Economics at GMU

I'm extraordinarily interested in pursuing a PhD in econ at GM (a year from now). However, I will only have completed Cal I and Cal II, and possibly Linear Alg.

This doesn't meet the min requirements for PhD candidates. Otherwise I think I'm an extraordinary candidate (State and International Awards, GPA, scholarships, and listened to 99% of EconTalk, as well as reading tons of econ).

I'm very open to suggestions or advice. I've written to Russ and Don, but they only respond to my non-school questions. =(

[Complete thanks and credit for them answering other questions though.]

It's too bad that you don't get rewarded for blogging and publishing for the general public, because I think those are significant contributions to economics.

Grunyen,

I am in a comparable situation. I have had a great time learning about Economics and the Austrian/libertarian approach in particular. I just graduated and I was a very good Economics student but not such a good math student and I know that that disqualifies me from PhD programs.

Graduation was bitter sweat. It was sweet knowing that I know more about Economics than most people on this planet (including many if not most politicians, professors of other subjects and members of the media). It was bitter because I have learned enough Economics too make me aware of the fact that there is so much that I still do not know, that a small fraction of Humanity knows a great deal more about Economics than I do and that this situation will not be remedied in the future.

Luckily, I do have other interests. While studying for a masters or PhD in Economics was and still is my first choice, studying the law is something that interests me and it helps that my classmates, professors and family friends, who are lawyers, have said that I would do well as a law student and as a lawyer. I live in California and I would mostly be applying to law schools on the West Coast but I would make GMU Law one of the schools to which I would apply. Based on what I have read on this blog, the law school at GMU is fairly libertarian. That sounds great because after studying economics, in a strongly market oriented department, I have become spoiled by having professors who are not marxists.

I suppose that I do have one last brief experience in store when it comes to formally learning about Economics. I am going to one of the IHS seminars. By any chance, is anyone else going to the Liberty and Society Seminar that is going to take place this July in Nashville?