University of Rochester

I almost started crying at work when I got this email:

We are pleased to recommend to the Dean that you be admitted to our Ph.D. program in economics this fall and to receive a full waiver of tuition payments renewable each year dependent on academic standing. You should soon receive a letter from the Dean. My colleagues and I are very excited about the prospect of your joining our program. Although this offer does not carry a stipend, in the past students who have performed well do receive fellowship support in subsequent years of study.

We offer some unique opportunities. Rigorous training in economic theory starts in the first year as students take core courses in microeconomic and macro-economic theory, statistics and econometrics, and mathematical methods. More importantly, students have an opportunity to work very closely with a faculty that excels in research and teaching, and to interact with a set of very talented fellow students. We have a long tradition at Rochester of considering students as junior colleagues. In recent years we have limited the number of entering students to about 15 to 20, further enhancing the ability of students to interact with faculty. You will find this particularly important when you begin your own research. Thesis writers have an excellent opportunity to present their research, discuss ideas with faculty beyond their primary advisors, and with other students.

We believe Rochester provides an outstanding environment for economists to develop. A recent ranking of economic departments based on publications per faculty member puts us among the top five. But I would stress that we rank even higher when departments are ranked by publications of their graduate students. We have been very successful in placing our graduates in top academic and research institutions. Within recent years our students accepted faculty positions at Caltech, Boston University, Stanford, Northwestern, Carnegie Mellon, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Chicago, Minnesota, Columbia, and a number of other highly rated programs.

If you have any questions about our program, please write or call me at (585) 275-5781. Additional information appears on our department’s web site at www.econ.rochester.edu. Other queries may be addressed to our graduate coordinator...

Rochester was my "reach" school; getting in there was more than I expected. Getting a scholarship is just jawdropping. Praise God - this is to His glory.