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Most Recently Selected profile:

The data below comes from testmagic forums and shows accepted, waitlisted, and rejected applicants for 2007-2009 for economics graduate school. Clicking on the graph above will make the most recent profile appear to the right of the graph.

All profiles:

Acceptances:
kevinomic 2008:
Undergrad: Small private university (Loyola University New Orleans) majored in Accounting and Finance
GPA: 4.0

Grad: MA Economics University of Colorado Denver
GPA: 3.98
Math:Calc I-III (As), Linear Algebra (A), Diff Eq (A), Abstract Math (A), Real Analysis I (A)
GRE: 790Q/530V/5.5AW
Teaching experience: Principles of Macro Instructor, Stats Lab Instructor, TA for Econometrics (Grad), Research Methodology (Grad), Intermediate Macro / Micro, Principles of Macro/Micro

Research experience: Masters thesis, turned into co-authored paper w/ advisor, submitted for publication. Blogged about on Freakonomics! (College Football and Crime). RA job during MA program (2.5 years)
LOR: 3 from professors. I think they were really good.
Interests: labor, education, health, applied metrics
What I learned: I'm very pleased with my results
Accepted: UCSB ($$$), Cornell - PAM ($$), UC Irvine ($$), MSU ($), Washington ($), CUNY ($$), Oregon ($$), CU Boulder ($$), Michigan (no $), Wisconsin (no $), UT Austin (no $)

Rejected: Berkeley, Princeton, Maryland, Wharton (Applied Econ)

Attending: UC Santa Barbara, very excited. Not the best program I got into, but great faculty to work with, great location, great fellowship package. I know a lot of people (especially in this forum) stress going to the best ranked school you get into, but I'm a little older and location and fit were very important to me. I'm very happy about my decision.

Other: I don't have any of the pedigree (top undergrad, grad, etc.), but feel that I did very well. I got to know my professors in grad school very well and got lots of research and teaching experience. I think my LORs pushed me up a few notches and allowed me to get really good funding packages from lower ranked programs (30-70) and got in with no funding to some 10-20 ranked programs.

Although I didn't contribute, I found this forum very helpful and a little addicting. Good luck to all you future applicants. Accepts: Rejects: Waitlists:
big_o12 2009:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: Good but not great LAC, Econ.
Undergrad GPA: 3.80
Type of Grad: MPP, Minnesota

Grad GPA: 3.98
GRE: 750, 580, 5.5
Math Courses: Calc I & II, LA, Math for Economists, Intro to Proofs, Stats, all A's
Econ Courses: Undergrad: intros, intermediates, open-economy macro, econometrics. Masters level: micro, labor, econometrics I & II
Other Courses:
Letters of Recommendation: 2 great, one good, nobody famous. One was from a professor who had supervised my masters thesis and said it was the best he had seen, suggested that I send it to a field journal.
Research Experience: aforementioned master's thesis

Teaching Experience: semester each as TA for micro, macro, stats
Research Interests:
SOP:
Other:

RESULTS:
Acceptances: Riverside ($$), Oregon($), Minnesota Applied
(waitlisted for $-withdrew), UMass ($), U Washington (no $)
Waitlists:

Rejections: Berk ARE, Davis ARE
Pending: Never heard from UConn, I think i'll call and ask for my $80 back.

What would you have done differently? I have a strong heterodox streak, so UMass is really a nice admit for me. I feel like I just snuck in there given my low test scores, minimal math and unexceptional undergraduate institution, and i'm greatfull for that, so nothing different.
Accepts: Rejects: Waitlists:
corolla09 2009:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: Math/Econ Good Eastern LAC
Undergrad GPA: 3.28 (3.45ish for Econ & Math)

GRE: 720Q, 470V, 5.5AWA
Math Courses: Calculus Sequence, Vector Calculus, Intro to Proofs, Linear Algebra, Ring Theory, Real Analysis, Applied Stats, Probability, Mathematical Statistics, Stochastic Processes
Econ Courses: Intermediate Micro & Macro, Labor, IO, Econometrics, Environmental, Experimental, Behavioral, Econ of Conflict
Letters of Recommendation: 2 econ, 1 math all senior faculty whom I knew very well

Research Experience: Senior thesis in Probability Theory/Stochastic Processes
Teaching Experience: none
Research Interests: Public, Labor, Experimental/Behavioral
SOP: I think this was a 'good' deciding factor for some schools showing a fit/common research interest with their program and I believe it matters a lot more for smaller non top-30 programs.

Concerns: A lot, low GRE/GPA low grade in Analysis
Other: had to wait a year to apply for good senior grades, take GRE

RESULTS:
Attending: Florida State Univ ($$)
Admitted, Declined: Binghamton ($), Kentucky (WL$), Oregon (WL$), NC State (no$), Mississippi ($), UNH-masters

Waitlists: Va Tech
Rejections: Vanderbilt, Virginia, Syracuse (never heard back)
No Word: Louisiana State

What would you have done differently? A lot, actually study in undergrad for one. Had difficulty figuring out where to apply with my profiles and increase in apps, should've applied to places like Purdue, Pitt, Riverside and research schools with experimental more. Results almost identical to what I thought they would be. Had random safety's. Originally started with math major then added econ very glad I did both. Very happy with results considering my profile and for those similar to mine it is possible to get a decent funded offer without perfect transcript especially if you're looking for a LACish placement like me. Accepts: Rejects: Waitlists:
singmeat 2009:
Drumroll for the non top 50 club please.........

PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Economics from small state non-flagship non-PhD granting university.

Undergrad GPA: Overall: 3.1/4.0, Econ: 3.7/4.0, Math: 3.4/4.0
Grad GPA: n/a
GRE: 740Q 610V 4.5AWA
Math Courses: Concepts of Calculus (A), Calculus 1 (B), Calculus II (B), Linear Algebra (B), Statistics (A), Econ Statistics (A), College Algebra (D!)
Econ Courses: Intro Micro (A), Intro Macro (B), Intermediate Micro (A), Intermediate Macro (A), Growth and Development (B), Managerial Econ (A), Labor Econ (A), Econometrics (A)

Other Courses: Linear Programming (B), Intro Finance (D), Multinational Finance (A), lots of Decision Science, Marketing, Accounting, Management, Strategy, etc courses (As and Bs)
Letters of Recommendation: 2 Econ profs and a math prof
Research Experience: n/a.
Teaching Experience: n/a
Research Interests: Micro and Applied Micro

SOP: I personally think it was very good. I told my academic story concisely with elegance.

RESULTS:
Funded Admit
Wyoming (Attending): Assistantship + Tuition + Fees + Insurance

MTSU: Assistantship + Tuition + 50% Fees + Summer Research Grant
Missouri: Assistantship + Tuition + Fees
Clemson: Assistantship + Tuition + Fees

UT Dallas: Was told I’d be funded, told them I was going to Wyo.
Florida FRED: Wanted to fund me, but is having a budget crisis or something
UNC Greensboro: Admitted to MA, Assistantship

Arizona AREC MA: Half-Time Research Assistantship + Tuition + Fees
Michigan State AREC: Offered funding in email without details (RA presumably), told them I was going to Wyo.
Unfunded Admit:
Oregon: No funding

Kentucky: WL for funding, didn’t hear back
New Mexico: Never heard about funding despite emailing
U of Utah: No funding

Fail (Reject):
UC-Davis AREC: Rejected, Scholarship below that of admitted applicants
Maryland AREC: Rejected
Florida Econ: Didn’t finish the app, rejected anyway

NC State: One of my LORs never made it, didn’t care enough to pester prof.
???:
Kansas: Admitted, but no idea about funding, paperwork problems with Grad School and I declined before I got any update. Assuming no.

Comments:

Not too shabby considering my profile. I must have some rockin’ LORs or my SOP was magical. I really hated to decline MTSU, I’m hoping they do well in the future. I should have studied more for the GRE: I kept putting it off because Calc 2 was actually pretty fun. Looking back, I should have applied to more flagship state unis and a few more reaches, and actually finished my NC state and Florida apps.

My GPA is low because of a few stupid unrelated courses: Geography (F/D), Algebra (D), lots of Cs my first semester (tough year for me, PM for details on that), etc. Econ, business, math were As and Bs. Accepts: Rejects: Waitlists:
Texcards 2009:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Minor Economics and Math at very large state school (top 15 engineering, top 50 economics)
Undergrad GPA: 3.35/4.0 (3.65 Math, 4.0 Econ)
Type of Grad: None
Grad GPA: N/A

GRE: 800Q, 550V, 4.0AW
Math Courses: Calc I-III(A,B,A), Differential Equations (B), Linear Algebra (A), Mathematical Probability and Statistics (A), Fund Discrete Math (Spring 09)
Econ Courses: Principles of Micro and Macro (A, CR by exam), Intermediate Micro and Macro theory, Econometrics (A,A,A)
Other Courses: Lots of engineering
Letters of Recommendation: 2 not well known assistant econ professors (UT-Austin, Rice) but excelled in their classes, 1 associate engr professor (Berkeley) that I went on a study abroad trip with

Research Experience: none
Teaching Experience: none
Research Interests: International and Development
SOP: Paragraph about why I wanted to do econ even though I did engineering as an undergrad, another on my interests, and another on why I wanted to be an academic. Slightly altered my interests paragraph depending on the school, but for the most part the same for each one.
Other: Didn’t start considering this until fall of last year.

RESULTS:

Acceptances: UC Riverside (Fellowship), University of San Francisco MA in International and Development Economics (1/2 tuition remission + TA), UC Davis, University of Washington, UC Santa Cruz, Colorado, Oregon, UI-Chicago
Waitlists: Oregon fellowship, eventually notified of no funding
Rejections: Maryland, Boston University, Boston College, UT Austin, Michigan State, Georgetown, UBC MA
Pending: Toronto MA, Queen’s MA

What would you have done differently?
I wouldn’t have applied to the Canadian MA’s (1 year wouldn’t have been enough to help me), Michigan State, UCSC, or UI-Chicago and maybe applied to a couple more reaches instead, but I really didn't think I would get into as many as I did. I don’t know if it would have changed anything though, after really thinking about it I think an MA is a very good choice for me. I’ve realized that my 3 economics courses hasn’t given me enough of a background in general economics knowledge. Yes I could learn it in the course of a PhD but I think strengthening my economics background will allow me to have more focus on what field I want to go into and give me more ideas when I eventually start to write my dissertation. An MA will also allow me to improve 3 big weaknesses in my profile: (1) Do some research which will allow me to have (2) stronger LOR’s and (3) a more focused SOP.

I think I learned a lot in this application process and feel like I will be able to put together a much better application in 2 years after an MA.

Attending:
University of San Francisco MA in International and Development Economics Accepts: Rejects: Waitlists:
irancontra 2009:
PROFILE:
Type of Grad: BS in Economics Liberal Arts University
Grad GPA: Summa Cum Laude
GRE: 770Q, 630V, 5.0 AWA
Letters of Recommendation: 3 undergraduate econ professors (1 well known)
Research Experience: None
Teaching Experience: Undergraduate TA
Research Interests: development, resource economics, remittances.
SOP: pretty standard
Concerns: I have been out of academics for 5 years.
Two spent working abroad in development, not the Peace Corps, and 3 in business.
RESULTS:
Acceptances: UCSB, UCSC
Rejections: ASU
Waiting: Stanford, U Washington, U Oregon, UCLA, UC Irvine, UC Riverside (Masters), USC (Masters), UCSD, U Arizona Accepts: Rejects: Waitlists:
Rejections:
Luckykid 2008: Undergrad Institution: UW-Milwaukee
Major: Economics/Math Minor

GPA: 3.4 (3.6 Econ) (3.6 Math)(3.6, 3.75, 3.8 The last 3 semesters)
GRE: 770q 460v 4AWA
Tofel: I am an American but my verbal suggests otherwise...
Courses:
301 Int. Micro B
302 Int. Macro A

325 Money B
353 Devlop A
413 Stats B
351 Intro Int A
447 Labor A
513 Econometrics B

454 Trade A
404 Game Theory B
506 Math Econ I A-
Spring: Math Econ II

Math:
Business Calc A

Calc I B
Calc II A
Intro to Proofs B+
Spring: Calc III, Linear Algebra

Research: Working on undergrad research two semesters...nothing special.
LOR: 1 should be stellar Associate prof(U-Mich)., 2 others pretty good-good one assoc. one tenured.


Interests: Experimental, Applied Micro, Labor

Results: Admissions:
Michigan State University ($0)
University of Arizona ($0)
University of Kentucky ($12+3)
Florida State University ($16+3)
University of Georgia ($p*nding)

University of Houston ($9.5+6)
University of Tennessee ($14)
University of Connecticut (MA)
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (MA-spring)

Rejections:
University of Michigan Ann-Arbor
University of Virginia
University of Iowa

Pennsylvania State University
University of Indiana-Bloomington
Vanderbilt
Arizona State University
Iowa State University
North Carolina State University
Rice University
University of Oregon
University of Massachusetts


Waiting:
Ohio State University (Long Shot)
Texas A&M University (Perhaps)
Purdue University (Probable)
Virginia Polytechnic and State University (Probable)

Goals: Tenure track at a Ph.D. Granting research institution. To live comfortably(upper middle), like my job, and be able to spend ample time with my family.


What I Learned: Applying to all of these school was worth it by far; if I was not getting married I would go to MSU in a heart beat. I think my profile is weak for that institution but the probability jump of many applications has paid off in the upper level schools. Almost all if not all of the schools I got accepted to are top in the areas I mentioned in my sop. I strongly believe that your SOP is a YES OR NO qualifier in the admissions process. It is hard to gauge what schools are good in what field so I think I should have asked my professors before I applied to better position my SOP and eliminate schools that are not fits and add schools that are.
Accepts: Rejects: Waitlists:
The MAN 2009: PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: Bachelors at an unranked non-PhD state school
Undergrad GPA: 3.4
Type of Grad: none
Grad GPA: n/a

GRE: 800 Q, 560 V, 4.0 AWA
Math Courses: Calc 1 and 2
Econ Courses: All the prerequisites, Environ. Econ, Econometrics 1 and 2, Law and Econ, Telecom Econ, and a bunch of others
Other Courses: Computer Programming in C++, Physics
Letters of Recommendation: Three letters from instructors at unranked state school

Research Experience: None
Teaching Experience: Some tutoring experience
Research Interests: Public econ, environ. econ, tech. econ
SOP: Pretty standard SOP talking about why I want to pursue econ grad school, details on why I am a good candidate, and details on why I like the particular school.
Other:


RESULTS:
Acceptances: NIU, U. of Delaware, UNM, Colorado State, Nevada-Reno, IUPUI, and Illinois State
Waitlists: none
Rejections: USF and Oregon
Pending: none


What would you have done differently? I would have taken more math classes as an undergrad. I'm planning on going for a masters and picking up some missing math classes before applying to PhD programs.
Accepts: Rejects: Waitlists:
Waitlists:
cjw10 2009: PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: LAC – Economics, BA (with honors) + English minor
Undergrad GPA: 3.65
Type of Grad: N/A

Grad GPA: N/A
GRE: 760Q, 540V, 4.5AWA
Math Courses: (3.73 average) Calc I-III, Discrete Math, Linear Algebra, Stats, Differential Equations (Audit), Real Analysis (spring 09).
Econ Courses: (4.0 average) Intermediate Micro, Intermediate Macro, Public Finance, Environmental Econ, Market Experiments, International Econ, Money and Banking, Econometrics I, Senior Thesis
Other Courses: English minor, Env. Studies, Scuba Diving.

Letters of Recommendation: 4 Econ profs -- exceptional. 1 well known.
Research Experience: REU at top 50 econ Program. Research internship at consulting firm in London. Honors Thesis.
Teaching Experience: TA for Prin. Micro + Market Experiments; Academic Tutor (Micro + Macro)
Research Interests: Environmental/Resource, Experimental, Development, Applied Econometrics
SOP: Why I want a PhD + career goals + research experience + research interests matched with faculty. 2.25 pages, 1.5 spaced.

Other: 1 conference presentation + internship at investment bank
Post-doc goals: Academia.


RESULTS:
Acceptances:
NC State (RA 17k + 5k fellowship + tuition + health insurance)
UC Santa Barbara (TA 16.6k + 5k fellowship + tuition + health insurance)

Iowa State (TA 14.4k + 2.5k scholarship + in-state tuition + health insurance)
Oregon State AE (RA 12.6k + tuition + health insurance)
UC Davis ARE MS (readership)
Washington-Seattle (waitlisted for funding)
Colorado-Boulder (waitlisted for funding)
Oregon (no funding)
Rejections: Berkeley ARE, Maryland AREc, Wisconsin AAE


Will be attending: North Carolina State University

What would you have done differently? I’m satisfied.
Accepts: Rejects: Waitlists:
Texcards 2009: PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Minor Economics and Math at very large state school (top 15 engineering, top 50 economics)
Undergrad GPA: 3.35/4.0 (3.65 Math, 4.0 Econ)
Type of Grad: None
Grad GPA: N/A

GRE: 800Q, 550V, 4.0AW
Math Courses: Calc I-III(A,B,A), Differential Equations (B), Linear Algebra (A), Mathematical Probability and Statistics (A), Fund Discrete Math (Spring 09)
Econ Courses: Principles of Micro and Macro (A, CR by exam), Intermediate Micro and Macro theory, Econometrics (A,A,A)
Other Courses: Lots of engineering
Letters of Recommendation: 2 not well known assistant econ professors (UT-Austin, Rice) but excelled in their classes, 1 associate engr professor (Berkeley) that I went on a study abroad trip with

Research Experience: none
Teaching Experience: none
Research Interests: International and Development
SOP: Paragraph about why I wanted to do econ even though I did engineering as an undergrad, another on my interests, and another on why I wanted to be an academic. Slightly altered my interests paragraph depending on the school, but for the most part the same for each one.
Other: Didn’t start considering this until fall of last year.

RESULTS:

Acceptances: UC Riverside (Fellowship), University of San Francisco MA in International and Development Economics (1/2 tuition remission + TA), UC Davis, University of Washington, UC Santa Cruz, Colorado, Oregon, UI-Chicago
Waitlists: Oregon fellowship, eventually notified of no funding
Rejections: Maryland, Boston University, Boston College, UT Austin, Michigan State, Georgetown, UBC MA
Pending: Toronto MA, Queen’s MA

What would you have done differently?
I wouldn’t have applied to the Canadian MA’s (1 year wouldn’t have been enough to help me), Michigan State, UCSC, or UI-Chicago and maybe applied to a couple more reaches instead, but I really didn't think I would get into as many as I did. I don’t know if it would have changed anything though, after really thinking about it I think an MA is a very good choice for me. I’ve realized that my 3 economics courses hasn’t given me enough of a background in general economics knowledge. Yes I could learn it in the course of a PhD but I think strengthening my economics background will allow me to have more focus on what field I want to go into and give me more ideas when I eventually start to write my dissertation. An MA will also allow me to improve 3 big weaknesses in my profile: (1) Do some research which will allow me to have (2) stronger LOR’s and (3) a more focused SOP.

I think I learned a lot in this application process and feel like I will be able to put together a much better application in 2 years after an MA.

Attending:
University of San Francisco MA in International and Development Economics
Accepts: Rejects: Waitlists: