What Students Say?
Likes
- The people are very accommodating and friendly, the academics are strong and the program is well-known and reputable.
Dislikes
- Low stipend, less freedom to take courses outside the university.
I chose this university as I was familiar with the city, the reputation of the program, the professors aligned with my interest, the people seemed nice, the stipend is livable (barely), and the proximity to other big economic departments (Harvard, MIT, NBER).
Course Curriculum
The course is strong and relevant. Some things are a bit outdated but probably necessary for an economist to be aware of. Industry exposure is limited but the department is encouraging of people to take non-academic roles.
Exams
- GRE V 168/170, M 169/170, I have a masters from US so didn't take IELTS. - CBSE - 9.8 (10th); CBSE - 96.75 (12th) Delhi University - BBS 3.77 Based on WES (UG); Georgetown university- 4.0 (Masters) - Requirements: I had to submit 3 LORs with a mix of academic and professional. I needed an updated CV. For the SOP, I had to provide a statement of my research interests with fleshed-out sample research ideas.
Placement
Most people get good academic or industry jobs. We don't have campus placement but with a PhD in Economics, the options are pretty good. The university is right in Boston so it is also very common for people to have internships or jobs with professors at harvard or with big companies.
Fees
No tuition fees. I have a stipend of about 30K a year. Tuition and health insurance are covered on top of the stipend.
Faculty
My class is about 13 students. This is the low end. Most cohorts are about 20-25 students. The faculty is very good, especially in macro and micro. They are also very approachable and helpful. I particularly like Linh To who taught the Labor Economics course.
Campus Life
The facilities are very good, the gym is excellent. There are opportunities to take fitness or recreational classes for free. I took piano for two semesters at the music school. The economics department is pretty old and the building is too small now, which is the only downside. There is not enough office space for PhD students. The classes are usually held in other buildings so it is not that much of a problem.
Hostel
I rented a house off campus- A 3b2bath. Rent is 1200 a month. The average cost around campus is about the same. Utilities run about 100 dollars extra on average.
