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Hello, I’ve just finished my first year of a BSc Economics degree at Warwick University. I’ve been dead set on a PhD in Economics in the US for a while, and I’m aiming for the top 5. However, I don’t feel like my undergraduate degree is helping me. Although I can take a limited number of modules from the maths department, I don’t feel like I’m getting enough maths to be competitive at the top programs. I have the option to switch to BSc MMORSE (essentially maths, stats and economics), which allows for far more mathematical/statistical/econometric modules to be taken while not sacrificing much economic theory, although it would take me two years longer. I’m struggling to come to a decision on whether to switch. I’ve performed well in my first year (estimated top 0.5-1%), but worry that even if hypothetically every other part of my application was exceptional, it would be undermined by my lack of maths. I realise how hard it is to get into a top 5 program especially with a non-top 10 undergrad, but I’m serious in my ambitions. Do you think the value placed by the top PhD programs on mathematical preparation justifies the obvious financial/social costs of switching? Thank you!

Hello everyone, I will apply to a Phd in Finance program this year. Please find a short review below, and any help or suggestion will be highly appreciated. Originally from Turkey, graduated as top student from high school and ranked in top 0.01% in the National University Entrance Exam. Test Scores (GRE): 318 (V148+ Q170) Undergrad GPA: 2.9/4.0 Electrical & Electronical Engineering, Koc University but graduated among top 10 students. My GPA of economic courses (which I took during bachelor) is 3.33. And I have a really strong reference from Bachelor, from an economist (however he is no longer teaching, but a Chief Economist in one of top 3 banks in Turkey) MSc GPA - 3.60. MSc in Economics, Bocconi University, two references who are Carlo Favero (Head of Finance Department and President of IGIER in Bocconi University), and Francesco Giavazzi (prof of economics in Bocconi, former president of IGIER, graduated from MIT E&E Engineering, publish papers mostly with Harvard scholars) Research Experience: MSc graduation thesis, worked with Favero, with 8/8 max credit. No publishments. Teaching Experience: none Work Experience: currently working in ING Bank, have 3 years of experience in finance. Concentration Applying to: Phd in Finance. Interest: Asset pricing (both empirical and theoretical) Number of programs planned to apply to: 15-20, actually I have a shortlist: LBS, LSE, INSEAD, SFI, Texas-Austin McCombs, UC San Diego, Rochester, CMU Tepper, Purdue, UFL Warrington, HEC Paris, Tilburg, PennState, Mannheim. I cant apply more because one of my referees can only give me 7 referances because he is very busy. Dream Schools: Standford GSB, Upenn Wharton, UC Berkeley What made you want to pursue a PhD: I am quite curious. I like intellectually stimulating environment. I will write elaborately later in my SoP. Concerns you have about your profile: 1- Will my bachelor GPA be a serious problem given that I explain it as aforementioned? 2- Will my GRE verbal be a point of concern even if I take >105 from TOEFL? 3- Will my letter of recommendation (bachelor) from a former professor be a problem? Any additional specific questions you may have: 1- I already wrote to many scholars from the universities I will apply and do you think this will help or improve my chances of admission? I have a very positive responses from many of them (especially from Turkish professors). 2- What can I do to increase my chance further? 3- Can you please comment (subjectively) of my chances of being admitted to my short list? And also what do you think of my chances of being admitted to top 20-25 schools? 4- How can I improve my short list? Any suggestion will be appreciated. Thank you all in advance for your attention.

Does my profile stand a chance for 20 top schools. Please answer frankly? I'm an international student who studied electronics and communication engineering in UG. Aiming for fall 2012 masters programme. My main concern is my low CGPA 6.5. GRE- 1310. Retaking it and I'm gonna crack this time for sure I have a passion for research (in wireless and mobile communication)*Published 4 international papers.*One paper which I will tout as my best discusses a noble architecture and addressing for multimedia file transfer over MIPV6 network for 4G mobile network. It was published in IEEE explore in 2010. I presented the same in an IEEE conference in china. *My UG project is a simulation project for wired and wireless*technologies for 4G high speed mobile communication. *Another paper is a cost effective system aiming to replace EU's e-call. Presented in an international conference in india. Low profile conference. 2009. *Third paper SQL injection and prevention. A paper in database systems and not my prime area. In addition i have a paper where I have proposed a new algorithm for object based skin recognition to be used for frame analysis in video.*I'm working as a developer for a cool new start-up website which is to be launched soon and it's a video sharing website. *These are my interests that I ll be highlighting during admission process.*I had no support whatsoever considering the facilities in my college. What I had was a pen, a notebook and a desktop pc with Internet. *I want to invent a technology that will change the world. I have some great ideas..I'm really concerned about my low GPA.*Will it be a spoilsport??* Please Reply. I'm worried and i do know top school rejection is not the end of the road but I would like to know my chances!! Pls do reply :)

Does my profile stand a chance for top univs. Please answer frankly.* I'm an international student who studied electronics and communication engineering in UG. Aiming for fall 2012 masters programme.My main concern is the fact that *have a low percentage( because of low internal marks *from professors) - 65 percent!! GRE- 1310. Retaking it and I'm sure gonna crack this time I have a passion for research( in wireless and mobile communication)*Published 4 international papers.*One paper which I will tout as my best discusses a noble architecture and addressing for multimedia file transfer over MIPV6 network for 4G mobile network. It was published in IEEE explore in 2010. I presented the same in an IEEE conference in china. *My UG project is a simulation project for wired and wireless*technologies for 4G high speed mobile communication. *Another paper is a cost effective system aiming to replace EU's e-call. Presented in an international conference in india. Low profile conference. 2009. *Third paper SQL injection and prevention. A paper in database systems and not my prime area. In addition i have a paper where I have proposed a new algorithm for object based skin recognition to be used for frame analysis in video.*I'm working as a developer for a cool new start-up website which is to be launched soon and it's a video sharing website. *These are my interests that I ll be highlighting during admission process.*I had no support whatsoever considering the facilities in my college. What I had was a pen, a notebook and a desktop pc with Internet. *I want to invent a technology that will change the world. I have some great ideas..I'm really concerned about my low GPA.*Will it be a spoilsport??* Please Reply. I'm worried and i do know top school rejection is not the end of the road buy I would like to know my chances!! Pls!