Columbia vs. Chicago

[PDCU]

Hi everyone,

I am trying to decide between Columbia's QMSS and Chicago's CIR. I want to do my PhD research in game modeling of power difference in IR. Both sides have pros and cons that makes me hesitant to decide either way...

Columbia has lower mandatory fees than Chicago but higher living cost. This would mean that I would have more room to be frugal and save some more money. Chicago has big names like Mearsheimer, Pape, and BDM. Chicago is quarter-based while Columbia is semester-based. I haven't taken any quantitative courses since AP Calculus in high school, so I think QMSS can help me greatly in that aspect of my future application. Chicago offered me partial scholarship while I don't expect much from Columbia, but after some calculations, I expect Columbia would cost about $10,000 more than Chicago.

What else should I be considering? Is there anything I'm missing? What would you do if you were given these options? Any alumni from either of these programs? I would love some perspectives on this. Please and thank you!

[midwest513]

Weird question. How do you know you want to do game theoretic modeling (which is all based heavily in mathematics) when you haven't taken a math course since high school? You should think seriously about that because deep knowledge of calculus, real analysis, linear algebra, etc...is necessary in doing formal modeling.

[PDCU]

@midwest: I've had really watered-down version of game theory as part of my terrorism class in my undergrad. So I guess you can say that I think game theory is really cool and I want to do it, but I just don't know how.

I think I made my decision! The suggestions I got from everyone I talked to were unanimous in favor of Chicago. Thanks to everyone who gave me suggestions!

Edited May 9, 2012 by McMuffin

[jflorezi]

Game theory can be cool, but it's going to deman a lot of calculus and statistics (and nowhere near introductory courses) if you want to focus on that. A good introductory book is Osborne, An Introduction to Game Theory

[jazzrap]

First, big big congrats on getting accepted!!

Second, I feel that you made a good decision. My advisor, a comparativist whose work is often cited by IR specialists, told me that if I wanted to really do IR, I should go to CIR.