Index of Schools AnalysisAbout the Site 2012 20112010 20092008 2007all years
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Most Recently Selected profile:

The data below comes from testmagic forums and shows accepted, waitlisted, and rejected applicants for 2010 for economics graduate school. Clicking on points in the graph above will make the most recent profile appear in the space below the graph.


Acceptances:


Rejections:

kanishka 2007:
Type of Undergrad: International India, Top in country (I mean the college, not my performance)
Undergrad GPA: 3.6 (using the WES conversion guide)
Type of Grad: International India, Top in country (ditto qualification as above)
Grad GPA: 4.0 (using the WES conversion guide)
Note most students perform better in the undergrad than the grad. I ran the other way.
GRE: Q800 , V650, A4.5
Math(s) courses: Real analysis, concepts in linear algebra and calculus: linear independence; bases and dimension; subspaces and vector spaces; eigenvalues, continuity; differentiability; implicit function theorem, static optimization: unconstrained optimization; optimization with equality and inequality constraints; Envelope Theorem, dynamics and dynamic optimization: difference and differential equations, optimal control theory.
Econ Courses: My undergrad was wholly an economics course, as was my grad degree. Took the introductory micro, macro, econometrics (trix) courses in my grad. The material covered in these intro courses is pretty similar to what is done as introductory coursework in the US.
Significant electives: Game Theory, Law and Economics, Environmental Economics, Environment and Development. Also took an advanced macro course Open Economy Macroeconomics, but I wont be doing any more macro. I enjoyed this course, though it was very hard.
Letter of Recommendations: 4 in total. One has a phd from an (arguably) Top 10 US school. The next two were PhDs from LSE; the last is an Indian Phd, with loads of work experience and masters degree from a Top-20 to 25ish US school.
Research experience: One year as a Research Analyst with the Institute of Economic Growth, the leading research institute in environmental economics in India. Also wrote two papers during my masters, which were okay. Not really worth being published, but who knows? I never really tried. A couple of internships during previous summers also one with ICICI Banks Social Initiatives Group (this involved significant field work) and the other with the National Council of Applied Economic Research.
Also worked a year in General Electric Money, the consumer finance division. It taught me two things (a) handling huge databases; and (b) the private sector is not for me.
Research interests: Environment and development; applied work in this area. Would love it if I could do something in India, somewhere in the Himalayas where the scenery is spectacular. If youre going to be doing field work for months on end, might as well do it in a nice place.
SOP: Focused only on a very business-like description of the work I was doing in the Institute of Economic Growth and what I had done in GE; described my term papers and wrote a paragraph on what I would like to do. Did not claim to be touched by the hand of Adam Smith.
Results:
Accepted by: University of Maryland AREC (20K$ first four years) , University of Wyoming Econ (15K$ five years) and University of Minnesota APEC (no funding). Received a note from the Nicholas School of Duke University saying there was interest in my file but not enough funding. Dont know where to place this. Logically I got rejected but my vanity will not allow this.
Rejected by: UCSD, UCSB, Yale, ASU, Wisconsin Madison.
Ignored by: UIUC ACES program.
What would I have done differently?
1. Yale and UCSD were poor fits to my profile + interests. Probably was an immediate reject at these schools, and their apps were expensive, so it was a waste of time and money, which RAs have in limited amounts. Would apply to UC Davis and maybe OSU. That said I got into the program I was aiming for, so it turned out well, which I didnt think likely at the time of application. 2 of my recos were most likely weak to indifferent, but theres nothing much I could do about that.
2. Would erase my last paragraph in my SOP describing in a shallow manner why Im applying to that particular school. I would say, only if there are very strong reasons why you think youd fit with the dept (such as a strong correlation with your research work and some profs main area of research), then include such a paragraph.
Advice:
1. Please get some research experience if you want to do applied work. It helps immensely, apart from adding to your application.
2. For any Indians who are reading this, since we tend to do this when writing SOP, dont describe your love of economics, just say what you have done so far in life in a very objective manner. No phrases like I believe economics to be the true saviour of mankind. I cannot stress this enough. I dont know how much weight an SOP carries, but write it objectively please.
Accepts:
    Accepted by: University of Maryland AREC (20K$ first four years) , University of Wyoming Econ (15K$ five years) and University of Minnesota APEC (no funding). Received a note from the Nicholas School of Duke University saying there was interest in my file but not enough funding. Dont know where to place this. Logically I got
Rejects:
    rejected but my vanity will not allow this. Rejected by: UCSD, UCSB, Yale, ASU, Wisconsin Madison. Ignored by: UIUC ACES program.
Waitlists:

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.
Accepts:
    Attending: University of Wyoming
  • Institution: Clemson University Applied Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: ? Notification date: Feb 04 Notified through: Randomly checked status online Comments: My first admit... I would love to go there, funding is a ? though.
  • Institution: Utah State University Applied Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: In the process Notification date: 3/3/2011 Notified through: e-mail Posted on GC: yes Comment: Yay! It feels so good to be wanted!
  • Institution: Auburn Applied Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: None Notification date: 3/10/11 Notified through: Email from DGS Posted on GC: yes Comments: No funding at this time means I will not be able to attend. I hope something works out.
  • Institution:U Wyoming Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: Full + 16K assistantship Notification date: 3/14 Notified through: e-mail Posted on GC: yes
  • Institution: New Mexico Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: None at this time Notification date: 3/16/11 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: Yes Comments: Although the warmth sounds nice, cannot afford w/o aid
  • Institution: Kentucky Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: Not decided Notification date: 3/18/11 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Almost a wildcat!
  • Institution: University of Georgia Ph.D. Applied Economics Decision: Admit FUnding: Not mentioned in email from grad school Notification Date: 03/25/2011 Notified Through:Email Comments: Have to see if and what they offer
  • Institution: Western Michigan University Applied Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: Waitlisted Notification date: 03/31/2011 Notified through: Mail Comments: Nice to get another admission
Rejects:
  • Institution: Michigan State University Applied Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification date: 01/28/2011 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments: Very disappointed. Really wanted to study under Wooldridge.
  • Institution: RAND Pardee Public Policy Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: February 18 Notified through: email Posted on GC: yes Comments: Did not even bother to change the font of my name to match the rejection template. Oh well, disappointed but not surprised.
  • Institution: Rhode Island Environmental and Natural Resources Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 3/8/2011 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: Yes Comments: At least they were polite
  • Institution: Oregon State Applied Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 3/18/11 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Who cares!
  • Institution: UIUC ACE Decision: Rejection Funding: N/A Notification Date: March 22, 2011 Notified through: Official e-mail Posted on GC: yes Comments: Not quite a good fit anyway.. was quite a struggle writing the SOP. UIUC is an awesome school, so a little disappointed.
  • Institution: Georgia State University Ph.D. Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: 03/25/2011 Notified Through:Checked website Comments: Hmmm
  • Institution: West Virginia Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 04/01/2011 Notified through: Mail Posted on GC: No Comments: Oh well.
Waitlists:

peacejc 2011:
Institution: UIUC
Program: PhD in ACE
Decision: Rejection
Funding: N/A
Notification Date: March 22, 2011
Notified through: Official e-mail
Posted on GC: no
Comments: so disappointed
Accepts:
Rejects:
  • Institution: UIUC ACE Decision: Rejection Funding: N/A Notification Date: March 22, 2011 Notified through: Official e-mail Posted on GC: no Comments: so disappointed
  • Institution: PSU Economics in AEREC Decision: Rejected Funding: - Notification date: 03/28/2011 Notified through: E-mail Comments: asked a staff for my status
Waitlists:


Waitlists:
Admit summary statistics:
As submitted and recoreded from Test Magic:
There were 0 accepted out of 3 applicants.
No link to department posted statistics has been added, please let me know if these exist and I will add them.

Links:
Test Magic Econ Forums
econphd.econwiki.com
Last Updated: 14:58:27, Fri May 11, 2012