The chart will appear within this DIV. This text will be replaced by the chart.

LoS 2011:
PROFILE
Type of Undergrad: Best school of business in Poland (but an American citizen)
Undergrad GPA: 3.37/4.0 in conversion, though it's not that simple
Type of Grad: Master's at the same school, exchange semester in Tilburg
Grad GPA: 3.30/4.0 at home school, 7.8/10 at UvT
GRE: 800Q, 610V, 4.5AW
Math Courses: Multiple courses in calculus, mathematical analysis, linear algebra, probability, statistics - though some dispersion in grades
Econ Courses (grad-level): advanced macroeconomics (comparable to US grad courses), bayesian econometrics, field econ classes (labor, public sector, development, institutional)
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): multiple intermediate courses in micro and macro, mathematical economics, game theory.
Other Courses: lots of econometrics (did major both in grad and undergrad), retirement and life cycle economics at Tilburg
Letters of Recommendation: 2 Polish profs, 2 phds, one phd from Tilburg
Research Experience: bachelor's thesis, RAed for over 1 year at a large Embassy
Teaching Experience: none
Research Interests: empirical work, econometrics both at micro and macro level, also development and environment
SOP: standard I think, maybe a little chaotic but revealing passion and interests
Concerns: no outstanding or internationally renowned LORs, dispersion in grades, maybe too wide research interests
RESULTS:
Acceptances: Tinbergen ($$), EUI Florence ($$), Minnesota (TA, from waitlist), Tilburg, QEM
Waitlists: Minnesota (admitted April 11th)
Rejections: Columbia, NYU, Northwestern, Maryland, RA positions at FRB and JPAL
What would you have done differently?
As you can easily notice, I cracked practically everything in Europe, but I was pretty unsuccessful in the US. I think what I lacked was one strong letter of recommendation from somebody in a good standing on the other side of the ocean.

philecon 2011:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: BS Business Economics, relatively unknown university in Southeast Asia
Undergrad GPA: no idea how to convert it, but I graduated magna cum laude (Rank: 7/150)
GRE: 800Q, 590V, 5.0AW
TOEFL:112/120
Math Courses: Calc I-III, Abstract Algebra, Linear Algebra, Real Analysis and Math Stats
Econ Courses: the standard Econ courses, nothing special
Letters of Recommendation: 1 Northwestern PhD, 1 Ohio State PhD, 1 PhD from my uni
Research Experience: undergrad thesis (won an award, forthcoming in local journal), RA for six months
Research Interests: Health Economics, Industrial Organization
SOP: Pretty standard
Concerns: I shifted from Accounting to Economics, and I took a leave for a year to take a break; first to apply as an undergrad from my school (never been done ever)
RESULTS:
Acceptances: Georgetown, LSE EME, BGSE MS Economics, CEMFI MSc Economics and Finance, PSU (from waitlist)
Waitlists: PSU (eventually admitted, but without funding), Michigan (rejected off the WL though)
Rejections: Northwestern, Columbia, Brown, Penn, Virginia, Stanford, Duke, Singapore Management
COMMENTS:
I wasn't an economics major when I entered college, and I left school for a year after sophomore year (since something happened to me) to evaluate myself, and the direction I was going. I accidentally stumbled upon economics, and I found out that I loved it. Like the previous poster, however, I decided to do a PhD only around my junior year, so I had to cram a lot of math during my last two years, plus take the economics classes. I knew it was a huge risk, applying with only an undergrad degree, as most students from my university had at least a year of graduate coursework before applying to even European masters. I am very pleased with my results, though, and I look forward to attending the program that I chose. The only things that I probably would've done differently are: (1) I would've probably majored in math when I first thought about it (since my Math average is significantly higher than my Business average), or that I would've done my undergrad in the US when I had the chance and (2) I would've probably applied to mainly masters programs.
I guess I'll be back again for Fall 2013 PhD admissions.