Read This Before Applying to an Economics PhD Program

I recently wrote an article about the types of people who shouldnt pursue a Ph.D. in economics. Dont get me wrong, I love economics. Ive spent a majority of my adult life in the pursuit of knowledge in the field studying around the world and even teaching it at the university level. You may love studying economics, too, but a Ph.D. program is an entirely different beast that requires a very specific type of person and student. After my article was published, I received an email from a reader, who just happened to be a potential Ph.D. student.   This readers experience and insights into the economics Ph.D. program application process were so on point that I felt the need to share the insights. For those considering applying to a Ph.D. program in Economics, give this email a read. One Students Experience Applying to an Economics Ph.D. Program Thanks for the graduate school focus in your recent articles.  Three of the challenges you mentioned [in your recent article] really hit home: American students have a comparative disadvantage for selection compared to foreign students.The importance of math cannot be overstated.Reputation is a huge factor, especially that of your undergraduate program. I applied unsuccessfully to Ph.D. programs for two years before conceding that I might not be ready for them. Only one, Vanderbilt, gave me even a wait-list consideration. I was a little embarrassed at being shunned. My mathematics GRE was 780. I had graduated at the top of my class with a 4.0 GPA in my economics major and completed a statistics minor. I had two internships: one in research, one in public policy. And accomplished this all while working 30 hours a week to support me. It was a brutally hard couple of years. The Ph.D. departments I applied to and my undergraduate adviser all pointed out: I attended a small, regional public university, and our professors spent significant time with students to the detriment of their own publishing.Though I took a heavy load of statistics coursework, I only had two terms of calculus.I had never been published; not even in an undergraduate journal.I aimed for highly-ranked schools in the Midwest like Illinois, Indiana, Vanderbilt, Michigan, Wisconsin, Washington University in St. Louis, but neglected schools on the coasts, which might have seen me as a more diverse candidate. I also made what many considered a tactical error: I went to talk with the graduate programs before I applied. I was later told that this is a taboo and seen as schmoozing. I even talked at length with the director of one program. We ended up talking shop for two hours and he invited me to attend presentations and brown bags whenever I was in town. But soon I would learn that he would be ending his tenure to take a position at another college, and would no longer be involved in the approval process for that program. After going through these obstacles, some suggested I prove myself with a Masters Degree in Economics first. I had originally been told that many schools pick top candidates immediately after undergraduate, but this new advice made sense because departments commit considerable resources to their Ph.D. candidates and want to make sure their investment will survive first-year exams. With that path in mind, I found it interesting that so few departments offer a terminal Masters in Economic. Id say about half as many as those that offer only the terminal Ph.D. Fewer still offer an academic Masters - most of these are professional programs. Still, Im glad it gives me a chance to dig deeper into research and see if Im ready for Ph.D. research. My Response   This was such a great letter for many reasons. First, it was genuine. It wasnt a why didnt I get into a Ph.D. program rant, but a personal story told with thoughtful insights. In fact, my experience has been nearly identical, and I would encourage any undergraduate student considering pursuing a Ph.D. in economics to take this readers insights to heart. I, myself,  was in a Masters program (at Queens University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada) before I entered my Ph.D. program. Today, I must admit that I wouldnt have survived three months as a Ph.D. student had I not attempted an MA in Economics first.

My Experience At My Life - 881 Words

When I was five years old, I remember that my grandmother would always tell me to pick up after myself. I was not heavily involved in any chores at this age, but I was required to clean up the play area when I was done playing with my toys. My room had three clear plastic containers, where I would store all of my toys. Since, the storage containers were big, cleaning up and putting all my toys away was a breeze. At the age of nine, I remember that my responsibilities were much greater. At this age, I was responsible for having all my homework done before my father came home from work. I was also responsible for cleaning my entire room. This meant that I would have to fix my bed, sweep the floors, take my dirty clothes back to the laundry room, and keep my dresser looking clean. At the age of thirteen, my responsibilities only grew greater. At this age, I was responsible for mowing the lawn and keeping my front year looking clean. I also remember that my father would give me six to se ven dollars for washing and vacuuming his car. Although my responsibilities grew greater, I enjoyed it. At the age of thirteen, most of the skills that I utilized while doing my chores, were basic. The way in which I would do things was simply knowledge that was passed down from my father to me. A lot of it was also imitation, I would try to do things the way I would see my father do them. When I moved on to the tenth grade in high school, I decided to participate in volunteer work in order toShow MoreRelatedMy Experience In My Life742 Words   |  3 Pagesone has a perfect life or even a perfect family. At times I have experienced what losing someone or something that meant so much to me. I always wondered to myself about why these situations happen to me, which also led me to put myself in a depression stage. My father was diagnosed with liver cancer and infection in his stomach area in March 2015. As he was in and out of the hospital. First, Growing up I never had a good life but I was lucky to have both of my parents in my life. It was a bond withRead MoreMy Experience In My Life1013 Words   |  5 Pages At this point in my life , if i review my previous experiences i would say that i am fairly pleased. Ive been able to gain numerous life and academic skills through hard work and determination. Though many of my experiences havent been pleasant ,in a way it has helped me grow and build my character as a person. As individuals we all go through many harsh obstacles , obstacles we sometimes think we will never overcome . but eventually we do . right ? think about it evenRead MoreMy Experience With My Life1356 Words   |  6 Pagesdo not have an abundant number of passions myself. In fact, as I think about it there are really only two subjects of interest that I feel rise to the level of passion for me; my God and sports. These two areas have been integral parts of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up in the church and much of my young life was spent either there or on a sports field of some sort. These two institutions, I feel have shaped me into the adult that I have become and the career I feel myself called toRead MoreMy Experience On My Life1202 Words   |  5 PagesAll I could think of sitting at my desk at work was about the conversation me and my husband had the night before. I sat there staring at my computer screen wondering if it was the right thing to do, or was I just wasting my time on a hope long forgotten. The hours slowly ticked by, and everything I was working on with my customers and their loans were a blur. I couldn’t get that thought out of my head. It was eating away at me. This is something that I have wanted for a long time. I put it on holdRead MoreMy Experience In My Life942 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout a person’s life, there can be many things, such as friends and family, education, or sports, that help them develop skills to turn them into the person they are today. Without these different skills, it can possibly lead to a lower standard of living, which is not what we strive for. The thing that helped me develop my unique skill set that I can use through the rest of my life, which is also my cultural artifact, is a football. Football has taught many different things that I am ableRead MoreMy Experience In My Life905 Words   |  4 Pagesmajority of my life I have belonged in the little world , stretching from Chicago to Cleveland and South Bend to Nashville. The boundaries of my known world have always felt like a limiting factor in my life. While my friends ventured to far away lands every year, I would spend the night at my grandparents house or we would make a day-trip to a city. 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One of the most important and useful skill you will need is writing. From first, learning to write words and sentences, to more advanced writing like essays. Everyone learns to write a little differently, some ways are learning from your parents or learning words and letters in kindergarten. As you get further down the path of life you develop higher skills of writing. As peopleRead MoreMy Experience On My Life953 Words   |  4 PagesThe wind was slicing through my hair as my sweat was dripping off my metallic purple frames. I placed each foot on each of the pedals and took off. My whole world was filled with the rattling sounds coming from the dreaded training wheels. Everything would always come to a stop whenever I would hit each bump. â€Å"I need to get these thing off!† I thought constantly. The training wheels were such a nuisance because they gave me a wobble that kept me off balance, and they provided no extra speed. ThereRead MoreMy Experience In My Life1850 Words   |  8 Pagesthrough while growing up and forming into the person I am today. Going through all the experiences I have gone through, I didnâ€⠄¢t realize how much they would impact me today and serve as lessons. Today I am a freshman in college. I did not think I would make it this far. The precious gift of life is to enjoy every moment as if it is your last. May 12, 2007. Boom. A sound I will remember forever. My eyes are wide and my jaw drops. I can’t believe what I’m seeing. Let’s start from the beginning. On this

A Case Against Deceptive Advertising Free Essays

Verizon Wireless, a joint ownership of Verizon Communications Inc. and the Vodafone Group PLC, had sold laptop cards with limited capabilities for wireless Internet access. For $59. We will write a custom essay sample on A Case Against Deceptive Advertising or any similar topic only for you Order Now 99 the company was offering an â€Å"unlimited monthly usage plan,† despite the fact that the service had limitations (Sharma Cheng, 2007).   Customers were not able to use their laptop cards for â€Å"high bandwidth activities,† for example, to download movies (Sharma Cheng).   Moreover, Verizon Wireless had not mentioned the limitations of its laptop cards in advertisements (Sharma Cheng). Following an investigation by the State Attorney of New York, Verizon Wireless was required not only to agree to change its â€Å"‘unlimited’ advertising† of the wireless broadband service, but also to reimburse the customers with $1 million in all (Sharma Cheng).   Besides, the company was required to pay $150,000 in fees and penalties to New York.   Verizon Wireless agreed to meet all of the legal conditions (Sharma Cheng). Critique The case of the laptop cards sold by Verizon Wireless concerned deceptive advertising.   The company had referred to its service as an unlimited plan in spite of its limitations.   Customers should have been informed about the limitations before they purchased the service. Thankfully, the New York State Attorney intervened to compel the company to reimburse the customers.   As a matter of fact, this aspect of business law is vital for consumer protection against company fraud. Deceptive advertising includes misrepresentation and omission.   Perhaps Verizon Wireless had mistakenly omitted the limitations of its service in its advertising.   Nevertheless, it was required to pay for its mistake. This serves as a warning for all companies in the U.S.   Furthermore, the business regulatory departments around the country must continue to evaluate all advertisements seeing that imperfect information is a source of market failure. References Sharma, A., Cheng, R. (2007, Oct 24). Verizon Wireless Reaches Deal in Marketing Probe. The Wall Street Journal, pp. B5. How to cite A Case Against Deceptive Advertising, Papers

Marino Faliero monologue from the play by Lord Byron Essay Paper Example For Students

Marino Faliero monologue from the play by Lord Byron Essay Paper A monologue from the play by Lord Byron NOTE: This monologue is reprinted from Lord Byron: Six Plays. Lord Byron. Los Angeles: Black Box Press, 2007. DOGE: Ye, though you know and feel our mutual mass Of many wrongs, even ye are ignorant What fatal poison to the springs of Life, To human ties, and all that\s good and dear, Lurks in the present institutes of Venice: All these men were my friends; I loved them, they Requited honourably my regards; We served and fought; we smiled and wept in concert; We revelled or we sorrowed side by side; We made alliances of blood and marriage; We grew in years and honours fairly,—till Their own desire, not my ambition, made Them choose me for their Prince, and then farewell! Farewell all social memory! all thoughts In common! and sweet bonds which link old friendships, When the survivors of long years and actions, Which now belong to history, soothe the days Which yet remain by treasuring each other, And never meet, but each beholds the mirror Of half a century on his brother\s brow, And sees a hundred beings, now in earth, Flit round them whispering of the days gone by, And seeming not all dead, as long as two Of the brave, joyous, reckless, glorious band, Which once were one and many, still retain A breath to sigh for them, a tongue to speak Of deeds that else were silent, save on marble—— From the hour they made me Doge, the Doge they made me— Farewell the past! I died to all that had been, Or rather they to me: no friends, no kindness, No privacy of life—all were cut off: They came not near me—such approach gave umbrage; They could not love me—such was not the law; They thwarted me—\twas the state\s policy; They baffled me—\twas a patrician\s duty; They wronged me, for such was to right the state; They could not right me—that would give suspicion; So that I was a slave to my own subjects; So that I was a foe to my own friends; Begirt with spies for guards, with robes for power, With pomp for freedom, gaolers for a council, Inquisitors for friends, and Hell for life! I had only one fount of quiet left, And that they poisoned! My pure household gods Were shivered on my hearth, and o\er their shrine Sate grinning Ribaldry, and sneering Scorn. I had borne all—it hurt me, but I bore it— Till this last running over of the cup Of bitterness—until this last loud insult, Not only unredressed, but sanctioned; then, And thus, I cast all further feelings from me— The feelings which they crushed for me, long, long Before, even in their oath of false allegiance! Even in that very hour and vow, they abjured Their friend and made a Sovereign, as boys make Playthings, to do their pleasure—and be broken! I from that hour have seen but Senators In dark suspicious conflict with the Doge, Brooding with him in mutual hate and fear; They dreading he should snatch the tyranny From out their grasp, and he abhorring tyrants. To me, then, these men have no private life, Nor claim to ties they have cut off from others; As Senators for arbitrary acts Amenable, I look on them—as such Let them be dealt upon.