Apply everywhere you are no where near a top applicant (perfect grades at a top US undergrad with RA experience) and even if you were you wouldn't be too sure about your chances this year. Quite a few top applicants apply to 20 schools even during normal years.
Penn vs Chicago for PhD
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This is how you'll be trained at Chicago.
Day one: "Here at Chicago, we care about ideas. We don't care if you're a PhD student. Think outside the box. Make your mark on economics. Welcome to Chicago."
The first time you slightly disagree with faculty: "What do you know? I'm this and this and you're just a PhD student."
The first time you disagree with faculty on anything substantive: "Well, that's not what I found in my ECTA, JPE, AER, QJE paper. The literature is very clear that you are wrong."
The first time your different idea gets accepted at a top journal. "Well, that was really my idea all along. All you did was just a minor tweak."
True story more or lessNot my experience at all... although that was 25 years ago.
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Seriously, why do undergrads worry about choosing between programs that haven't even offered admissions to them?
Cause they have a limited number of schools they can apply to and need to decide whether they apply to one or the other...
Seriously? Limited number of schools? Need to know whether to apply to one school or the other? Joking?
Not sure you're aware how insanely competitive this game is. You apply to as many as you can afford and hope to be lucky to choose from more than one offer!
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Seriously, why do undergrads worry about choosing between programs that haven't even offered admissions to them?
Cause they have a limited number of schools they can apply to and need to decide whether they apply to one or the other...
Yes, that is my point! On the other hand, I graduated recently from a top master in Europe, so I think I have the possibility of be admitted into some of these schools.
I'm afraid, your point is strange. It seems you're not too familiar with this application game. You're guaranteed nothing, no admission! It is possible to "pick and choose" where to apply to, and end up with ZERO offers! I know of a German guy with close to 1 GPA and generally very good profile. He applied to more than 10 top 20 and got a zero offer. This is not an uncommon story.
To reduce this risk, the strategy is to apply to as many programs as possible. You don't "choose whether to apply to Penn or Chicago". You apply to both and some more, and hope to even be able to get multiple offers to choose from.
Seriously? Lol
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Why not consider Middlesex at the Brexitland? It's HRM.
I also considered LSE. Initially, my plan was to follow a PhD at PSE, but I even think it was not the best decision for my master. It is place that sells quite well with the RePEc ranking, but I regret to go there: not rigorous program, and mediocre advising.
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Seriously, why do undergrads worry about choosing between programs that haven't even offered admissions to them?
Cause they have a limited number of schools they can apply to and need to decide whether they apply to one or the other...
Yes, that is my point! On the other hand, I graduated recently from a top master in Europe, so I think I have the possibility of be admitted into some of these schools.
I'm afraid, your point is strange. It seems you're not too familiar with this application game. You're guaranteed nothing, no admission! It is possible to "pick and choose" where to apply to, and end up with ZERO offers! I know of a German guy with close to 1 GPA and generally very good profile. He applied to more than 10 top 20 and got a zero offer. This is not an uncommon story.
To reduce this risk, the strategy is to apply to as many programs as possible. You don't "choose whether to apply to Penn or Chicago". You apply to both and some more, and hope to even be able to get multiple offers to choose from.
Seriously? LolOk! I will apply to another more programs, but I was thinking of applying to only one program between Penn and Chicago. However, I can apply to both: the marginal cost of apply to the another one is small.