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

anothereconstudent 2007:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: Top 50 research University with unknown econ dept.
Undergrad GPA: 3.97 cumulative
Type of Grad: Straight from undergrad
Grad GPA: N/A
GRE: 780Q, 690V, 5.5AWA
Math Courses:
Calc I-III (A/A/B+), Linear Algebra (A-), Diff EQ (A), Time Series & Spatial Analysis (A), Prob & stats (A-), Real Analysis (current)
Econ Courses:
Intermediate Micro/Macro, Adv Micro, about 12 subject courses and econometrics. (4.0)
Letters of Recommendation: Econ profs - senior thesis advisor, 2 profs I had TA'd for and had in at least 2 classes. They were pretty strong.
Research Experience: Senior thesis, research assignments at work
Teaching Experience: TA for Intro Micro/Macro
Research Interests: Applied Micro, applied IO
SOP: Fairly generic
Other: Won award for best thesis, best econ student. Extensive programming experience in SAS and stata. Economics-related job.
RESULTS:
Acceptances:
UIUC (attending)
OSU
Georgetown
all funded
Rejections:
MIT
Berkeley
Chicago
Columbia
Northwestern
Maryland
UT Austin
What would you have done differently?
Applied to more schools, especially schools in the 5-20 range. Taken real analysis sooner.

kgreene1906 2007:
Type of Undergrad: Big 10 midwestern School
Undergrad GPA: 3.32
Type of Grad: Smaller BIG 10 school with a Ph.D program in the top 50
Grad GPA: 3.599
GRE: 800 V, 780 Q, 4.0 wirting
Math Courses: Calc I-III, Diff Eq, Linear Algebra, Proof Writring, Abstract Algebra, Advanced Calculus I and II, Real Analysis(B-), Math Stats I and II, Engineering Stats, Grad Complex Analysis, Grad Real Variable Theory.
Econ Courses: MA Micro and Macro, Monetay Theory, Growth and Development, Game Theory and Firm Behavior
Other Courses:
Letters of Recommendation: Pretty Solid, one came from a UCSD grad, one came from a Cal-Berkley Grad and one came from a Michigan Grad
Research Experience: None...
Teaching Experience: TA for 2 semesters
Research Interests: Trade, Development, IO
SOP:
Other:
RESULTS:
Acceptances: SIU-Carbondale, Howard, Purdue, UIUC, Northern Illinois, Michigan State
Waitlists:n/a
Rejections:WUSTL, Berkley, Harvard
Attending: SIU-Carbondale(they are waving me out of alot of classes, it should take me 1.5 years to finish my course work and 1.5 to 3 to do my dissertation)
What would you have done differently? I waited until the LAST MINUTE to apply to places. And basically I wish I had took school alot mroe seriously. But dont underestimate the power of good reconomentation letters...by looking at my GPA, i really shouldnt have gotten into a few places, but letters will get u in.

EconCandidate 2007:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: Small, relatively unknown private university in the northeast.
Undergrad GPA: 3.65 (3.83 in Econ and Math)
GRE: 800Q/550V/4.0A
Math Courses: Intro Calc (A), Calc of Single Variable I (A-), Calc of Single Variable II (A-), Calc of Several Variables (A-), Integral Calc and Differential Equations (A), Linear Algebra (A-), Numerical Analysis (A-), Advanced Calculus (A), Intro to Real Analysis (A), Math Stats and Probability I (A), Math Stats and Probability II (In Progress)
Econ Courses: Honors Principles of Micro (A), Honors Principles of Macro (A), International (B+), Money & Banking (A), Intermediate Micro (A), Intermediate Macro (A), Law & Economics (B+), Public Finance (A-), Game Theory (A), Econometrics (In Progress), Advanced Public Policy Thesis (In Progress)
Letters of Recommendation: From 3 professors who knew me extremely well. I can't imagine they could have been any stronger.
Research Experience: Completed a summer research project about the term structure of interest rates. Currently working on a senior thesis about funding for public education.
Teaching Experience: Certified Level III Tutor. Math and Econ tutoring experience. Teaching Assistant for Intro Calc and Calculus of a Single Variable II.
Research Interests: Public Finance, Game Theory, Applied Micro.
SOP: Discussed my math preparation, research project, teaching/tutoring experience and my goals.
RESULTS:
Acceptances:
University of Wisconsin-Madison ($) (Attending)
University of Virginia ($)
Waitlists:
Boston College
Rejections:
University of Chicago
Yale University
Northwestern University
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
University of Rochester
Duke University
University of Maryland-College Park
Brown University
The Ohio State University
University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign
What would you have done differently?
My experience suggests that this process is incredibly random. I ended up with funding at a program that is clearly top 12- top 15, and got rejected outright by many programs that were not ranked as highly. Don't rule out any programs that you have been admitted to, because you never know what can happen, even at the last minute! Overall, I should have tried to improve my overall undergradaute GPA and scores on the other sections of the GRE, because coming from an unknown university probably hurt my applications some. Additionally, I would have tried to complete more research as an undergrad. A combination of these factors might have made my applications considerably less random. The best advice I can give people is that a high GPA, high GRE Math, and an extensive math background are the norm for applicants, and they are minimum preparation to be an appealing candidate. These do not seperate you from the pack any more. In the end though, no regrets at all.

econ2007 2007:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: medium (roughly 30,000 students) public university
Undergrad GPA: 3.55 overall, 3.83 economics GPA
Type of Grad: N/A
Grad GPA: N/A
GRE: 800Q / 580V/ 6.0AW
Math Courses: Calc I (A), Calc II (B+), Calc III (C+), Applied Linear Algebra (C+), Numbers and Polynomials (D+), Elementary Differential Equations (C), proof-based Linear Algebra (B)
Econ Courses: Honors Principles of Microeconomics (A), Honors Principles of Macroeconomics (A), Banking Financial Markets and Monetary Theory (A), Intermediate Micro (A), Intermediate Macro (B), Games and Decisions (B), International Trade (A), Economics of State and Local Govt (A-), Intro to Econometrics (A)
Other Courses: audited PhD Macro I
Letters of Recommendation: undergraduate advisor and professor in two classes (PhD from UNC-CH), econ prof for intermediate micro and macro (PhD from Carnegie Mellon), econ prof for econometrics (PhD from Carnegie Mellon), math prof for proof-based LA (PhD from NYU)
Research Experience: started a senior thesis, but not completed.
Teaching Experience: tutored all four years of undergrad
Research Interests: micro theory, applied micro, labor, environmental, bioeconomics
SOP: started with a template, and tailored each SOP to each schools interests and strengths (as long as there was some intersection in interests). THEY DO READ YOUR SOP.
Other: out of school for 2 years
RESULTS:
Acceptances: FSU, UGA, Colorado at Boulder, UC Irvine
Waitlists: UNC (rejected later), Illinois (rejected later),Boston College, Pitt
Rejections: UWashington, UTexas
What would you have done differently?
Let me preface by saying that my original plan was to go to law school. I didn't seriously start thinking about economics PhD until late junior year. Take as much math as possible, with good grades.

cooper 2007:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: Small state school, no PhD program in Econ
Undergrad GPA: 3.2
Type of Grad Mid-size public uni, no PhD program in Econ
Grad GPA: 4.0
GRE: 770 Q, 370 V, 4.5 AWA
Math Courses: Calc 1-3, Diff Eqs, Linear Alg, Operations Research (Linear programming, Integer Programming, & Dynamic Porogramming), Math Stats 1, Adv Calc 1. (All A's) Taking final semester: Adv Calc 2, Topology, Stoch Calc.
Econ Courses: Micro and Macro up to masters level, Math Econ up to masters level, Econometrics up to masters level (including regular Econometrics, Time Series, and Financial Econometrics), and Game Theory. (Two B+'s in undergrad courses and rest A's)
Other Courses: Some programming courses.
Letters of Recommendation: Strong letters from not well known Profs (two econ and one math). One more letter from a well-connected econ Prof, not sure how strong it was.
Research Experience: Research asistant for Prof for two years in masters program. Research Assistant for another Prof for one year. Completed Research paper at AEA summer program. Completed a masters research paper. Did some Matlab programming with another professor for independent study on oil and monetary poicly.
Teaching Experience: Tutor for calc 1&2 in undergrad. Tutor for Principles of Micro in undergrad.
Research Interests: Macro: RBC theory, monetary policy, oil and empirical macro
SOP: Talked about my interests and experience, and a little about the particular school.
Other: AEA summer program
RESULTS:
Acceptances: Iowa (full $$), Vandy (full $$), Indiana (full $$), Virginia ($$-?), Rutgers (no $$)
Waitlists: I guess Pitt since I emailed them and never got a decision
Rejections: Princeton, Duke, WUSTL, U Wash, Illinois, JHU
What would you have done differently? I think I found my range, but I probably should have tried some more top 30's and mayber one or two top 20's just in case.