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Hi all, Econ RA Guide | A community guide for research assistants in economics We'd like to share with you a community guide for research assistants (RAs) in econ. Nearly 40 (and counting) current/former RAs contributed to and commented on the guide. It is meant to be a community resource with info for aspiring students in econ on what RA positions are and how they can potentially apply to them and succeed as an RA. We'd love to hear from you: is this helpful? Do you have any suggestions? How can we circulate it and reach more people who might be interested? We want to make it a living document and will update it as we get more comments. Thanks all!

UG Top20 Math (3.9)+Science (3.6), overall 3.7 due to not studying -- partying too much during UG. No econ courses. I did well in UG real analysis and stochastic process, but I did not take any graduate level Math courses. Master Top 20 management, 3.7 due to not studying -- I am working and doing research at the same time. Some Econ courses but at the B-school level only. My work is policy related; not a top place/big brand. GRE: 160/167/4.5. I did not study for it because I got research to do. I can try to invest several weeks to score a 169 on V/Q but I guess it is unnecessary. Math Course: about 20 undergraduate level math courses, including calculus series, analysis series, linear algebra, algebra series, ODE, PDE, geometry, probability, statistics, stochastic process, math-fin. Mostly A with few A- and one B, 3.9 subject GPA Econ Courses: Business school econ courses, not PhD level, mostly A, one B. Research: One top field with revision requested. Two top fields submitted with AE/Editor coauthoring. One other working paper that could be tried to submitted to top 5. My research is between consumer theory, IO, policy, and a bit finance-related. Presented in top Economics/Business conferences (like AEA AFA) for five times. Letter writers: Currently one strong econ letter from a senior in top 5 (coauthor, regular meeting); one b-school letter from a senior top 5 (coauthor, met for several times); one strong stats/math letter from a senior in top 5 (coauthor, regular meeting last year); one letter from an econ AP (non star) from top 20 (taking courses only); one letter from an econ AP (non star) from top 20 (coauthor). May invest more time to find better letter writers. # of school to be applied: Honestly I don't know. If the number would not cause a problem for letter writers, then I would try to apply to as many schools as I can. Dream Schools: US top 5 or UK top 2 As a nontraditional applicant, I know that in top places UGs with perfect grade and a good thesis are preferred. So what shall I prioritize? Here is my list: 1. Revising papers 2. Submit to Top 5 3. Get another stronger letter in Econ/B-school 4. Write an impressive SOP to explain my experience, non-traditional background, and my poor grades 5. Improve GRE Does it sound reasonable? Thank you in advance for your advices!

Hi folks, I'm in a bit of a dilemma about choosing the best possible math courses, given my constraints, in order to improve my profile for econ PhD admissions. Would really appreciate your advice on this. Background: Undergrad from a ~top university in India, MSc. from a ~top university in Europe. Unfortunately, no separate math classes during my MSc. During my undergrad, we had two 'mathematical methods for economists' (MME) courses which provide some basic training on most of the math topics one expects before a PhD: calculus, probability, linear algebra etc. However, the MME courses are not nearly as rigorous as standalone courses like Calc 1, 2, 3; linear algebra etc. Through a process of trial and error, I've learnt that I need to show separate credits for these math courses in my profile in order to be eligible for atleast decent econ PhD programs (aiming mostly for the U.S). I've been an RA for a little more than 3 years now, have a published co-authored paper (and working towards more), and strong references from the profs I work with. So the non-grade aspect of my profile is in decent shape. I also got a 166 in the GRE quant, which I took in December 2021. Current status: I began with real analysis from UIUC's NetMath program and scored decently well (got an A). I'm now taking calc 2 from Westcott Courses, which provides a credit from UMass Global (not my first choice but had no other viable option at the time). Dilemma: I'm torn between taking calc 3 vs. linear algebra after I'm done with calc 2. Ideally I'd like to take both but I only have until December till some deadlines close. I'm leaning more towards calc 3 because my research statement/SoP leans a bit more towards asking questions that might require a theoretical approach, in addition to empirical tools. I've also had a lot of exposure to intermediate/advanced econometrics and statistics in the course of my research work as an RA, and I developed a working understanding of concepts where I needed to. I'm wondering whether this could partially compensate for the lack of a separate linear algebra course in my profile. TL;DR: I have two possible bundles of math courses for signalling purposes in front of admissions committees: bundle A = {real analysis, calc 2, calc 3} and bundle B = {real analysis, calc 2, linear algebra}. I'm leaning towards A because I'm hoping my research experience might indicate a bit more familiarity with econometrics/statistics, and the calculus in calc 2+3 is what I need courses for. I only have a few months and a full-time job so doing both calc 3 and linear algebra is near impossible without getting bad grades. Which bundle do you think would make the most sense? Would really appreciate your advice on this.

Hello I'm a 3rd year Business Administration (specialization in Finance) bachelor student from a top University in Netherlands. I am planning to attend a Masters degree in Economics that would be a stepping stone to a good Phd in Economics. My GPA right now is 8.98/10 in dutch scale which will translate to 4.0 in US scale (at least that's what I found in my uni website) The relevant courses I took are (*- All letter grades are taken form my unis approximate transfer matrix from Dutch to US grades) Economics/Econometrics (42 EC) - Intro to Econ 1 9/10 ~ A+* (6 EC) - Intro to Econ 2 7.5/10 ~ A (6 EC) - Intermediate Econ 9/10 ~ A+ (6 EC) - Behavioral Econ 8.5/10 ~ A+ (6 EC) - Social and Econ Policies - TBD (6 EC) - Economic Methodology - TBD (6 EC) - Applied Econometrics - TBD (6 EC) Maths/Quantitative methods (18 EC) - Statistics and probability 1 9.5/10 ~ A+ (6 EC) - Statistics and probability 2 9.5/10 ~ A+ (6 EC) - Quant research methods 7.5/10 ~ A (6 EC) - Linear Optimization models - TBD (6 EC) Plus additionally 42 ECs in Finance At this moment Cemfi, RoME and Bocconi grabbed my attention, what are the chances to get in / get scholarships. What other masters should I consider applying to if my goal is to get into top Phd in Europe or US? I know that I most likely cannot apply to top programs in UK as they require Econ degree and specify that Business Administration will not be enough. I appreciate any response! Thank you in advance

Hi guys, first off, I am grateful for the existence of this forum. What an invaluable resource! Okay so first off I was given a four year contract at perhaps the most reputable international organization in DC, it's always been my dream to work there, and through the experience as a Research Analyst and working there, I have realized I am excruciatingly unequipped for the career I would love to have as an Economist or Development Specialist. I have one more year on my contract and I have been trying to apply for other positions but I read the job description and I don't have the macro or macro skills required for the economist roles. I met with the leading Economist there in the region and he told me to go to a PhD in Economics and it would put me in a whole different league. I have come to believe him and would be passionate about pursuing something that would give me something fulfilling to do for the rest of my life. Economics was my first love, I have always been passionate about learning and doing it. Background: I studied Economics at undergrad, at an American University located in Africa. Achieved a 3.81/4.0 CGPA, Magna Cum Laude, and if not for devastating incidents and mistakes like not being told to read a particular textbook for exams and then 50 percent of questions coming from there, I would have done much better. I am really passionate about school. I went to Masters at the London School of Economics but I did not have a Masters in Econ. I got it in Economics and Risk which was from the Sociology Department, it was a take on economic sociology and using it to decipher an alternative way of analyzing financial risks and disasters that kind of thing. So I didn't take mathematics or statistics here, which makes me wanna just cry because I need math so bad for this Eco PhD thing. The math/statistic courses I took in undergrad are: Introduction to Statistics, University Algebra (not linear algebra), Pre-Calculus, Calculus 1, that's it. I got a B in Calculus but an A in the rest. I took difficult Econ courses and got an A in all Econ courses but 1 where I got a B. I want to apply to good Econ Phd Programs towards next year, the deadline is December and I am thinking of taking any classes necessary for admission in top economics programs the next three to four months. Please give me advice, I don't want my Econ dream to die, I am stuck at a place where a career in this is what I would love to work toward. I also don't wanna go back to Africa after a year because I don't feel I have much to contribute right now so with a PhD I would be able to work towards a clear path in my career. A career as an economist in IMF or World Bank is kind of my dream job. Today I met someone from the IMF who spent 6 and a half years on his PhD (extenuating circumstance) and got a job at the IMF through the EP program which I just think is amazing, all the opportunities and extraordinary work is so immense. I am sorry for this epistle I have written but basically I would please like to know how I can apply for a PhD in Econ for next year given my limited Math history and what I can do to surmount the challenges if there are any. Thank you so much.

GRE:TBD usnews top80 university in USA (usnews top30 grad program), public International application interested field: Applied Micro, Development economics. I am interested in everything from micro and empirical, and have I ever been exposed to theoretical research, so it is difficult to make a final conclusion. Master in applied statistic (IUG) GPA:3.83/4 Bs in econ and Bs in math GPA:3.72/4 math in major 3.67 econ in major 3.73 research: REU RA for a development econ assistant professor in my university -- basic data analysis and programming tasks -- going on -- 1 year RA for a statistic full Professor (College Graduate Education Associate Dean) at my university -- replication and expansion code, independent analysis data task -- going on -- 3 month Letter: two strong from the RA professor for sure, one pending Extracurricular and other activities: Working as a tutor coordinator in the economics club The academic training program of Economics depart will hold monthly seminars with different professors Statistics Consulting Training Camp Language: R, Latex, STATA, SAS, MATLAB, Python, ArcGIS, Git.... award: Dean's list, almost every semester My weakness: 1. During my sophomore year, I chose courses that were very hard for me, resulting in 7 late drops and 6 of them in my sophomore year. (I enrolled in the courses credits celling every semester!) 2. I have been trying the econometrics of the Honor version and web courses consecutively, so I did LD twice and only got a B in the end. Therefore, I have also taken many statistics courses to prove my abilities. 3. I got C+ in Intro Mathematical Analysis 1. B in intermediate economics. B in Intermediate Macroeconomic Analysis (Honors). 4. I don't have too much research experience. 5. International students face fierce competition. 6. No master thesis but have a writing sample supervised by my latter writer. UG-related core courses: Python intro, B Introductory Microeconomic Analysis, A Introductory Macroeconomic Analysis, A Statistical Foundations for Econometrics, A- Intermediate Microeconomic Analysis (Honors), A Intermediate Macroeconomic Analysis (Honors), B Introduction to Econometrics, B Environmental Economics, A Multinationals and the Globalization of Production, A- Special Topics: Applied Computational and Research Econ with R, A Advanced Microeconomics, master-level, A Microeconomics theory, Ph.D. level, TBD Calculus and Multivariable Calculus 1, 2, 3 A, B+, B Matrix, A- ODE, A Elementary Combinatorics, A Concepts of Discrete Mathematics, A- Real Analysis, A Introduction to Analysis I, C+ Probability Theory, A Mathematical Statistics, A Numerical Computations, B+ Mathematics of Finance, B Linear Programs, A Linear Regression, A Linear algebra, B+ Master courses: Analysis of Variance and Design of Experiments, A Statistical Consulting, A- SAS, A Design of Experiments, A Sampling Theory and Methods, B+ Applied Data Mining and Statistical Learning, A Design and Analysis of Clinical Trials, B+ ..........

hey guys, firstly thank you so much for taking the time to read my application. I plan to apply for econ phd in fall 2022. im just hoping to get a fair idea of where my profile stands and what unis i can target (north america) for a phd in econ. undergrad: irrelevant degree in English and English literature from a Chinese institution (RUC), gpa: 3.7/4 double major in econmics from another instituion (one of the best) from China (Peking University): gpa: 3.8/4.0 grad: masters in economics in Duke University. Current GPA: 3.957 research experience: I think my research experience is not much. 1) Several not-that-hardcore RA experience in undergraduate. 2) Currently working as RA for a law professor whose research area is corporate finance/law. The connection with him is close. 3) a research paper for (not that good I think) GRE: V:162 Q:170 AW:4.0 LORs: My current RAing professor would write one I think. Another may come from an econ professor who taught me in two classes. Maybe the third would come from my real analysis teacher who is a postdoc now. Courses: Math: Multivariable Calculus (A+); Linear Algebra (A+); Probability and Statistics (A); Intro real analysis (A); ODE&PDE (one course A+); Applied Stochastic Process (planned) Econ: Intermediate Micro(A); Intermediate Macro(A-); Intermediate Econnometrics (A+); Microeconomics-master level (A); Advanced Microeconomic Analysis-master level (A) Econometrics-master level(A); Applied Micro Econometrics-master-level (A-); Other Undergraduate Field Course: Financial Economics (A+); Development Economics (A-); Envrionment Economics (A+); Game Theory(B or B+) and etc. please do let me know where i stand, if i can do anything to improve my profile further and what my target and safety unis can be. THANK YOU SO SO MUCH!!! I am really anxious. :)

My profile is below. Thank you in advance for reading my post! Any input is greatly appreciated. Type of Undergrad: Honors BA in Behavior Economics from Chinese university (Top 5 of Chinese finance and economics colleges), 2016 – 2020. Undergrad GPA: 4.02/4.5 Rank: 4/23 Type of Grad: MA in Labor Economics from Chinese university (Top 2 of Chinese finance and economics colleges), 2020 – 2023. Grad GPA: 4.2/4.5 Rank:1/13 Research Interst: Health economics, labor economics GRE & Toefl: still working on it Research Experience: (All 3 have a high gold content） 1 project 2 RA Presentation: twice (one is an international forum, another is a well-known labor economics forum in China） Paper: 1 health econ paper (It is expected to be published as the first author in JCR 1） 1 public health paper Teaching Experience: 2021 – 2022: TA for Adavanced Macro Programming skills: Proficient in Python, Stata. Questions: There is an internship at the National Health Commission in China, doing research work in public health, and I would like to ask if it is of great significance for applying for a PHD? Given all this information, what rankings do you think I can get into?

Hi All! Does anyone have any idea how hard it is to get accepted to UIUC Econ PhD program as it's ranked among the top 30? And how are the admitted student profiles? Thank you in advance!

PROFILE: Type of Undergrad: First Class Honours Economics and Minor Mathematics at a Top 3 Canadian University Undergrad GPA: 3.54/4.0, 3.8/4.0 for Econ Type of Grad: NA Grad GPA: N/A Predoc: At another T3 Canadian University with relatively well known, albeit younger profs. GRE: 168 Quant (92nd percentile), 166 Verbal (97th percentile), 5.0 writing (92nd percentile) Math Courses: Calc 3 (D, B+, I'll explain later), Differential equations ©, Linear Algebra 1 (B+), Honours Linear Algebra 2 (A), Intro to Statistics (A), Probability (A), Statistics (A), Analysis I (A). Econ Courses (grad-level that I took as an undergrad): Game Theory (A-), Micro I (B+) Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Honours Intermediate Micro (A-), Honours Intermediate Macro (B+), Honours Intermediate Stats (A-), Honours Econometrics I (A); Honours Econometrics II (A), Honours Advanced Micro (A), Honours Advanced Macro (A); various econ courses outside the core classes, some honours some not (All A- or A). Other Courses: Foundations of Programming (A), Intro to Computer Science (A) Research Experience: two internships in economic policy with well known think tanks in Washington DC, part time RA for labour economist while in Undergrad, part time RA for a different labour economist at another institution during undergrad and summer after undergrad, part time RA on NBER project summer after undergrad, Predoc at a different top 3 Canadian University. Letters of Recommendation: All from professors I've been an RA for. Two have published decently however are quite young, another is more senior. Research Interests: Primarily in Urban, but also interested in Public and Applied Micro in general SOP: Going to talk about realizing my late interest in graduate economics in tandem with my upward performance in my grades. My GPA is bad because I wasn't very focused on school at the start. I started my undergrad as a geography student and got bad grades in those courses, the gen-ed freshman courses, and the math courses. I switched into econ 2nd year, enjoyed it, and started taking school more seriously and have gotten significantly better grades since (3.33 average for first two vs 3.84 average for final two years). Additionally, I got straight As in the math courses I took in the latter half of my degree (Honours LinAlg 2, Analysis, Probability, and Statistics) vs the B+ and C I got in the first half in Calc 3 and ODEs. Other: Deans list, 2019/2020 academic year. Received an award for being the graduating student with the highest academic standing in the economics department. Applying to: Would love some advice as to the caliber of school I should be applying to, open to anywhere in US, Canada, or Europe. A very tentative list would be Reaches: University of Pennsylvania, NYU, Columbia, Brown, UCLA, UCSD, Oxford Target: University of British Columbia, University of Toronto, USC, UC Irvine, Boston University, Queens, University, Maryland, UCL, Toulouse School of Economics, Georgetown, University of Washington. Safety: McGill University, University of Pittsburgh, CU Boulder, George Washington University. Is that list realistic? Should I shoot higher/lower? Are there other places I should look at specific to my research interests? Thanks in advance!

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!

PROFILE: Type of Undergrad: B.S. in Economics and Mathematics, large public school (USNEWS T15 Econ and Math) Undergrad GPA: 4.00/4.00 overall Type of Grad: Master's Grad GPA : 4.00/4.00 GRE: Not taken, but expected 160-164V & 168-170Q Econ Courses: Grad Micro Theory, Undergrad Micro, Macro, and Econometrics, Behavioral Economics, Grad Econometrics (in the fall) Math Courses: Calc I (AP), Calc-II(AP), Calc III, Linear Algebra, Diff. Eq, Upper Div Lin. Algebra (Honors), Undergrad Real Analysis (Honors), Probability Theory, Math of Finance, Stochastic Processes, Optimization, Grad Real Analysis (in the fall) LOR's: 2 LORs from top 2% RePEc, RAed with both for about a year and one is my thesis advisor. 1 LOR from one of my grad micro professors (was in the top quartile of the class) who also has a strong background (T10 PhD graduate and top 10% RePEc). Research Experience: Worked as an RA with Econ professor for as a freshman doing data work in Matlab. Currently doing my honors thesis on intellectual property and innovation, drawing from some concepts and tools in grad level micro. I got into a fellowship program under which I began this independent research work. Will most likely submit my thesis as a writing sample. Also interned at the Fed and did data and statistics work in R. Research Interests: Innovation, IO, Growth Theory Applying to: Mainly T10 US Econ but a few T20 Concerns : My research experience may be lacking. Also just not sure how much of a tossup the whole process is, especially when applying to T10.

I am an undergraduate aiming at top econ master programmes in 2019 and applying for PhD in econ or finance in 2020. I am now struggling between whether to write a thesis or take more math courses next year. My background: - Math/Econ courses completed/Under consideration Cal 1-3, Linear Algebra, ODE, Probability, Econometrics, Grad Econometrics, Stochastic Process, Numerical Analysis, Grad Computational Econ (something like numerical methods with econ application), Intro math analysis, Math Econ (proof-based course with econ application), PDE (All A/A- from a University in East Asia) - In fact, other than the thesis, I have to write a 13-20 pages paper (excluding graphs) next year. I do not count this as a formal thesis as it is only 2 credits, and a professor is guiding ~10 students as the same time. But I should be able to get a letter from this semi-thesis stuff. - Research Experience: Not at all now. Probably will RA for a professor this summer. If I have to write the thesis, then I have to give up one course above, probably PDE. Does anyone here have some advice for me??

Hi Everyone, I am a master student in Econometrics and Mathematical Economics at Tilburg University. I'm currently hoping to apply to Econ and Finance PhD programs for fall 2022. Hoping to get feedback on my profile to help narrow down the range of schools that I plan on applying to. Thanks in advance for the feedback. PROFILE: Type of Undergrad: B.S. in Economics from Beijing Normal University Undergrad GPA: 2.70/4.00 overall Econ Courses Bachelor: Principles of Micro(B), Principles of Macro(B), Intermediate Micro(B), Intermediate Macro©, Econometrics(B) Math Courses: Calc I ©, Calc-II©, Linear Algerbra©, Probability Theory (B), Mathematical Statistics(B) Type of First Grad: MSc. in Economics and Business, Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam Grad GPA :6.8/10(approximately 3.0/4, B) Type of Second Grad: MSc. Econometrics and Mathematical Economics, Tilburg University Highlighted courses: Data Science: 8.0/10(A); Microeconometrics:8/10 (A); Panel Data Analysis:8.5/10 (A) GPA: 7.5/10(approximately 3.5/4) Thesis: working, estimated grade would be 8/10 (A) GRE: Will take this fall LOR's: 1 LOR from my thesis supervisor. He's a recent graduated PhD, the letter would be strong as I am expecting, but he's not famous. 2 lecture LORs from an Econ professor. One of them is a very famous professor with 54 h-index and high ranking in the (microeconomics) field; another is an AP and she'll be my third choice. Both of these lectures are interactive lectures, I earned top ranking on both of them. However, I did not have the opportunity to know if the letter would be strong or not(but you know, how strong a lecture LOR could be). Research Experience: Thesis works Research Interests: Macro-Finance, Asset Pricing, Monetary Economics Applying to: Top EU Econ + few Finance programs and Boston College, listed below [TABLE=width: 0] [TR] [TD]Name of School[/TD] [TD]Program[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=bgcolor: #FFFF00]Tilburg[/TD] [TD=bgcolor: #FFFF00]F&E[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=bgcolor: #FFFF00]Tinbergen[/TD] [TD=bgcolor: #FFFF00]Economics[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=bgcolor: #FFFF00]Groningen[/TD] [TD=bgcolor: #FFFF00]Economics[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=bgcolor: #FFFF00]SSE[/TD] [TD=bgcolor: #FFFF00]E&F[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Stockholm U[/TD] [TD]Economics[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=bgcolor: #FFFF00]Aarhus[/TD] [TD=bgcolor: #FFFF00]Economics[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=bgcolor: #FFFF00]CBS[/TD] [TD=bgcolor: #FFFF00]Finance[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=bgcolor: #C9DAF8]BI[/TD] [TD=bgcolor: #C9DAF8]Economics[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=bgcolor: #C9DAF8]Glasgow[/TD] [TD=bgcolor: #C9DAF8]Economics[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=bgcolor: #FFFF00]Boston College[/TD] [TD=bgcolor: #FFFF00]Economics[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=bgcolor: #FFFF00]Maastricht[/TD] [TD=bgcolor: #FFFF00]Finance[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=bgcolor: #CFE2F3]Sfi-Lugano[/TD] [TD=bgcolor: #CFE2F3]Finance[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=bgcolor: #D9EAD3]Lund University[/TD] [TD=bgcolor: #D9EAD3]Economics[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Aalto University[/TD] [TD]Economics[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Barcelona GSE[/TD] [TD]Economics[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]INSEAD[/TD] [TD]Management[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Goethe University Frankfurt[/TD] [TD]E&F[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Admission holding: PhD. Economics, UT Dallas PhD. Accounting and Finance, U Strathclyde Concerns : Bachelor, first Grad and Math courses are a piece of ****, lack of publication. Even failed to get excellent GPA in second Master. Didn't have sounding research experience. I know my experience is a piece of ****, so if you think I'm not qualified to any of the listed school, it's always welcome if you can recommend me to somewhere I deserve other than hell. Thank you very much no matter you replied or just take a glimpse and read till here.

Hi Everyone, I am an undergrad hoping to apply to Econ and Finance PhD programs this fall. Hoping to get feedback on my profile to help narrow down the range of schools that I plan on applying to. I will also be applying to RA roles this fall in case this admissions cycle doesn't work out. Thanks in advance for the feedback. PROFILE: Type of Undergrad: B.S. in Economics and Mathematics from large public school USNEWS T25 Econ and Math Undergrad GPA: 3.80/4.00 overall ( 3.83 in Econ, 3.72 in Math) Type of Grad: N/A Grad GPA :N/A GRE: Will take this summer Econ Courses: Principles of Micro (A-), Principles of Macro (A), Intermediate Micro (A), Intermediate Macro (A), Econometrics 1 (A+), Econometrics 2 (A+), Market Design (A), Advanced Micro (A+), Global Capital Markets (B), Grad Micro Theory 1(Fall) Math Courses: Calc I (AP), Calc-II(AP), Honors Calc-III/Diffeq/LinAlg 1 (B+), Honors Calc-III/Diffeq/LinAlg 2 (A), Discrete Mathematics(A-), Real Analysis 1(A-), Real Analysis 2(A), Probability Theory (A-), Mathematical Statistics(A), Mathematical Finance(A), Abstract Linear Algebra(B), Numerical Analysis(A), PDEs(A), Grad Stochastic Processes(B+), Graph Theory/Combinatorics(Fall), ML/Data Science(Fall) LOR's: 2 very strong LORs from an Econ and Finance professor. Worked as an RA for 2yrs during the school year for the econ professor. Did independent Market Microstrucure reseach with well known finance professor for 1 year. Both have said they will be happy to write very enthusiastic letters. 3rd LOR will likely be from the prof who taught my grad stochastic processes class. Despite getting a B+ I scored a 90% raw and will be taking the ML course with him next fall. Went to his office hours a lot and he knows about my plans. Research Experience: Worked as an RA with Econ professor for 2 years. Currently working on a paper with him. Wrote a lot of python code on my own and did statisitcal analysis in R. Independent research in market microstrucure with well known finance professor. Lots of python and SAS code for the finance research project. Wrote an independent paper for this work. Also worked as an RA for 1 year doing survey design related work. Research Interests: Finance, IO, Market Design, Micro-Economic Theory, Metrics Applying to: T20 US Econ + few Finance programs Concerns : Lack of publication and few Bs in relatively important math courses. I am hoping the letter from my math professor will rectify the latter but I wasn't sure. Other info: Graduating in December 2021. I have 2 summers of work experience as a SWE in a FAANG company.

PROFILE: Type of Undergrad: B.S. in Economics (Major) with Math (Minor) from the US; ranked 83rd in Economics (US news) Undergrad GPA: 3.92/4.00 overall ( 4.00 in Econ, 3.87 in Math) Type of Grad: Phd Stream M.A. in Economics from Top - 4 Canadian Grad GPA :4.33/4.33 GRE: GRE: Q168 / V165 / AWA 5.0 Econ Courses :Principles of Micro (A+), Principles of Macro (A), Intermediate micro (A+), Intermediate Macro (A),Econometrics (A+), Mathematical Economics (A), Game -Theory (A+) Experimental Economics (A) and more (all A's) Math Courses: Calc I (A-), Cal-II(A), Multivariable Calculus (A+), Abstract Algebra(A+), Probability theory (A), Mathematical Statistics (A-), Linear Algebra (A+), Differential Equations (B+), Intro Real Analysis (A+), Complex Analysis (A), Numerical Analysis. (WP),Phd Math Econ ( A+) Econ Courses (grad-level):Phd Micro -Theory (96/100), Phd Macro Theory (91/100), Phd Econometrics (95/100), Phd Mathematical Economics (92/100); Phd Micro-II, Phd-Macro-II, Phd-MetricsII (in progress) LOR's : All from Grad Professors(Brown,PennState,Minnesota) Should be good because I was at the top 5% of the their classes. Research Experience: 7 years working at an International Research Institute back in home country + part-time lecturer at reputed private university in my home country. Research Interests : Macroeconomics, International Trade Applying to : Top 2 Canadian , Top-25 US. Concerns : Lack of publication, time lag between undergrad and grad. Aiming too high ? Love my current grad school and will only make a shift if there is a better offer from a higher ranked school.Would love to get into Minnesota because I am a Macro guy. Any comments/suggestions would be highly appreciated.

Hello All, I hope this post could interest some of you. I would like to get some insight into the matter of transferring undergrad institution. To briefly provide my background: My goal: get into the best possible Ph.D. in economics program (>=T30) My current institution and My current plan: get BS in Math/Stat + Econ minor (Purdue, Math/Stat>T30, Econ T40ish), and get MS in Stat in the same institution (all completed in 3 years from now). If I transfer: (if I get in) Brown, Cornell, Umichigan, Claremont McKenna (T10 LAC) ECON or Math/Stat or both (I only can apply to these institutions because I will be transferring in Spring 2022) If I transfer, I plan to just complete my BS and apply to ECON PHD programs, and the cost would be roughly +$100,000 from my original plan (completion estimated time would be 2.5 years from now - half year decrease from my original plan). So, I would like to ask you all if I should transfer (of course, given that I get in) to those institutions or not. If I do transfer, I would be able to take more courses as undergrad since I will have completed quite a lot of math/econ courses at Purdue. I question is focused on "would transferring worth it (better chance in getting into better program & given the cost)?" I "can" afford the additional cost, but it would be quite a burden for my parents of course. Please provide me with some insight into this matter. I would appreciate any comments on this. I hope I could be able to make the decision based on your comments. Thank you. ++ Just to add, I would also like to know some thoughts on Duke MAE. So, if I were to pursue Duke MAE after graduating Purdue (BS Math/Stat + Econ Minor), it would take 3 years from now to complete it, and it would be roughly +$150,000 from the original plan. Does anyone think this might be the best option among the three (stay at Purdue and do MS Stat OR Transfer (no MS) OR Purdue+Duke MAE)? I know I kinda rambled on, but please help me out. Thank you, all.

I am from fourth or even fifth world country (considering the courses in my BA in Econ). I have taken only one math-related course: Linear Algebra with the mix of real analysis and one probability+math-stat course in my Econ BA. So, what can I do to cover up my gaps in terms of math? I've been admitted to Europe Econ master's but there PhD-level (mathematically rigous I think)courses starts from second year, at the time of my US PhD application I would not have taken those serious courses in MA.

Hello everyone, I got an offer for an econ-finance 2 year pre-doc starting this fall. I am finishing my master's now from a (very?) good European university with good but not outstanding grades. I have both RA and TA experience and a couple of publications from my time as an RA. I was thinking of applying to Econ PhDs next year and work as predoc/full time RA while applying. I think I would get very good recommendations and like the place and profs, but is it worth waiting two years, considering I already have a master's and RA experience? At the same time I have no other offers so I don't know whether I am confident enough to decline. Any thoughts?

Education: Top 10 undergrad, majoring in CS and Statistics Test Scores (GRE): 170Q, 168V Undergrad GPA: 3.9 (Major 3.85) Research Experience (my weak point): 1. RA for graduate student my freshman fall 2. Relatively weak independent study my senior spring Teaching Experience: 1. Three semesters as a TA for a CS class 2. Online course development 3. Grader and tutor for multiple departments Work Experience: trader intern at top firm (2x), quant intern at top bank (2x) Relevant classes: 1st semester of PhD microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics, all A's. several applied statistics and ML classes, through the graduate level, all A's. several theory and asset pricing undergrad electives, all A's. Target programs: Duke MA Econ UW Madison MA Econ Columbia MA Econ UIUC MA Policy Economics Penn State Econ MA NYU Econ MA Cornell AEM MA UM Twin Cities AEM MA Vanderbilt GPED MA International student and will apply after working, so I can't do a predoc instead of a masters.

Okay. Not here to argue with anyone, but the pointers below should be addressed in order to have at least a functional PS/SOP for your econ PhD application in my humble opinion. If you disagree, it's all good. Hopefully people will find it useful. Point 1: State clearly that you are interested in pursuing a PhD in Econ and what you envision yourself doing with your Econ PhD (becoming a researcher should be the main goal). Point 2: Elaborate why you are prepared from an academic point view in terms of classes. No need to list all of your classes, but stress that you have the proper math training. Point 3: Talk about any research experience. Here, please do not go into too much detail on exactly what you did, but instead focus on the fact that you know what research is like, but also know that you still have a long way to go until you can conduct independent research. And a PhD will help you become a better researcher. Point 4: Any other preparations you have done to prepare yourself and your field interest. Explain why. Point 5: Why the school you are applying to is a good fit and if applicable, what you bring to the table. Why are you different from any other applicant. Conclude with the fact you would like to become a qualified researcher.

Hi, I'm planning on applying to Econ PhD programs in fall 2022 (for fall 2023 start). I am targeting top 50-150 schools, plus a few stretch schools and a few business and public policy schools with econ focus. I'm a working professional and my math is quite old, so I'm going to be taking courses over the next several semesters. My plan is MV Calc, Linear Algebra 1&2, Stats 1&2, Analysis 1. How much does it matter where I take these courses? I live in Atlanta so have Perimeter College (community college), Georgia State, and Georgia Tech. Tech is a lot more expensive (and presumably harder?) - how much would that help an applicant? My working thought is to go with Perimeter + GSU, and spend my extra hours trying to do research with an econ professor at GSU next summer. Thanks for any advice!

So after over a decade, I am back to this forum. Very surprised that my profile still remains and my password works. I initially found this place and joined back in 2005 (yes you read that right), when I was a junior investment banker, and a year later I started the life changing adventure of getting my Econ PhD. For what it's worth, I want to share the courses I took as an undergrad and also rank (with the advantage of hindsight) how helpful each course was to my PhD pursuit. Perhaps this would help some with their course selection. In a separate and tangentially related note, the PhD has given me what I wanted out of it and more, but if you managed to read through a lot of my old posts, you would have guessed correctly that what I wanted out of my PhD was quite different from the norm in the first place, but that's a different conversation. I still publish academically for fun, but am not a full time academic. Good luck to all and good to be back. So below are the courses I have taken as an undergrad, and the numbers next to the course names are my assessment of how useful they were for PhD courses. 5-Must have 4-Good to have 3-If the instructor is influential enough in the field 2-Not that helpful 1-Not useful but had to take it for graduation First year fall quarter: Elements of Econ Analysis 1 (intermediate micro I), 4 Philosophical perspectives 1, 1 Calculus-3, 4 Stat Meth and Applications, 5 First year winter quarter: Elements of Econ Analysis 2 (intermediate micro II), 4 Elements of Econ Analysis 3 (intermediate macro I), 4 Philosophical Perspectives 2, 1 Analysis in Real Numbers 1, 5 First year spring quarter: Elements of Econ Analysis 4 (intermediate macro II), 4 Econometrics A, 5 Philosophical Perspectives 3, 1 Analysis in Real Numbers 2, 5 Second year fall quarter: Introductory game theory, 3 Analysis on real numbers 3, 5 Basic Algebra 1 (honors), 2 Power, Identity, Resistance 1, 1 Second year winter quarter: Colonization/servitude/slavery, 1 International Trade/Economic Growth, 3 Basic Algebra 2 (honors), 2 Power, Identity, Resistance 1, 1 Second year spring quarter: Introduction to Finance, 3 Basic Complex Variables, 2 Intro to math probability, 5 Power, identity, resistance 3, 1 Third year fall quarter: Art of China, 1 Theory of Income (PhD level macro), 3 America in Western Civ 1, 1 Third year winter quarter: America in Western Civ 2, 1 Point Set Topology, 2 Ordinary Differential Equations, 4

Hi, everyone. It's been such a tough cycle. As someone who is going to apply this fall, I would love to know how you guys think my chances are for T20. Thank you everyone for your comments. Type of Undergrad: Small private undergrad USNEWS T20 (T50 grad econ department tho) Undergrad GPA: 3.78 Type of Grad: NA Grad GPA: NA GRE: 165v+170q+4.5aw Math Courses: Analysis I and II (both As), Econ Stats(A), Intro to Proofs (A), Linear Algebra(A-), Cal I-III (As), Regression Analysis (A), Grad level Real Analysis (plan for next semester) Econ Courses: Intermediate Micro and Macro (both As), Econometrics (A), Labor(A), International Trade(A-), International Finance(A-), Game Theory(A-), Independent Research Course(A), Senior Thesis(A), PhD level Micro and Metrics (plan for next semester) Other Courses: many government/political economy courses Letters of Recommendation: 1 math department chair prof (took analysis courses for 3 semesters), 1 IMF economist I ra for, 1 labor econ prof Research Experience: 2 independent research (1 from independent research course, 1 for senior thesis), RA for IMF International Economist, 2 non-econ social sciences ra Teaching Experience: 1.5 years of language TA Research Interests: Labor Econ/ International Econ/ Political Econ Coming from a school that specializes in political econ, I am worried about the math background, so I feel like I should ask my math prof to write one rec letter. I would also love to hear how you guys think. Besides, do you guys think a 2 year predoc is worth it if aiming for T10? Thank you everyone for your comments!

Doesn't seem like there are any Roll Call threads anymore, but I'll still use the format from the old ones. I'm a rising 3rd year, and will be graduating in 3.5 years: PROFILE: Type of Undergrad: Honours Economics, Minors Mathematics and Urban Systems at a Top 3 Canadian University Undergrad GPA: 3.5/4.0, 3.8/4.0 for Econ Type of Grad: N/A Grad GPA: N/A GRE: Yet to take Math Courses: Calc 1 and 2 (No grade, AP credit exemption), Calc 3 (D, B+, I'll explain later), Differential equations ©, Linear Algebra (B+), Algebra 1 (A), Algebra 2 (A), Mathematical Statistics (A), Analysis I (taking next fall), Analysis 2 (taking next winter) Econ Courses (grad-level): Game Theory (A-), Micro I & 2 (next fall & winter) Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Honours Micro, Macro, Stats, and Econometrics (A- in all 4), Honours open economy macroeconomics (A), Political Economy of Trade Policy (A) Other Courses: Foundations of Programming (A), Urban Field Studies (may be relevant? taking next fall), will take a few more Computer Science courses, particularly Data Structures. Letters of Recommendation: Haven't asked yet but will be my pretty well known metrics prof, my game theory and open economy prof, and a younger prof who will be supervising my undergraduate thesis. Research Experience: Research internship with a well known think tank, undergraduate thesis Teaching Experience: Going to try and find a TA position in either the MATH or ECON departments this year, have worked as a tutor for the econ students association Research Interests: Urban Economics and Game Theory SOP: Haven't thought about it yet Concerns: My grades in computational mathematics suck lol. I got a D in Calc 3 during the first semester of my second year. I took a supplemental exam (essentially counts as retaking the class in one exam) and got a B+, which is decent I suppose. Other: Sorry that a lot of this is speculative. I'm really just trying to get a feel for where I should be looking for a PhD, or if a masters first would be better. Also, just to clarify, the linear algebra I got a B+ in was the 100-level version, Algebra 1 and 2 are the 200-level majors version. Applying to: Please tell me where I should be looking. I'd prefer to stay in Canada or go to Europe, but am not against somewhere in the US.