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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.

claphands 2011:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: B.A Area Studies, minor Spanish, urban state university
Undergrad GPA: 3.65/4
Type of Grad: M.A. Area Studies, top 25 econ program, big public school
Grad GPA: 3.8/4
GRE: 770q/710v/5.5a
Math Courses: (All taken at the big public, over three semesters at the end of my M.A.) GPA: 4.0 - Calc 1&2 (includes multivariate); Intro to Discrete, Intro to Real Analysis, Probability 1, Linear Algebra
Econ Courses: Excluding misc topic courses I took as an undergrad, I took a bunch of calc-based undergrad econ courses at the top 25 program at the end of my M.A. GPA: 4.0 - Intermediate Micro/Macro, Economic Stats, Intro to Econometrics, Development Economics, Computational Economics
Other Courses:
Letters of Recommendation: All from full professors with reputable PhDs I had for a single econ course each. One may have been strong, others were probably good but not personal.
Research Experience: None in econ except for course work, M.A. thesis involved reading an obscene amount of academic economics articles to analyze economic thought in the region I was studying
Teaching Experience: None
Research Interests: Open-economy macro, development, trade, inequality, poverty, agent-based computational
SOP: Pretty good I think, tied together why a student with such a background was going to study economics. On one of my flyouts, grad director asked me questions about things I'd mentioned in my SOP which made me think having said those things helped me.
Other:
RESULTS:
Acceptances: Cornell (-), Washington (-), Colorado ($$), Oregon ($$), UMass ($), UC-Santa Cruz (partial$)
Waitlists: NA
Rejections: UC-San Diego, Georgetown
Attending: Colorado
What would you have done differently? Based on my results, I would have applied to several more programs ranked, say 20-40. But money and letter writer goodwill were very much on my mind and I think I did alright in that respect. I actually wouldn't really have changed my academic trajectory, I think most, if not all of the courses I took to get my M.A. and B.A. were interesting and useful for making me the type of thinker and writer I am now. If you are curious where I started from (before I had taken a single math class or basic econ prereq), check this thread: http://www.urch.com/forums/phd-econo...hd-advice.html (Interdisciplinary grad student, weak on math. Needs econ phd advice.)

Chevrox 2011:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: State flagship
Undergrad GPA: 3.68
Type of Grad: Non-degree (part time classes while working)
Grad GPA: 3.66
GRE: V650Q800W4.0
Math Courses: Very limited; took AP Calc I&II in high school; intro statistics (A-) and into econometrics (A) only in college; and Calc III (A+), Math methods in Econ (B+), and linear algebra (right now) after college
Econ Courses (grad-level): Macro, math methods
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): 2 micro, 2 macro, 2 environmental, 1 natural resources, 3 public finance, 1 developmental, among others
Other Courses: Second major was French and Spanish; took 1 accounting class
Letters of Recommendation: 2 professors from undergrad econ department and 1 from a former manager from a well-known financial services company
Research Experience: was a volunteer at a medical lab
Teaching Experience: taught classes at the company where I'm working
Research Interests: local environmental regarding habitat destruction due to land/resource use, alternative energy, environmental legislation, open to secondary concentration in public finance and developmental economics
SOP: Got a really bad review from one of the letter of recommendation writers which prompted a semi-rewrite. Realized what they are but couldn't part with some cheesy cliches that are too dear to me. One paragraph dedicated to justifying wanting to attend each school. Identified general learning and research goals. Identified unique situation (working while taking more math classes)
Concerns: have 1 non-academic letter of recommendation; not enough math; so-so undergrad grades; typos in SOP sent to 2 schools; generally didn't research enough prior to applying
Other: TOEFL ibt R30/L30/S30/W29 (only a couple schools required it despite undergrad in US); having been working FT for almost 3 years since undergrad; native of China
Applying to: UTAustin, UPitt, Purdue, CUBoulder, UOregon
RESULTS:
Acceptances: CUBoulder (no$), Uoregon ($?)
Waitlists: none
Rejections: UTAustin, UPitt, Purdue
Pending: none
What would you have done differently?
1. Should have applied to more schools. I picked 5 public schools on a ranking gradient from the Association of American Universities and thought it would have sufficed. I wasn't wrong, but I probably would have had a much better chance at funding if I applied to at least 10.
2. More math! I took Calc I & II in high school and didn't take Calc 3 until 2 years after graduating college. The only math class I took during my undergrad was statistics, and at the time I was applying I didn't even have a grade for either Calc III or Linear Algebra, which are requisites for almost all schools.
3. Should have done a lot more research before applying. I pretty much just winged it; had I known about this forum when I was applying I think I would have done better as well.

acoustickel 2011:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: BA Business Administration & Public Accounting (tiny liberal arts college in South Dakota)
Undergrad GPA: 3.92
Type of Grad: MS Economics from private Texas school
Grad GPA: 3.96
GRE: Q 750 / V 590 / AW 4.5
Math Courses: Er...Cal I-III, Prob & Stats, Linear Algebra (currently taking)
Econ Courses (grad-level): Econometrics, Micro, Health Econ, Development, Intl Policy, Econ of Information, Macro Analysis, Urban, Thesis
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Intermediate Micro, Econ of Religion, Intl Trade
Other Courses:
Letters of Recommendation: None well known. Two are pretty enthusiastic about helping me get in somewhere and the other is supportive but probably didn't write a glowing letter.
Research Experience: RA for 3 semesters, Master's thesis
Teaching Experience: TA for 2 semesters and tutored for 2 semesters
Research Interests: IO, education, labor, maybe behavioral
SOP: I tried to make myself sound interesting even if I may not be all that qualified
Concerns: Obviously math...and my GRE score...
Other: I think I win the least math award
Applying to: Minnesota (Applied), Oregon, Nebraska, Kansas State, Missouri, Wisconsin, Kansas, Michigan State, Colorado, U of Illinois - Chicago, Vanderbilt, Purdue
In: Minnesota (Applied), Oregon, Nebraska, Kansas State ($), Missouri

mcsokrates 2011:
Institution: University of Oregon
Program: Phd Economics
Decision: Admission
Funding: Will find out in March
Notification date: January 14 (PDF dated 1/6/2011)
Notified through: email
Posted on GF: No
Comments: Oregon's deadline is like February 15, so I was completely surprised.

Abibler 2011:
Institution: Oregon, Michigan State
Program: PhD Economics
Decision: Accepted
Funding: Waiting to hear from Oregon, not likely from MSU unless more funds become available
Notification Date: Oregon - January, MSU 3/8
Posted on GF:
Comments: Oregon grants admission on a rolling basis and decides on funding in March and April according to the website. No funding yet, still waiting to hear from 8 schools
Institution: Rice, Ohio State, Georgetown, Penn State
Program: PhD Economics
Decision: Rejected
Funding:
Notification Date: End of February, beginning of March
Posted on GF:
Comments: Nothing too surprising, only need funding from one school

econm 2011:
PROFILE: econm
Type of Undergrad: Double major math (top 20) economics (top 30)
Undergrad GPA: 3
GRE: 800, 590, 4.5
Math Courses: all of them
Econ Courses: intermediates + urban, international, game theory, policy, development
Other Courses: year of bio & chem, 2 CS courses (matlab, java, C++, some unix), Thermal Physics & Statistical Mechanics
Letters of Recommendation: 1 semi-famous, 1 young rising star, 1 visiting, 1 emeritus
Research Experience: None
Teaching Experience: None
Research Interests: Varied
SOP: Bad, just really not good
Other: Rejected by Oregon, accepted by MSU for a difference in ranking of about 30
RESULTS:
Acceptances: MSU ($$), Illinois (MS)
Waitlists: OSU (rejected on 14th after emailing), Purdue (withdrew)
Rejections: Virginia, Washington, Penn St, Oregon, BC, Cornell AEM, Iowa St
Attending: Michigan State University
What would you have done differently?
1) Taken less math
2) Taken math in the right order
3) Drank more milk
4) Not applied to Iowa St, Cornell AEM, Penn State, BC
5) Applied to UC Davis, UBC, Toronto, Texas, UNC