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Hi everyone! I'm currently in the process of preparing my applications for Econ Ph.D. programs to start in the fall of 2022. However, I don't know if my profile is strong enough to get into a good program (T50 is my target). So here it goes! Please let me know if you believe this will be enough or if I'm most likely doomed to fail. Bachelor's degree in economics with minor in public policy. I hold a master's degree in economics. BA GPA: 4.26/5 MA GPA: 4.5/5 I did generally well in my math courses, but I slipped during my first semester and that worries me. Will that cost me the chance of getting into a Ph.D.? Differential calculus (first time): 2/5 Differential calculus (second time): 4.24/5 Integral calculus: 4.2/5 Calculus 3: 4.4/5 Probability and statistics: 4.3/5 Math for economists: 4.1/5 Real analysis: currently taking this class My thesis got a 5/5 grade and is now published as a working paper. My second publication is a book chapter (co-authored along with three other people) published by a university. I have done mostly RA work. Two years in an economics consulting firm and 1 year in an economics think tank (currently working here). I believe my LORs are pretty strong: my thesis advisor, one of my MA thesis referees, and one of my former bosses. All three hold PhDs in economics from good universities and are known in their fields of work. Since I'm from a non-English speaking country I took the Toefl test and got 120/120. GRE: in September All feedback and comments are more than welcome. .

PROFILE: Type of Undergrad: BA Double Major Economics and Mathematics, private school ranked 50-100, nothing special. Undergrad GPA: 4.0 Math Courses: calculus 1-3 (A), linear algebra (A), intro stats (A), discrete math (A), real analysis (A), complex analysis (A), applied combinatorics (A), math modeling/analysis (A), intro software development (A), intro data science (A), abstract algebra (A), theory of probability (A), statistical methods (A) Undergrad Econ Courses: intermediate micro/macro (A), int'l currency markets (A), behavioral economics (A), sports economics (A), growth & development (A), econometrics (A) Grad Econ Courses: graduate micro (A), graduate macro (A) Letters of Recommendation: two strong letters from respected econ professors at current program who can speak to research I've done in their classes, one very strong letter from chair of math department Teaching Experience: TA for Calculus 1, Calculus 2, Intro Stats, and Theory of Probability (3 full semesters) Research Experience: $3,500 research grant -- used for data for my Undergraduate Thesis. 2 other excellent econ papers that I've written for class. Worked at the CEA as a intern, assisting economists with their research Research Interests: Development, Health, Energy/Environmental SOP: Very well written. Mentions my specific research interests and professors for each school. Also includes a possible research proposal for my dissertation. Other: Skilled in Python, R, Matlab, LaTex, and Eviews. Provided link to my GitHub account with evidence of work in each. I am applying to 16 PhD programs and 2 masters programs (LSE and Paris). Half of the PhD programs are top 20, the other half are 20-50. What are my chances? I am extremely worried and am considering applying to more safe schools. Thoughts?

Hi Guys As a newcomer to this forum, I just wanna say hi to everyone. Well I am not exactly new, I've been reading the posts for like ages. Okay Let's not further digress, below is my profile. Type of Undergrad: UCL BSc Mathematics with Economics, Top 5 UK and Top 3 UK for Economics, graduation June 2020 GPA: 80+, First class honours GRE: 164 V/ 168 Q/ 4.5 AW Maths Courses: Analysis 1 and 2 (Sequences, Series, Continuous Functions, Differentiation, Riemann Integrations) Complex Analysis (Analysis 3), Real Analysis (Baby Rudin, Metric and Topological Spaces, Compactness, Continuity, ODEs） Measure Theory (To be taken) Measure Theoretic Probability (To be taken) Functional Analysis (To be taken) Methods 1 (Think US calculus 1) Methods 2 (Think Calculus 2/3 + Intro to Python) Methods 3 (Vector Calculus, Fourier Series, Calculus of Variation) Computational Methods (Numerical Techniques in numerical linear algebra, and the design, implementation and analysis of relevant algorithms, based on Python). I plan to take one or two further modules in that direction. Economics Course: Economics Combined Studies 1 (Intro and Intermediate Micro/Macro) (Full Year), Economics Combined Studies 2 (Intermediate Micro/Macro with the Micro portion based on Varian's Microeconomic Analysis). Research Experience: This would be the place that I am currently working on. I plan to do a thesis in Economics next academic year (full year). I have published two blog posts and one articles in UCL economics tribune, a peer reviewed Economics journal unknown internationally. I will also work in a research placement with an internationally well-known prof in Shanghai, China, in a top Chinese school. Recs: None of yet. I plan to get a rec from econ dissertation, a rec from the prof I would work with and a rec from a maths prof i will be working with in the third year. That is all for now, I would greatly appreciate it if you guys can provide some suggestions on the ways I can improve my profile. Thanks much!

So I'm about to take a class called "Linear Algebra and Real Analysis" through Harvard Summer School to meet both the multivariable calculus and linear algebra prerequisites for most of the econ masters programs I want to apply to + to show that I've gone a little beyond that with the real analysis portion. The class is the equivalent of Math 23A in Harvard College and it's the class the Harvard undergrads take after calculus II if they have an advanced (for their level) math background. I've seen good reviews of the course here (apparently it's very hard and very intensive) and the professor claims that AdComs like seeing the course in people's transcripts. My worry is that if I take this course I won't have a class called "multivariable calculus" or "calculus 3" in my transcript. Will that be an issue?

Type of Undergrad: Top 50 Liberal Arts Colleges, Econ+Math (double major), Political Science + History minors Undergrad GPA: 3.92 Type of Grad:n/a Grad GPA:n/a GRE: tbd (Non-US citizen) Math Courses: Diff Calculus (A), Int Calculus (A), Multivariable Calculus (B+), Logic & Proofs (A), Linear Algebra (A), Differential Equations (A) Probability Theory (A), Real Analysis (A) Econ Courses: Intro (A), Intermediate Macro (A-), Intermediate Micro (A), Statistical Analysis (A), Econometrics (A-), Development (A), International Financial (A), Crime (A), International Pol. Econ. (A), Education (B+) Letters of Recommendation: 1. Prof who taught me for 4 courses 2. Prof who was an RA for + econometrics + senior thesis 3. I haven't decided Research Experience: Will write senior thesis, RA for a year Teaching Experience: Tutor Concerns: A- in Econometrics + B+ in Education + B+ in Mult. Calculus during the same semester, when I had multiple deaths in my family. Would that hurt my application too much? What about coming from an LAC with no grad-level classes? Questions: Where should I be aiming? What schools in this range have a particularly strong program in Development/Labor?

I'm an undergraduate who will be taking the PhD micro sequence at my school (top-30 US econ) beginning in the fall. My school uses MWG; I've purchased the book, as well as used copies of Sundaram and Simon and Blume for reference. Any advice you would have as I go through these difficult classes? For reference, some relevant classes I've taken include Intermediate Micro, Calculus I-III, Linear Algebra (Proof-based), Mathematical Probability Theory, Mathematical Statistics, Analysis I, and Topology (all As).

I am working on strengthening weak math grades. I recently took Real Analysis and Linear Algebra I via Harvard Extension school, and next on my mind is probably retaking multivariable calculus. Harvard Extension doesn't offer it this semester, and so I am exploring other options. There is a multivariable course at UT-Austin extension (Sequences, Series, and Multivariable Calculus | University Extension | The University of Texas at Austin) is there any benefit of waiting until Harvard offers it again, or can I take it at UT-Austin, or some other school for that matter, and not risk any eyebrow raises for the sake of reputation ad bouncing around different schools? This course is also self-paced which is a pro for me, I'm not sure if ad coms would be aware of that distinction. Any other courses you know of that you'd recommend? As an aside, there is also a more advanced analysis course at the Harvard extension school this semester called "Real Analysis, Convexity, and Optimization" that seems relevant but I'm not sure if I need to do that as a form of going a bit above and beyond, or if I can stick with the basics of fixing my previous bad grades.

Is a full year sequence in analysis important for signalling? The course I'm considering not taking is the second course in our analysis sequence and has the following description: "Multivariable calculus , including differential mapppings, the inverse and implicit fucntion theorems, integration in higher dimensional space, fundamental theorm of calculus, Lebesgue measure, Fubini's theorem, change of variables formula and Fourier analysis."

Hi people, I plan to apply to a master degree in Europe next year, and would be pleased if you could help evaluating my profile :) Undregad GPA: 8.2/10 (standardized). I graduated in 7th out of 75 people on the class, from a top 3 economics school in Brazil (Insper). Grades: Calculus: A/ Calculus II: B/ Statistics: A/ Statistics II: B/ Econometrics: A/ Econometrics II: B Recommendation letters: I intend to take from tearchers from my university, but I don`t think I was the most memorable student. GRE: Haven`t done yet, but I think I will do well PROS:I`m currently working as a professional economist in the largest investiment bank in Latin America (2 years). CONS: I did not well in my last year (my thesis was a D, for instance). That`s because I was more interested in working at that year than in my thesis. I was thinking about Msc in LSE/ Mphil Oxbridge. Do you think I got a chance in any of them ? If not, what about Barcelona GSE MEF, and Bocconi Msc in Economics and Social Sciences ? Tks!

The math courses I hope to have finished by undergrad end are: - calculus sequence (single var, multi var, linear algebra/differential equations) - linear algebra - real analysis 1 and 2 - probability (calculus based) - statistical inference - mathematical statistics - stochastic processes - probability (measure theoretic) Is there an important math class that I'm neglecting? Are any of these functionally irrelevant for applications and should be replaced?

PROFILE:Undergrad: Top 15 universities in mainland, ChinaMajor: ChemistryUndergrad GPA: 3.3+GRE: Hasn't taken yetTOEFL: 103Math Courses: Calculus I: B; Calculus II: B; Linear Algebra: ANo Econ CoursesNo Letters of Recommendation; No papersOther: Participating in an chemistry lab program, likely to have promising results.Questions: 1) I have not taken any econ courses due to some limits in course registrations in my undergraduate school. What should I do to compensate for the loss in my professional background?2) The next school year is my third school year. I‘m considering enrolling an visiting program in the US. Is this helpful?3) What are the specific requirements of being admitted as an PhD student in econs at a top university in the US? Or what's the preferences of those universities?

hi all, I'd like to get evaluations on my math grades as to how they are for applying for RA positions (positions on nber, siepr, etc.), and advice as to which electives to take. So far: Calculus I (A), Calculus II (A), Calculus III (A), Multivariate Analysis (A), Matrix Algebra (C, B), Linear Algebra (A), Abstract Algebra (A) ,Introductory Proof course ©, Discrete Math (B), Differential Equations (B), Linear Programming (W,A), Real Analysis I (A), Real Analysis II (A), Advanced Probability (A), Statistical Inference (A) Topology (A) How does this look? I was struggling a lot but I managed to pull my grades up in more advanced courses (got As the past two semesters). I was told by others at my school that I have solid research/programming experience, but will add onto here if needed. But for now, I'm just wondering if my math grades will give me a trouble in applying for the RA positions (my GPA is around 3.65 I believe). Also any advice as to which electives to take? (in need of 1 or 2 more) Thanks!

Please advise on the competitiveness of my profile. Undergrad: Economics at UofT with cgpa of 3.0. Did many econ courses including advanced micro and macro (B+, A-), introduction to econometrics, and theory and practice of regression analysis (B+, A-), workshop course in economics research (A) Math courses: Calculus I (A+), Calculus II(A-), Calculus III (Multivariate, B-), Linear Algebra I and II (B, C-), Partial Differential Equations (C+) Graduate: MA Econ, York University, Canada. A- average ( 4 A's, an A+, an A- ,and 2 B+'s). Micro, Macro, Econometrics (all A's). Do I have a chance at schools ranked between 40 and 60 as per the US news week ranking. I am thinking of SMU, Iowa State, Rice, just to name a few?

As far as I know, not many schools require us to upload the course outlines of relevant courses. Also, it is not always the case that schools give us a spreadsheet to indicate textbooks/contents of the coursework. Although I am sure we can emphasise the rigor of courses somewhere in our application, how can we signal ourselves EFFECTIVELY? I mean: how can we increase the probability that Adcom really understand our coursework without official course outlines? (I think for spreadsheet of coursework, Adcom cannot always know even if somebody lies.) It is especially true for international applicants studying in an international school with non-conventional course titles. Examples in my school: - Foundation of Morden Math --> Intro to Proof - Stochastic Calculus --> Measure Theory + Stochastic calculus - Quantitative Methods in Derivatives --> Stochastic calculus/Stochastic Differential Equation - Empirical Finance --> Financial Econometrics Indeed, these course titles are not wrong, but just fail to (fully) highlight their rigor. Any suggestion?

I would be very thankful if someone could advise me on this? I'm interested in doing Phd in the area of finance. I don't have excellent acads though it is above average. My undergrad marks in calculus are not great due to very strict Mathematics department. I have mostly B grade. Should I take GRE Subject test in Mathematics to show that I can handle maths level in finance Ph.D. program especially calculus.

I'm a senior economics theory and policy major at a small private liberal arts college. My plan for after graduation was to go to Grad school for economics, but I feel as though that's been jeopardized by my recent failure to succeed in calculus II. I haven't received my final grade yet, but I can only imagine it will be in the the range of D+ to C (hopefully C). What should I do now?

Looking for advice as I try to finish up my SOP and begin applying. My goals are to land at a mid level research university where I can teach maybe 1 class a semester. Female applicant if that makes a difference. undergrad: 3.78 accounting and finance honors in each but no research cpa licensed gmat 750 q48 v45 Classes: elementary calculus, econometrics, business statistics, lots of finance classes using regression and modeling CAPM stuff self study: mit single and multi variable calculus LORs: 1 confirmed from a professor not heavy into research but has a few published articles super enthusiastic so hopefully a great letter, 1 from a lecturer who has took some phd level classes, last waiting on a reply from a research heavy professor if he agrees it would be an ok letter not great otherwise it will be from a former professor who did research in another field but stepped down from tenure to pursue teaching full time but who knows me very well. Im interested in financial and managerial stuff so wanting to find a school with a little of both. Topics of interest include earnings management and financial disclosure. List of schools are: penn state indiana pittsburg florida cornell osu? mich state need some more suggestions for schools since I want to apply broadly but I'm having trouble deciding on more. Thanks

Hello, this silly problem has me wondering.... help! Can someone explain please? Thank you! When the positive integer n is devided by 3, the remainder is 2 and when n is divided by 5, the remainder is 1. What is the least possible value of n?

Hi, I am currently a sophomore at Occidental College, a top 40 liberal arts college, studying International Relations and Economics, with a minor in math. I'm looking to get a PhD in Econ, but am worried that my low Calc I grade will hurt me. Should I retake it? As you can see I got a B- in Calc I, which hurts my econ GPA and my math one as well. If I retake it, both will be at a 3.7. Below are my stats: Major: Diplomacy and World Affairs and Economics, minor in Mathematics GPA: 3.43 (Doesn’t include grades in courses currently taking) GPA (Fall Semester, Freshman): 3.0 ((French 201 (C+) screwed it up)) GPA (Spring Semester, Freshman): 3.85 GPA (Fall Semester, Sophomore): 3.43 GPA (Economics): 3.42 (3.47 w/ an A- in Intermediate Micro) Principles of Econ I: A- Principles of Econ II: A- Intermediate Microeconomic Theory: A- (so far) Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory: B+ Economic Development: A- Calculus I: B- (should I retake?) GPA (Mathematics): 3.2 (3.47 w/ Calc II being an A-) Calculus I: B- Calculus II: A- (so far) Statistics: A- Planned Courses (Economics): Game Theory Applied Econometrics (Fall 2015) International Economics Senior Seminar (Honors) Planned Courses (Mathematics): Multivariable Calculus (Fall 2015) Discrete Mathematics (Prereq for real analysis) (Fall 2015) Linear Algebra Real Analysis Probability Mathematical Statistics Planned Courses (Computer Science): Intro to C++ (Fall 2015) Intro to Java I (Fall 2015) Intro to Java II and Intro to Computer Science Research Experience (Planned): Honors Comps in Economics Internship at Economic Policy Research Institute (South African think-tank) over Summer 2015 Summer Research on Campus Research with Polish Economics Professor (my mom knows the dean of a top twenty business school in Europe that I can do research with) GRE: not taken Target Schools: Top 30 – 50 University of Washington Georgetown George Washington University University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill Boston University University of California – Santa Barbara Rice University Reach Schools: University of California – Los Angeles London School of Economics Brown University Columbia University University of Michigan – Ann Arbor New York University

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.

I am an applicant for economics Ph.D. programs in Fall 2015. I didn`t take calculus 1,2,3 and linear algebra and I am trying to solve this problem within a year. I have two options as follows: (1) earning a high score of GRE Math subject, (2) taking math courses at University Maryland University College (UMUC). Would the high score of Math Subject will compensate my weak math background? How much do you think that taking expensive courses is more important then obtaining the high score of GRE Math? The UMUC provides online courses —distance learning— and issues official transcripts after finishing math courses. However, the problem is that tuition fee is $2,050 per a course. Taking 4 courses, calculus 1,2,3 and linear algebra, will cost $8,200. Let me explain more about my background as Korean student. I could not officially take basic math courses in my university, because my limited credit allotment in undergraduate school as a law student, and strict graduate school policy that does not allow its students to enroll in low level mathematics. I enrolled in a separate, private institute to study linear algebra, advanced calculus, and differential equations, and I am virtually strong at mathematics. Moreover, I have two strong LORs that guarantee my math skills. The first letter of recommendation is written by an economics professor who taught me Microeconomics 1 (Graduate course). He has a Math BS degree from Seoul Univ., which is the 1st ranked Univ. in South Korea. He earned Ph.D. in economics at UCLA, and specialized in Microeconomics. The second letter of recommendation is written by an economics professor who taught me Mathematical Statistics (Graduate course). He earned Ph.D. in economics at the University of Florida, and specialized in Econometrics . My course list is provided below: UNDERGRADUATE COURSE Microeconomics = A+ Mathematics for Economics = 1st rank, A+ Chiang, Alpha, and Kevin Wainwright. Fundamental Methods of Mathematical Economics. Statistics for Economics = 1st rank, A+ Econometrics = A Gujarati, Damodar N.. Basic Econometrics. Macroeconomics = B+ GRADUATE COURSE Microeconomics I = 1st rank , A+ Mas-Colell, Andreu, et al. Microeconomic Theory. Mathematical Statistics = 1st rank , A+ Hogg, Robert V., et al. Introduction to Mathematical Statistics. Labor Economics I = 1st rank , A+ Law and Economics = A Econometrics I = B Greene, William H.. Econometric Analysis.

Hello everyone, I have searched and read many topics about what people on this forum recommend in terms of math classes for Acct. PhD. I was hoping some people who have graduated from a PhD or are current doctoral students could talk a little bit about what they would have done differently regarding math prep.I know the major focus of this forum is just getting into an Accounting phD but as a prospective applicant I am also worried about being able to graduate from it when I will be taking classes with Econ/Finance PhDs whose math backgrounds almost universally far exceed Accounting PhD Students. I have seen many posts in terms of yes its a personal decision and you have to weight costs of doing additional math/econ coursework before-- how would you classify the importance of having the following classes before beginning your phD ?? If you did not have these courses before you started your phD do you regret not spending more time taking them before you entered the program? Must have classes-almost universally recommended Calculus I Calculus II Linear Algebra Many recommend / Some say unnecessary Calculus III Differential Equations (??) Math Question Marks -- Do these classes provide any benefit? Finite Math Econ Question Marks -- How much benefit do these provide? Intermediate Micro Econometrics