<p>So I just had the GRE and here are my scores: 640V and 790Q, I don't know the writing score yet. I'm a senior at a LAC in the Midwest with a GPA 3.75 and Econ GPA 3.9. The only research experience I have is from class projects but I had an internship at an investment consulting firm and lots of extra curriculum activities and leadership positions on campus. I think I'll have good recs, too. </p>
<p>I'm applying to Ph.D programs in either Financial Economics offered by Econ department or Finance offered by the business school. Here are the list of schools that I'm applying to:</p>
<p>Indiana University
Uni of Illinois in Urbana Champaign (business school)
WasU in St. Louis (business school)
Vanderbilt
Brown
Carnegie Mellon (Tepper)
UPittsburg
Boston U</p>
<p>Do you think I have a good chance for any of these schools? Thanks a lot.</p>
<p>I'm a Math minor. I'm taking Cal 3 (the highest level of Calculus at my school) and linear algebra and I have straight As in both of them as of right now. I did really well in Statistics, too. My concern is I don't have time to take Real Analysis.</p>
<p>Almost all of the Economics programs you have listed (not exactly sure of Financial Economics) practically require Real Analysis, with extensive Math background, so BU, Brown and Vanderbilt, so I would list those as big reaches.</p>
<p>Thank you for your answer. I wish I had known what I wanted to do with my life sooner :(
I asked my Math professor to write a rec for me but I guess that doesn't help so much. Oh, I also think Tepper is one of those competitive schools for me, too</p>
<p>Can't you take Real Analysis the summer before you enroll in grad school? You can put it down on your application that you will take it in so-and-so college.</p>
<p>Saying you're going to take it doesn't help at all though. They want to see that you've already taken it, and they want to see what your grade was.</p>
<p>An econ phd is extremely mathematical, I would maybe put another safety school on that list. It is good that you have been doing well in calc 3 and linear algebra, but you are applying with the minimum requirement in math to program of study that is dominated by it. It is real analysis and other proof based classes that make the difference, because proofs are far more difficult and you aren't just identifying different kinds of problems and using formulas your teacher gives you. Econ grad classes at my school require you to have real analysis as a prerequisit. I would seriously consider trying to rework your schedule for next semester to take real analysis. Econ grad programs usually would rather you have a math degree than a econ degree coming in, so on that note I would agree with the above poster that BU, Brown, and Vandy are a reach.</p>
<p>Thank you guys for all the inputs. I'm talking to some profs trying to take Real Analysis next semester. But does taking it next semester make a difference even though the schools are not gonna see my grade for the class?</p>
<p>I knew it was mathematical but I never thought they would prefer a math major over an econ major. That's so not fair :(</p>
<p>So I'm taking Real Analysis next semester at the expense of a business class. Even then it's not gonna make any difference to my math background. Should I explicitly ask my math prof to write in the rec that I "will be very successful in the Real Analysis class" (I know he thinks so but I'm not sure if he is saying anything about that in the rec)? If not, how should I go about that?</p>
<p>"So I'm taking Real Analysis next semester at the expense of a business class."</p>
<p>It's a business class that you're replacing? I don't see why you shouldn't replace it with Real Analysis then (assuming that you really have your mind set on graduate school). If it was a course like your Economics thesis or a graduate Economics class or another important math class that you're replacing, then I can see why you should be worried. Econ grad schools don't care about business classes at all... unless they're really rigorous and hard, which wouldn't make it a business class in the first place.</p>
<p>I'm in a business program, too so not taking the class means I quit the program because I'm not able to overload. It's not that big of a deal, though.</p>