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Hi all, I've been lucky enough to receive offers from both NYU and UPenn and I'm trying to decide between these two programs. My research interests lie in macroeconomics in general, and more specifically labor, growth, public finance, and development. Both places have stellar faculty, although on this point I'm leaning slightly towards UPenn since I really like the work of guys like Akcigit and Greenwood. But only slightly. I think my decision will come down to department atmosphere and how well I might feel supported by faculty, as well as by fellow students, at each program. I think this is really important in your day to day experience, especially if you're in this for the next 5 years. From what I've heard NYU is great in this sense, as the professors seem to be quite invested in advising and placement, and although each student naturally wants to be the best of his/her cohort, the competition seems to take place on friendly and healthy grounds. On the other hand, I've read a lot about UPenn's supposedly high attrition rate and cutthroat atmosphere and I was wondering how true this might be, any UPenn students out there? Also, does anybody know what faculty interaction and the general department's atmosphere is like there? Do professors care about students? Thanks!

Hello! I am interested in the top 20 PhD economics programs. Here is my profile for your review. Please be realistic and unbiased based on *real* knowledge. Attended a top Canadian university. 2 years experience working as Analyst at a fund. Undergraduate: Overall GPA is 3.4 and double majored in economics and mathematics. Didn't do well in my first and second year ;( (including my Analysis courses!). Intermediate Macro - B+ Advanced Econometrics - A Advanced Microeconomics - A+ Bunch of 3rd and 4th yr economic courses: mostly A's and A-'s. Also took MA econometrics with A. Not really interesting. But here is my math: Calc 1 - A+ Calc 2 - A+ Calc 3 - B Chaos - A+ Algebra 1 - A+ Algebra 2 - C Analysis I - C+ Analysis II - B- Real Analysis - C+ Linear Algebra - B Time Series - A Combinatorics - B+ Geometry - A+ Advanced ODEs - B Probability - A+ Statistics - A+ and some more math (forgot the marks for a lot of them). The idea is that I have a large variance for math grades! My overall math grade is around 3.5 or something like that. To be frank, I did not find my undergraduate in math hard. I just didn't really study that much and didn't know that I wanted to do a PhD back then. Will my math grade kill my chances at a top 20 institution in the US? (Since all I see are A's in every profile that is evaluated here on URCH.) Also, since I am a Canadian, will US institutions, and especially the public ones, disregard me because of my nationality? My research interests lies in empirical financial economics. My DREAM school is UPENN PhD in Economics program. Can I realistically make? What is the probability? And, if not (prob less than 40%) what are some good schools in financial economics in the US that I have a chance in? Thank you!

Hi all! I'm currently a rising sophomore at Penn, hoping to do a PhD in economics after college. I came into Penn in the arts and sciences school, intending to double major in mathematics and economics. I can also complete a Masters degree in Mathematics within my 4 years at Penn, which would leave me with a double major in mathematics and economics and a masters degree in mathematics before I actually go to graduate school. However I also got accepted into Wharton to pursue a dual degree with the arts and sciences school. If I did Wharton, I might have to forgo the Math Masters degree, as well as the BA degree in math. I would come out with a BS in Econ from Wharton, and a BA in econ from the arts and sciences school. I believe I can manage a GPA above a 3.8 if I did the Math masters. Given my goal is to do a PhD in economics, which option should I choose to do? Thanks everybody!

Hi everybody I have placed in the waitlist of Upenn,Is there any one that had this situation last year,and got accepted?is there any hope?