titoburger

Hi all. I'm considering going to grad school to get a Masters in Econ. However, I was wondering if everyone here could help me figure out what schools I should consider. So a few things: I graduated from a top public school with a BA in Econ 2.5 years ago. However, the non-math-intensive route for the Econ program there really lacked any depth, so I was able to graduate without actually learning too much. I want to go to grad school to actually get a good, in-depth knowledge of Econ. As mentioned, I took a non-math-intensive route for Econ. Because of that, I don't have a strong math or stat background. Beyond first-year level calc, I've taken a semester of multi-variable calculus, but I was not very confident in it. In terms of stats, I took the required intermediate stats course needed for the major and one econometrics class, but I'm really rusty. I have no research background. After graduating, I haven't really done anything related to Econ at all and have been at rather low-skill/low-knowledge jobs. So what I'm looking for I say masters rather than a PhD program because first, I don't want to be in a program that would take 6+ years and don't plan on pursuing academia at this point. Most top-notch schools, I've noticed, only offer a PhD in Econ or an MA in combination with another graduate program, so I'm wondering what good schools are out there that do offer a terminal masters in Econ. By getting a masters, I want to gain the skills and knowledge to be a competent economist, not a businessman. I'd like to eventually work at some place like maybe the Fed or some other government agency giving insight into the economy. That said, I do want to find a program that will accept me despite my minimal math and stats background. However, I also want to find a school that after accepting me will let me take additional math and stat courses to brush up my skills, even if they may be beyond what the programs specifically requires. Though I know I should be ambitious and aim high, I'm not so confident as a candidate for top Econ grad programs. That said, I'd also like to look at other schools in the San Francisco Bay Area, where I currently reside, or California, that, though not the top of the top, still do have solid programs and have had pretty good track records for their alumni. Lastly, though currently, I'm not considering a PhD at all, I'd like to go through a program that might be a good stepping stone for applying to a top-notch PhD program. I'm not necessarily considering getting a PhD at all, but I want to gain the expertise and experience that would make me just as qualified as one. Whether or not I do go for a PhD at some point, I just think having that kind of background would be useful. What do the folks here say? Any suggestions?