Please evaluate my profile for 2021

[cp9290]

(redacted) Edited September 18, 2020 by cp9290
Privacy concerns

[dogbones]

1) Yes, only applying to top 20 seems ambitious. Some schools in the top 40 or 50 would be good for safeties possibly? Best thing is to check where your school has sent students in the past.

2) If your main criterion for selecting schools is the USNews rank and you don't care about the climate, faculty research specialties, or any other factors including reputation aside from the USNews rank, then maybe you could indiscriminately apply that way, but since your profile is unorthodox you should definitely include some lower ranked schools that you can envision yourself thriving in as well so that you don't waste a year for nothing potentially.

 

However, your master's degree in economics is a strong point and if you can do much better on the GRE then getting into a number of top 20 schools is not out of the question...

[Bayes]

1) Yes, only applying to top 20 seems ambitious. Some schools in the top 40 or 50 would be good for safeties possibly? Best thing is to check where your school has sent students in the past.

2) If your main criterion for selecting schools is the USNews rank and you don't care about the climate, faculty research specialties, or any other factors including reputation aside from the USNews rank, then maybe you could indiscriminately apply that way, but since your profile is unorthodox you should definitely include some lower ranked schools that you can envision yourself thriving in as well so that you don't waste a year for nothing potentially.

 

However, your master's degree in economics is a strong point and if you can do much better on the GRE then getting into a number of top 20 schools is not out of the question...

 

There is something very odd with your advice. OP is stating that they are working in a research organization where Top 5-10 profs are employed; that leads to many gates being opened ranking wise. Also, OP's background is NOT unorthodox.

 

To OP: Where has your research organization placed people before? That would be a good indicator range wise. I think it would be best to speak to your Profs at your RA gig and let them point out on where you ought to apply.

[cp9290]

There is something very odd with your advice. OP is stating that they are working in a research organization where Top 5-10 profs are employed; that leads to many gates being opened ranking wise. Also, OP's background is NOT unorthodox.

 

To OP: Where has your research organization placed people before? That would be a good indicator range wise. I think it would be best to speak to your Profs at your RA gig and let them point out on where you ought to apply.

 

They've placed people in top 20 but those people had better grades and came from better ranked universities. My main confusion is about whether a letter from a famous prof and an RAship can make up for low grades and GRE (compared to other applicants who get into top 20).

[Bayes]

They've placed people in top 20 but those people had better grades and came from better ranked universities. My main confusion is about whether a letter from a famous prof and an RAship can make up for low grades and GRE (compared to other applicants who get into top 20).

Depends on the strength of your letter

[startz]

They've placed people in top 20 but those people had better grades and came from better ranked universities. My main confusion is about whether a letter from a famous prof and an RAship can make up for low grades and GRE (compared to other applicants who get into top 20).

Assuming that you will improve your GRE a lot, a letter can definitely get you into a top 20. Make a list of schools you might apply to and share it with your letter writers. Ask them to strike out or add schools as they think appropriate.

[gentvenus]

Depends on the strength of your letter

 

A letter can range from one sentence simply acknowledging your presence, to one HUNDRED sentences praising your ability :eager:

[cp9290]

Thanks all!