Dr. Kent Smetters

Professor

Build a Statement of Purpose

Generate a tailored SOP for Dr. Kent Smetters. Improve your application with a focused, well-structured draft.

Biography

Kent Smetters is the Boettner Chair Professor in the Business Economics and Public Policy Department at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, as well as a Faculty Research Fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research. His areas of research encompass applied theory, fiscal policy, risk measurement, insurance, healthcare, and personal finance. Smetters' professional service includes significant roles in the U.S. government, having been part of the Congressional Budget Office and serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy at the U.S. Treasury. He is recognized for coauthoring a study that received the 2016 TIAA Paul Samuelson Award for its insights into annuitization. Smetters also contributes to public understanding through his radio show “Your Money” on SiriusXM 111 and as a regular contributor to the Wall Street Journal. He earned his PhD in Economics from Harvard University and teaches various courses that bridge business economics and analytics, emphasizing the application of economic reasoning to real-world challenges.

Research Interests

Awards

#

Undergraduate Teaching Award

#

Institute Quantitative Research Finance (“The Q-Group”) Award

#

Smith-Richardson Foundation Research Grant

#

Smith-Richardson Foundation Research Grant

#

Rodney L. White Center Financial Research Grant

#

National Bureau Economic Research, RRC Grants

#

TIAA-CREF Paul Samuelson, Certificate of Excellence

#

Robert C. Witt Award

#

2016 TIAA Paul Samuelson Award

Courses

Independent Study Microeconomics for Managers Advanced Microeconomics for Managers Business Analytics Advanced Study Project Special Topics Independent Study in Economics Directed Honors Research

Requirements for University of Pennsylvania

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.6
GRE General
Verbal
Required:162
Quantitative
Required:162
Overall
Required:162
GMAT
Total Score
Required:728
Overall
Required:728
TOEFL
Total
Required:115
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree or equivalent Strong quantitative background
Application Checklist
  • Academic Transcripts
  • Letters of Recommendation (2-3)
  • Resume/CV
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Essays
Specialization Notes

Wharton Doctoral programs cover fields like Finance, Marketing, Management, and Operations, Information and Decisions.