Grad Schools - Results, Mostly
My mom and I made a bet whether or not I would get into more than half of the schools I applied to. The wager is lunch in whatever city I end up. (I said I wouldn't make it, and my mom said I would.) The results so far are:
Rejected:
Princeton
MIT
Stanford
Northwestern
Duke
University of Iowa
Accepted:
University of Texas Austin
Washington University
Berkeley
University of Michigan
Harvard
London School of Economics
You'll notice that we're tied - I still haven't heard from the University of Southern California. Perhaps I should mail them embarassing photos of myself and try to sabotage my application. However, in what was probably the most stressful decision of my life to date, I decided that the city where we'll have lunch will be London. The nature of the program is what puts it most clearly above the others - at LSE, I'll study econometrics and mathematical economics rather than, for example, international development policy at Harvard or industrial engineering at Berkeley. The prestige of the program is another factor, though a much more uncertain one. To go to LSE, I will have to take out loans, whereas I could go to Wash U or UT Austin with a TA-ship or fellowship. I've been unable to discover to my satisfaction whether the quality of education at a higher-ranked school will really be significantly better, and even worse, whether I am looking at the choice rationally and not letting my pride make the decision. Like any good simian presented with insurmountable uncertainty, I asked my friends, acquaintences, and no small number of total strangers what they thought, and most of their advice pointed to LSE. My own gut agreed with them when I woke up first thing in the morning, so today I mailed my acceptence, and That is That.
So this summer I'll be in Chicago living is Casa Jacobo in Printer's Row, wallowing in friends and family and trying to make up for my lack of economics education as an undergrad with a tutor. If any of you want to offer me a job where I can mostly read about economics all day, drop me a line. Right now, it looks like I'll be on the Easy coast mid-June, and in Chicago by the fourth of July at the latest. And just as soon as reverse-culture shock starts to set in early September, I'll be off again. Wish me luck!
Rejected:
Princeton
MIT
Stanford
Northwestern
Duke
University of Iowa
Accepted:
University of Texas Austin
Washington University
Berkeley
University of Michigan
Harvard
London School of Economics
You'll notice that we're tied - I still haven't heard from the University of Southern California. Perhaps I should mail them embarassing photos of myself and try to sabotage my application. However, in what was probably the most stressful decision of my life to date, I decided that the city where we'll have lunch will be London. The nature of the program is what puts it most clearly above the others - at LSE, I'll study econometrics and mathematical economics rather than, for example, international development policy at Harvard or industrial engineering at Berkeley. The prestige of the program is another factor, though a much more uncertain one. To go to LSE, I will have to take out loans, whereas I could go to Wash U or UT Austin with a TA-ship or fellowship. I've been unable to discover to my satisfaction whether the quality of education at a higher-ranked school will really be significantly better, and even worse, whether I am looking at the choice rationally and not letting my pride make the decision. Like any good simian presented with insurmountable uncertainty, I asked my friends, acquaintences, and no small number of total strangers what they thought, and most of their advice pointed to LSE. My own gut agreed with them when I woke up first thing in the morning, so today I mailed my acceptence, and That is That.
So this summer I'll be in Chicago living is Casa Jacobo in Printer's Row, wallowing in friends and family and trying to make up for my lack of economics education as an undergrad with a tutor. If any of you want to offer me a job where I can mostly read about economics all day, drop me a line. Right now, it looks like I'll be on the Easy coast mid-June, and in Chicago by the fourth of July at the latest. And just as soon as reverse-culture shock starts to set in early September, I'll be off again. Wish me luck!
8 Comments:
Well, I guess I should start packing for a trip to London! Now I'll have two people to visit.
I bet it feels good to have decided.
Congrats. (:
Wow, congratulations to you Ryan! You will be back in Chicago about the time I will finally be graduating with my Masters (in CIS), although from a far less prestigious school. Ah well, such are the advantages of a full-time job, a full-time family AND going to school ;) Best of luck to you and be sure and keep us posted as I'm sure you will.
Hmm... I think I'm not getting to Chicago (at least, to stay) until later in September. Congratulations, many best wishes, and much mahabat (maxhabat?), menim docim.
Also... you wouldn't happen to know if Theresa got the book I sent her? It should have arrived a few, but not very many, weeks ago.
Hot diggity. Congratulations!!
Amanda! Email me! The two email addresses I have bounce!
Congrats, Ryan! If you are coming through or near to Boston on your way to Chicago, I can give you a place to stay.
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