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The MAN 2011:
Type of Undergrad: BS in Economics, minor in Bus. Admin. at Illinois State Uni
Undergrad GPA: 3.38 overall, a little better in econ.
Type of Grad: MA in Applied Economics from Illinois State Uni
Grad GPA: 4.0 (still have 1 year left, but I don't expect this to change)
GRE: 800 Q, 560 V, 4.0 AWA
Math Courses: Calc I (C), Calc II (C) [both taken a decade ago when I was a freshman and not too mature], Calc III (A+), Advanced Probability Models (A), Linear Algebra (A+), Real Analysis (in progress)
Econ Courses (grad-level): MA level Micro, Macro, Econometrics (3 courses), and a few electives that probably won't factor into my admission decision (All A's)
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Pretty much everything I could take: Econometrics I, II (A, A), Telecom Econ (B), Managerial Econ (A), Micro (B), Macro (A), Law and Econ (B), Money and Banking (B), Labor Econ (B), Organizational Econ (A), Enviro & Natural Resource Econ (B)
Other Courses: Standard classes needed to get a bachelor's
Letters of Recommendation: 3 that should range from good to outstanding from econ professors who's PhDs are from: U of Houston, U of Chicago, and UC-Berkley.
Research Experience: A little over a year of RA work. This includes co-authoring a paper submitted for publishing (no word back on acceptance or denial yet)
Teaching Experience: Some TA work done while in the masters program. Also, I have some tutoring experience from undergrad.
Research Interests: Health, Applied Micro, IO, maybe experimental, maybe Labor, maybe metrics (If I start thinking about a topic long enough I end up generating interest in it)
SOP: Should be pretty good. I'm going to talk about my past (since I have a little bit of an unusual profile having left school for 5 years to work), why I want a PhD, why school X fits me, and why I fit school X.
Concerns: My undergrad grades range from terrible to okay, but there is nothing outstanding. I lack some math courses (although I have killed all the recent classes I've taken).
Other: Between my undergrad and master's I spent 5 years working. Most of that time I was a Financial Consultant for a large regional bank (at the time it was the 8th largest bank in the U.S.).
RESULTS:
Acceptances: Kentucky ($) and Michigan State
Waitlists: North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Rejections: Duke, UIUC, Cornell, Iowa, Arizona, Texas-Austin,
Pending: None
What would you have done differently?
If I had known that I would ultimately go for a PhD in economics as an undergrad I would have taken more math and applied myself more in all of my classes to carry a higher GPA. But since I didn't decide to do a PhD until after I had graduated, I can't say that I would have changed much in what I did. I loved doing my master's at ISU and feel that it helped me significantly (better LORs, more math, and great GPA somewhat answered the questions my undergrad/age generated). I probably would not have applied to University of Iowa (I didn't realize how poorly I matched with the school when I was applying because I focused more on their recent placements) and applied to a different mid-ranged PhD program.

geegro05 2011:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: BS Economics from Small liberal arts college
Undergrad GPA: 3.08 (2.6 after 3rd year)
Type of Grad: MA Economics from Directional State Schoool
Grad GPA: 3.85
GRE: 780Q, 410V, 4.5AWA
Math Courses: Calc I-III (C, B, A-), Math for Economists (A), Linear Algebra (B), Diff. Eq (A-), Intro. to Proofs (B), Complex Variable (A-), Advanced Calc. I (A), Topology (A), Math Stats I (A-)
Econ Courses (grad-level):Microeconomics I, II (A-,A-), Macroeconomics I, II (A-,A) Econometrics I, II (A,A), Time Series Forecasting (A), Growth and Development (A)
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): tons, all A's and a few B's in the beggining
Other Courses:
Letters of Recommendation: 1 from Dept. Chair and Thesis Advisor who I took 2 grad macro classes with, 1 from Prof. who I RA'd for and took 2 grad classes from, and an assistant prof I took grad micro 2 with. all should be decent
Research Experience: RA for 3 professors; working on a paper to be published with thesis advisor
Teaching Experience: TA'd for 4 professors
Research Interests: International Finance, Development, Poverty
SOP: rather informal, mentioned professors I would like to work with
Concerns: low ug grades, low verbal score, unknown letter of recommendation
Other: almost dropped out of college junior year. thanks to the support of a specific professor I turned my act around and started trying
Applying to: UCSC, Georgetown, MSU, JHU, PSU, GWU, UNC, UVA, CUNY, Kentucky, Oregon, Utah, Delaware, Kansas
RESULTS:
Acceptances: UCSC($$), Oregon($$), Kentucky($$), Kansas($$), Delaware($$)
Waitlisted: Georgetown
Rejections: PSU, JHU, Virginia
Still Waiting on: UNC-CH, MSU, CUNY, GWU, Utah
What would you have done differently? First off let me say I am going to attend my dream program(UCSC) so what I could've done this cycle is just relax. But overall, I should have gone to a better undergrad, tried harder in school, and made better connections with professors. I was accepted at a top 20 school for my undergrad, but decided to stay close to home and continue dating my girlfriend from high school. While I believe all of these things could have propelled me to a much better program, who knows if I would've developed the same passion for economics and development that I did.

akmandal 2011:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: Top 100 liberal arts college, Midwest
Undergrad GPA: 2.83, 3.1 in Econ Major, CS minor
Type of Grad: MS Applied Econ Illinois State University
Grad GPA: 3.24
GRE: 730 Q 650 V 4.0 AWA
Math Courses: Calc I (A), Calc-II (B+), Stats and Data Analysis-I (A-), Adv Stats for Social Sciences: A, Discrete Math: C+
Econ Courses (grad-level): Macro, Micro, Econometrics I, II, III; Advanced Public Finance, International Trade, International Finance
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Whole bunch, includes Math Econ, Intermediate Macro Micro
Other Courses: Security Analysis
Letters of Recommendation: 1 prof from Chicago, 1 a Harvard fellow from Colorado, 1 Stats professor from UIUC
Research Experience: RA for Public Finance prof, Research Paper on Ricardian Equivalence published in 2nd tier journal
Teaching Experience: TA for undergrad stats
Research Interests: Energy economics, Macro, Econometrics
SOP: Should be alright
Concerns: Low GPA, GRE
Other:
Results:
In: UKY (wl$, withdrew application), Clemson, UWyo ($$), Auburn, Utah State ($$), UGA ($), Western Michigan, UNM
Out: GSU, Oregon State, West Virginia, Rhode Islan, RAND Pardee, MSU
Attending: University of Wyoming
What would I have done differently: I should have thought about graduate school during undergrad and about a PhD during my Masters. All in all, given my marginal grades and GRE scores, I am very happy how I ended up. I think letters of recommendation can do wonders for one's profile.

AgEcon29 2011:
Type of Undergrad: Small liberal arts college (Economics and Math major)
Undergrad GPA: 3.96/4.00 Econ(4.0) Math(4.0)
Type of Grad:n/a
Grad GPA:n/a
GRE: 730 Quant. 580 Ver. 4.5 Writing
Math Courses: Calc 1-3 (A), Differential Equations (A), Discrete Structures(A), Linear Algebra(A), Probability Theory(A), Statistics(A), Abstract Algebra(A), Real Analysis(current)
Econ Courses (grad-level):n/a
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Intro Micro and Macro(A), Intermediate micro and macro(A), econometrics(A), economics of poverty(A), public sector economics(A), urban and regional economics(current)
Other Courses:
Letters of Recommendation: 3 good letters: two econ, one math
Research Experience: summer reu
Teaching Experience:3 years as supplemental tutor for econ and as a writing tutor
Research Interests: industrial organization/econometrics
Concerns:low GRE quant. score
Applying to:Minnesota ARE, Michigan State ARE, Texas A&M ARE, Penn State ARE, University of Kentucky ARE, UCONN ARE, UMASS ARE, University of Arkansas Econ
Accepted: Minnesota ARE, Michigan State ARE, Texas A&M ARE, Kentucky ARE
Waiting: Penn State ARE, University of Kentucky ARE, UCONN ARE, UMASS ARE, University of Arkansas Econ
Rejected: none