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I always appreciate your help and recommendation. profile: Currently a law school faculty at one of Asian university. BA in Econ (Ivy league), MA(Yale IDE), JD, LLM and SJD in the US. Real analysis and math courses taken in distance learning program Field experience in both public and private sectors. Age: 40 (Yes indeed) Published various articles and books including the best peer-reviewed journals in my field. I write many law and economics articles and i think i need further training and economics. The following is my questions. 1. Do you think i am eligible to apply ? Have you seen a crazy person like me before? Would there be any way that i could waive some GRE or other admission requirements? 2. I guess i prefer a part-time PHD since i have a job now. Do you know anything about part time program at Oxford? 3. Do you think i can try top 15 economics PHD in US.? 4. I am sort of aiming Oxford or Cambridge since they require less extensive coursework and time. Do they have qualifying exams? if so, what is the passing rate etc? I would be grateful for your further advice and suggestions.

Hi everyone. I am going to graduate in economics and finance at Bocconi University in July. I have received an offer from LSE EME and Oxford MPhil in Economics. My objective is to get to a top 20 PhD in U.S., or to continue to the Mres-PhD in Economics at LSE. My main areas of interest are political economy, macro and monetary economics. I have read that EME has much more connections with US economics departments. However, I am unsure whether or not I will be able to perform well in this master. As a matter of fact, during my bachelor I have covered advanced topics in econometrics, but I do not have an outstanding background in mathematics (I have covered mainly constrained and unconstrained optimization, linear algebra and integral mathematics). Moreover, EME is a 1-year programme, and I currently have only 2 good reference letters, so I would like to understand if it's possible to obtain one during EME's first semester. Relative to Oxford, I have been told that the Mphil in Economics , despite being a rigorous programme, does not require a student to have such a solid background in Maths. However, I have heard of few students who were able to be admitted to high ranked phd after the MPhil. It would be really helpful to hear from someone who has attended one of these programmes.

Hey guys, I am currently considering whether I should apply for the following master programs (Mphil Economics Oxford, Mphil Economics Cambridge, LSE EME/Economics) next fall. To my profile: I am currently studying Industrial Engineering and Management at a European university (highly ranked in my home country, but internationally probably rather unknown). GRE: not taken yet GPA: 3.8/4 Courses in Economics: Microeconomics (A-), Macroeconomics (A), Game Theory (A), Econometrics (A+), Advanced Microeconomics (advanced masters course that I took in addition, B+), Mechanism Design (soon), Financial Econometrics (soon). In addition, I have many courses in math, operational research and statistics with very good grades, so the quantitative area should not be a problem. I spent one semester abroad (university internationally unknown) and did an internship in the production of a large technology related company. During my studies I worked as a tutor for two semesters but not in economics (computer science stuff). I have been working as a research assistant for 1.5 years (unfortunately not in economics), where I am currently working on a publication. I will be listed as co-author (although im not sure if the paper will be peer reviewed at the time of application). I see the biggest problems in my lack of research and teaching experience in economics and the B+ in Advanced Microeconomics. Do you think my research experience, although it is not in economics, will be taken into account? What do you think my chances are? Thanks in advance!

I have received an offer for both programs and need to make a decision until next week for the CEMFI offer (cannot be further extended). I already have a MRes in Economics from another university, my main research interests are development, labor, IO and applied micro. Not yet sure I am interested in becoming a tenured professor, I am mainly considering academic positions at international organizations and think tanks (e.g. World Bank Development Research Group). CEMFI (Doctoral track, 5-6 years) - fully funded, generally well endowed - not necessarily the best place for development, but they have good people in different fields, might be able to broaden my horizons and be less specialised, also research interests can change over time - better overall education (more comparable to some US programs), supervision and preparation for the academic job market, professors care a lot about their PhD students - small department, can be both good and bad, as explained above - can tailor the curriculum to my interests, elective classes on topics that I haven't studied before - very good academic placements (in Europe) - very close knit community, both among students and with respect to professors - access to data through the bank of spain, but not much data on developing countries - quality of life in Madrid may be better - locational advantage for me personally (my boyfriend is Spanish, we have many friends there and would be closer to his family) Oxford (DPhil PRS, 4-5 years) - no funding for the first year, not secured for the following years, would have to teach/RA substantially or pay out of own pocket if not offered scholarship subsequently (only around 40% of students are fully funded); in short: it's a pain... - chaotic and I quote "medieval" structures, no cohesive economics department, very dispersed - less thorough coursework, more direct access to research stage - you can be both very independent or very proactive and close to your supervisors as a PhD student - 3-4 professors that work on exactly my topics of interest and are interested in supervising me - data I would need for my current research ideas is available - great for development if I am 100% sure I want to specialise in this area, many seminars/events in this field etc. and other students with the same interests - connections to World Bank/placements in policy-related research sphere, overall prestige/brand name - small city, but special kind of atmosphere, lots of activities for students, did I mention Harry Potter already - my boyfriend won't be able to come with me and find a job, brexit?! I know in the end nobody else can make this decision for me and it mostly depends on my personal preferences and goals, but given this information, I would still be happy to have your advice, as I am having a hard time deciding... Thanks!

Here are my basic statistics GMAT: 750 (98%) Undegrad GPA: 3.59 Graduate GPA: University of Oxford (Said) M.Sc 2008 with upper secondary and an MBA from Emory (Goizueta) 2011 Research Experience: I had a few publications back in 2008 and am working on a white paper right now with a colleague in Oxford 2018 Teaching Experience: 2 years visiting lecturer Work Experience: 8 years in multinational banks in NYC and Asia Concentration Applying to: Organizational Behavior (I think) Number of programs planned to apply to: Want to focus on Canada because I am a Perm Resident. So UoT (Rotman), York (Schulich), UBC, Queens and McGill Dream Schools: University of Toronto but I met a York University professor who had research interests IDENTICAL to my own 1. Questions or concerns you have about your profile? I have finished my MBA back in 2011 so I'm kind of out of touch. I am trying to fix that by contacting some of my Oxford fellow alums in academia and working on a white paper with them this year (I will probably be third author). Will I still be considered too disconnected from academia for the top Canadian schools? Any additional specific questions you may have: As a gay man I want to focus on sexual minorities in the work place. Although there is plenty of work on gender and race minorities, there is not as much work done related to LGBT discrimination, etc. 2. Is that a bad sign that very few researchers in Canada (or even globally) work in this area? 3. Would it come across as self serving that a gay man wants to study LGBT issues in corporations? 4. Would OB the best area for me to apply within a business school?

Test Scores: GRE: Will be taking in November, aiming for 335+ IELTS: Will be taking in November CAT 2013: 99.91 percentile in 175,000 students Undegrad GPA: Studied at a top 15 engineering college in India (around 98.2 percentile in the entrance test) B.Tech in Biotechnology (GPA- 6.51/10), 3rd quartile in terms of ranking in class Have taken courses in Advanced calculus, Linear Algebra, Numerical methods, Statistics and probability, and Economics Grades in mathematics related subjects are average , cleared all exams in first attempt though Graduate GPA: MBA from a top 5 business school in India, in a major Indian university 65.03 % marks (first division, second quartile in ranking in class) Have taken courses on Strategy, Finance, and Micro and Macro economics Grades in Strategy and Economics subjects are above average. Additionaly, I cleared the CFA level 1 exam and the FRM level 2 exam. Research Experience: None, other than the masters dissertation. Teaching Experience: None Concentration applying to: MA/MSc./Mphil./M.Res in Economics, Quantitative Economics, and one program in Strategy Work Experience: One and a half years as a Management Consultant in a Big4 in India. Have worked two strategy and one operations and tax related project. Number of programs planned to apply to: 10- One of Oxford/Cambridge LSE MRes. in Economics- Universitat Pompeu Fabra MPhil.- Tinbergen Institute Stockholm School of Economics KU Leuven Warwick University Erasmus University- Mres in Strategy Mannheim university Columbia New York Dream Schools: Oxbridge/ UPF Barcelona/ Tinbergen Questions: 1. Am I applying to too high a quality of insttutes? 2. What are the chances of scholarships at colleges like Oxbridge/LSE/Warwick/Columbia ?

Hello everyone, I received offers from the following master's courses in the UK and would be really interested in some comments about what might be the best route to take in my situation. Specifically, what I'm interested in are topics in macro modelling and computational economics, econometrics (especially time series) and machine learning and its applications to econometrics. My offers are for these courses: Oxford MPhil Economics LSE MSc Econometrics and Mathematical Economics (EME) UCL MSc Machine Learning Cambridge MPhil Economic Research I know there are already tons of posts comparing the relative merits of the LSE EME and Oxford, Cambridge etc. but what I don't really know is whether I might not be better off doing an MSc in Machine Learning rather than the more traditional economics courses since I think they have very little, if any, coverage on the computational and ML side. The EME might be the exception since I could do modules in the stats department on modern computational methods. Also, does anyone know of potential PhD programmes that have strengths in these areas? Would I lower my chances of getting into a top US PhD programme doing an MSc in Machine Learning rather than the EME? Or could that be a strength because it would give me the preparation to use these tools in my research? At the moment I am still undecided between LSE, UCL and Oxford. (I think the Oxford programme dominates Cambridge for me - am I wrong?) Funding is another issue - and should I get a scholarship for any of the three programmes I am likely going to do that. Thanks very much for your help!

I'm graduating from UC Davis with a 3.4 GPA, majoring in economics and international relations. My upper division GPA and the GPA for my last two years are around 3.6. I had mild depression in my first two years after my grandfather passed away, which explains my GPA, sort of. I have three solid recommendations from 3 full economics professors, one for whom I have been a research assistant. My GRE is 160V/160Q (planning to re-take but not hopeful). What would be the chance for me to be accepted for Oxford MPhil Economics or Cambridge MPhil Economics? Their entry requirements are 3.7 and 3.6 respectively. If it's virtually impossible for me to be accepted, I don't think I will apply. But I've been told by admissions officers from both Oxford and Cambridge that other aspects of my application will be considered. I get the feeling that Oxbridge takes the GPA extremely seriously. I was rejected by Oxford's PPE because I didn't meet the A-level conditional offer. Please be frank thanks. Should I or should I not apply?

Hi folks! I am planning on applying in the coming year for Econ PhD positions in the top UK universities (Oxbridge, LSE, UCL, Warwick) and I have a GRE from 3 years ago, with a score of: 168 Quantitative, 164 Verbal, 4.0 Writing I believe it is a good score (I am a non-native English speaker, if that makes any difference for admissions), but I am unsure whether it is enough or I should retake it (at the risk of not improving my score). I am mainly concerned about my writing score, but I have read in a few places that only the quantitative score is really taken into account. To what extent is this true? Any advice in my case? Tweet-sized background: BA Engineering from good home-country Uni, MSc Statistics with great distintiction from top 50, starting MSc Economics at UCL next; some experience with RA and TA.

I understand at this time it may be too late to ask this question, but I certainly would love some advice. I have already submitted all the applications, but I am not sure what chance I have to get into one of these programs. Any comments on my profile and on the programs that I am applying to are welcomed. Many thanks to my fellow applicants. PROFILE: Type of Undergrad: Top 10 LAC in US, very good relation with all the schools I am applying to Undergrad GPA: 3.90 Overall / 3.97 Economics Major Type of Grad: N/A Grad GPA: N/A GRE: V164+Q170+AW4.5 Math Courses: Multivariable Calculus, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, Probability Modeling Econ Courses (grad-level): Macroeconomics, Game Theory, Real World Organizations Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Intermediate Micro, Intermediate Macro, Econometrics, Adv Micro, Adv Macro, Adv Econometrics, Economics of Immigration, International Trade Theory, Behavioral Economics (IP), International Macroeconomics (IP) Other Courses: Semester abroad: Probability Modeling, Macroeconomics, Game Theory (Excellent), Real World Organizations (Very Good); taken at a very prestigious master program in France (graduate-level) Letters of Recommendation: 1 from the professor who initiates the exchange program, the author of a widely-used textbook in the field, in very good relation as our school is the first US institute to have an exchange program with the French school, and I was the first ever nominee 1 from my academic advisor, professor of intermediate micro/behavioral, knows me well 1 from my intermediate macro/adv. macro professor, I survived his to-be-said hardest econ class on campus although personally I did not talk to him as much as I did to the other two professors Research Experience: 2 RA experiences, one in Behavioral Economics, one in Geography Teaching Experience: N/A Research Interests: Behavioral and Experimental Economics SOP: average, nothing too special, plainly stated my ambition and relevant academic background (I chose econ courses only in advanced level beside the cores, and seized the opportunity to take graduate courses in France) Concerns: mediocre resume, no significant RA experiences, did not do very well at semester abroad (one Excellent, one Very Good, one Good, one Satisfactory, by French standard actually not too bad) Other: I am an international and a recipient of college scholarships, which rarely offered to internationals Applying to: MPhil Oxford (Oxford, UK), 2nd deadline MSc LSE (London, UK) MA Sciences Po (Paris, FR) M1 International Track TSE (Toulouse, FR) MA Columbia (New York, US)

Hello everyone, I have had the good fortune of obtaining offers from four programs in the UK, namely: 1. MSc Econometrics and Mathematical Economics - LSE 2. MPhil Economics Oxford 3. MPhil Economic Research Cambridge 4. MSc Economics UCL Few facts about me: Research interests: International trade/economics/macroeconomics PhD Plan: Complete one of the aforesaid degrees, work hard for a distinction and then apply to selective top 10 US PhD. I intend to continue my PhD at the original university if I am unable to get accepted into a top 10 PhD program in the US. Post PhD Plan: Work in academia in the Asia Pacific, especially Singapore/Hong Kong or my home country - India. Personal facts: Married with an infant daughter, and my family will accompany me for most of my PhD studies. Funding: Although I can self-finance the MSc/MPhil programs, I am hoping to get funded for the DPhil/PhD stage since I have two dependents along with me. Given the aforesaid information, I need help in determining which offer to choose. I have ruled out UCL and Cambridge for now, since these two programs are relatively inferior to the above two in several aspects (please let me know if I should re-consider this for any reason). Hence the choice is between LSE and Oxford for me. Presently I'm inclined towards Oxford since it is a 2 year program and enables me to balance academics and family duties perfectly. LSE's EME is definitely very hard and prestigious but I'm not sure if the marginal increase in prestige justifies the marginal decrease in the quality of life. To sum up, are these two program similar enough in prestige/future prospects/department strengths to justify decision-making simply on non academic aspects ? I look forward to your valuable opinions.

Hi all, I am a long time lurker out here and have been posting a lot lately since I am thinking of applying to grad schools this fall. I want to apply to Masters programs in the UK because I feel that my lack of Real Analysis, Math Stats and other proof-based classes will make it unlikely for me to get into good Ph.Ds. I am hoping that good performance in a good masters program will allow me to strengthen my profile for Ph.D applications in the future. I am considering applying to Oxford's Mphil Economics, Cambridge's Mphil Economics and LSE's Msc Economics. Can you please tell me what you think my chances are at these programs? Also, do you think I can receive funding from these institutions? If so, by how much? Lastly, are there any other programs that I should consider given my profile? Type of Undergrad: Top 30 US Liberal Arts college Major: Mathematical Economics GPA: Cumulative 3.81, Econ 3.94, Math 3.8 GMAT: 740 (I plan on taking the GRE this summer. I feel that I will be able to get a good score with preparation) Math Classes: Calculus I II III (A-, A, B+), Linear Algebra (A-), Number Theory (B), Ordinary Differential Equations (A), Partial Differential Equations (A), Probability Theory (A), Probability and Statistical Modeling (A), Stochastic Processes (A), Numerical Analysis (A). Econ Classes: Intermediate Micro (B+), Intermediate Macro (A), Econometrics (A), Advanced Econometrics (A), Mathematical Economics (A), Labor Economics (A), International Finance (A), International Trade (A), Environmental Economics (A) Research Experience: Wrote a thesis that won the award for most outstanding senior thesis. Advisor was impressed and we are trying to publish the work. I have also worked as a research assistant for three other professors, with one professor publishing the paper I helped him with. The work with these professors mainly involved writing Stata code, importing and cleaning datasets using excel and SAS, and creating pretty graphs and tables for the final paper. Recommendations:Should get excellent recommendations from all of the professors I researched with, especially my thesis advisor. My thesis advisor, who also taught me two advanced mathematical economics classes, will be able to talk to my aptitude for econometrics and mathematical economics since I aced all of his classes. He also saw me self-teach myself time series econometrics for the thesis. The other recommendation will come from the professor who had published the paper I had RA'd for. He also taught me two econometrics classes, both of which I aced. Teaching Experience: Worked as teaching assistant and grader for multiple economics classes. Also worked as a tutor at the college's mathematics tutoring center for three years. SOP:​ Not sure yet. Will think of one if I feel that I have a decent shot at getting in.

I've been accepted to all the three programs stated above. No funding. Needed a little bit of help to decide between these 3. I'm not sure if I want to specialise in development econ, but it is something I've really enjoyed studying and researching during my undergrad. Also have one internship in the same. Columbia is significantly more expensive, however there are perks of being able to work in the US after a degree. The job market in UK is significantly worse. Oxford and LSE offer progression to PhD, Columbia doesn't. Most probably, interested in a PhD after masters. Also, as far as funding is concerned, I'll be able to fund my masters, but will need funding at the PhD level. If anybody could provide an insight into any of these programs, it would be really helpful.

I've been accepted to all the three programs stated above. No funding. Needed a little bit of help to decide between these 3. I'm not sure if I want to specialise in development econ, but it is something I've really enjoyed studying and researching during my undergrad. Also have one internship in the same. Columbia is significantly more expensive, however there are perks of being able to work in the US after a degree. The job market in UK is significantly worse. Oxford and LSE offer progression to PhD, Columbia doesn't. Most probably, interested in a PhD after masters. If anybody could provide an insight into any of these programs, it would be really helpful.

I am considering applying for Msc programs in the field of Finance and Economics at LSE this fall. The problem I am running into is that there are just too many options and I do not know which one would be most appropriate for me given my career aspirations and level/type of preparation at the undergraduate level. To add to the confusion, I have heard that not all of the programs offered by LSE command the same level of respect and that there are a few that are clearly more rigorous than the others. Can you guys please take a look at my profile/expectations, and let me know your opinion on the different programs at LSE? How do they compare to other Msc programs offered in the US and even other UK programs like Oxford's Msc in Financial Economics? Student Profile: I am graduating from a Liberal Arts College in the US and I majored in Mathematical Economics. I was initially interested in getting a phd in Economics and, as a result, ended up taking a ton math classes. However, I changed my mind earlier this year as I wanted to do something a little more applied and gain some work experience before going to graduate school. I have taken Probability Theory (A), Stochastic Processes (A), Numerical Analysis (A), Number Theory (B), Calc 3 (B+), PDE (A), ODE (A), Linear Algebra (A), Econometrics (A), Advanced Econometrics (A), and a bunch of Mathematical Economics electives (A). I have a 3.8 cumulative GPA, 740 GMAT, won the best thesis award in economics, worked as a RA for a number of professors (one of the papers I helped with was published), should be able to get really good recommendations from thesis advisor and the professor I RA'd for, have interned at a top economic consulting firm, and will be starting a full time job with the corporate finance team of a large firm in the US starting this summer. Expectations from graduate school: There are three main reasons why I am applying to these graduate programs this fall. 1) I want to gain access to front office career opportunities at top consulting and finance firms (McKinsey, BCG, Bulge Bracket banks, etc). I am hoping that a brand name like LSE or Oxford will give me opportunities that were not available to me as a graduate of a mid ranked US college. 2) I would like to strengthen my profile for top phd programs in Finance and/or Economics. While I might have decided not to attend a phd program directly from undergrad, I am still interested in pursuing doctoral studies either immediately after my Msc or after a few years of work following the Msc. Personally, I think the biggest gap in my application for phd programs is the lack of rigorous upper level proof writing classes like Real Analysis, Abstract Algebra and Functional Analysis. While I might not take a class entirely devoted to Real Analysis at the Msc programs, I feel that good performance in a class like Advanced Micro might allow me to signal my quantitative abilities to adcoms. 3) This is related to my last point. I want to join a program that is rigorous and that will allow me to develop my knowledge of Econometrics, Economic/Finance Theory, and other mathematics as it applies to Finance/Economics. This is primarily why I am not too keen on taking the traditional path of working for the next 4 years and applying to an MBA program, which seems a little to soft to me. Keeping in mind my expectations and current profile, can you please let me know which of the following programs is most suitable for me and why? Also, what do you think of my chances of admission at these programs? Msc Econometrics and Mathematical Economics Msc Economics Msc Finance Msc Finance and Economics Msc in Finance and Private Economics Msc Accounting and Finance

Hello, I've been accepted to Oxford's MSc Economics for Development program and am very tempted to take the offer over my other pure economics admissions (Canadian schools--UBC, Toronto, Queen's). The problem is that I don't know whether the program is economically rigourous enough for admission to good PhD programs (in Canada or USA) or if it is well regarded. I know that the 2 year MPhil is generally highly regarded, but the one year MSc is split between the development and economics departments at Oxford---we'd take year long courses in micro, macro, and econometrics as well as courses in related development fields (poverty, inequality, health, environment, etc.). I don't know whether a PhD program would view thee other courses as being insufficiently theoretical or empirically based. I know the program does place graduates into Oxford's own DPhil program, but I believe you can enter the DPhil straight from BA so that's not a great indicator. I worry about schools (e.g. in Canada) that require economics Master's for admission to PhDs---would they view this as more of a development degree than an economics degree? Moreover, would the lack of courses in other areas of economics (labour, public, IO, etc.) hurt me in my preparation?

Hello, I've been given offers to three Canadian programs and one UK program (I was also accepted to a different program at Cambridge at Christ's College but will be turning it down). I am trying to figure out which program will give me the best chance to get into a top PhD program, but would also perhaps stand well as a terminal degree if I do not end up pursuing a PhD (personal health problems might make that difficult or delayed). I would appreciate insight from any fellow applicants, alum, or even people within the field. My offers: 1) Oxford MSc Economics for Development - No funding, quite pricey - Structure: courses in economic theory (micro/macro split) and econometrics, tutorials in related areas like poverty, development, inequality, etc. with a final 10,000 page extended essay 2) UBC MA Economics - 12K TAship offered and 1K fellowship/RA - Structure: first semester of intense core theory (micro, macro, metrics, mathematics), second semester electives (e.g. labour, environment, etc.). Third semester of research seminar (project for a class rather than independent research, no individual supervision). Probably the most intense program of the 4 3) UofT MA Economics - Regular (non-doctoral) stream, 8K TAship and 10K award - Structure: 8 months of courses, 3 core (micro, macro, metrics) and 5 electives. No research option 4) Queen's MA Economics - 8K TAship and 11K award offered, been advised that my SSHRC application ($22,500) will likely be approved (in that case I would have to turn down the 11K award) - Structure: first semester micro, metrics, and two others, second semester macro and three others. Option to take a spring course instead of 4 in first term. Summer research essay, supervision by professor - Problem: Does not offer courses in my fields of interest (development, labour, environment, health) My details: - Canadian undergrad from a top Canadian school - GRE: 170/163/6.0 - Interest in development economics and looking at the labour, environment, health, gender, technology side of economic analysis (not interested in finance, banking, etc.) - Unsure about pursuing a PhD in Economics but definitely want to keep it in the cards. Possiblity that this might be a terminal degree, however, and I have to account for that. - Might need to take a reduced course load (2 or 3 classes/term rather than 4) due to medical issues Oxford's program had until now been my top choice for its blending of economics and development, connections with development institutions, and Oxford's good name (which would be more important if this will be my terminal degree, which might be the case). My main concerns with the program is that 1) it might not be considered rigorous enough for an Econ PhD in Canada if it only covers micro/macro/metrics and the rest is more political economy rather than economic analysis, and 2) the price, of course. I would have to entirely self-fund through savings, loans, lines of credit, etc. In Canada, UBC and UofT seem to be the most reputable in economics (Queens in third), though all three seem to focus very little on applied econ and focus almost entirely on core theory. This would be great for PhD programs (though i have been advised that the non-doctoral stream at Toronto is not considered rigorous enough), but for a terminal degree I wonder if a more applied one from a bigger name school (Oxford) would be more valuable, especially if i intend to work or study internationally. I've been told varying advice on which program is considered better/the best. UofT Doctoral stream gets high praise but its regular stream doesn't (though the only difference would be two courses out of eight). UBC's program is generally well regarded, but the course structure is so rigid that if i were to take extra time it would take me 24 months to complete (compared with Queens' 12 months, Oxford's 9 months, UofT's 16 months). I've also been told it is very theoretical and wouldn't be the most useful for an applied degree. Queen's would be great in terms of its flexibility, its funding, the research grant, the individual supervision, etc. but it is the least reputable school out of all of these (Oxford obviously a top 3 international school and Toronto and UBC top 30. Queen's is in the top 300) which wouldn't matter as much in Canada but might make a difference internationally, I worry. I would have selected it normally but i found out that they won't even offer electives in the areas i am interested in and so potential connections to development work (JPAL, development placements, etc.) would be quite low. I also don't know how many of their faculty are research faculty, which could make a big difference for PhD placements in terms of LoRs If you were in my shoes, which option would you pick? I'm inclined towards the Oxford MSc but I'm worrying that because it is a more applied degree rather than a core theory degree it may jeopardize my PhD options. But having the Oxford name would only help, I imagine, in pursuing work if that is what I choose to do. For American and UK schools it may not matter as much since they do direct admits from bachelor's degrees, but for Canadian PhD programs (UofT, UBC) which only accept candidates with a masters in economics, i don't know if the MSc would have enough economic analysis/rigour as the others would. But it would be the most interesting program for me, most relevant to my interests, and is very well connected to industry from what I hear (but if you have heard otherwise please correct me, i don't want to operate on incorrect assumptions!) Thank you

Hi, I'm currently a sophomore at a small liberal arts college in California, and I am seriously considering going to LSE, or Oxbridge, for grad school. I have a great passion for economics, public policy, politics, international relations and history. I am a double major in Economics and International Relations with a minor in Math, with a GPA of 3.6 expected after this semester (3 semesters so far). I've had an internship in Congress between my freshman and sophomore year, and am planning on doing research this summer. So ultimately, my question is, what GPA and GRE scores do I need to get into Oxbridge or LSE for grad school? Do they favor American applicants? (I have EU citizenship, does that help?). Thanks in advance. P.S. I also have a strong upward trend. GPA: 3.0 first semester freshman year 3.85 second semester freshman year 3.93 first semester sophomore year (expected) How much would this help?

Hi all, I have offers from Oxford and Duke for undergrad in Engineering. I am aiming at Biomedical Engineering. The puzzle is Oxford or Duke? UK vs US. More research options at Duke compared to OX. Bigger brand of OX? Better work experience opportunities in the US as compared to UK. Also, undergrad at OX and PG in US option is also open. I am from India. I welcome all kinds of inputs, suggestions, arguments, please. Thanks a million. I have 10 days to conclude!

Hi everyone, I have received four PhD offers so far and would like to hear your opinions about it. I got accepted to LSE MRes/PhD Track 1, Oxford MPhil, UBC and Boston University. In terms of reputation and ranking, i feel like LSE and Boston are the best options I have. I am considering UBC because I have family there and feel a sort of connection to Vancouver (I'm European). Are the other universities so much better than UBC that i shouldn't even be thinking about this? Here's some pros and cons that I've considered so far: -LSE is the best in Europe, has good placement, it's in London - BU is located close to top ranked universities (maybe able to follow classes or seminars there?), but it's in the 20-30 rank in the US if I'm correct - Oxford has a long long standing reputation but i consider it a bit old fashioned, plus the MPhil is actually separated from PhD, and the idea of starting another 2 year Master's kind of annoys me - UBC is one of the best ranked in Canada, not bad positioned internationally but dominated by BU and LSE probably. Lots of macro professors, which is the field that I'm interested in. Concerning funding, I'm fully covered by an external scholarship for the first 2 years and all of the unis have offered me funding for the following years - except oxford that still has to let me know. I know that the choice is probably between LSE and BU, but still cannot figure out if it's preferable to be in a top European university or in a lower ranked US. Plus moving to the US would be a big change in my life (family and boyfriend are in Europe), so it would have to be worth it. In terms of perspective, I think I would like to start an academic career but I may as well change my mind in the future. Any advice is more than welcome!

Hey guys! I just took the GRE and I am not exactly pleased with my score, because upon lurking through this forum, it seems as if I would need at least a 166 to be considered for Oxford's Msc in Economics for Development. Scores: 158V/160Q/No Writing Score yet And just to show a bit of my profile: GPA: 3.74 overall, 3.91 Econ and Math only, top 1% of my batch, Magna Cum Laude. Uni: Top 2 in the Philippines (interchanges with the other Uni a lot for 1st and 2nd). Research Experience: Undergraduate thesis work, Feasibility study for a remote island in my country, RA during one summer, RA for 2 big studies in development from an Oxford grad professor, and currently a Research Associate for an esteemed think tank in my country working on numerous development projects. Notable awards: Named one of the top 10 economic students in my country. I'm afraid my GRE score won't even get me considered, should I retake the GRE? is it too low for an Msc in Economics in a tier 1 uni in the UK?

Hi. So I'm an undergrad at Oxford university in the UK studying PPE (philosophy, politics and economics, specialising in the latter) and was hoping to apply for high-ranking PHD programmes in the US. The problem is that the requirements seem totally incompatible with what you can do as a UK undergrad. Specifically US programmes all seem to ask for certain college level math courses (real analysis, linear algebra), but as a UK undergrad you don't usually get the chance to take any courses that are not directly within your degree. However, because we specialise far more here in high school (you typically only take four subjects in your penultimate year narrowing it down to three in your final year) I seem to have studied much of the math that such courses seem to include. I've got a good grasp of linear algebra, calculus (multivariable, linear differential equations, integration, evolutes etc.), vector geometry (eigenvectors, cross products, dot products etc.), set theory and imaginary numbers. Also we use multi-variable calc and linear algebra constantly in all the micro we've done. Also, in case it's relevant I've done some formal proofs as a part of a formal logic course I took as part of first year philosophy. So does my lack of math courses effectively disqualify me as a candidate? In the case of the PEG at Harvard they very specifically ask for two semesters of calc. Or would they recognise that as a Brit it would be impossible for me to have done that? Would really appreciate some help because everyone keeps giving me completely different answers and I need to know soon as scholarship applications need to be done by the end of this month! Some extra details in case it matters: GRE 169Q 168V 6.0A, predicted a First (highest UK degree classification) and got a Distinction in first year exams. Reckon I'll have strong references. Took maths and further maths A levels [uK high school qualification] (A* and A respectively).

If you had to choose between Oxford MPhil and Cambridge MPhil, which one would you choose? Also, please share your opinions regarding PhD placement and employment after graduation from any of these two programs. And, lastly, any other opinions about these programs are most welcome.

Hello, I am a double major (statistics/econ) undergrad. I need 3 referees for my oxford application: one of my economics teacher (macroecon) agreed to write me one, i've been to some of his classes, another one who hasn't teach me but works in the college also agreed, he's known and has publications. I am hesitating between my microeconomics teacher and my stat teacher. I had good grades in both. What would you think the admission jury in oxford would like better? I had a 780 in quant in the gre, so maybe i need more econs teacher recommending me since i dont have a pure econ bsc? or is it better to choose 1/3 referees to be a more quantitative one? thank you all :)

Hey all! I would like to get some views before I could make an informed decision about which course I should pursue. I have been admitted to both LSE International Political Economy (MSc) and for Oxford's Development Studies (MPhil). And, I am unsure where to go. My academic interests lie in the political economy of oil-rich countries and hence both courses are suitable in their own manners. I am attracted to the programme at Oxford much more, since it would give me training in other fields of study (such as anthropology and history), and has a focus on development (which is really my thing). At the moment, I am not very interested in pursuing a PhD later on, but it is an option I do not discard. My dilemma is the following. Although I feel very interested in working within the field of development, perhaps wiithin international organisations or NGOs, I am daunted by the job/salary prospects of a worker of this industry. It is often an exploitative and insuffciently-payed industry. Hence, I am not sure whether a development-oriented course would restrict my career options in the future. How truly "defining" is my choice of a Masters? Although I really love the programme at Oxford, I am not sure whether I should go for it and go to the "more-flexible" LSE instead (which would perhaps enable me to work in development at first with the possibility of switching industries if I want to in the future... e.g. business and govt.) Is the choice of a masters as defining as I think it is? Having studied Development Studies at Oxford, would it be very difficult to switch industries, say a job in business in the UK? Or would I have it better going to LSE? Thank you! :rolleyes: