks in advance !

Received offers from those 2 programs - which one is better to choose?

Hi all I have got my AD from BGSE in Econ, and prepared to apply for the Tilburg CentER Mphil program, but I am not so sure about which one is better in the field of economics in terms of opportunity to persue a PhD in U.S future

Hi, I should introduce myself briefly. I have been lurking on these forums for some time. I have a great BSc Econ from my local university, which is not famous for econ, other than in some sub-fields. I am enrolled to the MSc Econ program at the same university, but mostly because the structure is quite lax, allowing me to follow courses at other universities for free. My academic interests are agent behavior, interaction and the implications of imperfections, especially information problems regarding credit markets. While I do not dismiss the framework of rational agents, it many cases it is probably misleading. Recently, I have been studying evolutionary game theory, reciprocity and similar stuff. I will attend one of the following MSc programs next semester. Only the first is confirmed, but I believe I have a good shot at the other ones as well: MSc in Economics and Psychological Sciences at Warwick MSc in Economics/Economics Policy at UCL (they have some nice elective courses and Binmore is teh Awesome!) MSc in Competition and Market Regulation at BGSE. The program counts toward my vanilla MSc Econ from my local university. It should also be noted that being Scandinavian, I am quite a bit more fond of small classes with the possibility of concurrent discussion than ``traditional'' lectures. My medium run goal is to get a Ph.D. from a European university or American university, dealing specifically with microeconomics as briefly described above. My Unreachable Dream™ is probably the CalTech Social Science Ph.D. program. One ought to aim high, eh? Given my interests, my background and my goal(s), I would greatly appreciate specific advice on which program to follow or just general advice. Thanks in advance, Rasmus