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I am wondering if anyone has received invites for interviews for their PhD applications yet? When do they typically go out?

Hey all, this is my first reddit post so bear with me. I am currently in my my last year of my undergrad and I plan on doing a thesis based MAcc degree which I will complete in the summer. I am wanting to get a Ph.D in accounting and was wondering how much a lower undergraduate GPA might hold me back from that. My undergrad GPA is gonna be around a 3.3 and my masters GPA will be a little bit higher. I know that the GMAT is a large part of the application process, and I'm confident I can score 700 on that. I also completed 3 internships up to now, one in a small cpa firm and the other 2 in investment banking, I do not know if I need more work experience in order to get accepted into a program? So, based on what I wrote above, would it be possible to get into a decent PhD program after I complete my MAcc? I don't care much about getting into any really good schools, but i dont want to go anywhere where i wont learn the skills I need to be a good researcher. Finally, does anyone have any tips for the admissions process? I plan on applying to a really wide range of schools, but does anyone know which ones in particular i would have an expecially good chance at?

PROFILE: Type of Undergrad: BA Math and Economics, Ivy League (starts with P) Cumulative GPA: 3.51 / 4.00 GRE: 169 Q/166 V/4.0 AWA Math Courses: Calc II-Multivariate (A), Calc III-ODE ©, Calc IV-PDE (A-), Linear Algebra (A), Math of Finance (A), Real Analysis I & II (C/A), Adv ODEs (A) Stats Courses: Probability (A), Regression (A), Time Series (A), Stochastics (A), Math Stat (A-), Bayes (A-), Machine Learning (A-) Econ Courses: Intermediate Micro/Macro (A-/A+), Game Theory (B-), Adv Micro (A), Adv Game Theory (A), Economic Development (A) Letters of Recommendation: - Prof - Fed economist - Current boss (was previously an Asst Prof at a top-5, well-known in finance) [assume generally positive but maybe not superlative - all agreed to write without reservation. I honestly don't have a great sense] Research Experience: 2 years at Federal Reserve 1.5 years of independent work with an Asst Prof at a top-25 (couple of presentations, still WIP stage) Teaching Experience: None Work Experience: Internship at top DC think tank - economic policy 2 years at Federal Reserve 3 years Data Scientist at Silicon Valley tech/finance company, currently senior level (~200K salary). Have a couple of mathy blog posts which can be adapted for writing sample. Programming skills: R, Python, Scala Questions/Context: ​ Wondering how competitive I'll be at top 10. Also looking at business programs. Have low/mediocre GPA with some unfortunate Cs which I think is my biggest weakness. Should I do a Master's? I've saved enough (350K, no debt) that I can afford it easily. Honestly a PhD wasn't really on my radar until end of senior year, would have studied a bit harder had I known earlier

I would deeply appreciate any advice on how a person with my profile could become a competitive PhD applicant in the OB/ Decision Sciences field? I intend to apply for September 2022. Profile: Test Scores: GMAT: 730, GRE: Q165, V161, AWA:4.0 Undegrad GPA: 9.75/10, Integrated Master in Mechanical Engineering, unknown European Uni Graduate GPA: Accepted for September 2020 in some of the best MSc in Business Analytics programmes in Europe and in some good Master's in Management, still deciding which to attend Research Experience: Only my thesis in the undergrad, research on structural analysis project, peer reviewed conference Teaching Experience: None Work Experience: 3 years, 2 as a junior engineer in an international software engineering company, the role included research in a math/engineering field and programming. Programming skills: Python, C++ Schools: Not sure yet; I am interested in research that is conducted by faculty members in dream US schools but also in some schools within the top 20-40. Moreover I am considering LBS, INSEAD, Cambridge Judge and RSM in Europe. Not in all schools the department is characterized as OB but my research interest remains the same Research interests: - unconscious bias and discrimination in decision making, especially gender related - helping people making better decisions in their everyday life or in a business environment Usually these research interests fit with the OB department and require a psychology background. I try to figure out what would be the best way for me to improve my chances as a PhD applicant for these research fields since I have no social sciences related knowledge. I am open to all kind of suggestions e.g. pursuing a 2nd MSc after Business Analytics. Moreover, if you believe that my chances would be really slim and it would be better for me to find another field for research feel free to share these thoughts too. I would be excited to read your responses and thank you for the time you have dedicated to reading my post.

Do management/OB/strategy faculty in T50 departments have opportunities to consult on the side? Economics professors often serve as expert witnesses for litigation consulting firms. What are comparable options on the management side?

Hi All, I wanted to understand how different is the selection process & research for Business PhD in Managerial Economics versus getting into an Econ PhD. Need a better understanding for a couple of reasons: 1. Though my core interest in Developmental Econ & Public Policy, my profile won't get me into a Top 30 in Econ program. Going through research areas of profs and PhD students at Kellogg/Ross/Harvard - it aligns pretty well with what I would like to do (A lot of interesting areas with respect to institutions, countries, political science, decision making and more).For e.g: At Northwestern, there is Phd in Developmental Economics, and the MECS program at Kellogg lists Developmental Economics as an active research area. Same for Michigan Ross 2. How/what can I do improve my profile to get an admit - I don't want this to become a profile evaluation but want tips what one should do to get into such a program, I currently have: MBA from IIMA (top B-school in India) - I was in the top 15% of the batch but no masters/bachelors in Econ A grades in Economics related courses (except in Macroeconomics - I & never took Econometrics course) A good reco from a Harvard Econ Phd - did a Developmental Econ project under her in IIMA Planning to take RAship under an Econ prof for 18 months (10 months when I apply to colleges for Fall 2020) No other significant research credentials - one paper during undergrad in a low impact journal & currently in Digital Sales for a Technology firm for last 3 years Do courses from Coursera built credibility Explaining my maths courses becomes a little tricky coz it doesn't neatly map into the US system, but let me take a hack at it. At undergrad, three math courses (6 months each) - Calculus, Engineering Mathematics - II & III; This broadly covers Calculus - I & II, Linear Algebra, Polar Coordinates & a little bit of Statistics - Top 2 grades in all of them (the equivalent of As). At postgrad, three courses of Statistics - Probability & Statistics I, II, III - A in two of them, B in one of them. And there were quite a few math-based courses such as Decision Making, Labour Markets, Business Research Methods, Impact Evaluation Thanks. Your inputs will be helpful as I'm planning to apply next year (not this season)

Hi All, I wanted to understand how different is the selection process & research for Business PhD in Managerial Economics versus getting into an Econ PhD. Need a better understanding for a couple of reasons: 1. Though my core interest in Developmental Econ & Public Policy, my profile won't get me into a Top 30 (or 50 School). Going through research areas of profs and PhD students at Kellogg/Ross/Harvard - it aligns pretty well with what I would like to do (A lot of interesting areas with respect to institutions, countries, political science, decision making and more). For e.g: At Northwestern, there is Phd in Developmental Economics, and the MECS program at Kellogg lists Developmental Economics as an active research area. 2. How/what can I do improve my profile to get an admit - I don't want this to become a profile evaluation but want tips what one should do to get into such a program, I currently have: MBA from IIMA (top B-school in India) - I was in the top 15% of the batch but no masters/bachelors in Econ A grades in Economics related courses (except in Macroeconomics - I & never took Econometrics course) A good reco from a Harvard Econ Phd - did a Developmental Econ project under her in IIMA Planning to take RAship under an Econ prof for 18 months (10 months when I apply to colleges for Fall 2020) No other significant research credentials - one paper during undergrad in a low impact journal & currently in Digital Sales for a Technology firm for last 3 years Do courses from Coursera built credibility Thanks. Your inputs will be helpful as I'm planning to apply next year (not this season) P.S: Apologies if I'm breaking any posting guidelines - Did read through them and didn't find anything out of place here. Also, not a lot of information on Business Economics & Strategy programs (neither here nor in the PhD in Econ sub forum)

Hi everyone. I am applying for admission into Finance PhD programs starting Fall 2019. Here are my stats. Any thoughts on my chances of admission? Undergrad in Math and Finance (minor in Spanish): 3.7 GPA at state school Masters in Finance: 3.6 GPA at state school (still enrolled, GPA likely to increase) GRE: Quant 85th percentile, Verbal 80th percentile Math classes: -Calc I: A -Intro to Stats: A -Calc II: A -Calc III: C -Linear Algebra: A+ -Differential Equations: A -Probability: A+ -Math Stats w/ Applications: C- -Math for Finance: A Research Experience: planning to do Behavioral Fiannce research with well-known prof in Fall 2018/Spring 2019 Letters of Rec: 3 business professors Areas of interest: Investment Behavior, International Finance Neither BS or MS are at high ranking finance schools. Planning to apply to a range of school (top 100). If anyone has any advice or comments please let me know!

Hi, I'm a 24yo from India and I'm looking for help regarding my Marketing PhD application for Fall 2019. Background: I have a bachelor's degree in Sociology and an MBA in Media and Communications (both in the 7/10 GPA range). I have done really really well in my research methodology courses and dissertations. Work Experience: By Fall 2019, I should have over a year and a half of industry experience. Research: Currently, I have two undergraduate papers and one masters dissertation, but wondering if that might count as research experience? Hopefully I will have a paper presentation too by the time I apply. Test Scores: My GRE scores were 158V, 151Q, 4.0AWA but I'm retaking the test, hoping for a better score (aiming for 160+ on both and 4.5-5 in AWA). LORs: My LORs are pretty much sorted, I have good recommenders who I have worked extensively with. Why a Marketing PhD?: 1. My love for academia and research 2. I've checked the kind of work done in the consumer behavior track and it really interests me 3. My previous papers are in line with my potential area of study, both of which fit well into the consumer behavior track Help!: What I would really like help with, is understanding what kind of schools I should be applying to? I don't know if I should try for schools like HBS, Stanford. Do Columbia, Chicago Booth, Tepper sound more realistic? Also, what schools would you suggest I could apply to? What are schools looking for in an applicant? What should I do to strengthen my application? (Any other tips, advice is welcome!) Thank you in advance!

First time poster. Teaching and research have always been something I have wanted and I'm not getting any younger. Does anyone have insight into moving from industry (15 years doing software design and ERP implementations; M.S. in Information Systems Engineering) into a phd program?

Hello! I would like to share my own admission experience into the PhD in Accounting Program. I won't name the university where I studied or where I got admission, but I will provide enough details for you to evaluate your candidacy. My background: I got bachelor's degree in finance (GPA: 3.95) and MA in Accounting (GPA: 4.00) from a medium-level small town college in Missouri. As an international student, I have international work experience in 2 different countries, which are not my home-country. Plus, I passed all 3 levels of the CFA exam. GMAT: 650 Accounting PhD Program selection: You need to be realistic about your "fit schools", where you might have reasonable chance of admission. This warning is particularly for international students, who think that admission into top programs is easy and have unrealistic expectations. There are about 80 programs that offer PhD in Accounting and not all of them offer admission each academic year. So, there are about 70 programs to which you can apply. Ivy League Programs: Unless you are an Ivy League school graduate or have spectacular background (excellent work experience in top firms, published article as a master's student), do not consider top 10 programs. Where you got your bachelor and master degrees definitely matters. Is Master's degree required: Majority of current PhD students have master's degree and work experience. Although it is not required in most schools, lack of master's degree will make your admission tougher unless the applicant has really good work experience. Always Check Out Program website: If you want to know whether you are a good fit for the program, check out the backgrounds of current PhD students on program websites. That way, it will give you an idea whether that particular program is "right" for you. GMAT: I definitely recommend a score minimum of 700. It matters a lot and it will make you a better candidate. There is a great research done by the AAA which gives you statistics about the PhD programs. Just search AAA accounting program research and admission statistics (or questionnaire), you should be able to find it. It gives you information about each PhD program in summarized format. For example: Average GMAT of admitted students, average length of the program, archival/behavioral research track, completion rate and etc. By comparing your score to the average score, you can pretty much determine whether it is worth applying or not. Definitely use this AAA research as your guide.It is a questionnaire and programs answer standard questions. Math Background: Before admission, I didn't have any calculus background, which hurt my admission chance. Most accounting programs require at least Calculus 1-2 and Linear Algebra background. If you haven't taken these courses at college, don't worry. There are open course websites (like coursera.org) that offer free online lectures with a certificate with the successfuly completition of the program. American students have the advantage of taking Calculus courses in community colleges, but international students don't have this opportunity. Therefore, use the online sources and send the college the completion certificate. It will also demonstrate that you have a serious intention of pursuing PhD in Accounting. Some programs are more math intensive than others. Therefore, contact current PhD students for some hint. My strong recommendation: have Calculus 1, 2, 3 and Linear Algebra background. My mistake was that I didn't take any courses online so that I could include this information in my admission package. It definitely hurt my admission into some programs. I should have enrolled for free online courses like coursera.org and received certificate for at least Calculus 1 and 2 courses. CAUTION: Lack of calculus or linear algebra background won't prevent your admission. I contacted a current University of Missouri PhD student and he also hadn't had any Calculus background before admission. After gaining admission, he started taking courses at local community college. That being said, having the background definitely helps you. Work Experience: Most schools don't require it, but some do. If you have weaker GMAT score or don't have strong academic credentials (including the calculus background), then work experience might make up for the deficiency. The University of Missouri student that I mentioned a paragraph earlier had substantial work experience. I also had 3-year work experience. But this is not a make or break criteria. Contact Current Students and Even Professors: I recommend contacting students. They will give you more information and will be more sincere about the structure of programs. Professors might not respond or will give you standards responses. I haven't contacted professors, just the students. My Experience: I haven't applied into the Ivy League program. My top choice was the University of Missouri, where I couldn't get admission. I checked out the AAA questionnaire and applied into programs where I might have an admissino chance with my background and GMAT. GMAT matters a lot. The schools to which I applied had historical GMAT scores that are close to mine. Some of my schools: University of Missouri University of Kentucky Florida Atlantic University Florida International University Southern Illinois Univ University of British Columbia (Canada) University of Waterloo (Canada) My "safe school" was the Southern Illinois Univ, but surprisingly I didn't get admission into that school either :) But I received admission from a couple of schools mentioned above. Recommendation Apply into at least 5-6 programs because the admission is very competitive. Do not underestimate your competitors as there are great applicants out there. University of Missouri admitted a student with double Accounting/Mathematics masters. Thus, I had little chance with that applicant. Just Google phd in accounting program articles and read some of them. It will give you an idea whether this is seriously what you want to do. CAUTION: Not a single accounting PhD program has 100% completion rate. Most has 80%, which means there are students who drop out. Therefore, carefully research whether the Accounting PhD is right for you. Also, do not overestimate your skills: Pick a fit school for yourself. Although you won't gain admission into the program unless you are seen as "fit" by the accounting faculty, you might still get lucky. Therefore, be carefuly in your selection. Conclusion: I think this information should be enough. Always contact current PhD students if you have any non-standard question. They can tell you a lot from personal experience. Pick 5-6 programs: 2 programs with really good track record, 2-3 average programs and 2-3 safe choices. I didn't get admission into my top choice and the safe choice. I am still happy about my choice as I have done substantial research about the program into which I received admission. I also contacted current PhD students, which helped me a lot in terms of providing information. I wish anybody the best of luck! I hope all applicants that received admission will also successfully complete their respective programs. If you need more info, just contact the current PhD studens. You can easily find their e-mail on program website or request it from the department.

Hello, I will soon be applying for a finance PhD and would like to have my profile evaluated. I would truly apreciate any help. About me: Male, 24. From Colombia GMAT score: 710 (92nd percentile) Undergrad: B.S. In Business Admin (Finance & Economics emphasis) 3.75 GPA Grad: MBA - GPA 3.9 Recommenders: 2 finance professors and 1 economics professor. Not really strong but decent. I don't have a lot of options here. Research Interests (include but not limited to): Asset pricing, international financial markets, market microstructure, and behavioral finance. Schools I am targeting (I know this is not ideal but I am somewhat limited to the South East for family reasons) - Duke - UNC - GA Tech - University of South Carolina - University of Florida - University of Georgia - Georgia state - Georgetown Univ - George Washington - University of Miami Is Duke a long shot? What are my chances at the others? Any other feedback welcome.

Hi, Recently, I read several research articles: Effect of Service Transition Strategies on Firm Value (2008) Effects of Customer and Innovation Asset Configuration Strategies on Firm Performance Outcomes(2011) Trust at Different Organizational Levels (2008) Customer Loyalty to Whom? Managing the Benefits and Risks of Salesperson-Owned Loyalty Use of Relationship Marketing Programs in Building Customer-Salesperson and Customer-Firm Relationships: Differential Influence on Financial Outcomes. Thus, I think that I am interested in focusing on the organizational-level or marketing strategies, especially areas in relationship marketing , impact of those strategies on the financial performance of organization, and strategic reactions to the external dynamic environment. However, I am confused about choosing appropriate phd program. I am wondering if anyone is willing to please help me by clarifying several questions below and give some guidance. 1. Since few marketing phd programs show that they have the subarea "marketing strategy", how can I better define the area marketing strategy and find an appropriate phd program? Is it a correct way to divide marketing phd programs into three branches: Modeling, CB and Mkt strategy? 2. What are the major differences between mkt modeling branch vs strategy? What kind of math background should I have for each subarea? 3. What are the major differences between phd in marketing and in strategic management? If I am interested in marketing strategy, which program should I apply for?( strategic management or marketing)? I really appreciate your upcoming advice.

Hi , For a long time I have been roaming these halls of wisdom at Urch and I am super excited to be posting for the first time. I would greatly appreciate if I could get your inputs and reviews on my profile. My main concern is about how high and wide I should be applying ? Education : Bachelors in Civil Engineering - 74 % (Top 5% in my class ) - 2nd tier Indian University Masters in Project Management - Passed with Merit (69.4% very close to a distinction) - from University of Manchester (U.K) Research experience : a) Authored a technical paper during Civil Engineering and presented at 2 National level conferences (where I was awarded best paper presented in my category) b) Research conducted during masters on Project Management in Joint Venture Environments (was graded with a distinction for the same). Work Experience a) 1 year in a Big 4 Firm as a consultant : Reviewing Project Management practices for top firms across Manufaturing, Pharma and Power generation industries b) 2 years in an iOS (iPhone/iPad) Application Development studio as the Head of Operations : I am a one of the partners at the firm and have worked on everything including Programming, operations, business development, client relations and recruitment. c) Volunteered for 3 months in the UK, where I managed a project to train the unemployed to get jobs by gaining skills such as IT and cooking. Recommendations : One from my thesis adviser at the University of Manchester, UK One from my thesis adviser at my Undergraduate College . One from my professor at undergraduate college under whom I took various courses. Test Scores : I am studying for the GRE which is scheduled for mid November. During mock tests, I am averaging a 322; 164 Q and 158 V. But I am confident of getting to at least 168 (790) Q 162 V and 5.5 A. Target is 330 and 5.5 A. Research interests: I am pretty string at computer programming and project management methodologies. Also I do have a broad but informal experience in operations management. I am looking to pursue Ph.D in General management / Strategy / Entrepreneurship. I have always wanted to end up as an academic. My breadth of experience varies from startups to some of the biggest firms in India. P.S: Although I am very highly interested in research, my passion is for teaching. I have always enjoyed and loved to teaching / help my peers during my studies. Target Schools : CMU Tepper, Kellogs, Cornell, U Mich Ross , PSU-Smeal, UT McCombs, UT Dallas, UChicago-Booth, Fuqua , UToronto-Rotman , UYork-Schulich Age : 25 - I feel its the perfect time I would like your feedback on : - Do I really stand a chance at these schools? If not , which others should I realistically target? - Is my plan to get two recos from my undergraduate college professors OK? - Since my study and research experience are not entirely related to my Ph.D interest, will my work experience be sufficient to balance the deficit? Thanks

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Hi All, Recently came across this forum and thought I would put my profile out there for feedback on my admissions chances. I'm looking to apply to several schools this coming fall for a PhD in Organizational Behavior or Human Resources (somewhat dependent on the school in question). I am a 2008 Magna Cum Laude graduate of two honors programs of The University of Texas at Austin (Business Honors Program and Plan II Honors, both highly respected undergraduate programs). My GPA is a 3.88 and my GRE is a 1490 (720 Verbal and 770 Quantitative) and my senior thesis was selected as a model thesis (10 total selected, though mine was a creative writing thesis). I've spent the last 4 years pursuing a mix of volunteer positions (Americorps) and consulting (two top 20 firms in healthcare and environmental consulting). I've had a PhD in the back of my mind since late in my undergrad years and that voice has grown louder with time. I can't say that I have a dissertation topic locked down as I anticipate my interests could change some during the course of graduate study but some potential research interests include: 1) the effects of flexible working arrangements on employee retention and success for new fathers, 2) how results-only workplace schemes can drive bottom line results, 3) differences in long-term employment outcomes between external hires and internal promotions, and 4) career effects of formal mentoring relationships in the work place. I have a good list of extracurricular endeavors (mostly volunteer based) but am a little concerned that I have a handful of B's in some of my quantitative courses (Engineering route Calculus, Advanced Physics, and a few others). 60% (three out of five) of these occurred as a freshman, so I'm hoping the admissions councils will be understanding of that. Still, I'm considering taking a few graduate applied statistics classes to offset this potential weakness. Schools I'm looking to apply to include: 1) Cornell (not having visited, this is my #1 as I feel it lines up best with my academic interests) 2) UCLA 3) Berkeley 4) Northwestern 5) Virginia 6) Michigan 7) Duke 8) UNC 9) Minnesota 10) Vanderbilt I assume that I would have a tough time getting into H/S/W though if any of you disagree, please let me know (my ego will thank you, haha)! All feedback, constructive criticism, advice appreciated. Let me know if you would find any additional information useful.

Hi all, let me start by thanking all the people who have already contributed to this forum. As an intentional student aiming at top schools its very hard for me to get solid advice, so i really appreciated the time and effort put into this website. That said i could use some help evaluating my chances at getting into a business PhD program. My main interest is sustainable development and the ways in which it can be promoted through the business sector (green growth strategies, sustainable consumption and production, business case for sustainability ext.). Profile Undergrad - a top local uni BC's nutrition - a vary broad since BA emphesiysing chemistry and psychology and GPA: 88/100 (Top 25% in Class) strong grades in chemistry and biochemistry (97 and 100) genetics (94) fundamental and descriptive statistics (92) calculus (93) and psychology (several courses all over 90) dean's honor list. Graduate School MA School of Government, Diplomacy and Strategy ,Thesis track ( 4 students out of 200) GPA 92/100 (should be around 3.6, 3.7 no ?) not final. Thesis topic - cost benefit analysis for mandating green building standers GRE: 750 quantitative, 530 verbal (almost didn't study so might get higher quant if i do it again) Experience Research : 1 year - Milken Institute Fellow 2 years -research associate - Institute for Renewable Energy Policy 5 years with a privet company specializing in market research and public opinion poles,(Lead researcher and Project manager for the last 2 years) TA 3 years, various courses in government and public policy (internationally praised professor of ethics) 1 year , 2 MBA courses (Evaluating Environmental Performance of Corporations and Green Supply Chain Management) Professional 2 years Ministry of Environmental Protection, Planing and sustainable development division, worked mainly on : Green business strategy, Green building task force, sustainable consumption campaign, head speech writer for the minister Publications and Media 2 conference papers , Milken Institute publication, several newspaper columns, several TV interviews (including national news) as sustainability expert completing a paper for a peer reviewed journal ( but that might not be on time for the applications). LOR - all very strong my thesis adviser -a PhD from MIT, not a known scholar but one of time magazine's man of the year 2009... Director of Capital Studies at the Milken Institute, - has written several books on financial innovation and don't know who the 3ed should be from ? - could get a very strong letter from the Minister of environmental protection, or the Director general, on the other hand could get strong LOR from my MA dean (well known in political decision science), the professors i did TA for, what would be best ? Since this entire feild is somewhat new and multidisciplinary at core marketing, strategy, OB and public policy are all relevant depenting mostly on intrest of faculty members. Therefore I think I might have no choice but to apply to different specializations in different schools. ..... Could really use some advice on how my profile looks and what schools i have a good chance getting into. was thinking about Berkeley , UCLA, Stanford, Insead since they have an interest in sustainability. would love to go to Harvard and study under Paul Hawken but don't think its realistic. Thanks again for your time and help.. Tamara