Allison Schrager

New York based economist Allison Schrager talks about the challenges of being a foreign student and the value in studying a subject that excites and inspires.

Your time at the University

I was spending my gap year in Europe, visited Edinburgh and instantly knew it was somewhere I had to live. At the time moving to Scotland felt like a fun adventure.

Being a foreign student can be very challenging, but in the end it was a rich experience not only from the academics but becoming so close with my peers. I became very close to my course mates, the 30 of us all lived and worked together.

Tell us about your Experiences since leaving the University

I am currently employed as an economist in New York.

I started the PhD program in economics at Columbia University right out of university. I finished in 2006. Since then I’ve been working with other academics, using our research to help people save and invest for their retirement. I’ve also had a nice career in journalism, writing about economics. My economics course was excellent. My lecturers and tutors nurtured my passion for the field. I must have enjoyed if I decided to study it for another six years!

Alumni wisdom

Study what excites you.