你适合读经济学研究生吗？

Applying to Grad School in Economics Is graduate school right for you? Graduate school is doing research, research, research. You will read a lot of journal articles and books, write proofs, collect data or conduct experiments, and do lots of writing. Many students also work as research or teaching assistants to earn a stipend. Graduate school is not for everyone, but there are some ways to help you identify whether it is the right path for you to follow. The best way to know whether you enjoy doing research and working in an academic environment is to try it! The first step you should take is to get involved in research as an undergraduate. Talk to your professors and teaching assistants and ask if you can work for them as a (paid or volunteer) research assistant. Commit to a minimum of one year with them. The more experience you get, the better you will be able to identify what you enjoy doing, the more exposure you'll get to the different aspects of conducting research, the more advanced research tasks you'll learn, etc.

In addition, ask other graduate students about what it's like to be in their doctoral program - both good and bad experiences. Ask them specific questions about their program and it's requirements and what the lifestyle of a typical graduate student is like. You should also talk to professors who know you well and ask them whether they think you have the potential to succeed as a graduate student. For information about other universities, look at departmental webpages and find out what the degree requirements, faculty research interests, etc. are for their program.

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF Your answers to the following may supply some hints about your motivations for entering graduate school:

1) Does living at near poverty level for 4-5 years while studying most of the time repulse you? 2) Do you enjoy writing term papers? 3) Does the idea of giving verbal presentations of academic material in front of large and small groups of very bright people bother you? 4) Do you enjoy reading academic books even if they are not assigned reading? 5) Do you put off studying for a test as long as possible? 6) Have you on many occasions given up desirable social opportunities in order to study? 7) Are you willing to take out considerable student loans, if necessary, to complete your education? 8) Do you like to study, and can you do so without direction or assignments from anyone else? 9) Do you read over recent issues of professional journals? 10) Do you dislike library research? 11) Are there other careers besides being a researcher that you'd like to pursue? 12) Are you sick of school right now? 13) Are your grades mostly A's? 14) Do you feel your grades are far below the capacity for learning you actually have? 15) Did you do well in statistics? 16) Did you enjoy it? 17) Do you feel a Ph.D. is desirable primarily because of the social status it gives to those holding it? 18) Do you like the idea of doing research? 19) Do you dislike the competition from other students you face in school now? 20) What would you do if you didn't go to graduate school? 21) Do you realize that, given the opportunity cost a Ph.D., a MBA or MPA would be a much better financial investment? 22) Do you have the interest and motivation to succeed in a doctoral program? Are you sincerely excited about your field?

How do I research graduate schools and decide where to apply? First of all, go to a university library and search for 'keywords' in their database to find journal articles and books on research topics that interest you. Who wrote these articles? What universities are they affiliated with? Locate other articles and books written by these individuals to find out as much as you can about their research projects. Look at universities' web sites and find the econ department homage. Look for information on faculty interests, graduate applications, and fellowships. Email the department and ask them to send you information. Email graduate students and introduce yourself as a prospective applicant and ask them what it's like to be in their program (it is best to give them a list of specific questions you have). Talk to your professors and ask them if they could recommend graduate programs and/or people to work with. Also find out what they know about the individuals you located by doing library research. Ask about the reputation of their department, their university, and them as researchers in their field. Send an application to at least eight schools. It is a good idea to apply to at least a couple "back-up" universities, i.e., places that may not be your top choices, but because they are perhaps not as well known or reputable as others, you have a good chance of being accepted (and where you would rather go than do something else). Some other factors to consider as you decide which schools to apply to: 1) It is advantageous to go to graduate school where there are at least two people whose research interests you. Now, beyond just checking that the fields you might be interested in is offered, you should not worry too much about it as a) you will learn the tools that you will need to define a precise topic only in your first year and be exposed to the existing literature in the field in your second year (it is only at the end of your second year that you should be deciding on a topic), b) by then most people decide on topics that have hardly anything to do with what they thought that they would study when they applied. Moreover before getting there, there are two important hurdles that will require all your attention: first admission and then passing the comprehensive exams to be allowed to stay in the program