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Hi there! I am currently finishing up my first round of application deadlines, and I was wondering what y’all think about some of the common requirements. 1) CV/Resume: How long is yours? How much detail do y’all go into? Do you include “unrelated” things like internships not in Econ/finance/data? 2) Statement of Purpose: How do you avoid simply rehashing things on your resume? What have y’all prioritized including? How much do you spend talking about your past (experiences, research, coursework) vs your future (why that program, what you want to focus your research on, career goals)? 3) Personal Statement: For schools requiring another statement, how are y’all using it? Are you using it to discuss something you didn’t have room for in your SOP, something personal about you (I.e. life-changing experience, “light bulb moment”, etc), or something else entirely? Obviously no need to answer all of the questions! I was just curious what your thoughts were about some things I’ve been thinking about throughout this process. Best of luck, everyone! -
Hi there! I am currently finishing up my first round of application deadlines, and I was wondering what y’all think about some of the common requirements. 1) CV/Resume: How long is yours? How much detail do y’all go into? Do you include “unrelated” things like internships not in Econ/finance/data? 2) Statement of Purpose: How do you avoid simply rehashing things on your resume? What have y’all prioritized including? How much do you spend talking about your past (experiences, research, coursework) vs your future (why that program, what you want to focus your research on, career goals)? 3) Personal Statement: For schools requiring another statement, how are y’all using it? Are you using it to discuss something you didn’t have room for in your SOP, something personal about you (I.e. life-changing experience, “light bulb moment”, etc), or something else entirely? Obviously no need to answer all of the questions! I was just curious what your thoughts were about some things I’ve been thinking about throughout this process. Best of luck, everyone!
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Masters/ PhD Application (Planning to apply Fall 2021) Background: I was originally a double major in business and biology with the intention to go to med school, and I was not overly motivated my first two years. I got quite a few B's and one C, and this is the main reason my GPA is not where it should be. The courses listed below were mainly taken over my last two years, where my GPA averaged > 3.9. GRE: Yet to Take (Averaging 170 on Quant section) Undergrad: University of Michigan '21, BA Economics with Highest Honors - 3.6/4 Courses & Grades: Econ: Intro Micro (A-), Intro Macro (A+), Intermediate Micro (A), Intermediate Macro (A+), International Economics (A+), International Finance I (A), International Finance II (A-), Labor Econ Survey Course (P for pass), Intermediate Econometrics I (B+), Intermediate Econometrics II (A+), International Trade Theory (A), Experimental Econ (A), Game Theory Seminar (A) Math: Calculus 2 (A-), Calculus 3 (A), Linear Algebra (B+), Probability Theory (A), Differential Equations (A) Research Experience: RA'd for Michigan professor, expecting strong LOR from him. Wrote a research paper on the East Asis Crisis which was published in the Michigan Undergraduate Research Journal Wrote a senior thesis on theoretical micro theory/game theory under a prominent game theorist at Michigan. LOR's: Thesis advisor, a prominent game theorist at Michigan. Expecting a really strong letter (he said my thesis is among the best pieces of undergraduate research he has ever seen in his career). He also mentioned he would absolutely recommend me to the top economics PhD programs. Professor that I RA'd for - also expecting strong letter, however we do not have as much of a relationship as I do with my thesis advisor Work Experience: I will be spending one year working as an equity analyst at JP Morgan starting July. Planning on going to graduate school after one year. Concerns: Not enough math classes (the B+ in linear algebra was a fluke - I packed calc 3 and linear algebra into a spring term, which is twice as fast). Also, I have not taken Real Analysis. However, my thesis is quite mathematical so I hope this signals some mathematic competence. Awards: Received award for best undergraduate Economics paper at Michigan in fall '20. Also expecting a prestigious award for my honors thesis. Plans: I want to apply this fall for a graduate program, and preferably I would go straight to a good PhD program. However, my thesis advisor also suggested doing a masters abroad (Bocconi, LSE, some Israeli universities like TAU or Hebrew University which have strong programs) to make up for my deficiencies. He has connections to the top Israeli programs and said he would love to recommend me to their programs. How would my profile fare in PhD applications, and how would it fare in Master's program applications (specifically abroad)?
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Hello, I am quite torn between these two programs, both of which I feel are strong choices with a lot to offer. I figured I'd list out my pros and cons for each school, and see whether or not others had any insights! For context, I am mainly interested in political economics and public economics (although that can always change down the line). I am coming in without a ton of Math, so I would definitely be doing a bit of catching up during the first year (especially since I've been working for a few years since graduating undergrad). I would eventually like to work either in some government or public policy-oriented research position, and if I do go into academia I would see myself working at a small, liberal arts college with a strong emphasis on teaching. VANDERBILT Pros: - Small department, really take a personal interest in their students - Strong Law School/Political Science program (given my interest in political economics/law and economics) - Lots of female faculty members, which is really unique - Hamilton Scholar Award (extra 5000 dollars in addition to the standard stipend) - Nashville is a much more affordable city than Boston University Cons: - Far away from my friends, family and boyfriend (I'd have to fly home, which is less than ideal for me) - Few public transit options in Nashville (which I sorry about since I don't have a car) - Political economics professors do more theoretical work, while I'm interested in more applied/empirical work) - Smaller program means less course offerings, which could be an issue down the line BOSTON UNIVERSITY Pros: - Great location for me, close to friends and family members (also I just love Boston) - Seems as though the faculty and students are all pretty happy with BU and living in Boston, which is important to me - Strong job placement, particularly into positions that I see myself pursuing in the future - Political Economy masters option, which is something that I find very compelling - More course offerings that Vanderbilt (also proximity to Harvard, BC means potentially being able to audit/take courses there as well) Cons: - With a bigger program, I may get less personal attention - Much smaller stipend amount compared to Vanderbilt (especially relative to the cost of living) - Law School/Political Science Department is not as strong as Vanderbilt's - Not many professors who focus specifically in Political Economy (although others who do PE in addition to their main field) If anyone has any advice/insights about these two programs, that would be super helpful in the decision-making process. I am sure I would be happy and successful at either program, which makes the decision even more challenging. Thanks in advance!
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Hello Everyone, I am applying for PhD in Economics USA and UK. I have two Graduate degrees in Economics: First one is in MSc in Economics from really good university in UK (top 10) but my performance in it is very average and other one is in Mathematical Economics from good university in France with overall GPA 3.6/4. I am confused whether should I report my first masters in my Phd application, could you guys help me out? Please! The story is that I had a successful BA in Economics degree from India but it did not had math exposure. So i did not have any mathematical training which would have prepared me for my MSc degree. Honestly, I was not aware that I really need high level mathematics for graduate degree in Economics. So I had hard times during my first master. After finishing my masters, I went to do another master which provided good training in maths and economics both. Here, the mathematical training really helped me to perform well. So i am confused now to report my first master as the score from it is ver low and it will lower my chances to get in good Phd program. What do you think everyone?
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I'm a US student who has spent the last two years working in econ consulting (background in statistics and math, econ minor). Have been planning to do a PhD in either metrics or statistical theory and decided awhile back to apply this fall. I want to live outside of the US (probably UK/EU/ANZ), so naturally the idea of doing my PhD outside of the US sounds amazing. I ended up applying to Uni Melbourne's PhD program; just had the interview and it sounds like I would get fully funded there. This sounds exciting, but I have been hearing that outside of a select few (e.g., Oxbridge), if you go outside the US for your PhD your placement options will be woeful. So I'm curious if anyone has info on Melbourne's quality as a program? The problem for me is that I would have to decide on Melbourne before I heard from any US school since the timelines are different. For context, I went to a top 25 US school undergrad, majored in stat (3.9+ major GPA, 3.77 overall), also had a commerce major and a econ minor. Have all of the math courses they would want (real analysis, etc.) with similar 3.9 level grades. GRE was 170Q/165V/5 and I feel good about my rec letters. But I don't have research experience outside of the two years in econ consulting (at a top 3 firm in the industry). I assume that last bit is a killer for a top 20 econ program and probably for stat programs as well but not really sure. Any help would be appreciated! -
Hi all, I am looking for profile evaluation it. Any advice/feedback would be highly appreciated. Type of Undergrad: B.A. (Hons.) Economics from the top University in India Undergrad GPA:4 Type of Grad :M.A. Econometrics from a state university in India. Grad GPA: 4 GRE: Q156 ,V 154, AWA 3.5 Math Courses Undergrad: Linear Algebra(A), Calculus(A),Discrete Maths (A) Econ Courses Undergrad: Microeconomics(B+), Macroeconomics(B+), Mathematical Methods in Economics(A), Statistical Methods in Economics(A), Development Theory and Experience(B+), Money and Financial Markets(A), International Economics(A) Econ Courses Grad :Advanced Microeconomics(A), Econometric Theory(A), Time Series Econometrics(A), Applied Econometric Methods(A), Panel Data and Non-parametric Econometrics(A), Econometric Applications(A) PhD level courses :Microeconomics(B-), Statistics(B). Letters of Recommendation: Associate Professor(in Marketing) who I RAed for 2 years(has U.S PhD) Assistant Professor from under grad Associate Professor from Grad Research Experience: Two years RA at a top business school working on projects related to Marketing and Development economics. Teaching Experience: Teaching instructor for Statistics workshop for MBA students(conducted over two days) Research Interests: Econometrics, Development economics Concerns : Lack of publications Poor GRE scores My work experience is under a Marketing prof. Fewer math courses Not so reputed letter writers(2) and not so reputed Grad college Notes: My colleagues(RAs) from the business school, where I RAed got offers from State University of New York, Auburn University, University of Connecticut, Rice University, University of California, George Washington University to study Econ(RAs here usually aim to pursue PhD). Students from my college went on to pursue Grad from U.K and the U.S and none from my Grad college are pursuing PhD. Since GRE is waived off/ optional for most of the programs, I plan to omit it from my applications. Does it harm a lot? Should I retake GRE to make my application more viable? Will applying for Economics program after RAing with Marketing Prof. adversely affect my applications? Depending on my current profile, what sort of schools should I target? What ranking range should I consider? Is my profile even worth applying? Thank you for your time :) -
Hello, I am a second-year PhD student in Strategy & Entrepreneurship at LBS and want to share details of my admissions and first-year experiences with potential applicants in the following post: https://twitter.com/NinaTengLi/status/1313737825079226369?s=20 I discuss why I chose to apply to LBS, the admissions interview process, course requirements, culture and work-life balance. Hope that it can help interested applicants make more informed choices when applying. All the best with your applications! -
Profile Eval - PhD in Strategy/Decision Sciences Fall 2021
gabb062 posted a topic in PhD in Business
Hi, I'm beginning to focus on applications for Fall 2021 and would really appreciate any insight! I'd love any advice on where I can improve my application/what programs to apply to. Thanks! Test Scores (GRE): 163Q, 158V ; retaking this again in a month - aiming for 167+Q Undergrad GPA: 3.3 (major GPA: 3.8); BS Econ/Math Graduate GPA: 3.5; MS Financial Engineering Research Experience: 1. decision theory research paper (submitting for publishing in 2 weeks with well-known professor in the field) 2. industry research for biggest bank in Europe where my strategies were implemented firm-wide 3. master’s thesis on optimizing factor-based investing strategy & building a model using Bloomberg Teaching Experience: N/A Work Experience: valuation analyst focusing on intellectual property at a litigation consulting firm - 1 year + various internships with banks Concentration Applying to: decision sciences/strategy Number of programs planned to apply to: ~10 Dream Schools: MIT, Duke, University of Michigan, Boston College, UCLA Other Questions: What made you want to pursue a PhD? Working on research papers in school, specifically in my PhD level decision sciences class. I really want to be a professor so I know this is something I need to do. I’ve done almost all of my research papers on sports in uni so I want to continue to work within applicable strategic theory and model building in the same industry/field. The paper I wrote now has a model I built from scratch using Bayesian probability updating and forecasting focusing on the NFL. Questions or concerns you have about your profile? I know my undergrad GPA isn’t great, but I put my major GPA to show that I did well in my major after I switched into it. I want to aim for a 167Q on my GRE. Also I recognize that there are probably a very tiny number of professors that do research on sports and decision theory, if any. I’ve been trying to be open minded when looking at research done at the schools, but I think that regardless I can fit in as there are professor’s who do focus more on applicable strategy versus just working on abstract theory. Any additional specific questions you may have: I’d really appreciate any advice or insight into where to aim in terms of schools as I don’t know anyone who applied to PhD programs so I am figuring it out on my own (first gen college student). I looked at the UT Dallas Ranking (is this the specific list everyone is referring to when they mention ranks??), but again I'm not too positive on where to aim. Thank you so so much in advance, any advice helps! -
I decided a bit late to try to pursue an Econ PhD--it's been a major of mine for a while, and I've been taking some math courses, but I do graduate in a year, so there's not just a whole lot of adapting I can do at this point. I understand the programs are competitive, and that's okay. I'd just like some thoughts on what I can do with what little wiggle room I've got, and what rank of school (Top 20? Top 50?) I should focus on. I'll work on my applications plenty, but that's easier to change. Graduating: May 2021 Type of Undergrad: Unranked (top ~120) U.S. University. BS in Econ, BA in Political Science & Spanish, Data Science minor. Think liberal arts school for what I’m studying--some research, but teaching-oriented. Undergrad GPA: 3.9+, should remain above or maybe dip into high 3.8s GRE: 170Q/170V/5.5 Undergrad Econ Courses: AP Macro, Intro Micro, Intermediate Macro/Micro, Applied Econometrics, Theories of Economic Growth, Labor (As). Game Theory and History of Econ (the latter required, unfortunately) planned. Math Courses: Linear Algebra (A), Stats (A). Calc III (summer), Mathematical Statistics planned. I have two spots open, and I’m trying to get into Advanced Calc I, but I don’t have the prerequisites; without a waiver, ODE + PDE or ODE + some proofs course. Other (Relevant?) Courses: Intro to Data Science (A). Data Mining planned. LORs: Professor I had for Intro Micro and will have for Game Theory (Dept Head), other I had for three courses and will assist with (informal) research over the summer. Unsure on 3rd, so will be shakier--but could be related to a fall research project. Programming: R, limited Python Research Experience: None in Econ at the moment, will have limited experience after summer. Was chosen for a Canadian Fulbright for the summer, but, y'know, pandemic. Fall project and (Spring) senior thesis planned. Teaching Experience: I tutored HS students (in government and US history) this past year; TAs are basically STEM-only at my UG. Work Experience: Nothing relevant to Econ/PhD. Research Interests: Transit/Transportation is a hobby interest of mine, so I’m looking at UC Irvine. Other than that, I’m fairly open, but skew toward Labor, Development (Micro), Public, maybe Resource. Concerns: At this stage, I feel like I’m doing what I can in terms of making myself competitive--I’d just prefer not to waste my time and money applying and getting rejected from schools beyond my reach. What kind of schools (rankings, though specific ones are good, too) should I be focusing on? I’m also not really sure where ranks lie (I’ve been using thissince it has subfields). I’m hesitant about going to a “low-ranked” PhD program, even though I’m not sure where that cutoff is. Thanks for your help!
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International Student. Undergrad- Computer Science and Engineering(4 year degree) Undergrad GPA- 9.422/10( Proportionally, this is equivalent to 3.768/4. But according to WES, my grades are equal to 4.0) Math Courses in UG- Multivariable calculus, linear algebra, real analysis(at the level of Stephen Abbott), complex analysis, ODE and PDE, transforms, probability theory, queuing theory, statistical techniques(testing, regression, etc.), Numerical Analysis, discrete math(group theory, logic, and combinatorics) ECON courses in UG- Intro to Micro. Scored a perfect 10/10(with distinction) in every math course. Postgrad- Econ with concentration on statistics Postgrad GPA- 88.21%(equivalent to 3.52) Relevant courses in PG-Micro theory, math for econ, econometrics(I, II, III), Operations research and efficiency analysis, research methodology. Master's thesis on a mechanism design topic. Scored a 10/10 on math and micro theory courses. Targeting to publish something by 2020 in some respected theory journal. GRE Quant- 166 Recommendation Letters- 1 from micro faculty, 1 from thesis guide, 1 from UG math faculty. TOEFL - Yet to give. Target Universities- SUNY(Buffalo, Stony Brook, Albany), Virginia Tech, SMU Dedman, Washington State University, Louisiana State, NC State, ASU, Univ. of Arizona, Boston College, Singapore Mgmt. Univ., Purdue, Rutgers, Univ. of Southern California, Univ. of Miami. Am I aiming too high? Would appreciate some advice regarding my target places.
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Hi, I will be applying this year for the doctoral program in MIS, looking for honest feedback and suggestions regarding my profile. Education Background: Undergrad: BS Economics (Top 3 college in my country) GPA: 4.0 (Converted my grades to US point system, though not sure if the conversion is accurate) Grad School : MS Economics (Top university in my country) GPA: 3.6/4.0 RA Experience: Full Time Research experience in Economics for 1.5 years. TA Experience: Nil Work Experience: 1 year Industry experience in the Financial Services Industry (Big 4 company) Test Scores GRE: Q-169/V-155/AWA-4.5 Test Scores TOEFL: Total 106 Research Interest Some of the research themes I find interesting and would like to pursue are: Economics Of Information Systems: pricing of IT services and products, Online Labor markets, product diffusion of IT goods. Peer influence in social networks: Social and observational learning of new technologies facilitated through social networks, behavioral Impacts of social networks and online communities. Online Marketing: Impact of word of mouth on online sales, In app advertisement, Impact of recommender systems on revenue of sellers. IT governance: Gray markets and piracy impact on sale of IT goods. Concentration Applying to : Management Information Systems Planning to apply to UT-Austin, University of Minnesota, UT-Dallas, University of Arizona, Carnegie Mellon University, NYU – Stern, Temple University, Arizona State University, University of Florida, UofMaryland College Park, U of Washington Seattle, USC Marshall, U of Pittsburgh, McGill University, Singapore Management University. Questions or concerns you have about your profile? Most of the doctoral students in MIS seem to be either from Technology or management background, would my degree in economics hurt my chances of securing an admission? I have chosen the schools to apply based on my research fit, however, not sure if I am applying to places which are out of my league. Would appreciate suggestions of safer schools given my research interest. -
Most of the PhD applications are done and now we are just waiting it out. Call it musings of an empty mind, but I was wondering if being an international applicant reduces my chances of getting an admit. Recently I'd come across some US-MBA aspirants who were discussing how the % of international students is falling year on year, after Trump's stringent immigration policies and how universities are refraining from handing our admits to international students. Students applying for MBA and PhD have an entirely different outlook and I understand how some international students would be hesitant in opting for an MBA in the US if they have difficulties in finding work there after their education (to pay off the loans). But are these policies likely to affect the decisions made by the admissions committee, especially when it comes to a PhD program that is funded by the Univ itself? Also, is a PhD applicant likely to be overlooked for funding/tution fee waiver if they are an international applicant? I did my bit of research and couldn't come across anything conclusive regarding whether or not this affects the decision by admissions committee, but maybe someone here can shed some light on this....? -
Most of the programs ask for a CV/Resume: Is the academic CV format (with research papers and their summary, and a tiny section of professional work experience) preferred over a Resume format (with professional experience and research experience in reverse-chronological order)? I have 2 years of work experience and some undergraduate research work. Does it hurt to submit a Resume (with my research experience and professional experience) without giving a summary/abstract of my unpublished papers and manuscripts? Thanks!
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I do not qualify for their TOEFL requirement. 4 points below the minimum in one area. Would it be a waste of time and money to apply for Yale and Cambridge's phd programs? Thank you.
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My profile: Country: India Master's in Economics Degree from a Top 5 University. First ranker. (12 years ago) Research experience - 2 years in total : 1 year with a economic policy think-tank with and 1 year with a IIM, Ahmedabad professor - but both are 10 years ago More recent Work-experience: 8 years in data analytics industry GRE: Yet to take, but took once 12 years ago with a 1420 (710 in Quant and Verbal both) Recommendations: 1 from the IIM professor, 1 from my Master's thesis guide and 1 more from my Master's prog prof. All are fairly well known in India, but I'm unsure of how good a recco I'd get given the time that has lapsed since i worked with them. I am looking to immigrate to Canada with my family, and the PR (permanent residency, equivalence of a domestic student basically) application is already in pipeline. I am hoping to hear back positively by Nov/Dec 2018 latest on this. Hence, I'm looking only at Canadian schools for my studies. My questions are as follows: 1. What are my chances to get into UBC and U of Toronto? 2. Do you know if univs give a preference to international candidates or domestic (which is what a PR should help me get)? I'm keen on UBC, but not sure how strong my profile is and if I should first wait to get the PR in hand before i apply. If any of you have insights on this point, it would be quite helpful. 3. When is the latest I should take the GRE to meet the deadlines for applying for Fall 2019 admissions? 4. Does age play on negatively in a PhD application? Thank you all for reading through and guiding!
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Hi all, I really don't know what range of schools to be looking at, or if I even have a chance of getting into an econ PhD program at all right now. I definitely want to at least keep that option open, perhaps by pursuing a masters or RA job first. Any brutally honest advice/info would be appreciated. Undergrad: Solid flagship state school, T50 econ GPA: 3.6 overall, 3.9 in economics classes Scores: 166Q/165V Classes Mathematical economics -- Varian Analysis (B+), Multivariable calc (B), Linear Algebra (C+), Diff Eqs ©, Statistics (B+) A's in Intermediate Micro/Macro, Econometrics, Econ of Taxation, Environmental Econ, Law and Econ, Banking and Finance, etc... Experience: Summer internship at policy think tank, econ tutor LORs: Should be solid Interests:Policy, tax, public econ, macro I know, my math is really a weak spot. Will I be able to get into a PhD program at all? Should I aim for an MSc/MA instead? How about a Public Policy PhD? Some PhD programs I'm interested in: UC Boulder, GWU, Georgetown, Oregon, Harris (policy), Duke (Sanford policy)... Masters: LSE, PSE, Barcelona, Duke, Tillburg, Tolouse Am I in over my head or just psyching myself out? Thanks! -
I have been admitted into the BGSE MEcon (10 months). What is required in order to get into the UPF MRes/PhD Economics? Specifically: 1. What are the grades required? How hard is it to achieve? 2. How many students get through? 3. Failing to meet the requirements, what are my other options? UAB? Any help to any of the questions will be super super helpful!
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Hi, I'm going to apply for Phd in supply chain management(fall 2018). Even though I'm still reading papers, I'm pretty sure my research area will be in the domain of supply chain analytics. My profile is given below. GRE- 322-159V (83 percentile), 163Q(84 percentile), 3.5 AWA TOEFL-yet to appear(previous score expired) Graduation- Bachelors of Engineering(chemical engineering)- Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal University(2010-2014) Graduation GPA- 8/10(13th in chemical engineering department) Post Graduation- PGDIM- NITIE(2016-2018) Post Graduation GPA- 8.2/10(1st year) work experience- 2 yr in energy management department in a steel plant(JSW Steel) I also have an option of working with a prof. on a research paper, but i haven't started yet. I wanted to know the colleges where i have a shot. I don't expect people to give names(but I'll be thankful if they do). The approx. rank of college on UTD ranking(with supply chain journal filters) would do. The problem I'm facing is that I don't know how my profile is on a relative scale. Also is there time to work on research papers?
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Hi all, I need some expertise on which US schools to target (since I am not from there). I am little afraid that my lack of "official" maths courses will reduce my chances. Primarily I am interested in the straight PhD Econ program. Yet, some business schools offer PhD financial econ programs (through a management phd track), which seems appealing given my background. PROFILE: Type of Undergrad: BSc Econ Top 20 UK - Top 150 World Undergrad GPA: 3.4 (much stronger GPA in stats than econ courses) Type of Grad 1: MSc Econ Top 5 UK - Top 50 World Grad GPA: 4.0 (PhD courses in macro, micro, metrics) Type of Grad 2: MSc Finance LSE Grad GPA: TBA GRE: will be taken in the next few weeks Maths Courses: calculus (A), algebra (A), applied mathematics (B), 4 semesters of statistics and probability (A*), real analysis (online course) Econ: PhD macro (A*), PhD micro (A) and 5 semesters of metrics classes (usually A* or A), quant. finance (A), various electives ranging from monetary econ (A*), intn econ (A) etc. [i don't think those are too relevant] Letter of recommendations: Former Harvard PhD Econ (supervisor), former Oxford PhD econ(school director) and an economist I RA'ed for Research experience: one year as part-time RA in financial economics. Throughout 17/18, I will be an RA at the ECB Research interest: monetary, macro-economics, intn. finance, time series metrics Given my background and research interest, what schools are realistic to target? Many thanks in advance!!!
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Hello everyone, I am currently struggling with an important decision regarding a Postgraduate programme for next year and could use some input from the community. Current situation I have been accepted to the following programs: - MSc Economics (UCL) - MSc Economics, Two Year program (LSE) and am waiting for a response (which is very likely to be positive) from: - Master of Advanced Studies in Economics (KU Leuven, Belgium) Background I have a Bachelor degree in Engineering from a good university in in my home country but without that much international projection (PUC - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and I am currently finishing a MSc Statistics program at KU Leuven, Belgium, very likely with distinction. I have a strong quantitative background in Mathematics and Stats, but I lack formal knowledge in theoretical economics. My Economics knowledge comes from a lot of reading, 2 optional courses (Macro and Development Econ) and 2 Coursera MOOC's on (Principles of Macro and Micro). Goals For the past couple of years now, I have been doing the (surprisingly, imo) common transition from Engineering into Economics. I would like to pursue a PhD with a focus on applied econometric analysis to Development, Public Policies and Growth (if that doesn't sound too vague). I see myself working in academia, think tanks, research or policy making institutions. I have no intention of going into Finance or Consulting, or the business sector in general. Misc I applied to some PhD positions this year already, but was not accepted, in my opinion (just my opinion really, because no feedback was ever given), partly for lack of economic knowledge and training. In all three Unis, a good performance in the Master program is almost a guarantee to be accepted at the PhD program afterwards. However, this does not guarantee funding, so I would also apply to PhD's elsewhere (Oxbridge, LSE, UCL, Wawick, other places outside the UK). Due to already having a 2-year Master program (in Stats), I originally applied to 1-year programs only, both in UCL and LSE. During my application, LSE contacted me and asked whether I would also be open to be considered for the 2-year program, to which I said yes. One thing that concerns me a little was the fact that having two two-year Master programs and a switch of fields from my original Engineering degree would make me come across as somewhat indecisive and hurt my chances in the future. I have no clue whether this is indeed a thing or it's just me being an overthinker, I would also love to hear some thoughts on that if someone has any. Any advice on my situation? Thanks a million! TL;DR Engineer/Statistician seeking advice on choosing between MSc Economics at UCL, LSE (2-year) or KU Leuven as a first step to a future PhD.
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Hello, everyone! This is my first time to post and I sincerely hope you can give me some advice in terms of what should I do in next step. As an international student, I apply to 15 schools this year in Management program. However, I can claim now that I fail this year. Although I got an interview from two European schools, which (and only them outside of US) can really compare to the top American programs. Eventually, I got rejections from them. In addition, I also got an interview from a top 20 US Management department but again fail to get an offer. What confuses me a lot is that I am just ignored (no interview/no contact) by other US programs and some of them are quite lower ranked since I want to have some relative safe schools in my application pool. What should I do in next step? I don't know how can I improve my profile since the feedback from my application this year is confusing and misleading. I expected to receive more interviews, which however turns out to be my illusion even after the two European interviews. Thanks for your reply and insights. I really appreciate them.
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Hi, I am applying for economics and finance phd programs. I have been working with a prestigious professor in finance (Ivy) for the past year. We are close to drafting a working paper (probably expect it in Dec.) in which he and I will be co-authors. He is quite convinced that the paper is significant and believes it will be on a top general interest economics journal. The problem is the paper concerns timing. Even if it becomes accepted and published in a good journal, it won't be done in time to have a major impact on my admissions. I have concentrated much of my effort for the past year in this research and am wondering if I made the right choice solely focusing on this project. For clarifications, I did take sufficient math courses and did a masters in statistics. Also he is writing a rec letter for me and sent out his recommendation letter and assessments while I was present. Any feedback or opinion would be appreciated.
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Hi everyone! Please look at my profile and tell me your thoughts and feedback. As an International student from quite un-kown university and no MS degree, I am still pretty much on the fence about the whole applying to PhD thing. Do you guys think I have a chance at all on this or am I really just delusional? Should I just go find a master degree first from a reputable US or at least top European schools then come back later? Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance! International female student from a Non Popular International University (Though top research one in my country) major : Pharmaceutical Science | GPA: 3.60 GRE : 322 (163Q159V) | TOEFL: 119/120 Research Experience: 2 years (started as senior thesis and now still working on it as research assistant) - the use of protein cytotoxicity on breast cancer cell (including nanoparticle formulation, antibody conjugation, cell cultures, electrophoresis, etc) 1 summer internship in Serbia - examining substance's anti-genotoxic effect on damaged cells (comet assay) 1 short (5 months) independent group research project on in-vivo test of plant extracts One publication under review on international journal (middle author) and one paper still on writing stage (probably won't help any) Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Government research grant - for the group project Uni merit-based scholarship for one academic year Finalist on International chemical product design competition Pertinent Activities or Jobs: 1 Semester TA in lab 1 month RnD Intern at pharmaceutical company Currently research assistant in my undergrad uni I am applying to PhD in these universities: PennState University - Molecular and Cell Biology University of Maryland, College Park - Biological Science Georgetown University - Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Florida State University - Cell, Molecular Biology University of Delaware - Biological Science Let me know what you think, thanks! -
My end goal is to complete a PhD in a top 10 school in the US. I've just finished my undergrad at a UK top 3 school in economics and management with first class honours and have offers from LSE EME and almost full funding for the Cambridge MPhil. I'm considering whether to do the EME, as there seems to be general consensus that it is great for PhD admissions, or the Cambridge MPhil first, and then the EME after that. The reason for the latter choice is that I'm not 100% sure my maths is strong enough to score well on the EME, and therefore have good enough results to apply for PhDs. If I do the Cambridge MPhil first, I will have plenty more time to prepare for the difficulty of the EME. Has anyone heard of people doing two masters like this? Would I just be wasting a year by doing 2 similar programs? Would I be better off using one of those years to do full-time research in prep for my PhD applications? Thanks!
