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Hi, all. I'm guessing few of you here know me; I don't post here much at all. I'm the one who runs the site, maintains the software, etc. It's been pretty much a passion project for some 20 years now. (I make very little money from ads, not enough to pay for the server.) But I keep the site going! Now with the pandemic, I have more time to devote to this forum. You probably know that forums ain't what they used to be--the big sites, such as Facebook and Reddit, have taken most of the interaction that used to exist in forums. Nothing against them; I am a daily user of both of those sites. But I do think there's still a place for independent forums such as this one, one that's not designed solely to mine your data and track your identity. So, in the coming weeks and months, I am planning to make some changes (improvements). First, I want to move off this forum software; it's not being updated. I've been researching alternatives, from the old standbys, such as vBulletin (the current version), and phpBB to new challengers, such as Discourse and Flarum, which attempt to modernize the old forum experience. I am also hoping to add a few extra features, such as tracking programs, schools, etc. for admissions information. And in other sections of the forum, some kind of system where people can post their essays to get feedback. I will also be moving to a better, faster server, which will reduce or even eliminate time-outs. The biggest changes will be in the look and usage of the forum. But I don't think there will be much of a learning curve. Also, links will likely change. That will break a lot of existing links, but there's not much I can do about that, unfortunately, and sometimes, you have to make changes like this to move forward. I'm posting here because this is the most active forum, and I wanted to let you folks know directly. I'll also be posting a general announcement. Also, it appears we could use another moderator or two. Thanks for reading!

I moved the forums around a little bit today--I put the more popular forums at the top. Maybe this will make it easier to use for some folks.

----------- Note from Forum Admin ----------- Welcome to the 2021 Ph.D. in business concentrations' sweat thread! This is a thread for applicants (hopefully!) starting their PhD program in 2021! Use this is vent, discuss any frustrations, or random musings that you would like others to weigh in on! Best of luck to this years applicants! For those of you just starting to browse this website, check out the Welcome to the Forum thread for information that has been helpful in the past. ------------------------------------------------------- Hello, I didn't see a sweat thread so I'm just going to make one for everyone grinding out the apps now. *sweats nervously*

I'm a UK student, and in October I'll be starting my BA in History and Economics at Oxford. For those that are not familiar with the programme, I'll be able to take the same economics options as PPE and E&M students, but combining them with a few history courses rather than politics, philosophy or management. Although it's early, I have recently begun to consider an economics PhD, however I realise that my BA is not particularly quantitative. I'm hoping to apply to top 10-20 schools in the US, since funding is not so generous in the UK and the placement records of even the best programmes here aren't amazing. Would a good performance on a UK Master's programme at Oxbridge/LSE/UCL be sufficient to make up for my lack of maths background? What else could I do to demonstrate my quantitative skills? Thank you for your time :)

Just wrote this article: You can be sure that a few months from now, when high school seniors are writing their college applications, everybody, their brother, and their dog will be writing about COVID-19. It’s just going to be unavoidable. Many of you are a little young to remember this, but after 9/11 something similar happened—everybody wrote something about how the attacks affected them (even if in truth fortunately the worst many of us endured was some level of uncertainty or longer waits at the airport). This time is different. Half the planet is under orders to shelter in place. We are united in a way that has not happened in our lifetimes, and we are, for the first time in history, able to communicate in real time with almost every other part of the globe. I personally have friends in China, Brasil, Africa, and Europe that I’m chatting with daily about quarantining. I’m sure you have similar stories. Of course, the admissions committees will be aware that there is now the ‘easy, obvious’ topic to write about and many will likely craft new prompts to ask you specifically about your unique experience in a way that suits college applicants. So, now is the time to get busy. Think about what you can do for yourself, for your community, and for the world. But also think a few months ahead about what you’ll be writing about for your college applications. I’m sure you have some great ideas yourself, and I’d love to hear them. I have a few ideas that I would like to share (and perhaps you’re already doing one or more), with a couple of other ideas that may inspire you as well. 1. Keep a journal You may be doing this already, as I know a lot of teachers are requiring their students to keep a journal. I agree with them—this is a historic time, and you’ll want to look back on it some years down the road. I would also suggest recording short videos and taking photos as well; you may want to turn this into a project of sorts, and having various media on hand will help. But at the very least, write down a few sentences every day to record what you did and how you felt. Take a couple of pictures or videos of life at home, six people in the kitchen, your no-haircut hair, your freezer stuffed with food. 2. Set up an accountability/study group If you’re like most of the kids I know or work with (even my own children), then you’re seeing this situation as a kind of extended spring break and are enjoying your time off, maybe sleeping later than usual and watching a lot of Netflix. But you’ll admit that you’re starting to feel just a tad bored. Unfortunately, this is the human condition—we don’t like working so much as having worked, and we often need an outside motivator to keep us working. This is perfectly normal. Don’t beat yourself up over it. But if you truly want to set yourself apart, now is the time to be the kind of person you know you can be. This is your chance; there’s no better opportunity. You’ve got the time, and you have more freedom to make choices than you’ve probably had in your entire life. And you also know that developing your mind is a lifelong pursuit, but one that is especially important to engage in now at your age—learning a lot as a young person is developmentally more important in your early years than it is in later years since your brain is still maturing and is able to take in information in qualitatively different ways now than it will when you’re, say, 60 years old. Disclaimer: Learning is always important. It’s never not important. In fact, learning as an adult can slow down certain kinds of aging and help retain brain function. But young people who don’t get certain kinds of information at certain stages of their development have trouble catching up, and some may never catch up. Finally, if you’re the type that’s aiming for top schools, then you’re also the type who’s a self-starter, someone who does the hard stuff because you enjoy it or like the challenge, not because you have to. If your teacher recommends reading an article, you do it. You take detailed notes in class, highlight with yellow, pink, blue, and green, and review your notes later. You ask at least several questions in every class, not to kiss up, but because you really want to know. If that’s you, then you’ve probably already figured out some kind of study schedule. If it’s not you, but you’re becoming that person, here’s your chance to inch towards your goal. So find a group of friends from school. Set goals for yourselves, set times to meet, and check in on each other. You can even set a time to set daily expectations. ‘Yo Adrian, let’s set up a Zoom meeting for every morning at 9:30 AM to check in on each other. We’ll have a stand-up and announce to everybody what we’re going to get done for the day.’ Maybe even create a Google spreadsheet to write down your assignments and goals with due dates. You will thank yourself if you do this. Your grades will thank you. And your teachers will appreciate not having to manage you as well. And on that note, another way to stay busy while helping others coming right up. 3. Offer to help a teacher You may find this hard to believe, but many teachers are feeling a little overwhelmed right now. For years, they’ve been teaching in one way, and then almost literally overnight, they’ve been told that they need to change virtually everything they do in just a few days. It’s like coming home to your house, and suddenly, you’re living in a tent while you’re rebuilding your new house in a different country. Everything is different. I know some teachers are working 12-15 hour days right now just to adapt to this new learning scenario. If you feel comfortable doing so, you could approach a teacher and ask if there’s any way you could help. Most likely, the teacher will politely decline and say that she, he, or they is happy if you just keep up with the work assigned, but maybe if you offer to help by setting up study groups to keep all students on track, your teacher will be thankful. 4. Give back/help someone else So much of our lives is consumed by our own desires that we often forget that others have desires just as powerful and real as our own. You may not think so, but someone out there could really benefit from some help from you specifically, from someone to talk about random life stuff to going over some difficult concepts in Pre-Calc. Yes, you. You can make a difference. Put yourself out there and offer to help. Perhaps even get involved with some local tutoring organizations, from your library to community centers to other organizations that are popping up to help others. 5. Make masks Here’s an easy one! Our President has recommended that we all wear masks when we go out in public. I think this is a great idea, and wearing a mask shows others that you’re taking this situation seriously; by wearing a mask, you’re functioning as a role model. Maybe someone somewhere will see you wearing your mask and think, ‘Hey, if she’s doing it, so will I.’ And that person could also inspire another person! So a lot of people are asking where they can get masks, while others are stepping up to make them for others to give away. It’s probably just a matter of time before people in the US use masks to make fashion statements, to distinguish themselves, or to promote their club or brand (because if you don’t have your own brand, you aren’t playing the game!), so this is a good time to get in on the ground floor if that’s your thing. Here’s a good resource to start with: Use Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow Spread | CDC And you never know, you may save a life! (For real.) 6. Reinvent yourself Finally, this is your chance to ‘reinvent’ yourself. If you’ve had something in the back of your mind that you thought you could accomplish, now’s the time to start working towards it. I have a friend who, at the very beginning of the COVID-19 spread in the US, lost her job as a direct result of business shutdowns. Not a week later, she and her longtime boyfriend broke up (not unexpected, but still). With no job, and no boyfriend, instead of sinking into the pits of dark despair and self-pity, she has decided to throw herself into remaking herself to be better than she ever was. She is taking online courses in her interests, meditating, keeping a journal, and exercising at home. So, think about setting some goals for yourself. Here are some examples to get you started. Write out the following somewhere: When COVID-19 ends, I will have: Completed six chapters of Learn Python the Hard Way. (Link: Learn Python the Hard Way) Memorized 60 Chinese characters. (Hint: Look into Anki, which uses spaced repetition, to maximize memorization: Anki - powerful, intelligent flashcards) Done three sets of 20 burpees every day + a daily bodyweight routine. (Link: kb/recommended_routine - bodyweightfitness) Helped a friend, relative, or fellow student at least once a day. Again, these are just some ideas to get you thinking. Surely you have your own ideas of what to learn or improve, from knitting to baking to Spanish to Arduino. Final thoughts These are historic times; what you do now will shape you forever. You have a (hopefully) once-in-a-lifetime chance to make something of yourself, to be a new you. And more pragmatically, if you’re applying to college in the next year or two, you may very well need to write about what you’re doing right now.

Are there any top universities/academic programs (summer only) which take on undergraduate students who do not attend that institution as research assistants? Or are there any suggestions of how to make the best use of the summer before my senior year? (I've actually already taken my GRE, for those who are wondering). This is perhaps less pertinent for me, as I attend a Top 40 school and have a good deal of connections and opportunities at my institution. I do have a friend at an unranked public university who will significantly benefit from your advice.

Hi Friends, Happy to be here. Should have visited this thread few years before. Better late than never. Eager to make new friends in the path of PhD in Business.

I have 3 options: UNC-Chapel Hill ($), IC Irvine ($$), and Rochester ($). I visited Irvine and loved it. Also as a note, I am very open to an industry position rather than academia in the future, might even prefer it. Interests are applied micro, metrics, and labor. So, apart from choosing a school, I am worried I will not make it at Rochester, which seems like the obvious choice. I am a 3rd-year undergrad majoring in statistics and economics, with a minor in math (up to real analysis and diffeqs). The admissions person warned me that many Americans who come straight from their undergrad do not make it, and that worries me. Does anyone have any advice on what to do and whether or not I would make it? Also, with not being deadset on academia, I am not sure how much rankings truly matter.

Hi. I am applying to the Research Masters program at Tilburg University. The requirements for the application states that all scores, including GRE, cannot be older than two years (which doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me). If I apply with my older scores, which are still valid, will it be possible for me to get a provisional offer (I'll retake the GRE then and make sure the scores are the same or higher) or will my application not be reviewed at all? I'd appreciate any insights into this. Thanks.

Hi there! I was hoping to get your thoughts on my profile, which schools / programs might make sense to apply to, and if there's things I could be doing in the next year to strengthen my application. Undegrad: Non-HYP Ivy 2016 grad Major: Economics with High Honors (3.86) Econ Coursework: Econometrics, Micro, Macro, Intro, Development, Finance, Social Entrepreneurship: A's Adv. Econometrics, Adv. Micro, Adv. Macro, Finance II: A - 's Math Coursework: Multivariable Calc (A in highschool), Linear Algebra (Non-Recorded Grade), Differential Equations (A) Research Experience Research assistant for development economics professor Senior honors thesis - won award for best thesis in the department Teaching Experience STATA TA for development economics senior seminar Other Experience Management Consulting - 2+ years Non-Profit Externship for 4 months researching impact of various projects in developing country Research Interest Applied Microeconomics, Development Economics, and Market Design Particularly sustainable business and financial solutions to development and poverty concerns Questions: 1) What schools should I be aiming to apply to? Are there certain programs that would make more sense given my interests - I've had professors mention the PEG program at HKS and am wondering if the political-econ or business-econ mix might make sense given my more applied interests. 2) Should I find an online course for real-analysis to take during the summer of 2019?

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I'm a rising sophomore at a top 10 US school, and I've been lucky enough to score an RA position with a great professor who works in my field of interest too. How do I make the best of it? I would ideally like to continue to work for this professor in the near future and have them be the faculty mentor for my independent research. What can I do to foster a good working relationship?

I'm curious if anyone has experience with schools saying something along the lines of "we'll make you an offer only if you make a statement that you won't go to other schools that you've heard back from". Is this a normal thing for schools to do? Is this even allowed by the graduate council? What is the best response to this situation? I like the school in question but I don't want to forfeit my other offers/waitlists until I've visited campuses to meet the faculty. Also, I don't want to forfeit the possibility of getting into a better school that I'm waitlisted on. EDIT: I realize now that my title of the thread is a little misleading. What I mean to ask about is schools pressuring for an answer before they even give you the offer.

Visit days are coming up soon, so I thought it would be useful to make a thread for visit day recommendations, especially for those of us who are undecided. Post questions to ask, people to speak with, things to see and do, etc, to make the most of a visit day.

According to gradcafe all of the programs I've applied to this year have now already accepted and/or reached out for interviews to applicants. I'm coming to terms with the prospect of yet another year of studying for and retaking the GRE, banal RA tasks, and having to do other frustrating jobs in order to keep up to pursue this dream. My best friend's dad is a psych prof and told me something once to the effect of: "I never felt like the smartest person in my cohort and I know of many people more talented than me who didn't make it or left and decided to do other things, but I was just the one who stayed and stuck around, and I've found myself here today." I wanted to ask members of this board who have triumphed to share their stories of perseverance and dedication, as a beacon to those of us who are discouraged and struggling with doubt. Maybe one day we'll be able to reciprocate the strength offered here to those who too later find themselves troubled in this arrangement.

Hi everyone, I am currently planning to apply for a PhD starting in the fall of 2018. However, I've been increasingly looking into my options in case I don't get any decent offers this round (coming from Europe, I'm finding it extremely difficult to gauge my chances). So I've been toying with the idea of applying to one or two year research fellowships as a potential way of strengthening my profile in case it doesn't quite cut it (and also allow me to make contacts within the US, which presumably have a lot more weight). I'm referring to jobs like these: Research Assistant Positions not at the NBER Does this seem like a reasonable fallback option? If so, does it make sense to apply to such positions before getting answers for grad school? I would be afraid to apply to a position only to say no later, potentially pissing off some very important people in the field. But on the other hand I'm not sure how long these applications usually stay open for (I see some deadlines have already passed, in fact). Any advice is appreciated :shy:

My first go at academic studies was over ten years ago, and was a total disaster. I failed courses and left after a year. It took me more than 5 years to return and complete my degree in a different discipline. My second try was considerably better. Graduated summa cum laude. I directly continued to a master, which I graduated with honors as well. My questions: 1. Do I need to provide the transcripts from the first go, even though the grades had no bearing on my complete degree(s)? 2. If I do, and I can address this in my SOP (I was very ill as a teen and hardly went to school which culminated in me dropping out, having un-diagnosed learning disabilities (at the time), no learning habits..), will it be held against me? 3. If I need to address this in my SOP, how to do so without it coming across as whining? My grandfather always said - if you need to make an excuse, make one, not many, or else it just sounds like you're making excuses. Thanks!