Imagine becoming a Dr. in Economics or Finance

Or…in any other discipline…

Our special guest is Dr. Adam Kolasinski, Associate Professor of Finance in the Mays School of Business at Texas A&M University. He holds the James W. Ashton Republic Bank Professorship in Finance since May, 2017.

Previously, Dr. Kolasinski was Visiting Assistant Professor of Finance in the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania (September 2012 to May 2013) and Assistant Professor of Finance in the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington, Seattle, from July of 2006 to June of 2013.

Dr. Kolasinki studied a Phd in Financial Economics in the Sloan School of Management, MIT, with Professor S. P. Kothari; and a B.A. in Economics-Mathematics (Magna Cum Laude) at Columbia University.

In his portfolio, his interests include capital structure, mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital, financial institutions, financial market regulation, securities lending and short selling.

Dr. Kolasinski has numerous graduate students and former graduated students currently serving in tenure positions. He has also served in non-academic positions including the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Wasserstein Perella and Co. and ING Barings. His interests include a variety of topics and fields from political philosophy to rugby, sailing and skiing.

You, as reader or listener, are probably interested in a graduate degree in a reputable institution, following the steps of Dr. Kolasinski. Although it is not easy, you need to know that it is possible. We hope that this conversation with Dr. Kolasinski could help you by boosting your enthusiasm and willingness to put the effort that it is necessary. The following are some of the questions that our distinguished guest answered for you:

Were you interested in economics and mathematics when you were a teenager? Were you like Alex Keaton of the show Family Ties?
Could you please talk a little about Columbia University?
The tuition in Columbia is about $57000 per semester (found in Wikipedia). It is well known that American students end up their bachelor degrees with big debts. Are there scholarships for studying a bachelor degree in Columbia?
In Columbia your major was Economics-Mathematics. In most colleges the majors are one word, what is the story behind this two fields major in Columbia and what made you go for it?
You did your PhD in Financial Economics at MIT. Could you please tell us about MIT and how it was like to study your graduate degree there?
How did you obtain funding for your PhD program? Is it like in other programs that students work as TAs or RAs for tuition waiver and a stipend?
What was the topic of your doctoral dissertation and what specific problem were you trying to solve?
In spite of the hardships, did you enjoy working towards your degree? Would you do it again?
Were there students of many nationalities in the doctoral program in economics?
Are there new areas of research where students interested in advanced degrees in Economics should consider exploring?
Thinking about potential foreign students, is it a very high English level indispensable if one wants to pursue an advanced degree in Economics?
What undergraduate degrees are accepted as part of the profile of a candidate to the graduate school in economics?
In the case of Mays School of Business, what is the requirement for admission to the program in Economics in regards to the GRE?
Are the graduate students in Mays School of Business sponsored in any way or the students have to bring their own money to pay for tuition, lodging and food?
Have you seen married students in graduate school? How they do?
Are there more women today studying economics or advanced degrees in economics?
You speak Spanish, when did you learn it and what motivated you to learn Spanish?