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Hi everyone. I have some technical undergraduate degree from a 3rd world country and PhD in physics from tier 3 (or tier 2, depending who is ranking) US school. After getting my PhD I did postoc at tier 2/3 schools for some time. Me research focus was in a quantitative area and it involves numerical solutions of PDE’s. Recently, I went to one of the ridiculously expensive ivy league schools to get master’s degree in stat. I did good in my studies and got high marks in ph.d. level classes. Currently I want to apply to economics program at top UK schools. If accepted, the focus of my research is going to be econometrics, empirical finance or similar quantitative subject. Getting a scholarship and a financial support are the prerequisites for me to go there. What are the changes I will get an offer from Oxford or Cambridge? Can I apply to both of them simultaneously. My toefl is over 100 and my gre is 800, verbal and writing scores are so so. Do my age (30+) matter? What you guys suggest me to put in my statements of purposes?Thank you in advance for your opion,Kevin.

kevin08: What you guys suggest me to put in my statements of purposes?I think you need to think about what your goals are. What are your goals?If your purpose is to get a job in finance, then getting another degree is likely going to put you further away from that goal.

Twofish:My original goal was to become a quant, but eventually I became disillusioned with financial industry. I think the industry favors too much salesmanship and short term profit over true knowledge. Working in that type environment isn't my cap tea. My goal is to get a tenure track in some moderately prestigious college.

QuoteOriginally posted by: kevin08Twofish:My original goal was to become a quant, but eventually I became disillusioned with financial industry. I think the industry favors too much salesmanship and short term profit over true knowledge. Working in that type environment isn't my cap tea. My goal is to get a tenure track in some moderately prestigious college.Ummmm...... Are you certain that academia has less of a focus on salesmanship, profit, and knowledge than industry?

twofish:can you comment on my questions? do have first hand experience with UK's higher education system?

Send you a private message check it.

hey kevin, wow! you spent so much time studying instead of getting actual work experience which is more important in finance.as twofish mentioned, you should really sort out what you want to actually do.

QuoteOriginally posted by: kevin08twofish: can you comment on my questions?The basic problem here is that I can't tell you what your goals should be. You have to tell me that. The only thing I can do is to help you phrase your goals so they sound good to an admissions committee, and maybe point out if I think they are or are not realistic. But you have to start by figuring out what your goals are. Saying that you are disillusioned by industry and want to be an academic is a good place to start.Also in talking about statement of purposes, you probably should be extremely specific about the type of research that you want to do. If you can say. I'm interested in topic X, I've published this paper on topic X, and interestingly enough topic X is the research topic that professors Y and Z are interested in.QuoteDo have first hand experience with UK's higher education system?No, but I have lots of first hand experience with the US higher education system.

Getting accepted to do a PhD in a British university is relatively easy. Finding money is really hard. Most scholarships that they will offer will come from the Research Council. This means: full fees and living expenses for UK students; fees but no living expenses for Europeans; nothing for overseas. However, if you are successful in getting an ORS (overseas research scholarship - pays the difference between UK/european and overseas fees) they might fund you the rest. Try also the British Council in your country.

Something else. In the UK you don't really get accepted to do a PhD at University X. You are accepted to work with Professor Y at University X. Try contacting people with research interests that you like. Gauge their interest in you.

Have you ever been in US as a foreign student? Do you know how a TA/RA can seek an employment outside his school without pissing off his adviser? Do you know, if it is legal for F1 students to work outside their schools?

that was directed to jomni.

QuoteSaying that you are disillusioned by industry and want to be an academic is a good place to start.Do you think so? As for my goals, I see them clearly. They have changed since I came to US, but I couldn't do all the corrections I wanted because of visa issues. I am of an academic type and never wanted an industry job. But at the same time, I was clear to me that a tenure track in physics in any semi decent school was impossible to get. Did anyone read Derman's book? Right now it is easier to get a quant job in a tier 1 bank than a tenure track in physics in any decent school. Some times ago my school received hundreds of application for a tenure track position in physics, many from people with substantial (5-10 years) research experience in bell labs and similar places. I know fairly well what professors want form their apprentices. My specific questions were: how big a hindrance are my 1st phd and my age?Thank you in advance for your advice.

QuoteOriginally posted by: TopologistSomething else. In the UK you don't really get accepted to do a PhD at University X. You are accepted to work with Professor Y at University X. Try contacting people with research interests that you like. Gauge their interest in you.That is something I didn't know. Thanks for a very useful advice.

I do not think age is an issue of itself because directly it rarely is the problem.This is a line of work where many enter after a PhD, so the average is 27ish, 30 is not even outside the first moment.I know people who started successfully in the 40's and one CQF alumnus did it (as I recall) >50, and is now a head of risk at a firm you will have heard of.The issue is how you spent the time. That applies at 22 through to 62.Kevin08's path is not all that off the mainstream. But there is a risk of becoming what is seen as an education junkie. We have a surprising number of people on our database who have 3 masters degrees.That implies a lack of focus or direction. Not always the case, as I have found when speaking with these people, but your resume looks the way it looks.Chances of getting the Oxford/Cambridge gig seem to me small. By all means try, but it would be dangerously risky to make it a plan.With all due respect, your English is not strong. That worries me a bit given you have 4 to 6 years education in the USA.But the numerical work you have done sounds good, and the stats from an Ivy league is of course useful.My ultimate answer is not really one you're going to like I fear.You need to keep on applying for jobs, wait for it to happen. Give it a year, then if that fails take a job in industry or education.Apply to software houses, ratings agencies etc as well.Use the downtime well. Having read your posts, you almost certainly need to completely re-write your CV. When you've done that, get a native English speaker to go over it, then write it again.Use the downtime well. You don't mention programming. You're obviously reasonably smart, so go learn C++Find holes in your skill set, do brainteasers, and look particularly hard at those involving probability.