Ranking of Econ grad schools
Ok, so I've received some pretty good offers and need to decide where to go. My goal is to take the PhD and move into academia, but this will be tough, so I also need to consider the private sector reputation. To a lesser extent, I am also interested in value for money.
Offers:
LSE - MSc Econometrics and Mathematical Economics (Research)
UCL - MSc Economics
Barcelona Graduate School of Economics - MSc Economics
Cambridge - MPhil Economic Research
Birkbeck - MSc Economics
Manchester - MSc Economics and Econometrics
York - MSc Economics.
I am finding this really tough, and it's a huge investment. What are people's thoughts on the schools/courses, and does anybody have any experience of them?
Thanks, I will really appreciate any responses!!!!!
Offers:
LSE - MSc Econometrics and Mathematical Economics (Research)
UCL - MSc Economics
Barcelona Graduate School of Economics - MSc Economics
Cambridge - MPhil Economic Research
Birkbeck - MSc Economics
Manchester - MSc Economics and Econometrics
York - MSc Economics.
I am finding this really tough, and it's a huge investment. What are people's thoughts on the schools/courses, and does anybody have any experience of them?
Thanks, I will really appreciate any responses!!!!!
Scroll to see replies
Well, I'd pick Cambridge but that is more based on overall reputation rather than the quality of the economics department (as I know nothing about).
Since I'm not from UK I'm not sure what reputation these unis have in terms of private sector and academia but I am under the impression that Cambridge is always a good choice? Also I've been to Cambridge once and it is sooooooo cool
As you said, it's a huge investment. However, in the long run the investment is not so much the money put down today but which uni you can benefit most from in the long run. Allow me to use the cheesy saying "You have got to spend money to make money"
Since I'm not from UK I'm not sure what reputation these unis have in terms of private sector and academia but I am under the impression that Cambridge is always a good choice? Also I've been to Cambridge once and it is sooooooo cool
As you said, it's a huge investment. However, in the long run the investment is not so much the money put down today but which uni you can benefit most from in the long run. Allow me to use the cheesy saying "You have got to spend money to make money"
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by wadders24
Ok, so I've received some pretty good offers and need to decide where to go. My goal is to take the PhD and move into academia, but this will be tough, so I also need to consider the private sector reputation. To a lesser extent, I am also interested in value for money.
Offers:
LSE - MSc Econometrics and Mathematical Economics (Research)
UCL - MSc Economics
Barcelona Graduate School of Economics - MSc Economics
Cambridge - MPhil Economic Research
Birkbeck - MSc Economics
Manchester - MSc Economics and Econometrics
York - MSc Economics.
I am finding this really tough, and it's a huge investment. What are people's thoughts on the schools/courses, and does anybody have any experience of them?
Thanks, I will really appreciate any responses!!!!!
Offers:
LSE - MSc Econometrics and Mathematical Economics (Research)
UCL - MSc Economics
Barcelona Graduate School of Economics - MSc Economics
Cambridge - MPhil Economic Research
Birkbeck - MSc Economics
Manchester - MSc Economics and Econometrics
York - MSc Economics.
I am finding this really tough, and it's a huge investment. What are people's thoughts on the schools/courses, and does anybody have any experience of them?
Thanks, I will really appreciate any responses!!!!!
Thoughts are that Cambridge and LSE are the top choices there and while I have a soft spot for Cambridge, LSE EME is a notoriously difficult course to get onto and I would make that first choice....just my opinion of course.
You can cross everything except LSE and Cambridge off your list, the other unis are good, but not even remotely as good as these two.
EME is widely regarded as the best pre-PhD master in Europe, you'll find that lots of graduates continue on to pursuing a PhD at world class institutions if you google for it. However, the course is notoriously difficult and roughly a third of students fail, which is an awful lot seeing as the lion's share of these probably came top of their class. Bearing in mind you're also interested in placement records, one could argue that EME is too technical and theoretical, but the research track of the MPhil won't be any different, so that doesn't really work in cambridge's favour either. Cambridge has something to it I can't quite put my finger on, you'll know what I mean if you've ever been there, but based on "hard" facts I'd say EME hands down.
EME is widely regarded as the best pre-PhD master in Europe, you'll find that lots of graduates continue on to pursuing a PhD at world class institutions if you google for it. However, the course is notoriously difficult and roughly a third of students fail, which is an awful lot seeing as the lion's share of these probably came top of their class. Bearing in mind you're also interested in placement records, one could argue that EME is too technical and theoretical, but the research track of the MPhil won't be any different, so that doesn't really work in cambridge's favour either. Cambridge has something to it I can't quite put my finger on, you'll know what I mean if you've ever been there, but based on "hard" facts I'd say EME hands down.
Original post by wadders24
LSE - MSc Econometrics and Mathematical Economics (Research)
Cambridge - MPhil Economic Research
LSE - MSc Econometrics and Mathematical Economics (Research)
Cambridge - MPhil Economic Research
These two, like everyone else said.
If I were you I would go ask the people that wrote recommendations for you and ask them their opinion.
Go talk to all your former Economics professors and ask them what they think.
Just remember though, either Cambridge or LSE - you are going to a great school.
So don't feel bad about your choice or ever regret it. Both are the best of the best.
So don't feel bad about your choice or ever regret it. Both are the best of the best.
From what I've been told by academics (also, look at the RAE results for economics and econometrics), Cambridge really isn't too good for postgrad economics, despite its reputation for its undergrad course. I've been advised to take offers from Warwick and UCL over Cambridge for econ. From the great deal of research I've done to order my choices, I'd say LSE > UCL > Barca > the others in your list, easily, especially if you're looking to do a PhD afterwards.
EDIT: regarding 'value-for-money', have you applied for ESRC funding at all? Apparently if you tell one uni that you're considering another they might throw in some extras e.g. studentship/grants to tempt you. So maybe if you told UCL about your LSE offer... and the UCL fees are about 2/3 of the LSE fees already I think. Then again, London living costs are much more expensive.
EDIT: regarding 'value-for-money', have you applied for ESRC funding at all? Apparently if you tell one uni that you're considering another they might throw in some extras e.g. studentship/grants to tempt you. So maybe if you told UCL about your LSE offer... and the UCL fees are about 2/3 of the LSE fees already I think. Then again, London living costs are much more expensive.
(edited 12 years ago)
hey wadders
first of all congrats to your offers. basically there is one advice i can give and that is not to listen to much to people on this forum (i actually just registered after seeing the amount of cambridge written in this thread to hopefully keep you from going there...). not sure where you're studying, but you should probably go and have a chat with your personal tutor (or however it is called at your institution about this), they can probably provide you the most valuable advice, esp. with respect to phd & academia
andydb is right, cambridge ist most certainly not the place where you want to do your mphil/msc in econs. especially if you're thinking about doing a phd (in particular in the states) and going into academia, this would be quite a bad choice. cambridge has managed to build itself up a certain reputation in the minds of most people, which for most courses (maths etc) is completly justified, however their economics department is not that great (its not horrible either, but by far "worse" than LSE & UCL)
the most prestigious and probably "best" (however you want to classify this) master on your list is certainly the LSE MSc EME, and the only econs master on this planet that comes somewhat close would be the M.Phil Econs in Oxford (although it has a different focus, naturally). if money is a secondary concern and you want to do a phd afterwards take LSE (or oxford if you have applied - they should come back to you very soon)
if you are into rankings, make sure to look at the correct ones (RAE or http://ideas.repec.org/top/top.inst.all.html (fluctuates from month to month, but consensus is LSE or oxford))
but in general, andydb is (again) right:
LSE (/Oxford) > UCL > Barcelona > rest
please feel free to message me if you want to know more about my background and exactly where I get my informations from etc...
first of all congrats to your offers. basically there is one advice i can give and that is not to listen to much to people on this forum (i actually just registered after seeing the amount of cambridge written in this thread to hopefully keep you from going there...). not sure where you're studying, but you should probably go and have a chat with your personal tutor (or however it is called at your institution about this), they can probably provide you the most valuable advice, esp. with respect to phd & academia
andydb is right, cambridge ist most certainly not the place where you want to do your mphil/msc in econs. especially if you're thinking about doing a phd (in particular in the states) and going into academia, this would be quite a bad choice. cambridge has managed to build itself up a certain reputation in the minds of most people, which for most courses (maths etc) is completly justified, however their economics department is not that great (its not horrible either, but by far "worse" than LSE & UCL)
the most prestigious and probably "best" (however you want to classify this) master on your list is certainly the LSE MSc EME, and the only econs master on this planet that comes somewhat close would be the M.Phil Econs in Oxford (although it has a different focus, naturally). if money is a secondary concern and you want to do a phd afterwards take LSE (or oxford if you have applied - they should come back to you very soon)
if you are into rankings, make sure to look at the correct ones (RAE or http://ideas.repec.org/top/top.inst.all.html (fluctuates from month to month, but consensus is LSE or oxford))
but in general, andydb is (again) right:
LSE (/Oxford) > UCL > Barcelona > rest
please feel free to message me if you want to know more about my background and exactly where I get my informations from etc...
Thanks for all the responses! Not sure where I'll attend, borrowing the money for LSE makes me feel a little sick, and I don't feel Barcelona has a strong enough private sector reputation - it might be Cambridge :-s
Does anyone think reputation really matters that much? I would have thought the quality of my research would be key? And it's not like Cambridge is a bad school??
Does anyone think reputation really matters that much? I would have thought the quality of my research would be key? And it's not like Cambridge is a bad school??
well if it is private sector, then there won't be a large difference whether you go to LSE, UCL, Cambridge in my opinion.... if you're sure you want to go to the private sector, then Cambridge might be fine. As long as you consider PhD studies I am very sure (and please go to your Academic advisor to let him confirm this) that picking Cambridge will hurt your chances for the Top programmes (remember that you won't have done much research while applying for PhD programmes)(given that you got into LSE EME I am just assuming now that you are aiming for the top programmes). And if academia is an option, sure your job market paper will be very important, but I guess your school (and your supervisors!!!!) are also a very important factor.
Have you applied for the MPhil in Oxford?
Have you applied for the MPhil in Oxford?
I really wonder if people that say something in the line of "You can cross everything except LSE and Cambridge off your list, the other unis are good, but not even remotely as good as these two" have any idea about economics, attended a postgraduate economics degree or have any idea about academia in general. Because if they would have done any of the three, then they would know that all of those Universities have strengths in particular areas and they are all places were real economic research is done.
Out of your list I would chose UCL, because it is one of the leading Universities in Microeconometrics, it has a very good worldwide reputation, and the Master is technical. I personally did sign up for EME because I did not feel the cost justified. But please please please don't listen to people saying "forgot such and such" because it is nonsense. Look and the strengths of that particular department and decide if their focus is in line to what you are interested in.
Out of your list I would chose UCL, because it is one of the leading Universities in Microeconometrics, it has a very good worldwide reputation, and the Master is technical. I personally did sign up for EME because I did not feel the cost justified. But please please please don't listen to people saying "forgot such and such" because it is nonsense. Look and the strengths of that particular department and decide if their focus is in line to what you are interested in.
Original post by badewiese
well if it is private sector, then there won't be a large difference whether you go to LSE, UCL, Cambridge in my opinion.... if you're sure you want to go to the private sector, then Cambridge might be fine. As long as you consider PhD studies I am very sure (and please go to your Academic advisor to let him confirm this) that picking Cambridge will hurt your chances for the Top programmes (remember that you won't have done much research while applying for PhD programmes)(given that you got into LSE EME I am just assuming now that you are aiming for the top programmes). And if academia is an option, sure your job market paper will be very important, but I guess your school (and your supervisors!!!!) are also a very important factor.
Have you applied for the MPhil in Oxford?
Have you applied for the MPhil in Oxford?
The phrase that "picking Cambridge will hurt your chanes for the top programmes" is purely nonsense. In terms of tecnicality, the Cambridge MPhil Economic Research is higher than the UCL MSc Economics. In terms of research power, Cambridge has recently recruited a few big guys in Macroeconomics and Macroeconomic policy (Professor Giancarlo Corsetti); and the department already has some of the most outstanding game theoriests (Goyal, Harris, Sabourian etc) and a number of the most outstanding macroeconometrician (e.g. Pesaran, Harvey, Smith etc).
Original post by badewiese
well if it is private sector, then there won't be a large difference whether you go to LSE, UCL, Cambridge in my opinion.... if you're sure you want to go to the private sector, then Cambridge might be fine. As long as you consider PhD studies I am very sure (and please go to your Academic advisor to let him confirm this) that picking Cambridge will hurt your chances for the Top programmes (remember that you won't have done much research while applying for PhD programmes)(given that you got into LSE EME I am just assuming now that you are aiming for the top programmes). And if academia is an option, sure your job market paper will be very important, but I guess your school (and your supervisors!!!!) are also a very important factor.
Have you applied for the MPhil in Oxford?
Have you applied for the MPhil in Oxford?
Thanks for this. I think you're right, LSE EME is obviously the best for academia. I am interested in PhD study, but would have a strong preference for continuing my study at whichever MSc institution I attend - taking more time to complete makes no sense, and Cambridge of LSE will provide a good springboard to a research career in the US - if that's the way I go.
Money is an issue - as is the Cambridge College I get into. LSE is sooooo expensive and to put simply, I am not from a wealthy family. Maybe the LSE option fixes me into a city career.
I didn't apply to Oxford, it would have been fun to go there, but a two year master's simply wasn't viable. Ideally I guess it would have been nice to have the LSE course taught in an Oxbridge environment, all in Barcelona - and with the Barca system.
It's all really exciting though, and I feel very lucky. The advice from boards like this has been great and has really helped me out!
Original post by wadders24
Thanks for this. I think you're right, LSE EME is obviously the best for academia. I am interested in PhD study, but would have a strong preference for continuing my study at whichever MSc institution I attend - taking more time to complete makes no sense, and Cambridge of LSE will provide a good springboard to a research career in the US - if that's the way I go.
Money is an issue - as is the Cambridge College I get into. LSE is sooooo expensive and to put simply, I am not from a wealthy family. Maybe the LSE option fixes me into a city career.
I didn't apply to Oxford, it would have been fun to go there, but a two year master's simply wasn't viable. Ideally I guess it would have been nice to have the LSE course taught in an Oxbridge environment, all in Barcelona - and with the Barca system.
It's all really exciting though, and I feel very lucky. The advice from boards like this has been great and has really helped me out!
Money is an issue - as is the Cambridge College I get into. LSE is sooooo expensive and to put simply, I am not from a wealthy family. Maybe the LSE option fixes me into a city career.
I didn't apply to Oxford, it would have been fun to go there, but a two year master's simply wasn't viable. Ideally I guess it would have been nice to have the LSE course taught in an Oxbridge environment, all in Barcelona - and with the Barca system.
It's all really exciting though, and I feel very lucky. The advice from boards like this has been great and has really helped me out!
go for cambridge then. won't do too much wrong with that.
Original post by beadyeye
i beg to differ. cambridge doesn't have the best academic standards, just the reputation. lse is really the way to go. go for lse and live without regrets lol
...do I recall from another thread that you're either accepted or waitlisted for Cambridge?
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by beadyeye
i beg to differ. cambridge doesn't have the best academic standards, just the reputation. lse is really the way to go. go for lse and live without regrets lol
that guy is waitlisted I think
That is why he is urging people to go to LSE XDOriginal post by badewiese
hey wadders
first of all congrats to your offers. basically there is one advice i can give and that is not to listen to much to people on this forum (i actually just registered after seeing the amount of cambridge written in this thread to hopefully keep you from going there...). not sure where you're studying, but you should probably go and have a chat with your personal tutor (or however it is called at your institution about this), they can probably provide you the most valuable advice, esp. with respect to phd & academia
andydb is right, cambridge ist most certainly not the place where you want to do your mphil/msc in econs. especially if you're thinking about doing a phd (in particular in the states) and going into academia, this would be quite a bad choice. cambridge has managed to build itself up a certain reputation in the minds of most people, which for most courses (maths etc) is completly justified, however their economics department is not that great (its not horrible either, but by far "worse" than LSE & UCL)
the most prestigious and probably "best" (however you want to classify this) master on your list is certainly the LSE MSc EME, and the only econs master on this planet that comes somewhat close would be the M.Phil Econs in Oxford (although it has a different focus, naturally). if money is a secondary concern and you want to do a phd afterwards take LSE (or oxford if you have applied - they should come back to you very soon)
if you are into rankings, make sure to look at the correct ones (RAE or http://ideas.repec.org/top/top.inst.all.html (fluctuates from month to month, but consensus is LSE or oxford))
but in general, andydb is (again) right:
LSE (/Oxford) > UCL > Barcelona > rest
please feel free to message me if you want to know more about my background and exactly where I get my informations from etc...
first of all congrats to your offers. basically there is one advice i can give and that is not to listen to much to people on this forum (i actually just registered after seeing the amount of cambridge written in this thread to hopefully keep you from going there...). not sure where you're studying, but you should probably go and have a chat with your personal tutor (or however it is called at your institution about this), they can probably provide you the most valuable advice, esp. with respect to phd & academia
andydb is right, cambridge ist most certainly not the place where you want to do your mphil/msc in econs. especially if you're thinking about doing a phd (in particular in the states) and going into academia, this would be quite a bad choice. cambridge has managed to build itself up a certain reputation in the minds of most people, which for most courses (maths etc) is completly justified, however their economics department is not that great (its not horrible either, but by far "worse" than LSE & UCL)
the most prestigious and probably "best" (however you want to classify this) master on your list is certainly the LSE MSc EME, and the only econs master on this planet that comes somewhat close would be the M.Phil Econs in Oxford (although it has a different focus, naturally). if money is a secondary concern and you want to do a phd afterwards take LSE (or oxford if you have applied - they should come back to you very soon)
if you are into rankings, make sure to look at the correct ones (RAE or http://ideas.repec.org/top/top.inst.all.html (fluctuates from month to month, but consensus is LSE or oxford))
but in general, andydb is (again) right:
LSE (/Oxford) > UCL > Barcelona > rest
please feel free to message me if you want to know more about my background and exactly where I get my informations from etc...
Are you sure? The LSE in the Ideas ranking includes the entire LSE, not only the Economic Department... Political sciences, businesses and Finance etc are all included in the ranking.
The correct Ideas ranking for Economic Department is the following one and I realise a very sharp drop of LSE from world top 10 to world top 25
I think some influential economists just left LSE and result in the sharp drop in ranking...http://ideas.repec.org/top/top.econdept.html
Original post by Lalafell
Are you sure? The LSE in the Ideas ranking includes the entire LSE, not only the Economic Department... Political sciences, businesses and Finance etc are all included in the ranking.
The correct Ideas ranking for Economic Department is the following one and I realise a very sharp drop of LSE from world top 10 to world top 25 I think some influential economists just left LSE and result in the sharp drop in ranking...
http://ideas.repec.org/top/top.econdept.html
The correct Ideas ranking for Economic Department is the following one and I realise a very sharp drop of LSE from world top 10 to world top 25
I think some influential economists just left LSE and result in the sharp drop in ranking...http://ideas.repec.org/top/top.econdept.html
This shows exactly why choosing a school based on its ranking in one year vs another year is not such a good idea, because it could have changed again by the time you start, or by the time you graduate. And any decent school retains the ability to attract good academics. LSE might get some hotshots and bounce back up again while the unis they poached them from fall... So I think any school that is generally among the top for a reasonable length of time is fine...
Original post by Lalafell
that guy is waitlisted I think That is why he is urging people to go to LSE XD
That is why he is urging people to go to LSE XDyea waitlisted, but i'd much rather go to lse if i had the choice. people do consider lse as the better of the two if you're looking at economics. just offering my 2 cents worth. you're free to interpret my intentions as you wish.
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