Admission Sweat Thread 2014

[StudentLoaner]

I'm applying to 14 schools total...my application profile isn't the best so I figured I should cast a wide net.

[sulebrahim]

Kindly evaluate the profile below.

 

Education

1. University of Cambridge- Master of Philosophy in Finance- Average score-64

2. Kenyatta University- Masters of Public Policy and administration- Continuing

3. Jomo Kenyatta University- Bachelor of science in Mathematics and Computer Science

4. Kenya Institute of Management- Diploma in Total Quality Management

 

Work Experience

1. United Nations Support Office for AMISOM- Budget Assistant

2. Jomo Kenyatta University- Part time Lecturer

3.Center for Financial and Policy Analysis- Research Assistant

4. Kenya airways- Planning analyst

 

Awards

 

• Cambridge University Commonwealth Scholarship
  
• World Bank scholarship- Deferred Acceptance
  
• Embassy of Korea Kenya scholarship
  
• Safaricom Foundation Scholarship
  
• Joe Wanjui Women Trust Fund Beneficiary
  
• JKUAT Babaroa and Vice Chancellors Award
  

 

I did not prepare well for GRE, because of time constrain, work plus I go for evening masters classes.

 

you might want to post a new thread and use this format.

 

PROFILE:

Type of Undergrad:

Undergrad GPA:

Type of Grad:

Grad GPA:

GRE:

Math Courses:

Econ Courses (grad-level):

Econ Courses (undergrad-level):

Other Courses:

Letters of Recommendation:

Research Experience:

Teaching Experience:

Research Interests:

SOP:

Concerns:

Other:

Applying to:

But without knowing how much math you have and other factors, the GRE is still important since there seems to be a cut off mark, where people are likely to be rejected if their quant score is low. You do seem to have good research experience and scholarly awards which may help but a GRE retake is important.

[ms484]

At this point I'm just struggling to get the basic application materials finished while studying for my exams (I have a micro midterm on Friday), completing problem sets, and working on research. I don't even know what I'm going to do about the NSF--hopefully the shutdown will result in the deadline being pushed off.

 

 

I feel you, dude. Applying while taking grad courses is rough. I think I've actually decided not to apply for the NSF because I can't get anymore behind in research. It's a bummer. 21 schools is a ton! I've been thinking about cutting down too.

 

Let there be two schools, A and B, and A more competitive for admissions than B. However B is still very competitive, but I assume that if I get into A I will get into B. I value the research and location of B very highly. If I got into both schools, I would choose B. Does applying for A and paying $150 violate rationality?

 

I think it does, but I am doing it anyway. (only applying to 10 schools tho). I'm sure you have some on your list that would violate that rule. I know applications are noisy, so you may not want to cut things out like that.

[cinciaaz]

Let there be two schools, A and B, and A more competitive for admissions than B. However B is still very competitive, but I assume that if I get into A I will get into B. I value the research and location of B very highly. If I got into both schools, I would choose B. Does applying for A and paying $150 violate rationality?

 

Nah, because the conditional probability of getting into A given a rejection from B should be positive.

 

And Catrina, I'm in the same position; after talking to professors, my list expanded to 27 schools (and will definitely remain over 20). This is a tough semester...

[NBZ]

I feel you, dude. Applying while taking grad courses is rough. I think I've actually decided not to apply for the NSF because I can't get anymore behind in research. It's a bummer. 21 schools is a ton! I've been thinking about cutting down too.

 

Let there be two schools, A and B, and A more competitive for admissions than B. However B is still very competitive, but I assume that if I get into A I will get into B. I value the research and location of B very highly. If I got into both schools, I would choose B. Does applying for A and paying $150 violate rationality?

 

I think it does, but I am doing it anyway. (only applying to 10 schools tho). I'm sure you have some on your list that would violate that rule. I know applications are noisy, so you may not want to cut things out like that.

 

In my case, at least, I would treat the following two as assumptions that may or may not hold:

1) "but I assume that if I get into A I will get into B"

2) "If I got into both schools, I would choose B" (I have no idea what my preferences will be like in a few months)

In that case spending the $150 may well be far-sightedly rational.

[Catrina]

I feel you, dude. Applying while taking grad courses is rough. I think I've actually decided not to apply for the NSF because I can't get anymore behind in research. It's a bummer. 21 schools is a ton! I've been thinking about cutting down too.

 

Let there be two schools, A and B, and A more competitive for admissions than B. However B is still very competitive, but I assume that if I get into A I will get into B. I value the research and location of B very highly. If I got into both schools, I would choose B. Does applying for A and paying $150 violate rationality?

 

I think it does, but I am doing it anyway. (only applying to 10 schools tho). I'm sure you have some on your list that would violate that rule. I know applications are noisy, so you may not want to cut things out like that.

 

I think the flaw in your logic is in this statement:

 

"I assume that if I get into A I will get into B"

 

That is not a valid assumption. There is randomness in the application process, so admissions should be viewed in a probabilistic sense. For example, see:

 

1. http://www.www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/146668-profiles-results-2013-a.html#post943717 - Accepted at NYU Stern and CMU, rejected at Penn State

 

2. http://www.www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/146668-profiles-results-2013-a-5.html#post949700 - Accepted at Princeton and Berkeley, rejected at Duke and Cornell

 

3. http://www.www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/146668-profiles-results-2013-a.html#post943854 - Accepted at Harvard and MIT, rejected at Columbia

 

4. http://www.www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/146668-profiles-results-2013-a-3.html#post948284 - Accepted at CMU, rejected at Pitt and Purdue

 

And these are just a few of many in 2013 alone.

[ms484]

..... Edited October 13, 2013 by ms484
oops see next post.

[ms484]

I think the flaw in your logic is in this statement:

 

"I assume that if I get into A I will get into B"

 

That is not a valid assumption. There is randomness in the application process, so admissions should be viewed in a probabilistic sense. For example, see:

 

1. http://www.www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/146668-profiles-results-2013-a.html#post943717 - Accepted at NYU Stern and CMU, rejected at Penn State

 

2. http://www.www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/146668-profiles-results-2013-a-5.html#post949700 - Accepted at Princeton and Berkeley, rejected at Duke and Cornell

 

3. http://www.www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/146668-profiles-results-2013-a.html#post943854 - Accepted at Harvard and MIT, rejected at Columbia

 

4. http://www.www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/146668-profiles-results-2013-a-3.html#post948284 - Accepted at CMU, rejected at Pitt and Purdue

 

And these are just a few of many in 2013 alone.

 

 

Yes, I know there is a lot of noise in the process. However, I can assume that if my profile is good enough to get into Yale I am much more likely to get into Michigan State. These are extreme examples, I think the process is most noisy on the margin.

 

So let's say that I have the following chances: P(Yale acceptance)=.01; P(Michigan State acceptance)=.60. They are not independent, so we could calculate a conditional probability P(MSA|YA) which I would argue approaches 1. But let's say that it is .98. Then we could calculate the expected value of each of these applications. If I prefer the research at MS and I would go there over Yale, there is barely any additional benefit to applying to Yale. Clearly this is an extreme example. I don't know if there are many who would chose MS over Yale. But for many pairs of schools the conditional probability of acceptance at one school given an acceptance at another school approaches either zero or one. Just because there is noise in the application process does not mean the results are entirely uncorrelated.

 

And yes, my assumption that if I get into A I will get into B is a simplifying assumption, and is not always true. But hey, we're economists. We love making simplifying assumptions.

[Catrina]

That makes sense if the choices are that extreme, provided that you can somehow signal to Michigan State that you would actually seriously consider their offer. Otherwise, they might look at that profile and think that there is no chance in hell that someone with a Yale-worthy profile would go there.

 

However, most cases of this type are far less obvious. For example, let's say that a person is considering applying to both U Michigan (ranked 13 by US News) and Maryland (ranked 22 by US News), and would prefer to go to Maryland if he gets into both. I wouldn't think that the conditional probability of acceptance at Maryland given acceptance at Michigan, while high, is particularly close to one, given the noise in the process.

 

(The above is based on a real-life anecdotal example. I met a student from Michigan at a conference who had been rejected from Maryland when he applied. Of course, the plural of anecdote isn't data)

[NBZ]

There is one additional consideration. If you prefer B to A because, let's say, it's a better fit for your interests, then in general you are a better fit for B (invoke conditional probability etc etc). So that should tilt the probabilities ever so slightly. But I would still apply to both A and B.

[ForbiddenDonut]

I think you are referring to Glen Weyl, unless there is another super genius at Princeton.

 

Just read his CV. I'm either going to use it as motivation to study for this Micro I exam or ask myself "why bother anymore?"

[Njeri]

Kindly evaluate the profile below.

 

Education

1. University of Cambridge- Master of Philosophy in Finance- Average score-64

2. Kenyatta University- Masters of Public Policy and administration- Continuing

3. Jomo Kenyatta University- Bachelor of science in Mathematics and Computer Science

4. Kenya Institute of Management- Diploma in Total Quality Management

 

Work Experience

1. United Nations Support Office for AMISOM- Budget Assistant

2. Jomo Kenyatta University- Part time Lecturer

3.Center for Financial and Policy Analysis- Research Assistant

4. Kenya airways- Planning analyst

 

Awards

 

• Cambridge University Commonwealth Scholarship
  
• World Bank scholarship- Deferred Acceptance
  
• Embassy of Korea Kenya scholarship
  
• Safaricom Foundation Scholarship
  
• Joe Wanjui Women Trust Fund Beneficiary
  
• JKUAT Babaroa and Vice Chancellors Award
  

 

I did not prepare well for GRE, because of time constrain, work plus I go for evening masters classes.

 

Anyone please evaluate my profile

[ms484]

Of course, the plural of anecdote isn't data

 

 

I want a bumper sticker/tee shirt/tattoo that says this.

[Catrina]

I want a bumper sticker/tee shirt/tattoo that says this.

 

I didn't make it up. I have heard quite a number of other people use it, but I have no idea what the original source is.

 

I agree that it would make a great bumper sticker!

[rekovu]

Yes, I know there is a lot of noise in the process. However, I can assume that if my profile is good enough to get into Yale I am much more likely to get into Michigan State. These are extreme examples, I think the process is most noisy on the margin.

 

So let's say that I have the following chances: P(Yale acceptance)=.01; P(Michigan State acceptance)=.60. They are not independent, so we could calculate a conditional probability P(MSA|YA) which I would argue approaches 1. But let's say that it is .98. Then we could calculate the expected value of each of these applications. If I prefer the research at MS and I would go there over Yale, there is barely any additional benefit to applying to Yale. Clearly this is an extreme example. I don't know if there are many who would chose MS over Yale. But for many pairs of schools the conditional probability of acceptance at one school given an acceptance at another school approaches either zero or one. Just because there is noise in the application process does not mean the results are entirely uncorrelated.

 

And yes, my assumption that if I get into A I will get into B is a simplifying assumption, and is not always true. But hey, we're economists. We love making simplifying assumptions.

 

If you have a financial econometrics background, you might meet Duke´s standards but not Penn State´s, and if you are a physics PhD contemplating a transition to econ, you might meet Minnesota´s standards but not Cornell´s. Different strokes for different folks - if you have any expectation of noise in your profile, apply to as many reaches as you can afford.

[kipfilet]

And schools do reject people because they do not credibly believe that person will accept the offer.

[Kaysa]

These prodigies make me sad.

 

Hah hah you wouldn't say that if you had a couple drinks with them, trust me :)

[NBZ]

What do you guys think about applying to two graduate programs within the same school (e.g. to both the Econs and ARE programs at a given school)? For quite a few schools, I find that I'd be a good fit with both departments. But is it a bad strategy for diversifying risk? Not sure how it works, but I wouldn't want the same person getting to reject two of my applications! (or, less dramatically, the same university-wide internal criterion used to reject both applications)

[Catrina]

What do you guys think about applying to two graduate programs within the same school (e.g. to both the Econs and ARE programs at a given school)? For quite a few schools, I find that I'd be a good fit with both departments. But is it a bad strategy for diversifying risk? Not sure how it works, but I wouldn't want the same person getting to reject two of my applications! (or, less dramatically, the same university-wide internal criterion used to reject both applications)

 

Different schools have different policies regarding whether it is allowed--check the website for each school

[Catrina]

Is anyone else disappointed that they didn't push off the NSF deadline due to the shutdown? I was kind of hoping for that.

[setsanto]

My Advanced Micro prof (4th course in undergraduate microeconomics at my university, including intro) is pushing me to consider taking PhD Micro II next semester. I'm considering it as I am applying to Master's programs for 2014/2015, so they won't see this mark if I don't do so well. If I do do well, it should set me up well for a T20 PhD placement.

 

Does anyone see a flaw in that logic? Suggestions/advice? Does Micro II generally build off Micro I? He doesn't think it does, but I meant more, is there are much higher expectation from students in the second class in PhD Micro?

[StudentLoaner]

This board is dead compared to last year.

[setsanto]

Last year the sweat thread didn't start til December, that could explain why it's quieter right now. People aren't sweating, just applying.

[StudentLoaner]

Good point. I also think I just sweat more than most people.

[synthxdill]

This thread hits a stride in January and then full speed ahead until april 15 and then completely dead.