Comments from 2004 Participants

  • The course work was very demanding. I have never worked so hard in my life, but now I am very proud of myself for sticking through this program.
  • Even though I was not expecting such fast-paced study, I would not reduce it next year. It is important for those entering into a PhD program to know just what they are getting into. I would however, tell people in advance to expect that there may be weeks where they spend upwards of 50 hours doing homework. With some foreknowledge, they will be sure to be on top of all their out-of-class work from day one. The pace of the Summer Program is unforgiving, and if one gets behind, it is difficult to catch up.
  • The worst aspect of the program is losing hours and hours of sleep. I would go to bed between 2 and 4 am every night on average, including weekends. I never had the time this semester to do anything else except study and homework. I didn't really have time to explore my new surroundings.
  • I knew that the program was going to be mentally rigorous but I had no idea to how rigorous it was going to be. Although the program was excruciating, the benefits by far outweigh the costs.
  • I wanted to come here because I felt that I needed the rigor this program claimed to offer in preparation for graduate school. I was not disappointed. I feel that this program is very challenging.
  • I am very satisfied, I believe that every participant expected that grad school was going to be very hard, but this program gave us a sense of how hard and serious it was.

 

…but it’s worth it!

 
  • The program had much more than I expected. I gained a great deal of knowledge and vital guidance in terms of what is expected in a PhD program. I also improved a lot concerning study habits, time administration and discipline. The learning experience in this program has been the best I have had.
  • Over the course of the last two months, I've experienced a tremendous amount of intellectual and personal growth. This program has not only given me the opportunity to work on the areas of economics that I fear the most, but it allowed me to do this while in the company of great scholars like my peers and professors.
  • I now know what it takes to be competitive in graduate school. I am satisfied. I have learned more in these 2 months about economics than I have after taking 4 econ courses. I am VERY glad I participated in this program, it taught me about myself. Though this sounds corny, this program teaches perseverance, dedication, and commitment.

Additional Comments from 2005 Participants

 

  • The program really is great. It has provided me with opportunites that I will never have again. Sitting in the Board of Governors room and most important attending classes at Duke University. What an honor. Thank you.
  • It helped me to gauge why I was doing this, and it helped me to see, after the initial shock wore off, that indeed with much hard work, I can survive a rigorous program. I will get this Ph.D!
  • Very happy I participated, best semester I ever had, great learning experience.
  • I developed wonderful relationships with not only very talented students but professors as well. Academically, my critical thinking skills are sharpened and my knowledge of economic theory and application is improved. This program is amazing and every potential economist is lucky if they get to participate in such a challenging and stimulating program.
  • Lifetime of memories and a big picture of what economics really is. I am so glad I came to this program. It is an experience that everyone who is interesting in getting a PHD in economics should go through. Thank you.
  • The best part of the program, at least for me, was having the opportunity to be around such talented and like-minded individuals. The encouragement that I received from the program to pursue graduate study in Economics is priceless. It was great in that I really had a chance to get to know the program faculty in a very personal way. Just the sense of camaderie among everyone, the competitive but team-oriented nature of the group work done with fellow classmates - it was a great experience!
  • The trip to DC was especially important because it allowed us to see how the policy world works.
  • The best part of the AEA summer program was the fellowship with other like-minded minorities who shared similar goals and interests as myself.
  • I felt at home, I have never had the opportunity to be among so many individuals with similar interests and aspirations as my own. Overall, it was an awakening experince. I now know what to expect when entering a Graduate program, the myth is no more.
  • This program helped me decide what I really want in my life. Now I know what it takes to survive in graduate school. I also enjoyed the social aspects of the program. It was great to meet new friends.
  • This is a program that is really helpful for filling the huge gap between undergraduate economics and graduate economics. There are a lot of topics I would have never been exposed to had I not been in this program. I got to know and study from excellent books for free too. And the faculty and administration are usually very friendly.
  • I certainly benefited from this program, this is the best thing I could have to prepare myself for graduate work. I hope someday I can give back some of what was given to me. Thank you all.