Aiming for NYU Economics PhD Program

Graduate School
1

<p>Hello everybody, I am a junior at the University of Miami, double majoring in Economics and Mathematics(math economics specialization), and I want to get into a PhD program in Economics, preferably in New York City. </p>

<p>I'd prefer NYU or Columbia, but given the reality of getting accepted to a doctorate program, let's just consider the fact that these are pretty selective schools. </p>

<p>I'll be taking 5 graduate-level economics courses and 4 graduate level mathematics courses by the time I graduate, in Spring 2015. </p>

<p>my cumulative GPA is currently 3.971, I am in the Honors program, and tutor in the University's tutoring center(math lab, if you will).</p>

<p>these are the classes I'll be taking/have taken:</p>

<p>eco 302 h (intermediate microecon)
eco 301 (intermediate macroecon)
mth 230 (abstract math)
mth 224 (stats)
mth 210 (lin alg)</p>

<p>spring 14
eco 442 (monetary econ)
eco 430 (econometrics)
eco 444 (game theory)
mth 461 (abstract alg)
mth 310 (multivar calc)</p>

<p>eco 533 (graduate microecon)
eco 441 (intl trade)
eco 521 (graduate macroecon)
eco 510 (graduate math econ 1)
mth 524 (prob and stats I)
mth 533 (real analysis I)</p>

<p>mth 525 (prob and stats II)
mth 534 (real analysis II)
eco 512 (graduate math econ 2)
eco 520 (graduate econometrics)</p>

<p>and one undergrad research thesis for the last semester for departmental honors in economics. </p>

<p>how golden am I for a PhD program?
I did really well in the SAT math section, and hoping I will do higher than 760 on the GRE Quantitative section.</p>

<p>I don't want to sound like I'm bragging about my goals/achievements, I just want advice on what I should do/what I should consider/what I should look into, etc.</p>

<p>if I maintain my GPA, get more than 750 on the GRE quant, and get great letters of recommendation, how likely is it I'll get accepted to NYU or Columbia? also, what are some things to improve? I omitted extracurriculars because I'm aware they are not useful to include in phd applications....</p>

<p>any help/insight is appreciated!</p>

2

<p>Have you thought about why they would want you in particular? What research interests do you have that are a fit with those programs and professors? That’s how I’d go about it.</p>

3

<p>im leaning towards the macro aspect, which is why I mentioned those schools in the first place.</p>

4

<p>You should talk to your Economics professors at your school and investigate the placement rates of PhDs from these institutions. Also, your statement should discuss particular professors with whom you want to study.</p>

5

<p>Hopefully you are looking at other schools besides just ones in NYC - since PhD programs should be selected primarily on fit with the research and resources available there.</p>

<p>Many economics PhD applicants will have similar profiles - high grades (3.6+), high GRE scores, and several graduate-level economics classes. That stuff is good - and necessary - but graduate study is about research. Do you have any research experience? Do you know what you want to do research on? Do you have ideas about what professors you might want to work under? Do you have any independent research projects you can point to, like independent study classes or a senior thesis coming up? “The macro aspect” is not specific enough.</p>