Economics Phd. Chances/Advice

Graduate School
1

<p>Hey guys, I am a second semester junior at a top 40 private university. I am an economics major, who was late to the ballgame knowing that you needed extensive math/stats background for further graduate study in economics. My ultimate goal is to earn a Phd. in economics and work as a research economist at a federal reserve bank. My overall GPA is 3.62, and my grades in courses of interest are as follows:</p>

<p>Business Calc II: B
Principles of Micro: A
Principles of Macro: A
Statistical Theory: Pass
Intermediate Macro: B
Business Stats: A
Public Finance: B
Econometrics: A
Engineering Calc II: Pass
Data Analysis & Linear Models: B
International Trade: A
(grad level stats)Stochastic Modeling: Time Series & Markov Chains: currently enrolled
Engineering Calc III: Currently enrolled
International Finance: Currently enrolled
Intermediate Micro: Math Based: currently enrolled</p>

<p>I plan on taking mostly math and stats courses such as linear algebra, differential equations, more stochastic modeling, ect. in my final senior year. My main interest is in macroeconomics and time series forecasting. I am wondering what graduate programs might fit my profile for me to apply to. </p>

<p>I should have good letters of recommendation. I am a teaching assistant for the lone undergrad econometrics course(I really excelled in this course, and is one of the reasons I like economics so much), and this summer I will be working as a research assistant for the economics department at my school. I also will be writing an honors thesis next year with the professor I will have worked with over this coming summer. </p>

<p>I will take the GRE this summer so I am not exactly sure what my scores will be.</p>

<p>I know my resume is not stunning, and I know I need more preparation in math which I am trying to fix, but I am wondering if you guys know of any good macroeconomics/time series econometrics programs that you think would be good fits for me. Again my goal is to work for the federal reserve as an economist which is not exactly the standard "academia route" most are looking for.</p>

<p>Any advice/criticism is welcome!</p>

<p>Cheers,</p>

2

<p>Advice: Stop earning Bs in your math/stats classes.</p>

3

<p>If you have non-academic ambitions, best disguise them in applying to grad school.</p>

<p>You’ve got enough B’s and “Pass” grades that I think you can kiss Top 10 and probably Top 20 programs goodbye. Check out TheGradCafe and other sites for admission/rejection profiles.</p>

4

<p>You don’t have a grade yet for Intermediate Micro.</p>

<p>To my understanding your grades in Intermediate Micro, Intermediate Macro, Math and Statistics weigh most heavily but can be trumped by good grades in Advanced Micro and Advanced Macro. Basically, if you got a B in ECON301 then you better get an A in ECON401.</p>

<p>Oh, also, if you get into a solid MA program in Economics and kill there then you could resurrect your chances at some of the better Ph.Ds.</p>

<p>I obviously don’t know the specifics of the transcripts for some of the Grad students here at UW, but I know that the CVs I have read all have Phi Beta Kappa or 3.79+ GPAs.</p>

<p>USNWR (the failed magazine that for some reason has us all worshipping it’s ranking systems) has UW Econ PHD at 34, but the NRC has it around 25. To give you an idea.</p>