For Economists, a Moment in the Sun
The nation is looking for answers, so the spotlight is on the people with solutions
Reader Comments
Masters May help you graduate, but not your admission chances!
In the event thay you had a less than stellar undergraduate record and did not take enough math courses then YES, a masters may help.
But truth be told, admissions would rather recruit star undergrad candidates even if they took longer to graduate WITH a history of success in high level math courses, and those who took the effort to get involved in research at the undergradute level.
I am currently working on a dual Accounting & Comp Sci Major. Math is just as important for comp science as it is in econ, so I am making sure that I finish Calc III, Adv Calc, and a few other key math courses so my graduate school options remain decent.
Focus on the math, the rest will come.
Are all jobs being filled by this year's PhD candidates?
Does it really matter that there are more jobs being advertised than there are PhD grads? I doubt it. Open Foreign Affairs or the Economist, and the "Senior Economist Wanted" advertisements will greet you with a friendly "Required: PhD and 15 years relevant work experience."
What really matters is the number of relevant jobs.
Yes, Diane Cole is an idiot
With "2,200 job openings worldwide" but "only 950 Ph.D.'s in economics" from American universities, there must be a surplus of jobs! As if there's no one graduating from universities elsewhere in the world adding to the demand for econ jobs.
Completely
Just check out www.econjobrumors.com to see if there is no unemployment among economists. You must be out of your minds comparing 2200 vs. 950. The truth is there is an oversupply of PhD economists and most graduates out of below top-30 schools face a very tough competition to find any job.
What is the market here?
Why do you compare the worldwide demand for economists with the supply from American universities only? I am doing my Ph.D. in Canada, and expect to graduate wihin a year, and like me at least another 50 students. Add to that EU, Australia, etc. and see how suddenly the excess demand is not so large (if any).
