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:

Peot 2012:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: Math/Econ double major at a Top 40 Econ, top something US News... too lazy to check. We like experimental econ and college basketball.
Undergrad GPA: 3.9
Type of Grad: Just classes
Grad GPA: 3.9
GRE: 760Q/640V/4.0 Attempt #1, 165Q/161V/5.0 Attempt #2
Math Courses: Calc 1-3, Intro to Analysis I-II, Abstract Algebra, Honors Linear Alg, Honors ODEs, Applied Stat, Probability Theory, Math Stat, Stochastic Processes, Grad Analysis I, Topology, Combinatorics, Number Theory. All A's except an A- in ODEs and a B in Grad Analysis
Econ Courses (grad-level): Micro I, Micro II, Political Economy, Topics in Micro Theory. All A's except an A- in Micro II
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): A whole bunch
Other Courses: A bunch of English classes
Letters of Recommendation: 1 extremely well known (multiple publications in AER/'metrica/JET), 1 very well known (publications in AER, 'metrica, JET), 1 not as well known. All 3 are micro theorists and have had me for at least one grad Econ class and at least two are advising me with my thesis/research projects.
Research Experience: 2 summer research grants from my university to work on independent projects in micro theory/game theory, another grant to work on that same project during this academic year, some independent studies over the years, all of which will be aggregated into a special degree/honors thesis
Teaching Experience:
Research Interests: Game Theory, Mechanism Design, Formal Political Theory, Algorithmic Game Theory. How information affects games and how mechanisms can incentivize information acquisition.
SOP: Cookie cutter with one paragraph tailored to each place.
Other: Varsity letterman/spent 4 years on a perennial top 15-25 Division I team in my sport. That made this all so much harder than it needed to be!
RESULTS:
Acceptances: Caltech, Wisconsin, Kellogg MECS, UT-Austin, UCLA, NYU, Berkeley (no first year fellowship), Penn (wl for first year funding)
Waitlists:
Rejections: Harvard, MIT, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, Stanford GSB Econ Analysis + Policy
Attending: Caltech
What would you have done differently?
Can't say I could have changed anything drastically. Maybe done marginally better in a course or two, or not messed up my first GRE. But those are ninth or tenth order concerns. RA or a Masters wouldn't have done anything for me. I'm thrilled and fortunate to be where I am!
Accepts:
    Acceptances: Caltech, Wisconsin, Kellogg MECS, UT-Austin, UCLA, NYU, Berkeley (no first year fellowship), Penn (wl for first year funding)
  • Institution: California Institute of Technology Social Sciences PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: Tuiton Waiver + 28k stipend Notification date: 1/27/2012 Notified through: Got a phone call. Completely caught me off guard. Absolutely thrilled! Posted on GC: No Comments: ​I'm on cloud nine!
  • Institution: University of Wisconsin- Madison Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: Fellowship first two years + guaranteed funding for 2 more Notification Date: 2/14/2012 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comment: 2 for 2 at places I'd like to be.
  • Institution nstitution: Northwestern- Kellogg School of Management MECS PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: Tuition + Health Insurance + 32k Notification Date: 2/15/2012 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments: Yahoo!
  • Institution: UT- Austin Econ PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: None as of now because I'm told they think I will have competitive offers Notification date: 02/23 Notified through: email Posted on GC: No Comments: If my preference ordering was based solely on disc golf and SXSW I'd be set....
  • Institution: UPenn Econ Decision: Accepted Funding: "Very high" on the waitlist for fellowship Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: e-mail Posted on GC: no Comments: Hm.
  • Institution: Berkeley Ph.D Economics Decision: Admitted Funding: No funding for 1st year. Full funding for years 2-5. Notification Date: 2/27/2012 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments:​ Awww come on
  • Institution: NYU Decision: Admitted Funding: at least 24k + summers Notification Date: March 2 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: NICE. Comments: yea
  • Institution: UCLA Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: 4 year fellowship Notification Date: March 2 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: The funding details are kinda vague.
Rejects:
    Rejections: Harvard, MIT, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, Stanford GSB Econ Analysis + Policy
  • Institution: Yale Econ PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: - Notification date: 02/22 Notified through: Email to check website Posted on GC: No Comments: Dang.
  • Institution: Stanford GSB EA&P PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: Hoo boy. Notification date: 02/23 Notified through: Checked website (no e-mail) Posted on GC: No Comments: Let's go Stanford Econ!
  • Institution: MIT Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: February 29 Notified Through: Email to check website Posted on GC: yes Comments: WHO NEEDS 'EM?
  • Institution: Stanford Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: March 2 Notified Through: Email to check website Posted on GC: No Comments: Tough to be disappointed with what I have but this one stings a whole lot.
  • Institution: Princeton University Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: 3/8/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: That just about wraps up the season for me. On to flyouts!
  • Institution: Harvard Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: 3/20/2012 Notified Through: Mail Posted to GC: No Comments: Good riddance Econ PhD applications. On to decisions!
Waitlists:
    Waitlists:

OutOfGame 2012:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: Top 10 liberal arts college
Undergrad GPA: 3.96
Type of Grad: Part-time student at a top 5
Grad GPA: 4.0
GRE: Q800/ V580/ AWA 5.5
Math Courses: Calc, Modeling, Linear Algebra, Intro to Proofs, Real Analysis, Complex Analysis, Measure Theory, Functional Analysis, Topology, Abstract Algebra, Combinatorics, Number Theory, Probability, Stats, Stochastic Processes, Math Problem Solving
Econ Courses: Principles, Intermediate Micro, Intermediate Macro, Finance, Game Theory, Accounting, Econometrics, PhD Econometrics
Other Courses: Intro to CS, Data Structure, Algorithms, Data Mining
Letters of Recommendation: 3 research supervisor (top young professors in econ / finance), 1 PhD Metrics professor (department chair at top 5), 1 undergrad professor (took 3 classes with, and TAed for).
Research Experience: ~2 years full time RA at top 5
Teaching Experience: TA for intermediate macro
Research Interests: using empirical methods to answer macro / finance questions; IO
SOP: professors say it's very good
Other: rejected by all top 10 schools two years ago
RESULTS:
Attending: MIT
Acceptances: MIT, Harvard, Stanford GSB, Stanford, Princeton, Yale, Berkeley, Chicago, NWU, Columbia, NYU, Booth (finance / joint), Sloan (finance)
Waitlists: Penn, Wharton (finance), Michigan
Rejections: None
Never heard back after interview: Stern (finance)
Accepts:
    Attending: MIT Acceptances: MIT, Harvard, Stanford GSB, Stanford, Princeton, Yale, Berkeley, Chicago, NWU, Columbia, NYU, Booth (finance / joint), Sloan (finance)
  • Institution: Stanford GSB Economic Analysis and Policy Decision: Accepted Funding: Standard package Notification Date: 2/17/12 Notified through: email Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Yale Decision: Accepted Funding: Will come in by mail Notification date: 02/22 Notified through: Email to check online status change Posted on GC: no
  • Institution: Booth Finance PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: 35K Notification date: 02/22 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: Yes
  • Institution: Harvard Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: coming by mail Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: phone Comments: Happy
  • Institution: UC Berkeley Economics Decision: Admitted Funding: ?? Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: phone call Posted on GC: No
  • Institution: MIT Decision: Accepted Funding: Fellowship Notification date: 2/27/2012 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: No
  • Institution: Stanford Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: 34k Notification Date: March 2 Notified Through: Website Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Northwestern Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: Will come by email soon Notification Date: March 2 Notified Through: Website Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Columbia Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: Tuition + stipend + summer funding etc Notification Date: March 2 Notified Through: Email
  • Institution: Sloan Finance Decision: Accepted Funding: 32k Notification Date: March 2 Notified Through: Email
  • Institution: Princeton Econ Decision: Admit Funding: ~30k Notified: 3/7 Notified through: email Posted on GC: no
Rejects:
    Rejections: None
Waitlists:
    Waitlists: Penn, Wharton (finance), Michigan
  • Institution: Penn Economics Decision: Waitlisted Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No
  • Institution: University of Chicago Economics PhD Decision: Waitlisted Funding: NA Notification date: 2/29/2012 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: "In a normal year, I would be offering you admission and financial aid at this time. Due to the economic realities of the current year, however, we must place you on a short wait list."
  • Institution: Wharton Ph.D. Finance Decision: Wait listed Funding: N/A Notification Date: 3/5/2012 Notified through: email Posted on GC: no
  • Institution: Michigan Economics Decision: Waitlisted Funding: N/A Notified: 3/13/12 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: no Comments:

Aha 2012:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: University in Australia; B Ec/LLB
Undergrad GPA: N/A; first class honours
Type of Grad:
Grad GPA:
GRE: 790 Q; 610 V; 5.0
Math Courses: Linear algebra, vector calculus, real analysis
Econ Courses: Grad equivalent courses, particularly micro theory and econometrics
Other Courses:
Letters of Recommendation: probably strong
Research Experience: undergraduate honours thesis, published paper in a low ranked journal; various small research projects from work
Teaching Experience: Taught intro micro, macro; various econometrics courses
Research Interests: various
SOP: nothing special
Other:
RESULTS:
Acceptances: Harvard, Stanford, Chicago, NYU, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Cambridge, Oxford, Toulouse, UBC, Penn
Attending: Harvard
What would you have done differently? Nothing really...
Accepts:
    Acceptances: Harvard, Stanford, Chicago, NYU, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Cambridge, Oxford, Toulouse, UBC, Penn Attending: Harvard
  • Institution: Wisconsin Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: Yep Notification date: 2/25/12 Notified through: Phone Posted on GC: No Comments: ohh
Rejects:
Waitlists:

hebe 2012:
Type of Undergrad: Top Canada Research University
Undergrad GPA: 4.0/4.0 (We have 4.0 for 85-100 and 3.7 for 80-85)
Type of Grad: Same University DSMA
Grad GPA: All A/A+
GRE: Q168/V152/AWA 3.5
Math Courses: Calculus I (98), Calculus II (96), First-year Real Analysis (93), Linear Programming (96), Probability (98), Mathematical Stats (100), Linear Algebra I & II (89, 96), Grad Stochastic Processes (A+)
Econ Courses (grad-level): MA Micro, Econometrics,Financial Economics, Macro-econometrics, all A+, PHD macro (A)
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Specialist in Econ, with intermediate Macro/Micro/Econometrics, Game Theory, Advanced Macro, I.O, Contract Theory, Empirical IO, Risk mgt, financial economics...etc...All 90+
Other Courses: French, Geography, Anthropology, Classics....(All A/A+..)
Letters of Recommendation: One from Chair of the department (very famous economist), One NBER fellow and One thesis supervisor
Research Experience: Almost zero except for undergrad thesis + Master thesis. Doing my first RA now with well-known macro professor
Teaching Experience: TA for numerous stats/econ courses for more than two years
Research Interests: I.O, Micro theory/Contract Theory
SOP: Pretty Standard, but customized for each school and spent a lottt time writing them
Concerns: No advanced Math courses. No ODE, Topology, upper year real analysis. Letter is not strong enough for Top 5. No research experience! Low GRE verbal and writing.
Other: Finish my undergrad in three years. Not Canadian...
RESULTS
Acceptances: Wisconsin ($), Minnesota($), Toronto($), NYU($)
Waitlists: Upenn (ask to be removed), Cornell (rejected from waitlist)
Rejections: Yale, Chicago, Northwestern, Stanford, Princeton, Columbia, Michigan, Brown
Attending: NYU
What would you have done differently?
I have lurked in this forum for a couple of months and recerived a lot useful info from TMers! I would like to thank you all first. Also, since a lot of TMers would like to know the placement result for my master program, I think it is useful to post my result for you guys/future TMers. What would I have done differently, maybe slow down my undergraduate a bit, taking more advanced math/stats courses and doing some RESEARCH!!! Also, I would not complain too much about the GRE, as an international (non-native English speaker), I prepared almost 3 months for the revised GRE verbal and writing part but still received low grade...at least I tried. I would say NYU is my top choice without a doubt, I am planning to take more advanced math in the summer and prepare for the new chapter of my life at NYU!! Good luck all TMers, all the best!!
Accepts:
    Acceptances: Wisconsin ($), Minnesota($), Toronto($), NYU($)
Rejects:
    rejected from
Waitlists:
    Waitlists: Upenn (ask to be removed), Cornell (

csalriv 2012:
PROFILE
Type of Undergrad: BA in Economics of a Chilean university (best in Chile, top-3 in Latin America).
Undergrad GPA: 6.1/7.0, Maximum Distinction and Highest Honors (ranked 1st).
Type of Grad: MA in Economics of the same Chilean university (top-3 MA Economics Program in LatAm, probably best).
Grad GPA: 6.5/7.0, Maximum Distinction and Highest Honors (ranked T-1st).
GRE: Q 170 (99%); V 148 (40%); AW 4.0 (48%).
TOEFL: 112 overall. 30 R, 30 L, 23 S, 29 W.
Math Courses: Calculus I-II, Algebra I-II, Statistics I-II, Operations Research + 4 Grad School courses + 1 courses in a Summer Exchange in a top Math Grad School in Brazil.
Econ Courses (grad-level): Microeconomics I-II, Macroeconomics I-II, Econometrics I-II, Financial Economics.
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): All usual.
Other Courses: Accounting and Management stuff.
Letters of Recommendation: 6 Recommenders total: 4 professors at my University (2 outstanding letters, 1 very good, 1 quite good) + 2 other research economists (1 quite good letter plus a standard one).
Research Experience: RA for a top Chilean economist (known worldwide) and for a young University economist. MA Thesis approved with honors. Currently working at the Econ Research Dept. of a top Chilean facility.
Teaching Experience: Professor of Microeconomics I at the best Chilean university, plus over 10 TAs in Undergrad School and 1 Grad School TA.
Research Interests: Game and Contract Theory, Financial Economics.
SOP: Bloody long.
Concerns: Almost no own research (but MA Thesis). Disperse interests and experience. Few years ‘lost’ working. Being Chilean.
Other: Useless but cool stuff: political leadership, a second foreign language and Math Olympics honors, among others.
Applying to: Econ PhD at 9 of the top-15 places. Social Sciences PhD at Caltech. PhD in Economic Analysis and Policy at Stanford GSB. MEDS PhD at Kellogg.
RESULTS
Acceptances: NYU, UCLA, Penn. Finance PhD at Kellogg (redirected from MEDS). Caltech (off the waitlist). All fully-funded with stipend, luckily.
Waitlists: Caltech.
Rejections: MIT, Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, Yale, Chicago, Stanford GSB.
Attending: NYU!
Random Thoughts
I am really happy with my decision, though I had a hard time deciding between NYU and Caltech. I appreciate weather a lot (and being from the Pacific coast of South America, California's climate conditions are quite similar), even more than living in THE big city. Besides, Caltech's Social Science Program is outstanding, specialized in my main Econ interests, with good placement records and close interaction between (the few) students and Faculty. Nevertheless, NYU is quite good as well and their placements are improving constantly... but most importantly, there is a rich interaction between Theory and Macro and I can have a close link to Finance just by crossing the street to Courant or Stern. Besides, I really loved the Faculty-students relationship. And all students I met were really nice and easygoing, with high social skills (maybe that's because they're living in NYC!).
My advice for all admitted, if possible: go to the visit days, without any doubt you'll have a good time and you'll collect relevant information for your decision (eventually unknown before).
What would I have done differently?
- Applying 1 or 2 years earlier instead of losing time working (in a Research unit, but still).
- Taking more time to apply: I just took the GRE by mid-October and wrote my SOP in late-November!
- Because of the latter, writing an specific SOP. I am totally sure that some features of my profile were cons in some places. You don't need (want) to lie, but sometimes you should hide some (potentially irrelevant) information. It could be misleading.
- Apply to UC Berkeley and to more Business Schools.
Accepts:
    Acceptances: NYU, UCLA, Penn. Finance PhD at Kellogg (redirected from MEDS). Caltech (off the
  • Institution: Kellogg SoM. Finance. Decision: Admitted. Funding: FF + 32k. Notification date: February 20. Funding notified on February 24. Notified through: E-mail. Posted on GC: No. Comments: First applied to Kellogg MEDS (I thought Id had a better shot in there). But both departments agreed that my application would be considered by Finance Dept. Helluva change!
  • Institution: Penn. Economics PhD. Decision: Admitted. Funding: FF + 23,7k. Notification date: February 24. Notified through: E-mail. Posted on GC: No. Comments: First good news in Econ! Lovely.
  • Institution: NYU. Economics. Decision: Recommended for Admission. Funding: FF + 26k. Notification Date: March 2. Notified Through: Phone Call. Posted on GC: No. Comments: Happy as f*ck! Started spreading the news... (Even though I will have a hard time deciding where to go!)
  • Institution: UCLA. Economics. Decision: Admitted. Funding: FF + 20k. Notification Date: March 2. Notified Through: E-mail. Posted on GC: No. Comments: I think this will be my last offer of admission...
  • Institution: Caltech. Social Science PhD. Decision: Admitted (off the waitlist). Funding: FF + 28k. Notification date: March 14. Notified through: Phone call, then e-mail. Posted on GC: No. Comments: Great! But now I’m having even more conflict deciding where to go. Not to complain anyway. I think I’d be declining UCLA this week.
Rejects:
    Rejections: MIT, Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, Yale, Chicago, Stanford GSB.
  • Institution: Yale. Economics PhD. Decision: Rejected. Funding: Notification date: February 22. Notified through: E-mail to check website. Posted on GC: No. Comments: If it wasnt for Kellogg, I would have shot myself after failing this one. Disappointed as f*ck.
  • Institution: Stanford GSB. Economic Analysis and Policy. Decision: Rejected. Funding: Notification date: February 23. Notified through: E-mail to check website. Posted on GC: No. Comments: Well
  • Institution: UChicago. Econ PhD. Decision: Rejected. Funding: Notification Date: February 29. Notified Through: E-mail. Posted on GC: No. Comments: I didn't want to go there anyway... but a bit disappointed 'cause it was a little unexpected.
  • Institution: MIT. Economics. Decision: Rejected. Funding: Notification Date: February 29. Notified Through: E-mail to check website. Posted on GC: No. Comments: Even though it was expected, I'm still disappointed. Especially with the use of the word "elsewhere".
  • Institution: Stanford. Economics. Decision: Rejected. Funding: Notification Date: March 2. Notified Through: E-mail to check website (around half an hour before my letter was available on the website). Posted on GC: No. Comments: This one hurts. Especially considering the failure in their information system.
  • Institution: Princeton University. Economics PhD. Decision: Rejected. Funding: Notification Date: March 8. Notified Through: E-mail. Posted on GC: No. Comments: So frustrated.
  • Institution: Harvard. Economics. Decision: Rejected. Funding: Notification date: March 22. Notified through: Mail. Posted on GC: No. Comments: Letter dated March 9. Not a rough letter anyway. With this, I'm definitely done.
Waitlists:
    waitlist). All fully-funded with stipend, luckily. Waitlists: Caltech.
  • Institution: Caltech. Social Science PhD. Decision: Waitlisted. Funding: Notification date: February 6. Notified through: E-mail. Posted on GC: No. Comments: By April 1st you shall hear from us either way. It wasnt a nice start.

BScMAPhD 2012:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: Bachelor of Science in Math(With Honors)
Undergrad GPA: 3.78 (ranked 1)
Type of Grad: MA Economics
Grad GPA: 3.9 (ranked 1)
GRE: 170Q, 146V, 3.5
Math Courses: Calculus(Mathematical Analyses) I- III (A), Linear Algebra I&II (A), Probability Theory I & II (A), Diff. Equations I & II (A), Numerical Analysis I & II (A)
Econ Courses (grad-level): Macro, Micro, Econometrics, Econ Growth, Time Series I & II, Advanced Micro, Advanced Econometrics (A)
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): none
Other Courses: None relevant.
Letters of Recommendation: 1) Well-known Mathematician (I served as TA),
2) Professor, my MA Thesis Advisor ( well-known person in Academia)
3) Professor of Econometrics (should be very strong letter)
Research Experience: Published math paper
Teaching Experience: TA for Macro, Math, Econometrics.
Research Interests: Macro, Econ Growth.
SOP: Standard
Concerns: Low GRE verbal, TOEFL 94.
RESULTS:
Acceptances: NYU, Chicago, Cornell, Ohio ( all with $$)
Waitlists: None
Rejections:Princeton, Columbia, Yale, U of Michigan, UC Berkley, UCLA, Brown, Boston U, Northwestern U, Carnegie Mellon (Tepper), U of Wisconsin Madison, Duke.
Pending: None
Attending: NYU!!! !!! !
Accepts:
    Acceptances: NYU, Chicago, Cornell, Ohio ( all with $$)
  • Institution: University of Chicago Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: 23K + helath (no funding for first 2 years ) Notification Date: 02/29 Notified Through: E-mail with pdf Posted on GC: No Comments:What should I do first 2 years?
  • Institution: NYU Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: 24k+summer+health Notification Date: 02/02/12 Notified Through: Email to check website Posted on GC: No Comments: HAPPY
Rejects:
    Rejections:Princeton, Columbia, Yale, U of Michigan, UC Berkley, UCLA, Brown, Boston U, Northwestern U, Carnegie Mellon (Tepper), U of Wisconsin Madison, Duke.
  • Institution: Yale Econ PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: - Notification date: 02/22 Notified through: Email to check website Posted on GC: Yes Comments: I really wanted this one. Very very disappointed.
  • Institution: Northwestern Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification Date: 2/29/12 Notified Through: Application website Posted on GC: - Comments: Sad
  • Institution: UCLA Economics Decision: Rejection Funding: N/A Notification Date: 02/02/12 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Duke Economics Decision: Rejection Funding: N/A Notification Date: 02/02/12 Notified Through: Email to check website Posted on GC: No Comments:
Waitlists:
    Waitlists: None

LUDuckling 2012:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: Well-respected liberal arts college
Undergrad GPA: 3.99 Economics/Maths
GRE: 730/800/4.0
Math Courses: Calculus, Linear Algebra, ODE, Probability, Math Stat, Real Analysis
Econ Courses (grad-level): Micro
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Micro, Macro, Econometrics, IO, Economic Thought, Development, Money Banking
Letters of Recommendation:professor of grad micro class; econ prof; math thesis advisor
Research Experience:REU; RA; math thesis
Teaching Experience: TA math & econ for 2 years
Research Interests: micro, behavioral, not really set
Applying to: H, HBS, Princeton, Yale, Stanford, Stanford GSB, MIT, Columbia, NYU, JHU, UMD, Brown, UCLA, CIT, Cornell, CMU, Berkeley, NW, Chicago
Accepts:
  • Institution: Yale Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: Letter to follow Notification date: 2/22/2012 11:38am Notified through: E-mail to check website Posted on GC: NO Comments: Oh my god! So happy and so relieved!
  • Institution: Columbia Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: Tuition + stipend + summer funding etc Notification Date: March 2 Notified Through: Email (Advance notice) Posted on GC: No
  • Institution: University of Maryland, College Park Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: 20k TAship Notification date: 03/05/2012 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No
  • Institution: Cornell Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: Sage fellowship, detail below Notification Date: 3/19/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comment: Although the decision is given out late and I probably will decline anyway. I am impressed by Cornell's super personalized decision letter and the nice presentation of stipend information. I also hope this information will help future generation of applicants to Cornell: consider tailor your interest to specific faculty in the department. Cornell was my last decision. My first one from Yale was also a positive note. So technically, I have been awarded offer from the beginning to the end. Thanks go to TM for first letting me know how inadequate I was (second half of my Junior year I think), giving me a clear vision and defined direction, ah! as well as ample community support. As an graduating int'l student from a "good but not great school" (20+ ranking liberal arts college, "note from the demand side") without formal RA experiences, I would have been shut out if not for learning from TM. Deepest and earnest thanks again! and best luck to everybody! Screen shot 1: about RA Screen shot 2: About stipend
  • Institution: NYU Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: 24k without teaching obligation; 4k first 2 summers Notification Date: 3/3/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comment: repost for update in funding.
Rejects:
  • Institution: Stanford GSB EA&P PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 02/23 Notified through: Checked website the posts at TM Posted on GC: No Comments: The program turned out to be smaller than I expected.
Waitlists:
  • Institution: MIT Economics Decision: Waitlist Funding: Notification Date: 2/28 Notified Through: Email (with pdf attachment) Posted on GC: No
  • Institution: UCLA Economics Decision: Waitlisted Funding: N/A Notification Date: 03/02/12 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No

emanuele 2012:
Institution: California Institute of Technology
Program: Social Sciences PhD
Decision: Accepted
Funding: Tuition waiver + 28k Stipend
Notification date: 1/28/2012
Notified through: Phone
Posted on GC: No
Comments: ​​
Accepts:
  • Institution: California Institute of Technology Social Sciences PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: Tuition waiver + 28k Stipend Notification date: 1/28/2012 Notified through: Phone Posted on GC: No Comments: ​​
  • Institution: University of Chicago Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: 26k Notification Date: February 29 Notified Through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: University of Minnesota Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: 22k Notification Date: February 29 Notified Through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Stanford Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: 34k Notification Date: March 2 Notified Through: Website Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Northwestern Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: Will come by email soon Notification Date: March 2 Notified Through: Website Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: LSE Economics (Track 1) Decision: Accepted Funding: 18590 Notification date: 5 March 2012 Notified through: email Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: UCLA Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: 21k (but more if I decide to go) Notification date: 3 March 2012 Notified through: email Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: NYU Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: 24k + summer fellowship Notification date: 3/5/2012 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: no TA/RA duties for five years
  • Institution: UC San Diego Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: later by email Notified: 13 March Notified through: email Posted on GC: no Comments:
Rejects:
  • Institution: Yale Econ PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification date: 02/22 Notified through: Email to check website Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Stanford GSB EAP PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification date: 02/23 Notified through: checked website Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: MIT Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: Notification Date: February 29 Notified Through: E-mail to check website Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Berkeley Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: February 24 Notified Through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Penn Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: February 24 Notified Through: E-mail to check website Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Chicago Booth Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: February 28 Notified Through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: NYU Stern Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notified: 12 March Notified through: email to check website Posted on GC: no Comments:
  • Institution: Princeton Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notified: 8 March Notified through: email Posted on GC: no Comments:
Waitlists:

sba 2012:
Institution: Caltech
Program: Social Sciences PhD
Decision: Accepted
Funding: fee waiver +28k $ stipend
Notification date: 1/29/2012
Notified through: email, then phone
Posted on GC: no
Comments:
Accepts:
  • Institution: Caltech Social Sciences PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: fee waiver +28k $ stipend Notification date: 1/29/2012 Notified through: email, then phone Posted on GC: no Comments:
  • Institution: Stockholm School of Economics Econ Decision: Accepted Funding: 14 000 SEK per month, +TA stipend from 2nd year Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: e-mail Posted on GC: no Comments:
  • Institution: Upenn Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: waitlisted for first year, guaranteed from second year Notification: 2/24/12 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: University of Chicago Economics PhD Decision: Admitted Funding: none for first year, 23k+3k summer from second year Notification: 2/29/12 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments: I have external funding, so I am very happy
  • Institution: Stockholm School of Economics Economics PhD Decision: Admitted Funding: 1300SKE/month, plus RA compensation from 2nd year Notification: 2/24/12 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments: I declined the offer
  • Institution: University of British Columbia Economics PhD Decision: Admitted Funding: info coming with official letter Notification: 2/29/12 Notified through: Unofficial E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: NYU Economics Decision: Admitted (off of waitlist) Funding: 25,300 + 4,000 summer stipend Notification date: 03/21/12 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments:
Rejects:
  • Institution: Stanford GSB PE PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification date: 02/23 Notified through: checked website Posted on GC: Comments:
  • Institution: Yale Econ PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification date: 02/22 Notified through: Email to check website Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Berkeley Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification: 2/24/12 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments:
Waitlists:

lexeg 2012:
Institution: WUSTL
Program: Econ. Ph.D
Decision: Waiting Listed
Funding: N/A
Notification date: 02/15/2012
Notified through: email
Posted on GC: No
Comments: not what i expected, still better than being rejected
Accepts:
  • Institution: Rochester Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: $20k Notification Date: March 2 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: Don't know Comments: first admit, really happy! but fellowship isn't that big, highly doubt it's enough to survive in Rochester
  • Institution: WUSTL Economics PhD Decision: Accepted off Waitlist Funding: 24k Notification date: 20 Mar Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: NYU Economics PhD Decision: Accepted off Waitlist Funding: 25k + 4k summer Notification date: 12 Apr Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Accepted and immediately rejected my other offers.
Rejects:
  • Institution: Yale Econ PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: n/a Notification date: 02/22 Notified through: Email to check website Posted on GC: don't know
  • Institution: UPenn Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: Notification date: 2/24/2012 Notified through: email Posted on GC: no Comments:
  • Institution: Boston College Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: n/a Notification Date: 29.02.12 Notified Through: E-mail Posted on GC: Don't know what it is Comments: 'we feel that it is likely that you will receive offers from top schools, and for this reason, we decided not to make an offer to you at this time' (see below)
  • Institution: MIT Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: n/a Notification Date: 29.02.12 Notified Through: E-mail Posted on GC: Don't know what it is
  • Institution: NW Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: n/a Notification Date: 29.02.12 Notified Through: E-mail Posted on GC: Don't know what it is Comments: where are my offers from top schools? (see above)
  • Institution: Carnegie Mellon Economics PhD Decision: Rejected off Waitlist Funding: na Notification date: 6 Apr Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments:
Waitlists:
  • Institution: WUSTL Econ. Ph.D Decision: Waiting Listed Funding: N/A Notification date: 02/15/2012 Notified through: email Posted on GC: No Comments: not what i expected, still better than being rejected

qqq 2012:
Institution: NYU
Program: Economics PhD
Decision: Accepted off Waitlist
Funding: Full Funding + 4k summer
Notification date: 04/12/2012
Notified through: Email
Posted on GC: Yes
Comments: I am so excited I have been smiling all day like a crazy person.
Accepts:
  • Institution: NYU Economics PhD Decision: Accepted off Waitlist Funding: Full Funding + 4k summer Notification date: 04/12/2012 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: Yes Comments: I am so excited I have been smiling all day like a crazy person.
Rejects:
Waitlists:


Rejections:

MathEcon12 2012:
Since it seems like the season is coming to an end for some TMers, and because last year's thread was also started on the second Saturday of March, I think it's a good time to get the annual Profile and Results Thread started.
I'll take a page out of Italos' playbook and quote asquare's post from the 2009 thread:
"This thread is meant to be a reference thread only. Please fill out the information below, but post any comments or questions in a separate thread. Other comments will be deleted from this thread. Note that you can only edit your posts for about one hour after you make them. This means that if you are still waiting on admissions decisions, you should wait to post your profile on this thread. Otherwise, your profile will be incomplete."
Without further ado,
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad:
Undergrad GPA:
Type of Grad:
Grad GPA:
GRE:
Math Courses:
Econ Courses:
Other Courses:
Letters of Recommendation:
Research Experience:
Teaching Experience:
Research Interests:
SOP:
Other:
RESULTS:
Acceptances:
Waitlists:
Rejections:
Pending:
What would you have done differently?
Accepts:
    admissions decisions, you should
  • Institution: UCLA Economics Decision: Accepted? Funding: No first-year tuition waiver; no stipend. TA/RA yrs 2-4. Notification Date: 03/02/12 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Whoooooaaaaaaa! (But I fear I have now lost the "Chron Award")
  • Institution: Boston University Econ Decision: Admitted Funding: Only years 2-5. Notification date: March 12 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comment: Official decision to come in the mail.
Rejects:
    Rejections:
  • Institution: Yale Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 2/22/2012 Notified through: Email to check website. Posted on GC: No Comments: On to the next one...
  • Institution: Stanford GSB EAP PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification date: 02/23 Notified through: Checked website (no e-mail) Posted on GC: No Comments: Expected after all the admits were notified last Friday.
  • Institution: UPenn Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: e-mail to check website Posted on GC: No Comments: I don't like Philadelphia anyways.
  • Institution: UC-Berkeley Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: e-mail Posted on GC: No Comments: 0 for 4 - starting to freak out.
  • Institution: Chicago-Booth Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification Date: 2/28 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Sad face emoticon.
  • Institution: Northwestern Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification Date: 2/29 Notified Through: Checked website at 1:30 a.m. EST Posted on GC: No Comments: Sincerely, thanks for the heads up gemmy.
  • Institution: UChicago Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification date: February 29 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: 0 for 7...
  • Institution: MIT Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification date: February 29 Notified through: Email to check website. Posted on GC: No Comments: ...0 for 8.
  • Institution: Stanford Economics Decision: Rejection Funding: N/A Notification Date: 03/02/12 Notified Through: Email to check website Posted on GC: No Comments: Used to it by now...
  • Institution: Duke Economics Decision: Rejection Funding: N/A Notification Date: 03/02/12 Notified Through: Email to check website Posted on GC: No Comments: Coach Krysheckweiskschki was one of my letter writers, wtf?
  • Institution: Minnesota Economics Decision: Rejection Funding: N/A Notification Date: 03/02/12 Notified Through: Website Posted on GC: No Comments: Darn it! I loved the first Mighty Ducks movies and wanted to reshoot it with my fellow Twin City dwellers.
  • Institution: Princeton University Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification Date: 3/8/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Columbia Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notified: 3/13 Notified through: Website Posted on GC: Absolutely not.
  • Institution: Harvard Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: 3/16/2012 Notified Through: Mail Posted to GC: No Comments: Had plenty of time to prepare for the inevitable.
  • Institution: Harvard Business School Business Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: 3/16/2012 Notified Through: Mail Posted to GC: No Comments: Letter dated March 9, 2012
  • Institution: NYU Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: 3/19/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Glad this is my last post in the Admissions and Rejections thread.
Waitlists:
    waiting on
  • Institution: University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Economics PhD Decision: Waitlist Funding: 18K stipend + health/dental insurance if admitted Notification Date: 3/9/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Want this soo bad!

delimitless 2012:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: Top 60 Economics UG
Undergrad GPA: 3.75 (3.85 math & econ)
Type of Grad: N/A
Grad GPA: N/A
GRE: 790Q/640V/5.5AWA
Math Courses: Calc series; Linear Algebra; UG Analysis; Grad Analysis I; Grad Topology I-II; Dynamical Systems
Econ Courses: Grad Macro; Grad Micro; Grad Metrics; standard UG classes
Other Courses: Philosophy minor
Letters of Recommendation: Grad Macro Professor; two economists at regional fed where I worked
Research Experience: 2 Years at Regional Fed. Couple co-authored papers in the works. Felt this was instrumental to my intent/results
Teaching Experience: Tutoring and Grading at UG
Research Interests: Macro, Labor, Computational
SOP: Customized for a little while then just got lazy and sent the same one
Other: good to be moving on
RESULTS:
Acceptances: NSF; UPenn(after NSF); UCLA($); Ohio State($$)
Waitlists: Maryland (Accepted after NSF); WUSTL
Rejections: Yale; Northwestern; NYU; Chicago; Stanford; Minnesota; Columbia; Duke
Pending:
Attending: U Penn
What would you have done differently? Probably would have customized my SOP a bit more. It just got so dull. Second-guessing the past is easy...I guess work harder in UG is the easy answer; but I wasn't so sure that I wanted a PhD at that time.
Accepts:
    Acceptances: NSF; UPenn(after NSF); UCLA($); Ohio State($$)
  • Institution: Ohio State Univ. Econ PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: Not decided yet Notification date: 2/3/2012 Notified through: Website status Posted on GC: No Comments: Nice to know it won't be a shutout. Thx to Smmoo's post for letting me know I should look.
  • Institution: UCLA Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: 4 year fellowship Notification Date: March 2 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Agree with Peot, vague language for the funding. Word fellowship is mentioned, but unclear whether it's in addition to tuition and health insurance.
Rejects:
    Rejections: Yale; Northwestern; NYU; Chicago; Stanford; Minnesota; Columbia; Duke
Waitlists:
    Waitlists: Maryland (
  • Institution: Maryland Economics PhD Decision: Waitlisted Funding: "some probability" Notification date: 03/08/2012 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: the term "some probability" makes me laugh

Kevs 2012:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: Econ/Math BS double major. Small private Midwest university. Unknown econ dept.
Undergrad GPA: 3.85
GRE: 164 Q, 156 V, 5.5 AWA
Math Courses: Calc I (B), Calc II (A), Calc III (A), Discrete I (A-), Discrete II (A), Differential Equations (A), Linear Algebra (A), Real Analysis (A), Probability and Statistics (A), Statistics (A), Abstract Algebra (A-)
Grad Math Courses: Game Theory (in progress)
Econ Courses: standard UG sequence with econometrics
Letters of Recommendation: Nobody famous. Thesis adviser and guy I was an RA for, was very strong. Another econ prof I had a few classes with, was strong. Math prof w/ phd from Berkeley who taught me calc III and real analysis.
Research Experience: RA, did a senior thesis that applied game theory to IO. Theoretical paper.
Teaching Experience: tutored econ and calc for 3 semesters. Was a TA for diff eq and calculus.
Research Interests: At time of application, game theory and IO. Now I've added behavioral and experimental.
SOP: It was an SOP alright.
RESULTS:
Acceptances: UCSD ($--will attend), UT-austin
Waitlists: None
Rejections: Kellogg MECS, Caltech, HBS, NYU, Boston U, Maryland, Penn State
Pending: Funding decision from UT, but I don't care what it is. EDIT: No funding at UT.
What would you have done differently? Applied to significantly more schools because I'm from an unknown and small econ program. We do not even have a PhD program. For anyone in a similar situation who doesn't wish to transfer, here is some advice. If you want to breach the top 25, you have to get very good grades. This isnt enough though. When your good grades are compared to the same grades from someone from Yale, guess who theyre going to choose. So you need something that separates you from the pack. For me, I think that was my thesis and my LORs were very strong (despite coming from nobody famous). Apply to a lot of schools as the variance for someone with this background will be high. Just look at my case--outright rejection from Penn State, but got into UCSD. I got lucky.
Accepts:
    Acceptances: UCSD ($--will attend), UT-austin
  • Institution: UT Austin Econ PhD Decision: Admitted Funding: Don't know Notification Date: 3/1/12 Notified Through: Checked website Posted on GC: No Comments:Yay! I think of the schools remaining on my list, NYU is the only one id rather go to.
Rejects:
    Rejections: Kellogg MECS, Caltech, HBS, NYU, Boston U, Maryland, Penn State
  • Institution: Northwestern MEDS Econ PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: - Notification date: 02/22 Notified through: happened to check their admissions page today Posted on GC: No Comments: It was only my dream school so no big loss right?
  • Institution: Maryland Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification date: March 9 Notified through: checked website Posted on GC: No
  • Institution: Penn State Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: March 9 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No
  • Institution: Boston University Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: 3/19/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: I'm pretty sure Boston, Penn State, and Maryland pick names out of a hat...
  • Institution: NYU Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: 3/19/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: expected
Waitlists:
    Waitlists: None

Econfan 2012:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: BA Economics from a top 10 liberal arts college
Undergrad GPA: 3.53 (3.1 freshman year, 3.8 sophomore-senior years)
Type of Grad: Non-degree math coursework at a top 10 math department
Grad GPA: N/A
GRE: 790 Q, 670 V, 4.5 AW (New Scoring: 164 Q, 164 V)
Math Courses: Undergrad: Calc II electives (C+/B), Linear Algebra (B), Calc III (A), Diff Eq (A), Analysis (B), Bridge to Advanced Math (A-), Probability (B+) Grad: Probability (A-), Linear Algebra (B)
Econ Courses: Econ Principals (A-), Intro Macro (A), Intermediate Macro (A-), Econ Stats (A-), Intermediate Micro (A), Intro Econometrics (A), International Econ (A), Advanced Macro (A), Thesis (A-/A), Advanced Econometrics (A), Advanced Micro (W)
Letters of Recommendation: 2 economics professors from undergrad, one of whom I was very close with (RAed, TAed, thesis adviser); economics professor at a top 50 econ department who's active in research (top 50r something on IDEAS)
Research Experience: RA for two summers for a professor in college doing labor research; senior thesis; worked for 3 years at a top econ consulting firm after graduation
Teaching Experience: TAed for Intro Macro and Intro Econometrics during undergrad
Research Interests: IO, ???
SOP: Pretty standard; I didn't personalize it by department.
RESULTS:
Acceptances: Wisconsin ($), UT-Austin ($)
Waitlists: UVA (withdrew)
Rejections: Penn, Northwestern, Duke, NYU, Columbia, Maryland, Brown, Michigan, Wharton (after interview), Cornell
Attending: Wisconsin!!
There were plenty of things I would have done differently (not withdrawing from advanced micro, not taking analysis while taking 5 classes, working 2 jobs, and interviewing for jobs senior year), but there is one thing I definitely wouldn't have done differently. I made the decision to take a consulting job over a job at the Fed after college, knowing that it wouldn't be as good for my application, because it felt like a better fit. It turned out to in fact be a great fit for me, and I've grown from the experience in a lot of ways that have made me better prepared for grad school. My advice from this is that you should definitely make sure you have everything you need to get into grad school (math, research, etc.), but you shouldn't base all of your decisions on getting into grad school, because it may be the thing you do that doesn't help your resume that may indirectly make you better a better student in grad school or a better researcher later in life.
Despite the painfulness of the process, I'm very happy with the end result. I can't say there weren't times when I wished I'd never heard of this forum (for example, when I was neurotically checking posts at 2 am), but I'm glad this great group of people was hear to take away some of the pain from the horror that is economics phd applications.
Accepts:
    Acceptances: Wisconsin ($), UT-Austin ($)
  • Institution: UT Austin Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: TAship Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: website, checked after saw reddavies post Posted on GC: Yes Comments: MY FIRST ADMISSION!!! THIS BETTER BE REAL
  • Institution: Wisconsin Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: TAship Notification: 2/26/12 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: Yes Comments: Extremely excited and surprised. I didn't even apply by the funding deadline!
Rejects:
    Rejections: Penn, Northwestern, Duke, NYU, Columbia, Maryland, Brown, Michigan, Wharton (after interview), Cornell
  • Institution: UPenn Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: e-mail to check website Posted on GC: yes Comments: At least it's finally official, still 12 more to come...
  • Institution: Northwestern Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification Date: 2/29/12 Notified Through: Application website Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Duke Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 3/5/2012 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: FINALLY!! Oh well, I'm not too disappointed, I wouldn't have gone there anyway.
  • Institution: Cornell Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 4/4/12 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: In the words of microtheory1227: Took long enough. Already accepted an offer elsewhere.
Waitlists:
    Waitlists: UVA (withdrew)
  • Institution: University of Virginia Economics Decision: Waitlisted Funding: 20k TAship if admitted Notification date: 03/06/2012 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Sounds like I'm in if I want to go

laca 2012:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: BA Econ from top 10 US, top 5 econ
Undergrad GPA: 3.77/4.00
Type of Grad:
Grad GPA:
GRE: 800Q 690V 4.0AWA
Math Courses: Honors Calculus I-III (A,B-,A), Real Analysis I-III (A-,B+A-), Math Probability (A-), Stat Methods/Theory (A-)
Econ Courses (grad-level): Price Theory I (B), Social Interactions and Inequality (A)
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Intermediate micro (A-,A), intermediate macro (A,A-), game theory (A-), IO (A), honors metrics I-II (B+, A), macro modeling (B+), reading/research (A,A)
Other Courses:
Letters of Recommendation: 1 econ, 1 finance, 1 accounting prof, all highly regarded in their field. I have RAd for at least a year for each, two of them have seen me in a classroom setting as well. Coauthored an unpublished working paper with two of them. They all reassured me that the letters would be strong.
Research Experience: 1 year undergrad RA, 1.5 year as full time researcher at highly ranked business school.
Teaching Experience: for a short while I tutored math to freshmen in college
Research Interests: applied micro
SOP: Nothing too exciting.
Concerns: Math grades could be stronger; GRE AWA could be better. Hoping that research experience and strong LORs will compensate for it.
Other: Some poli sci electives and required college core courses
RESULTS:
Acceptances: Chicago Booth finance ($$), Chicago ($), Stanford GSB political econ ($$), NYU Stern finance ($$), UCLA ($)
Waitlists:
Rejections: Berkeley, Brown, Columbia GSB finance and econ, Cornell, Harvard, Kellogg finance, MIT, NYU, Princeton, Stanford, Yale
Attending: Chicago Booth finance
What would you have done differently?
Overall, I am very happy with my results, although I was really not expecting the composition of the acceptances to be so tilted towards finance instead of econ - I originally applied with the expectation that I would end up at an econ program. I think that the take home point is that recommendations matter; having two biz school recs provided me with excellent results at other business schools, but possibly doomed my applications at econ departments. So in hindsight I should have added an additional econ recommender. I also wonder a bit if I somehow messed up my econ sop, despite the fact that I have much less familiarity with finance research topics.
However, I am quite excited to take a step outside of my comfort zone, and learn about a whole new field!
Accepts:
    Acceptances: Chicago Booth finance ($$), Chicago ($), Stanford GSB political econ ($$), NYU Stern finance ($$), UCLA ($)
  • Institution: Stanford GSB Political Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: Standard package Notification Date: 2/17/12 Notified through: phone Posted on GC: Yes Comments: Amazing.
  • Institution: Booth Finance PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: 35K Notification date: 02/22 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: Yes
  • Institution: NYU Stern Finance PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: Don't know yet, but assume full funding Notification Date: 2/28 Notified Through: Unofficial email from professor Posted on GC: Yes
  • Institution: UChicago. Econ PhD. Decision: Accepted Funding: Fellowship (23k + 3k summer) Notification Date: 2/29 Notified Through: E-mail Posted on GC: Yes Comments: I finally have a pure econ acceptance!
  • Institution: UCLA Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: Fellowship Notification Date: March 2 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments:
Rejects:
    Rejections: Berkeley, Brown, Columbia GSB finance and econ, Cornell, Harvard, Kellogg finance, MIT, NYU, Princeton, Stanford, Yale
  • Institution: Yale Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 12.22.2012 Notified through: Checked website after posts here. Posted on GC: no Comments:
  • Institution: Berkeley Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: e-mail Posted on GC: no Comments:
  • Institution: MIT Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: Notification date: February 22 Notified through: Email to check webpage Posted on GC: No Comments: Although I always thought it was a long shot, it's still disappointing; was my top choice without question.
  • Institution: Stanford Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: Notification Date: March 2 Notified Through: Website Posted on GC: Yes Comments:
  • Institution: Princeton University Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: 3/8/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Like Peot, this just about wraps up the season for me. I am a tad ambivalent about the results - I was hoping for more econ and received (apart from Chicago) a bunch of finance and PE instead. Suppose a little career shift might not be so bad. Conclusion: unless your coursework clearly conveys you're a genius, who writes your recs will make it or break it.
  • Institution: Brown Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 03/15/12 Notified through: email to check website Posted on GC: Yes Comments:
  • Institution: Harvard Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: 3/20/2012 Notified Through: Mail Posted to GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: NYU Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: Notification Date: 3/21/2012 Notified Through: E-mail Posted to GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Columbia Business School Finance and Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification date: 03/21/12 Notified through: Website Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Cornell Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 4/4/12 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: Yes Comments: Whatever.
Waitlists:
    Waitlists:

Blerg 2012:
Thanks, TM community for being such a valuable resource. I was a lurker, but I'll submit my results for posterity and such. All of the results below are what was put on my applications, i.e. the first 6 semesters of college.
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: Flagship Public (Top 5 math, Top 10 econ)
Undergrad GPA: 3.63
Type of Grad: N/A
Grad GPA: N/A
GRE: 800Q/680V/5AWA
Math Courses: Intro Bus. Stats (A-)/Calc III (B+)/Linear Algebra (B)/Discrete Math (A-)/Numerical Analysis (B)/Probability (A)/Intro to Analysis (B)/Linear Algebra (B+)/Stochastic Processes (A)
Econ Courses: Intermediate Micro (A-)/Intermediate Macro (A)/Transition Economics (B-)/Mathematical Economics (A-)/Econometrics (A)/International Trade (A-)/Advanced Microeconomics (A)/Development (In Progress as of Fall)/International Monetary Econ (IP as of Fall)/Thesis (IP as of fall)
Other Courses: N/A
Letters of Recommendation: 1 from the guy who taught me mathematical economics/1 from a guy I was a RA for/ 1 from the guy who taught advanced micro, with whom I also wrote my thesis. All are well respected Microeconomists who are still publishing
Research Experience: Several semesters as RA for various profs, Was writing my thesis while applying
Teaching Experience: N/A
Research Interests: Development, Micro
SOP: Cookie cutter, nothing special at all
Other: I had been worried about that 1 really bad grade on an econ class, as well as my rather average grades in math classes
RESULTS:
Acceptances: UCSD (ATTENDING!) (full tuition, 25% TAship first year, 50% after), BU (Nothing first year, full tuition and ~18k TAship years 2-5)
Waitlists: UCLA (I asked to be removed)
Rejections: NYU, Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, Yale, Michigan, Penn, NW, Chicago, UCB, Columbia, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Cornell, Brown
Pending: N/A
What would you have done differently?
Let me count the ways...The main point would have just been doing better in classes. I don't know that I could have gotten A's in all of those classes, as the math department is very competitive and very bright, but I'm sure I could have bumped Bs up to B+s, etc. Writing a thesis was key, as I think it got my by far my best letter of rec. I also would have lowered my expectations, and applied to some lower ranked schools.
Regardless, I am ecstatic with my outcome. La Jolla is going to be glorious.
Accepts:
    Acceptances: UCSD (ATTENDING!) (full tuition, 25% TAship first year, 50% after), BU (Nothing first year, full tuition and ~18k TAship years 2-5)
Rejects:
    Rejections: NYU, Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, Yale, Michigan, Penn, NW, Chicago, UCB, Columbia, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Cornell, Brown
Waitlists:
    Waitlists: UCLA (I asked to be removed)

art_vandelay 2012:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: BS in Econ/Math
Undergrad GPA: 3.9 (4.0 Econ , 3.9 Math)
Type of Grad: N/A
Grad GPA: N/A
GRE: 800Q 730V 5.5 AWA
Math Courses: Calculus (1-3), Probability, Math Stats, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, Real Analysis I , Real Analysis II. All As except an A- in Analysis 1 and a B+ in Probability
Econ Courses: Standard courses + some electives (A), Phd Micro (A) , Phd Metrics (A), Phd Math for Econ (A)
Other Courses:
Letters of Recommendation: 2 well-known, pretty strong. 1 probably somewhere between lukewarm-strong, in retrospect.
Research Experience: RA'd for two summers + a few papers
Teaching Experience: TA'd a couple of courses
Research Interests: Education, IO, Health, Development ... in that order
SOP: A little too standard
Other:
RESULTS:
Acceptances: Michigan ($), Duke ($), BU (none first year), Texas ($) , UVa ($)
Waitlists: Maryland
Rejections: Harvard, Yale, MIT, UPenn, Princeton, Stanford, NYU
What would you have done differently?
Would have started writing this paper I have due in 2 hours, last night... Apart from that, not much.
I pulled schools I expected to get into, and got shafted at places I didn't. Yale stung a bit, but I'm otherwise quite happy with how the cycle turned out.
To future generations of TMers, temper your expectations, it really makes the cycle a lot more tolerable.
Accepts:
    Acceptances: Michigan ($), Duke ($), BU (none first year), Texas ($) , UVa ($)
  • Institution: UT-Austin Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: Not as of now, since they think I'll get a higher-ranked offer Notification date: 02/23 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Nice
  • Institution: Duke University Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: Standard Notification date: 2/28 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Awesome
  • Institution: University of Virginia Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: tuition, health, 20k TAship Notification date: 03/05/2012 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Just declined
  • Institution: Michigan Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: Fellowship Notification Date: 3/8/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Nice
  • Institution: BU Economics PhD Decision: Admitted Funding: from the 2nd year Notification date: March 12 notified through: Email posted on GC: NO Comments: damn unfunded admits.
Rejects:
    Rejections: Harvard, Yale, MIT, UPenn, Princeton, Stanford, NYU
  • Institution: Yale Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: -(Cost of the two six-packs I'm going to need now) Notification date: 2/22/2012 Notified through: Email to check website Posted on GC: no Comments:
  • Institution: Princeton University Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: 3/8/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: On the plus side, it's in New Jersey...
Waitlists:
    Waitlists: Maryland
  • Institution: University of Maryland Ph.D. Economics Decision: Waitlist Funding: N.A. Notification Date: 3/9/2012 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments:

backtowork 2012:
Type of undergrad: BA in Econ and Math from non-HYP Ivy
Undergrad GPA: 3.94/4.00
GRE: 800Q/710V/5.0W
Math courses: honors calc (B), honors linear (A), honors ODE I and II (A, A), operations research (A), statistical inference (B), information theory (A), real analysis (A+), grad stochastic processes (A-)
Econ courses (all undergrad): intro (A), micro (A), macro (A), health (A), int'l (A), financial institutions (A), corp finance (A), honors econometrics (A), economic growth (A), theory of general equilibrium (A), public econ (A), Labor (1st-taken at an oxbridge), Political Econ (1st-taken at an oxbridge)
Other courses: mostly random poli-sci
Letters of Recommendation: 1 from my thesis adviser (not well known). 1 from my former boss as an intern at the Fed Board (pretty well known, but I only worked there for a couple months and he didn't know me all that well). 1 from my current boss at regional fed who is somewhat well known and knows me quite well.
Research Experience: thesis, a little RA work in UG, internship at the Fed BoG, currently an RA at a Fed Bank. No publications.
Teaching Experience: none
Research Interest: Macro, labor, IO, pretty much open to anything
SOP: eh
Other: elected phi beta kappa junior year, magna cum laude, honors;
RESULTS:
Acceptances: Penn (wl for funding, asked to be removed), UCLA ($$$), Princeton($$$)
Waitlists: Minnesota (asked to be removed)
Rejections: NYU, Harvard, HBS, MIT, Stanford, Stanford GSB, UC Berkeley, Yale, Northwestern, Chicago, Columbia,
Attending: Princeton!
What would you have done differently?
I would have decided during college that this is what I wanted to do and made an effort to work with some of the big name professors at my UG institution. I was very fortunate to get such favorable results without having done so. After going through the whole admissions process, it has become abundantly clear that it's all about the letters; not just what's in them, but also who writes them. Not that your letter writers have to be famous or anything, but they need to be well-connected. Looking at my admissions results, the process looks almost random (rejected from Columbia, accepted at Princeton?), but in fact my results were quite predictable; if one of my letter writers personally knew someone on the admissions committee, I was accepted. If they did not, I wasn't. Simple as that. So my advice to the next generation of applicants is the same that has been given all over this board: LETTERS ARE EVERYTHING! If I had followed that advice a little earlier, I might have cracked the Harvard/MIT barrier, but Im certainly not complaining!
Accepts:
    Acceptances: Penn (wl for funding, asked to be removed), UCLA ($$$), Princeton($$$)
Rejects:
    Rejections: NYU, Harvard, HBS, MIT, Stanford, Stanford GSB, UC Berkeley, Yale, Northwestern, Chicago, Columbia,
Waitlists:
    Waitlists: Minnesota (asked to be removed)

revilo 2012:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: Top Australasian University, BA/BE(Hons) in Economics and Engineering Science (Operations Research)
Undergrad GPA: 7.8/9 on my university’s scale (about 3.8 on US scale)
Type of Grad: Same university, BA(Hons) in Economics, MA in Economics
Grad GPA: 8.25/9 on my university’s scale (about 3.88 on US scale)
GRE: V 164, Q 167, AWA 5 (on third attempt...)
Math Courses: Engineering Maths 1-3, Real Analysis 1-2, Measure Theory, Functional Analysis
Econ Courses (grad-level): Micro Theory 1-2, Macro, Econometrics, Energy Economics
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Micro, Macro, Econometrics, Trade, Game theory, Environmental, Financial Economics
Other Courses: 4 Grad operations research courses, 3 grad statistics course (inc time series and probability theory), Some other engineering stuff
Letters of Recommendation: Emeritus Professor at Northwestern, Head of Department, Thesis Supervisor
Research Experience: 1.5 years of RA work on electricity markets for two different professors includes co-authoring two papers. One summer of RA work on nutrient trading schemes. Honours Dissertation on climate change IAM modelling.
Teaching Experience: Two semesters introductory micro, Three semesters introductory macro, One semester introductory programming for engineers
Research Interests: Applied Micro, IO
SOP: full of typos!
Concerns: a smattering of crappy grades
Other: Semester on exchange to Hong Kong
RESULTS:
Acceptances: UChicago (attending), Columbia, UC Berkeley ARE, U British Columbia, U Toronto
Rejections: Stanford, Yale, Northwestern, NYU, Penn, Michigan, Duke, Maryland
Accepts:
    Acceptances: UChicago (attending), Columbia, UC Berkeley ARE, U British Columbia, U Toronto
  • Institution: UChicago Econ PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: 23k Fellowship Notification Date: 2/29 Notified Through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments: yea, Chicago!
  • Institution: UBC Economics Decision: Accepted. Funding: ? Notification Date: March 1 Notified Through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments: Yay for Canada!
  • Institution: Columbia Economics Decision: Accepted! Funding: Full Funding Notification Date: March 2 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: NEW YORK,NEW YORK- FRANK SINATRA - YouTube
  • Institution: UC Berkeley Agricultural and Resource Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: ??? Notified: 14/3 Notified through: Unoffical Email Posted on GC: No
Rejects:
    Rejections: Stanford, Yale, Northwestern, NYU, Penn, Michigan, Duke, Maryland
  • Institution: Yale Econ PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: - Notification date: 23 Feb Notified through: email to check website Posted on GC: no Comments:
  • Institution: Northwestern Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification Date: 29 Feb Notified Through: Application website Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Stanford Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: March 2 Notified Through: Email to check website Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Duke University Economics PhD Decision: Rejection Funding: NA Notification Date: 3/5/2012 Notified Through: Email to check website Posted on GC: No
  • Institution: University of Maryland Economics PhD Decision: Rejection Funding: NA Notification Date: 3/7/2012 Notified Through: Email to check website Posted on GC: No
Waitlists:

chatlunatique 2012:
Type of undergrad: BA in Econ, minor in Math, from large public school in the midwest (top 60 econ)
Undergrad GPA: 3.85/4.00
GRE: 170 Q /160 V /6.0 AWA
Math courses: Multivariate calc (A), Vector calc (A), Diff EQ (A), Linear Algebra (A), Real Analysis (A+; taken at Ivy)
Econ courses: Econometrics I-II (A,A), Honors thesis (A), Financial econ (A), Trade (A), Development (A), Seminar in Monetary econ (A), Seminar in trade/devo (A), Statistical analysis (A), Intermediate Macro/Micro (A,C+), Intro Macro/Micro (A,A+)
Other courses: Some African studies, some French, others from across the humanities/social science spectrum
Letters of recommendation: 2 from professors who I have managed field research projects for in the past 2 years (I am co-authoring a paper with one; both are junior but fairly well known in their sub-fields and earned their PhDs from top programs). 1 from undergrad professor who I took two classes with and excelled.
Research experience: UG thesis; 6 months RA at a regional Fed; 2 years RA managing research projects in an African country; co-authoring paper with one of my current bosses.
Teaching experience: 2 semesters TA for Intro to Micro
Research interest: Development, IO, Personnel, Micro
SOP: Talked about my research interests and how they developed, and explained my grade trajectory.
Other: Phi Beta Kappa, Summa cum laude, econ departmental honors
RESULTS:
Acceptances: NSF ($$$$), HBS Bus-Ec ($$$$), Stanford ($$$$), LSE ($$$), Northwestern ($$$), UCSD ($$$), UCLA ($$$), Duke ($$), Michigan ($$), Maryland ($$)
Rejections: Harvard econ, MIT, Princeton, Yale, Stanford GSB, Chicago, Chicago GSB, Columbia, Columbia GSB, NYU, NYU Stern, Penn, Penn Wharton, UCL, Berkeley, Brown
Attending: HBS!
What would you have done differently?
Nothing? I’m thrilled with my acceptances, and managed to get into my top 2 choices, even with such high variance in outcomes. Above all else my results show that even with a shaky and unfocused first couple years of undergrad, it is possible to get into good programs. I did not take any math or serious econ courses until my fourth year of university, and ended up overcoming some poor early grades (including a C+ in intermediate micro) to finish strong in my last two years, and then go on to earn RA positions where I was able to work with top economists on research that fascinated me. Should be a fun few years ahead!
Accepts:
    Acceptances: NSF ($$$$), HBS Bus-Ec ($$$$), Stanford ($$$$), LSE ($$$), Northwestern ($$$), UCSD ($$$), UCLA ($$$), Duke ($$), Michigan ($$), Maryland ($$)
  • Institution: NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Decision: Accepted Funding: Standard NSF package Notification date: 3/30 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: Yes Comments: Pretty awesome.
Rejects:
    Rejections: Harvard econ, MIT, Princeton, Yale, Stanford GSB, Chicago, Chicago GSB, Columbia, Columbia GSB, NYU, NYU Stern, Penn, Penn Wharton, UCL, Berkeley, Brown
Waitlists:

hulk86 2012:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: BS Econ (top 25, top 50 econ)
Undergrad GPA: 3.69
Type of Grad: MA Econ (Top 20 econ)
Grad GPA: 3.81
GRE: 800Q 710V 5.5AWA
Math Courses: Calc I-III (A, A, A), Linear Algebra (A), Real Analysis I-II (A, A-)
Econ Courses (Ph.D.-level): Micro I (A-) Macro I (A-) Metrics I (A)
Econ Courses (MA-level): Time Series (A-), Micro theory (A+), Macro I-II (A, A)
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Typical undergrad econ major with political economy electives, mostly A-/B+ with some As
Other Courses: (All Stat Ph.D.-level) Probability (A), Stat. Inference (B), Probability and Measure Theory (A)
Letters of Recommendation: 2 from profs that taught me, 1 from prof I RAed for
Research Experience: Undergrad thesis, 2 semesters RA + current full-time RA job
Teaching Experience: Private tutoring in math and econ
Research Interests: Political economy, growth, development, social choice, public economics
SOP: Standard
Other: n/a
RESULTS:
Acceptances: U Virginia ($$), Michigan State ($$$)
Waitlists: Duke, Johns Hopkins
Rejections: Yale, Berkeley, MIT, Wisconsin, Princeton, Maryland, UCSD, Michigan, Brown, Harvard, NYU, Cornell
Attending: Michigan State
What would you have done differently?
I would have been more careful about selecting letter writers. I expected to bag a few more admits (as did my adviser)--especially target schools like Maryland or Wisconsin--and I suspect one reason why I didn't was because one of my letters was weak. I overestimated the signalling power of good grades in hard classes and didn't fully appreciate the primacy of LORs until the process was underway. Nonetheless, I'm very pleased with my great offer from MSU, which became my top choice yesterday (without hearing about my waitlists) due to external, personal/geographic factors. Really excited to get started in August!
Accepts:
    Acceptances: U Virginia ($$), Michigan State ($$$)
  • Institution: Michigan State University Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: $25K, 5 years (university fellowship) Notification Date: 2/08/2012 Notified through: phone, then email Posted on GC: yes Comments: oops, disregard old signature
  • Institution: University of Virginia Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: tuition, health, 20k TAship Notification date: 03/05/2012 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: Yes
Rejects:
    Rejections: Yale, Berkeley, MIT, Wisconsin, Princeton, Maryland, UCSD, Michigan, Brown, Harvard, NYU, Cornell
  • Institution: Yale Decision: reeeeeejected Funding: Notification date: 02/22 Notified through: Email to check online status change Posted on GC: no
  • Institution: UC-Berkeley Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: e-mail Posted on GC: No Comments: tornado watch where i'm at...
  • Institution: MIT Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: 2/29/2012 Notified Through: Email to check webpage Posted on GC: No
  • Institution: University of Wisconsin Economics Ph.D. Decision: Rejection Funding: N/A Notification date: 3/7/2012 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments: ​
  • Institution: Princeton Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification Date: 3/8/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: it's about time.
  • Institution: University of California, San Diego Ph.D. Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: N.A. Notification Date: 3/9/2012 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: University of Maryland Ph.D. Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: N.A. Notification Date: 3/9/2012 Notified through: Website Posted on GC: No Comments:
Waitlists:
    Waitlists: Duke, Johns Hopkins
  • Institution: JHU Econ PhD Decision: Waitlisted Funding: Notification Date: 3/1/12 Notified Through: E-mail Posted on GC: Yes Comments: hmm.
  • Institution: Duke Ph.D. in Economics Decision: Waitlisted Funding: N/A Notification date: 3/8/12 Notified through: email Posted on GC: no Comments: good grief, not again!

reddavies 2012:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: BA/BS International Affairs and Economics, Math minor at top 50 U.S.
Undergrad GPA: 3.92
Type of Grad: N/A
Grad GPA: N/A
GRE: 168Q, 164V, 5.0AWA
Math Courses: Calc III (A), Linear Algebra (A), Intro to Proofs (A), Computing in Math (A), Math Finance (A), Real Analysis (A-), Math Stat I-II (A,A)
Econ Courses: Intermediate Micro (A), Game Theory (A), Economics of Crime (A), Money and Banking (A); Taken Abroad: Public (1st), Econometrics (1st), Dynamic Optimization (1st), International (1st), Advanced Macro (1st)
Other Courses: C/C++ (A), plus a bunch for my international affairs major that probably aren't relevant
Letters of Recommendation: two economics professors, one stat professors. Think they were okay.
Research Experience: one semester RA, the work wasn't very technical though
Teaching Experience: N/A
Research Interests: Applied Micro (education, crime, etc.)
SOP: okay, definitely could have been better
Other: Studied abroad for a year in the UK
RESULTS:
Acceptances: Duke ($$), Cornell ($$), UT Austin ($), Brown (no $)
Waitlists: Penn (eventually rejected off the list)
Rejections: NYU, Yale, Caltech, UCLA, Michigan, MIT, Princeton, Columbia, Stanford, Berkeley, UCSD, Northwestern
Attending: Duke!
What would you have done differently?
Hard to say. I'm really happy with my results. Personally, I wish I had dropped my international affairs major and done just econ and math, but I'm not sure that would have necessarily helped my profile. I went into the process thinking it was almost all about the math background you had, but I think more and more that your letters and research background count for a lot more. I think schools look at fit as well. The schools I got into seemed to fit me really well and a few that I thought I'd get into but didn't, turned out not to fit me all that well. Also, I wish I had been more active in finding research opportunities. My results might have been better if I took a year or two offer to work as an RA, but honestly I really want to move straight into the PhD and Duke is an amazing place with great placements so I'm really happy with how things turned out.
Accepts:
    Acceptances: Duke ($$), Cornell ($$), UT Austin ($), Brown (no $)
  • Institution: UT Austin Economics Decision: admitted Funding: no idea? Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: website, decided to check to see and saw the admission Posted on GC: No Comments: No word on funding and never got an email, but it's great to finally have an admission!!!
  • Institution: Duke Economics Phd Decision: Admitted Funding: $18K + other stuff Notification date: 2/28/12 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Yay!!!!!!
  • Institution: Brown Economics (technically an MA for the first-year. If I pass, then I enter into the second-year of the PhD.) Decision: Accepted Funding: No first-year funding, TA-ship next years Notification date: 3/5/2012 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: A little confused on the offer, but really excited to get another admit!
  • Institution: Cornell Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: 5 Year Funding Notification Date: 3/19/2012 Notified Through: E-mail Posted to GC: No Good to finally be done!
Rejects:
    rejected off the list) Rejections: NYU, Yale, Caltech, UCLA, Michigan, MIT, Princeton, Columbia, Stanford, Berkeley, UCSD, Northwestern
  • Institution: Yale Econ PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: - Notification date: 02/22 Notified through: Email to check website Posted on GC: No
  • Institution: Berkeley Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: e-mail Posted on GC: no Comments: Things are looking bleaker...
  • Institution: Caltech Social Science Decision: Rejected Funding: - Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: No
  • Institution: Northwestern Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification Date: 29 Feb Notified Through: Application website Posted on GC: No Comments: bummer...
  • Institution: MIT Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: February 29 Notified Through: Email to check website Posted on GC: No Comments: Shouldn't have been surprised I guess, but still...
  • Institution: Stanford Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: Notification Date: March 2 Notified Through: Website Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: UCLA Economics Decision: Rejection Funding: N/A Notification Date: 03/02/12 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Thought I had a chance
  • Institution: Princeton University Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: 3/8/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Kind of expected it :-(
  • Institution: University of California, San Diego Ph.D. Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: N.A. Notification Date: 3/9/2012 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: No
  • Institution: Columbia Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: Notified: 3/13 Notified through: email to check website Posted on GC: no Comments:
  • Institution: UMich Economics PhD Decision: rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 03/15/12 Notified through: email Posted on GC: No Comment: Looks like it's going to be Duke!
  • Institution: NYU Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: Notification Date: 3/21/2012 Notified Through: E-mail Posted to GC: No
Waitlists:
    Waitlists: Penn (eventually
  • Institution: Penn Economics Decision: Waitlisted Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: I hope, I hope, I hope...

dbeef 2012:
Type of Undergrad: Top 10 US University, econ + math double major.
Undergrad GPA: 3.82 (3.83 econ, 3.58 math)
Type of Grad: 3 math field courses, and a masters/advanced undergrad micro theory course; additional econ field course at a top 10 program while working.
Grad GPA: 3.62
GRE: 163Q, 163V, 5.5AW
Math Courses: Random undergrad (calc, odes, etc... mostly As), Analysis (B), Algebra (B-), Probability theory (B+), Grad complex w/ some functional (A-), Other grad math (A,A-)
Econ Courses (grad-level): Labor (A), Micro(B-), Asset pricing (A-)
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Intermediate micro and macro (A+,A+,A), metrics (A-), some other honors courses (As)
Other Courses: Some chem and physics + some businessy CS courses (As)
Letters of Recommendation: 1 from a well known econ professor I took a grad course with (top 1 0EAS ranking), 2 additional strong (hopefully?), detailed letters from fairly well known economists who observed me in a research setting (one regional fed economist and one thesis advisor), a 4th letter from a math professor I took grad courses from.
Research Experience: A ton. In econ: a few undergrad RAships (over 3.5 years), a solid undergrad honors paper, and 1.5 years as an RA at a regional Fed... a couple of published papers as a coauthor in decent field journals plus a few coauthored working papers, some policy papers, and a couple self-authored (under the guidance of my letter writers) working papers. Other: was part of a math/theoretical physics research team for a while and also did some material chemistry research as an undergrad.
Research Interests: Lots, but mainly labor, health, and theory.
SOP: Standard-ish with some sections individualized for each school.
Concerns: bad math grades and a marginal GRE score
Applying to: Chicago, Harvard, MIT, Northwestern, Princeton, Stanford, Yale, Berkeley, Columbia, NYU, Penn, Wisconsin, Michigan, Carnegie Mellon, NSF
RESULTS:
Acceptances: Northwestern (wl $), Wisconsin ($$$$), Michigan ($$$$), NSF($$$$$), Penn (off wl post NSF)
Waitlists: Penn
Rejections: Chicago, Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, Yale, Berkeley, Columbia, NYU, Carnegie Mellon
Attending: Northwestern
Accepts:
    Acceptances: Northwestern (wl $), Wisconsin ($$$$), Michigan ($$$$), NSF($$$$$), Penn (off wl post NSF)
  • Institution: Wisconsin Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: University Fellowship Notification date: 2/14/2012 & 2/22/2012 Notified through: Email from department Posted on GC: No
  • Institution: Northwestern Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: wait list Notification Date: March 7th Notified Through: email Posted on GC: nope Comments: very very very happy
  • Institution: Michigan Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: "Rackham Merit Fellowship" Notification Date: March 8th Notified Through: email Posted on GC: nope Comments:
Rejects:
    Rejections: Chicago, Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, Yale, Berkeley, Columbia, NYU, Carnegie Mellon
  • Institution: Yale Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 2/22/2012 Notified through: Email to check website. Posted on GC: Yes
  • Institution: UC-Berkeley Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: 2 emails Posted on GC: No
  • Institution: MIT Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: 2/29/2012 Notified Through: Email to check webpage Posted on GC: No
  • Institution: UChicago Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: 2/29/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: This day is a pile of turds.
  • Institution: Princeton Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: March 8th Notified Through: email Posted on GC: nope Comments:
  • Institution: Stanford Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: March 2nd Notified Through: email to check website Posted on GC: nope Comments:
Waitlists:
    Waitlists: Penn
  • Institution: University of Pennsylvania Decision: Waitlist Funding: Notification date: 2/27/2012 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: nope Comments:

ecoetz 2012:
Type of Undergrad: BA Economics with Mathematical Economics Concentration (Minor?) from Private Latin American University (Five year degree) (Not well known internationally, known locally).
Undergrad GPA: 4.8/5.0 (Graded on a 5.0 scale, but graded on a percentage basis) (~4.8/5.0 last two years) (~4.8/5.0 maths) (Ranked first in my class).
Type of Grad: N/A
Grad GPA: N/A
GRE: Q164 (790, 91%) / V161 (620, 89%) / AWA 5.5 (96%).
Math Courses: Differential Calculus (5.0), Integral Calculus (4.5), Multivariable Calculus (5.0), Linear Algebra (4.7), Statistics I,II (4.7, 5.0), Advanced Math for Econ (Covers Intro to Proofs, Elementary Topology and RA) (5.0), Dynamic Optimization (4.9), Stochastic Processes (4.5).
Econ Courses (grad-level): Topics in Modeling (Grad Econometrics) (4.5).
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Micro I,II,III (4.8, 4.8, 4.7), Macro I,II,III (4.5, 4.2, 4.3), Econ History and Thought (4.3, 4.7, 4.4), International Econ (4.9, 4.9), Game Theory (4.9), Public Sector Econ (4.8), Monetary Theory and Policy (4.8), Dynamic Macroeconomics (4.7), Business Cycles and the Firm (IO) (5.0), Econometrics I,II (5.0, 4.7), Time Series Econometrics (4.7), Advanced Econometrics (Multiple Time Series Econometrics) (4.7), Applied Econ and Math Seminar (Microeconometrics) (5.0). There is some grad content in the more advanced courses, but they are still UG-level.
Other Courses: Economic Theory (Epistemology) (5.0), Financial Mathematics (4.9), Financial Analysis (4.8), Five course Politics Sequence, and some other not-as-relevant courses.
Letters of Recommendation: Harvard Prof (PhD Yale, well known), Local Econometrics Prof (PhD UCSD, Co-author, was his TA for grad macro course, former supervisor at work), Local Macro Prof (Former head of Econ Department at my UG school, was his TA for five semesters), and, where a fourth letter could be sent in, Local Summer School Prof (Recent PhD MIT, RAing for him now, TAing for his Fiscal Policy course). All should be strong (hopefully!).
Research Experience: Co-authored paper in top local Journal. RA for over a year at my UG school, with co-authored working paper. Currently RA at top local University in Econ Department. Worked as regional macro research analyst for Citibank for a year after a six-month internship (don't know if this counts towards research experience, since it is not academic. Lots of writing though!).
Teaching Experience: Intermediate Macro TA for five semesters. Advanced Macro (Grad) TA, Fiscal Theory and Policy TA (at top local University).
Research Interests: Political Economy, Comparative Development, Macro Policy.
SOP: Talked about my research interests and how a PhD would be appropriate right now. Run-of-the-mill IMHO.
Concerns: UG school is not very well known, though hopefully LORs will make up for it, since 3 of the 4 recommenders are not from my UG school, but do know it well. Very few grad courses for an international applicant (as mentioned above, while many courses do have grad content, the grad program at my UG school is not as big and, since the UG program is long, grad content is taught at UG level, which is hard to signal to adcoms).
Other: \end{anxiety}
RESULTS
Acceptances: UPenn
Waitlists: None
Rejections: Yale, Berkeley, Northwestern, Stanford, Princeton, MIT, Columbia, Harvard, NYU.
Attending: UPenn
What would you have done differently? Well, the plan was to apply to the top 10 (didn't apply to Chicago though) and see what happened. If I got shut out, I would have gotten an MA in my home country at a good school with good placements and tried again. As fellow TMers have said before, I just needed the one, and I got it. So, in that regard, I played my cards right. However, I went to a very unknown UG school, so in retrospect I probably should have gone to a more known school. I won't say a better school because I believe my undergrad education was very good. I had excellent classmates and I'm sure the more advanced undergrad content was at least, in part, at the MA level, so I don't regret doing my UG there. However, a better known school would have meant better LORs, although I got a very good one from a very good professor I hope to keep working with. For sure more math. I'm still dreading that one going into a PhD program like Penn's. I hope to get caught up in their long math camp though! All in all, I'm thrilled!
Accepts:
    Acceptances: UPenn
  • Institution: UPenn Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: Waitlist for fellowship Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: e-mail Posted on GC: Yes Comments: First Admit! Going to grad school!
Rejects:
    Rejections: Yale, Berkeley, Northwestern, Stanford, Princeton, MIT, Columbia, Harvard, NYU.
  • Institution: Yale Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 12.22.2012 Notified through: Checked website after posts here. Posted on GC: no Comments: One down. Others will be better!
  • Institution: Berkeley Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: e-mail Posted on GC: yes Comments:
  • Institution: Northwestern Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification Date: 2/29/12 Notified Through: Application website Posted on GC: Yes Comments:
  • Institution: MIT Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: February 29 Notified Through: Email to check website Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Stanford Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: March 2 Notified Through: Email to check website Posted on GC: Yes Comments:
  • Institution: Princeton University Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: 3/8/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: Yes Comments:
  • Institution: Columbia Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: --- Notified: 3/13 Notified through: email to check website Posted on GC: no
  • Institution: Harvard Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: ---- Notification date: 3/13/2012 Notified through: Postal Service Posted on GC: No Comments: Letter is dated March 1st
  • Institution: NYU Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification date: 03/21/12 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments: Done with the cycle. Decision time!
Waitlists:
    Waitlists: None

wantchi 2012:
Type of Undergrad: Top 5, Top 5 Econ
Undergrad GPA: 3.58
Type of Grad: A few courses at a top 5 program while working
Grad GPA: 3.33
GRE: 800Q, 700V, 4.0W
Math Courses: Real Analysis (B+,A,A-), Abstract Algebra (A,B), Complex Analysis (B+)
Econ Courses (grad-level): Econometrics (B,B) Microeconometrics (A), Game Theory (B-)
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Intermediate Micro (B,A-), Intermediate Macro (B,B+), Game Theory (A)
Other Courses: Stat Methods and Applications (A), Stat Theory and Methods (A-, A-), Mathematical Probability (A-), Applied Linear Statistical Methods (Grad Course, B+), Categorical Data (A), Probability Models (Grad Course, A)
Letters of Recommendation: Best from Professor in Top 20f IDEAS rankings, 2 very strong letters from well published economists at a regional Fed (each program received only one of these), 1 decent letter ("He got an A in my class which was a tough class") from a Very Famous economist ("just" top 50n IDEAS but a big name)
Research Experience: Lots. Undergrad Honors Thesis Paper, 2 Years as an undergrad, 2+ years at a regional Fed. Coauthored paper accepted at a good journal and several other coauthored projects in the works.
Teaching Experience: None
Research Interests: Inequality, Labor, Econometrics, Public
SOP: Individualized to each school. Mentioned a few professors whose research I'm interested in.
Concerns: Grades (obviously!).
Other:
RESULTS:
Acceptances: NWU (Fellowship starting 2nd year), Wisconsin ($$), Harris School of Public Policy ($$), UCL MSc
Waitlists: Penn (Rejected), UCLA (Withdrew), Maryland (Withdrew), Washington (Withdrew)
Rejections: Chicago, Booth, Stanford, Princeton, Columbia, Yale, NYU, Berkeley, Michigan, UCSD
Attending: Harris School of Public Policy
What would you have done differently?
I'm actually quite happy with how things worked out. The Harris School is a perfect fit for my research interests. I am really excited about every aspect of the program. It is more flexible than most econ programs, so they are letting me take whichever Econ department courses I want, but I can skip the one's I'm not interested in (i.e. Macro). Now, I just need to prove that you can get a job coming out of a policy school!
I probably would have done better for myself by taking 2nd year courses while working instead of the core econometrics courses. The grading would have been less brutal (decently high above median = B) and I would have been able to talk to the professors more and maybe gotten a better letter.
Accepts:
    Acceptances: NWU (Fellowship starting 2nd year), Wisconsin ($$), Harris School of Public Policy ($$), UCL MSc
  • Institution: University of Wisconsin Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: Fellowship first two years + guaranteed funding for 2 more Notification Date: 2/14/2012 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: Yes (Grad School Admissions Results, Discussions, Tips, Forums, Help • thegradcafe.com for people who don't know) Comment: First admit! Super excited! I was freaking out about Yale today and definitely wasn't expecting to hear from Wisconsin!
  • Institution: Harris School of Public Policy at Chicago Public Policy PhD Decision: Admitted Funding: around 19k Notification Date: 3/2/12 Notified Through: Unofficial e-mail from professor Posted on GC: Yes Comments: Not an econ phd, but the faculty includes economists so I'll post it.
  • Institution: Northwestern Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: Waitlist Notification Date: 3/19/2012 Notified Through: e-mail Posted to GC: yes Comments: Soooo happy!
  • Institution: University College of London Economics MSc Decision: Accepted Funding: -17500 pounds Notification date: 04/13/2012 Notified through: Email to check website Posted on GC: Yes Comments: So much for letting me know 6 weeks after I submitted the application. Declined already.
Rejects:
    Rejected), UCLA (Withdrew), Maryland (Withdrew), Washington (Withdrew) Rejections: Chicago, Booth, Stanford, Princeton, Columbia, Yale, NYU, Berkeley, Michigan, UCSD
  • Institution: Yale Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 2/22/2012 (11:51 am Eastern Time) Notified through: Email to check website. Posted on GC: Yes
  • Institution: Berkeley Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: e-mail Posted on GC: yes Comments:
  • Institution: Booth Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification Date: 2/28 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: Yep Comments: Depressing.
  • Institution: UChicago Econ PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: 2/29/12 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: Yes Comments: Really, really sad about this one.
  • Institution: Stanford Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: Notification Date: March 2 Notified Through: Website Posted on GC: Yep. Comments:
  • Institution: Princeton Ph.D. Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: N.A. Notification Date: 3/8/2012 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: UC San Diego Ph.D. Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: N.A. Notification Date: 3/9/2012 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Columbia Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: Notified: 3/13 Notified through: email to check website Posted on GC: yes Comments:
  • Institution: Michigan Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 03/16/12 Notified through: E-mail Comments: I wish they'd just send out a batch e-mail.
  • Institution: NYU Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: Notification Date: 3/21/2012 Notified Through: E-mail Posted to GC: Yes Comments: Wanted to be in Chicago anyway!
  • Institution: Penn Economics PhD Decision: Rejected off waitlist Funding: N/A Notification date: 04/10/12 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments:
Waitlists:
    Waitlists: Penn (
  • Institution: University of Pennsylvania Decision: Waitlist Funding: Notification date: 2/27/2012 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: Yes Comments:
  • Institution: UCLA Economics Decision: Waitlisted Funding: A weekly kick in the face after my 1st year Notification Date: 3/2/12 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: Yes Comments: I responded to the e-mail and asked to be removed from the waitlist.
  • Institution: University of Maryland Ph.D. Economics Decision: Waitlist Funding: N.A. Notification Date: 3/8/2012 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments:

Pho 2012:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: B.A in Economics (major), Maths & East Asian Studies (minors) from top 20 LA college
Undergrad GPA: 3.8/4.0
Type of Grad: N/A
Grad GPA: N/A
GRE: 790Q (91%), 580V (79%), 4.0 AWA (wanted to retake the GRE but did not have time to study)
Math Courses: Calc II-III (A,A), Linear Algebra (A), Intro. to Prob. and Stats. (A-), Real Analysis (A-), ODE (A)
Econ Courses (grad-level): N/A
Math Courses (grad-level): Mathematical Statistics
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): The usual, mostly A, a few A-
Other Courses: Many
Letters of Recommendation: PhD OSU (very strong), PhD Michigan (strong), 2 Math Professors (strong, strong), 1 PhD MIT (work supervisor)
Research Experience: Senior research project
Teaching Experience: TA/tutor for Intro to Stats & Probability, Metrics, and Intermediate Macro
Research Interests: Monetary as of now, might change later
SOP: Decent, I think. I tried to tailor for each school (specific research topics of the faculty that I am interested in working with, but not mentioning names, research centers...)
Other: I studied abroad for a year in London. Have been working for 2 years at an economic consulting firm. As an undergrad, I never thought I would want to pursue a PhD, so I filled my summers and work study assignments with banking and consulting gigs in the private sector.
RESULTS:
Acceptances: MA: Duke ($$), Oxford MPhil (???) PhD: WUSTL ($$$), JHU (off the waitlist - tuition waiver, but no 1st year stipend)
Waitlists: PhD: JHU (later off the waitlist), MA: Columbia Statistics
Rejections: Chicago, Princeton, Stanford, NYU, Columbia, Northwestern, Georgetown, Maryland, OSU
Pending:
Attending: Duke for Masters
What would you have done differently?
- Once I realized that I wanted to do a PhD, I should have actively sought out for RA positions, instead of staying in the private sector (even though the visa issue might complicate this).
- Took more Math classes in undergrad. Maths never hurts, regardless of what direction/sector I would go later. Also, majoring in Maths would give me extra OPT months, hence solving the visa issue.
- Took Econ classes with more professors (I took more than half of my classes with the PhD OSU professors), so that I didn't have such a hard time asking for recs.
Anyway, happy that I got such choices and I am excited to head to Duke!
Accepts:
    Acceptances: MA: Duke ($$), Oxford MPhil (???) PhD: WUSTL ($$$), JHU (off the
  • Institution: Washington University in St. Louis Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: Fellowship (Tuition Waiver + Fellowship-24K for first year) Notification Date:2/15/2012 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: no Comments: In cloud 9 - thank you TMers =).
Rejects:
    Rejections: Chicago, Princeton, Stanford, NYU, Columbia, Northwestern, Georgetown, Maryland, OSU
  • Institution: Northwestern Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification Date: 2/29/12 Notified Through: Application website Posted on GC: No Comments: NU was one of my favorites. Did not want to wake up (early) for this .
  • Institution: UChicago Econ PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: Notification Date: 2/29/12 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Illinois, y u no love me?
  • Institution: London School of Economics MSc. EME Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification Date: March 1 Notified Through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments: WTF man
Waitlists:
    waitlist - tuition waiver, but no 1st year stipend) Waitlists: PhD: JHU (later off the waitlist), MA: Columbia Statistics
  • Institution: JHU Econ PhD Decision: Waitlisted Funding: Notification Date: 3/1/12 Notified Through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments: Good luck to everyone!

The Blueprint 2012:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: U.S. Public University Top 50 Econ
Undergrad GPA: 3.94 (4.0 Math, 4.0 Econ)
Type of Grad: N/A
Grad GPA: N/A
GRE: 790Q 800V 6.0 (first time) / 170Q 170V 6.0 (retake)
Math Courses: Calc I-II (exam), Intro. Computer Science (A), Linear Algebra (A), Calc III (A-), ODE (A+), UG Real Analysis (A+), Prob. and Stats (A), Grad Analysis I (A), Numerical Analysis (A), Math. Stats I (A)
Econ Courses (grad-level): Micro I (A+)
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Intro. Micro (A+) & Macro, Intermediate Micro & Macro, Public Sector Economics, Game Theory, Industrial Organization (A+), Intro. Econometrics, Labor Economics (A+)
Other Courses:
Letters of Recommendation: 2 well known senior faculty who advised me on research, 1 AP who taught the grad micro course
Research Experience: One year as RA, senior thesis
Teaching Experience: Math tutor
Research Interests: Theory or applied micro
SOP: Standard, but well-written
Other:
Concerns: Reputation of institution, strength of rec. letters (explained below)
Applying to: All Top 10, Some Top 20
RESULTS:
Acceptances: Penn ($$), Minnesota ($$), Duke ($), Princeton ($$$, from WL)
WL: Princeton
Rejections: Stanford, Northwestern, S. GSB, Chicago, Harvard, MIT, Yale, Berkeley, NYU, Columbia, Wisconsin, Michigan
Attending: Princeton
THOUGHTS:
First of all, I am over the moon to be attending Princeton given my background. I think that for students who come from lesser-known U.S. schools, it's incredibly important to apply to a broad range of programs; I could not have predicted, when the process began, that Michigan and Wisconsin would reject me. I was unsure that my rec. letters would be strong enough to crack the Top 10not because the content was weak, but because my recommenders (who are wonderful) might not have as much influence or credibility as "famous" people from top institutions who write many letters. However, if your recommenders are willing to go to bat for you, I think that you will have a shot at most programs.
If I had realized my ambitions in economics earlier, I would have made sure to serve as an RA for a famous professor at a top department (during a summer or academic term). I had no desire to spend time after my bachelor's researching for a top professor or for a Fed in order to dress up my resume for future application cycleswhich I am sure would have helpedbut that is personal preference.
Finally, a thought about the Princeton waitlist. I kept in good touch with the department and sent them notes intended to demonstrate (1) that the program was an excellent fit for me, and (2) my writing style, which, while trivial compared to "real" qualifications for the PhD in economics, should at least set me apart from the field of candidates. While I am sure that many waitlisted candidates send notes explaining point (1), I would encourage them also to pick out some aspect about their candidacy which is unique or different, and express that as well. It just might make a small but material difference.
Also, I should have applied for the NSF. What was I thinking?
Accepts:
    Acceptances: Penn ($$), Minnesota ($$), Duke ($), Princeton ($$$, from WL) WL: Princeton
  • Institution: U. Minnesota Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: Fellowship & TAship Notification date: 2/17 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: no Comments: 1st offer :-)
  • Institution: UPenn Econ Decision: Accepted Funding: Fellowship 24k Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: e-mail Posted on GC: no Comments: great way to start my Friday!
Rejects:
    Rejections: Stanford, Northwestern, S. GSB, Chicago, Harvard, MIT, Yale, Berkeley, NYU, Columbia, Wisconsin, Michigan
  • Institution: Yale Econ PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 02/22 Notified through: Email to check website Posted on GC: No Comments: It is what it is. Congrats to those who were admitted
  • Institution: U. Chicago Econ PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: - Notification Date: February 29 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Northwestern Econ PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: - Notification Date: February 29 Notified Through: Checked website Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Stanford Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: Notification Date: March 2 Notified Through: Email to check website; letter still has not been uploaded. I emailed Mandy, who sent me my letter. For anyone who cannot view their letter online--just contact Mandy. She was able to resolve this problem quickly. Posted on GC: No
  • Institution: U. Wisconsin-Madison Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: Notification Date: 3/8/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments:
Waitlists:
    waitlist. I kept in good touch with the department and sent them notes intended to demonstrate (1) that the program was an excellent fit for me, and (2) my writing style, which, while trivial compared to "real" qualifications for the PhD in economics, should at least set me apart from the field of candidates. While I am sure that many waitlisted candidates send notes explaining point (1), I would encourage them also to pick out some aspect about their candidacy which is unique or different, and express that as well. It just might make a small but material difference. Also, I should have applied for the NSF. What was I thinking?
  • Institution: Princeton University Economics PhD Decision: Waitlist Funding: Notification Date: 3/8/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Excited to make the waitlist! Does anyone care to decline their Princeton offer? :-)

michicon 2012:
Have benefitted a lot from this forum, finally time to contribute
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: Top-10 Liberal Arts College, BA in Economics
Undergrad GPA: 3.4/4.0, Major GPA 3.5/4.0
Type of Grad: NA
Grad GPA: NA
GRE: 166Q, 151V, 4.5 AW
Math Courses: Multivariable Calculus, Linear Algebra, Math Models
Econ Courses: Micro Theory, Macro Theory, Econ Stats, Regression, Applied Econometrics, Econ Development, Public Finance
Other Courses: Some Sociology courses
Letters of Recommendation: Should have been pretty strong, fairly well known economists in their fields. Have publications in the pipeline with all of them
Research Experience: Honors in undergraduate thesis, three papers in the works, (almost) three years of full time RA experience in development economics, one summer of research internship.
Teaching Experience: TA/grader for undergraduate regression class
Research Interests: Development (Health, Education, Migration), Labor, Public Finance
SOP: Fairly standard. Talked about field experience from a developing country
Other: A fair bit of volunteer experience
RESULTS:
Acceptances: Michigan ($, attending), BU ($ 2nd year onwards, declined)
Waitlists: Maryland (rejected)
Rejections: Chicago, Northwestern, Harvard, Princeton, NYU, Columbia, Berkeley ARE, LSE, Brown, Duke
Pending: None
What would you have done differently?
I wished I realized earlier in my undergrad that I wanted to do a PhD. Until junior year, I thought I wanted to be a development practitioner and not a researcher. Would have worked much harder and taken more Math courses. Given my credentials, I aimed a bit too high, but then I was betting on a strong set of LoRs. Fortunately, it paid off.
Advice for future applicants with similar profile(s): Get an RA job for a few years, work hard and get some solid recommendations out of it
Accepts:
    Acceptances: Michigan ($, attending), BU ($ 2nd year onwards, declined)
Rejects:
    rejected) Rejections: Chicago, Northwestern, Harvard, Princeton, NYU, Columbia, Berkeley ARE, LSE, Brown, Duke
Waitlists:
    Waitlists: Maryland (

TA89 2012:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: Dual Major in Economics/Mathematics from Top 10 liberal arts college. Transfer from a top public after one year, Summer Coursework at an ivy, top 15 national university, and another top public.
Undergrad GPA: 3.85 (Math: 3.90, Economics: 3.85)
Type of Grad: N/A
Grad GPA: N/A
GRE: Q:780 V:570 AWA:6.0 (second attempt)
Math Courses: Calculus I (A+), Calculus II (B+), Calculus III (A), Linear Algebra (A), Differential Equations (A-), Introduction to Analysis (A), Analysis & Optimization (A), Probability (Fall 2011), Principles of Real Analysis I (Fall 2011)
Econ Courses (grad-level): Advanced Microeconomics I (A), Advanced Microeconomics II (A): The first semester course used MWG and covered consumer theory/producer theory/GE topics. The second semester course used half the class to cover Gibbons' Game Theory, and the second half covered Contract Theory using Bolton and Dewatripont, as well as Berkeley lecture notes. Both were Ph.D. level courses.
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Principles of Microeconomics (A), Principles of Macroeconomics (A), Experimental Economics (B+), Intermediate Microeconomics (A-), Intermediate Macroeconomics (A-), Economics Statistics (A), Econometrics (A-), International Trade (A),
Other Courses: Not sure what to say here, but I took a year of Chinese (A/A), and a Philosophy Seminar/Tutorial double course (A-/A-)
Letters of Recommendation:
1. Adviser. TA'd his UG Advanced Microeconomics class. I will be doing my thesis under him and have spent this summer working on a research project for him.
2. Advanced Microeconomics I-II Professor. Took both my Ph.D. Micro classes and have discussed my graduate school plans with him.
3. Analysis Professor: I took intro Analysis and Principles of Real Analysis I with him.
All should have been very good.
Research Experience: Summer research project in Health Economics for adviser. Will continue this project as my senior thesis. The plan is to submit as a co-author.
Teaching Experience: TA'd undergraduate Advanced Microeconomics.
Research Interests: Micro Theory, International Trade, Applied Micro (very open)
SOP: I haven't written in yet, but will be good.
Concerns: Typical concerns of a liberal arts applicant. Not really sure what to think or expect.
Other: Again, not really sure what to put here. Unlikely it's relevant, but President of Model UN for two years, and lots of Model UN awards.
RESULTS:
Accepted: Duke Fuqua School of Business: Decision Sciences ($$$), Wisconsin ($$), Cornell ($$$), WUSTL ($$$), UT-Austin (?), LSE MsC Econ (-)
Waitlists: Michigan (high on WL, but withdrew), UCLA (rejected), Penn (rejected), UVA (withdrew)
Rejected: Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, Stanford GSB, Chicago, Yale, Northwestern MEDS, Columbia, NYU, Caltech, UCSD, Duke Econ, Brown, LSE MsC EME
Attending: Duke Fuqua School of Business: Decision Sciences
What would you have done differently?
Nothing. I could not be happier with the way the process turned out. I am so fortunate to have been presented with so many great offers. Thanks TM for all the guidance along the way.
Accepts:
    Accepted: Duke Fuqua School of Business: Decision Sciences ($$$), Wisconsin ($$), Cornell ($$$), WUSTL ($$$), UT-Austin (?), LSE MsC Econ (-)
  • Institution: LSE MSc Economics Decision: Accepted (Conditional) Funding: - Notification date: 2/10/2012 Notified through: Email/Website Posted on GC: No Comments: Good to know I'll be going to Grad school!
  • Institution: Washington University in St. Louis Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: Fellowship: (Tuition Waiver/Fellowship (24K for first year)) Notification Date:2/15/2012 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: no Comments: Absolutely ecstatic...I love WUSTL!
  • Institution: Duke, Fuqua School of Business Decision Sciences PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: Standard Fuqua Package (to be decided) Notification Date: Feb. 21 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Incredible program, and one of my top choices. I feel like I'm dreaming.
  • Institution: University of Wisconsin Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: Fellowship (20K 1st year, TA/RA years 2-4) Notification date: 2/22/2012 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments: This is very unexpected as I didn't have my application in by the funding deadline. I would have been happy with one funded offer, and I am extremely fortunate to have what I have so early.
  • Institution: UT-Austin Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: Not as of now, since they think I'll get a better offer. Notification date: 02/23 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Austin is an awesome city!
  • Institution: Cornell Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: 5 Years (Amount TBA) Notification Date: 3/19/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: A great option to have! First ivy league acceptance!
Rejects:
    rejected), Penn (rejected), UVA (withdrew) Rejected: Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, Stanford GSB, Chicago, Yale, Northwestern MEDS, Columbia, NYU, Caltech, UCSD, Duke Econ, Brown, LSE MsC EME
  • Institution: LSE MSc EME Decision: Rejected Funding: - Notification date: 1/16/2012 Notified through: E-mail/Website Posted on GC: No Comments: Was counting on this as a "safety" of sorts, so I feel this doesn't bode well for my chances for the rest of my applications.
  • Institution: Northwestern MEDS Decision: Rejected Funding: - Notification date: 02/22 Notified through: Online status change without an e-mail warning. Posted on GC: no Comments: No big deal, Fuqua made me happy yesterday!
  • Institution: Yale Econ PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: - Notification date: 02/22 Notified through: Email to check website Posted on GC: No Comments: Oh well, moving on.
  • Institution: Stanford GSB EAP PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification date: 02/23 Notified through: checked website Posted on GC: Comments:
  • Institution: Caltech Social Science Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments: I really liked Caltech but life goes on.
  • Institution: UChicago Econ PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: 2/29/12 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No
  • Institution: Berkeley Econ PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: Notification Date: 3/1/12 Notified Through: Website Posted on GC: No Comments: Would've been nice if they had rejected me with everyone else last week instead of making me wait it out.
Waitlists:
    Waitlists: Michigan (high on WL, but withdrew), UCLA (
  • Institution: Penn Economics PhD Decision: Waitlist Funding: - Notification date: 2/28/12 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Bummer
  • Institution: University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Economics PhD Decision: Waitlist Funding: 18K stipend + health/dental insurance Notification Date: 3/9/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Read it as an accept at first...-_- But "short list" it seems.

TutorDude 2012:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: Top 10 US University, Double Major Math and Economics
Undergrad GPA: 3.75
Type of Grad: None
Grad GPA: None
GRE: 163 Q, 161 V, 5.5 AWA
Math Courses: Calc I - III (A), Linear Algebra (A-), Diff Eq (A), Real Analysis (B), PDE (A-), Algebra (A-), Math Modeling (A), Chaos Theory (B), Complex Adaptive Systems (A)
Econ Courses (grad-level): None
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Micro, Macro, Econometrics (A, A, A-), Adv Micro, Macro, Econometrics (A, A-, A-), IO (A), Game Theory (B), Finance (A-)
Letters of Recommendation: Adv Micro Prof (MIT PhD) [hopefully very strong], Adv Metrics Prof (MIT PhD) [strong], Current Boss at Econ Consultancy (MIT PhD) [very strong], Math Thesis Advisor (Harvard PhD) [very strong]
Research Experience: Two term RA as undergrad, handful of advanced seminars (math and economics) with significant research components, math thesis (awarded high honors), two plus years at an economic consulting company.
Teaching Experience: Tutored and lead study groups in various math and economics courses; co-own a tutoring company focused on quantitative subjects.
Research Interests: Varied - IO, applied micro and econometrics, development, urban economics
SOP: Nothing extraordinary, tailored to research interests relevant for each program.
Concerns: Real analysis grade and some A-s, borderline GRE score.
Applying to: MIT, Princeton, UC-Berkeley, NW, UVA, NYU, Stern, Columbia, Michigan, UCLA, Brown, Duke, Yale
RESULTS:
Accepted: UCLA (off of wl, no 1st year stipend), UVA($$)
Waitlists: UCLA (admitted), Michigan ($$ if admitted - was not admitted)
Rejected: Yale, MIT, Berkeley, Northwestern, Duke, NYU, Columbia, Brown, Princeton, Stern (Econ)
Attending: UCLA
What would you have done differently?
I think I would have put forth a stronger effort towards As in some math classes along the way, and perhaps tried to take grad level courses. I also wrote an applied math thesis, and I am fairly confident that having written an economics thesis with one of my economics letter writers, or simply with an economist, would have helped substantially. Evidence suggests that the connections of your letter writers are extremely important, and I am not sure the math and economics networks overlap enough to make a letter from a mathematician count as much unless they are remarkably well-known. Either way, happy with UCLA, hopefully can find a way to earn some additional money the first year.
Accepts:
    Accepted: UCLA (off of wl, no 1st year sti
Rejects:
    Rejected: Yale, MIT, Berkeley, Northwestern, Duke, NYU, Columbia, Brown, Princeton, Stern (Econ)
  • Institution: Yale Econ PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: - Notification date: 02/22/2012 Notified through: Email to check website Posted on GC: No Comments: oh well
  • Institution: Berkeley Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: e-mail Posted on GC: no Comments: Tough one.
Waitlists:
    Waitlists: UCLA (

vcb 2012:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: B.Sc. in Economics in one of the best universities in a small EU country
Undergrad GPA: 3.7
Type of Grad: research masters in economics in the same university
Grad GPA: 3.7
GRE: Q: 170, V: 159, AW: 4.5
Math Courses: Calculus I and II, Linear Algebra, Mathematics I and II, Advanced Mathematics, Probabilities, Statistics
Econ Courses (grad-level): - Microeconomics, Microeconomic Theory I and II, Game Theory I and II, Macroeconomics, Macroeconomic Theory, Macro Theory I and II, Development Economics, Tools for Applied Policy Analysis.
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Micro I-III, Macro I-III, Global Economy, Information and Games, European Economic Policy, Comparative Political Economics
Other Courses: -
Letters of Recommendation: Should be strong.
Research Experience: R.A. for 3 professors.
Teaching Experience: 3 years as T.A.
Research Interests: "Applied" Macroeconomics, Fiscal and Monetary Policy, Debt Management and Internacional Finance (pretty much open to everything).
SOP: Standard.
Other: -
Results:
Accepted: Duke ($), Rochester($$), LSE (EME Program, no funding)
Waitlisted: JHU (declined)
Rejected: Harvard, MIT, NYU, Chicago, Northwestern, Yale, Michigan
Attending: Duke!
What I would have done differently?
I would have taken a B.Sc. in Mathematics and I would have gone for a masters in economics (research track) in a major european program such as the Barcelona GSE or LSE.
Accepts:
    Accepted: Duke ($), Rochester($$), LSE (EME Program, no funding)
Rejects:
    Rejected: Harvard, MIT, NYU, Chicago, Northwestern, Yale, Michigan
Waitlists:
    Waitlisted: JHU (declined)

whatdoido 2012:
I think its time to start the Roll Call for 2012. After reading last year's roll call introduction, it seems as though it is easiest for untitled to scrape the profiles for analysis if all three sections of the GRE are reported here, and the GPA is reported as first on a 4-point scale, and then in your native scale. So, let's get it going, here's the template.
EDIT: Also, let's do our best to keep this thread clean of everything except profiles.
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad:
Undergrad GPA:
Type of Grad:
Grad GPA:
GRE:
Math Courses:
Econ Courses (grad-level):
Econ Courses (undergrad-level):
Other Courses:
Letters of Recommendation:
Research Experience:
Teaching Experience:
Research Interests:
SOP:
Concerns:
Other:
Applying to:
Accepts:
  • Institution: BU Economics Phd Decision: Accepted Funding: Years 2-5 Notification date: 03.14.2012 Notified through: email Posted on GC: No
  • Institution: UBC MA Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: ~11K + partial tuition waiver Notification Date: 3/19/2012 Notified Through: Email Comments:
Rejects:
  • Institution: Yale Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: $36K, They're paying me NOT to go, Notification date: 2.22.2012 Notified through: Checked website after posts here. Posted on GC: no Comments: Hey, it sucks, but what can you do! On to the next one!
  • Institution: UPenn Economics Decision: Rejection Funding: NA Notification date: 2-24-2012 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Sad, I thought I had a good shot here.
  • Institution: MIT Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: February 29 Notified Through: Email to check website Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Princeton University Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: 3/8/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No
  • Institution: Columbia Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: --- Notified: 3/13 Notified through: email to check website Posted on GC: no
  • Institution: Brown Economics PhD Decision: rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 03/15/12 Notified through: email to check website Posted on GC: no
  • Institution: UMich Economics PhD Decision: rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 03/15/12 Notified through: email Posted on GC: no
  • Institution: Harvard Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: 3/15/2012 Notified Through: Mail Posted to GC: No
  • Institution: NYU Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: Notification Date: 3/21/2012 Notified Through: E-mail Posted to GC: nope Comments:
  • Institution: Queen's MA Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: n/a Notification date: 4/2/12 Notified through: email Posted on GC: No Comments: Apparently I was on an unofficial waitlist.
  • Institution: University of Toronto Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: --- Notification date: 5/4/12 Notified through: email Comments:
Waitlists:
  • Institution: University Of Minnesota Econ PhD Decision: Waitlisted Funding: NA Notification Date: 3/1/12 Notified Through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments: At least its not a rejection.
  • Institution: NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Decision: Honorable Mention Funding: No Notification date: 3/30 Notified through: email Posted on GC: no Comments:

AusEconGuy 2012:
Another data point (for Australians)
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad:Econ with first class honours from Go8 Australian Uni
Undergrad GPA: 3.8 for standard Bachelor, 4.0 in Honours (Converted to US scale)
Type of Grad: M Phil in Economics
Grad GPA: Coursework: 4.0 (US converted)
GRE: 159V, 168Q. 5.0 AW
Math Courses: Math for Economists (B, undergrad), econ students dont do pure math courses in my institution
Econ Courses (grad-level): Macro (A+), Micro (A), Metrics (A+)
Econ Courses (honours-level): Macro (A+), Metrics (A+), Advanced Math Econ (A+); Behavioural Game Theory (A+); Micro (B; whoops!)
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Micro I/II (B+; A+); Macro I/II (A+, A+); Metrics I/II/II (A+;A+;B); Econ Theory (B); Trade II/II (A+;A+); Econ History (A); Development (A); Money & Banking (A); Public Econ (A);
Other Courses: Finance I/II (A+;A) and some politics stuff
Letters of Recommendation:
- thesis supervisor for Hons and MPhil thesis, also taught me
- Prof I RA'd for over 2 years
- Assist Prof whom i tutored with for three years
- Head of School .... All should be positive
Research Experience: 6 years as RA for various profs (since 2nd year undergad); 3 conference presentations in 2011 for MPhil thesis; 2 thesis in experimental econ
Teaching Experience: TA for 4 years in range of courses from first year through third year
Research Interests: Behavioural Econ and Experiments, Political Econ, Information Econ
SOP: These are hard work! But its over
Concerns: Lack of obvious maths training (hons and Mphil courses are all at graduate level... LORS hopefully mention this), occasional B's in theory classes - These aren't horrible grades, I was still in top few students in these courses but no scaling
Applying to:
Phd: Northwestern, NYU (Econ and Stern), Cornell, Brown, UCSD, UC Berkeley, Princeton, Stanford ,Caltech, U Penn
Masters: Oxford; U College London; Autonoma, UC3M; Barcelona GSE; LSE; Toronto
Accepts:
  • Institution: LSE EME Decision: Accepted conditional on a distinction average in my current MPhil Funding: Can apply for needs based funding Notification date: 21/01/2012 Notified through: email Posted on GC: NO Comments: nice indeed, though an expensive program
  • Institution: Barcelona GSE MSc Econ Decision: Accepted Funding: 6000 euro tuition waiver Notification date: 13/12/2011 Notified through: email Posted on GC: NO Comments: first admit, was happy at the time. dont like the short expiry date of the offer!
  • Institution: UC3M Master+PHD Decision: Accepted Funding: fees, first year health insurance and 1150 euro per month Notification date: 2/18 (17th on other side of the date line) Notified through: Email Posted on GC: no Comments: First admit that doesnt ask for tuition fees, nice indeed. exploding offer with 30 day deadline
  • Institution: Oxford MPhil Decision: acceptted Funding: TBA after college selection Notification date: 03/15/12 Notified through: E-mail Comments: pumped -- probably going to go here
  • Institution: UAB IDEA (autonoma barcelona) master in economic analysis + phd Decision: accepted Funding: tution waiver + 1000 euro per month Notification date: 03/21/12 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments: seems europe is the place to be for me this year
  • Institution: UCL (London) MSc Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: seems like nothing Notification date: 4/3/12 Notified through: email Posted on GC: No Comments: Interesting option
Rejects:
  • Institution: caltech social science phd Decision: rejected Funding: n/a Notification date: 24/2/2012 Notified through: email Posted on GC: no Comments: a very polite email, disappointed coz was a top choice for me
  • Institution: UC Berkeley phd in Econ Decision: rejected, twice to be sure I understood! Funding: n/a Notification date: 24/2/2012 Notified through: email Posted on GC: no Comments:
  • Institution: u penn phd Econ Decision: rejected Funding: n/a Notification date: 24/2/2012 Notified through: email to check website Posted on GC: nope Comments: What a tough three hours!
  • Institution: northwestern Econ phd Decision: rejected Funding:n/a Notification date: 29/2/2012 Notified through: website after seeing decisions here Posted on GC: nope Comments: looks like I'm going to europe! The USA doesn't like my 'no name' institution.
  • Institution: Stanford Economics Decision: rejected Funding: n/a Notification Date: March 2 Notified Through: Website Posted on GC: No Comments: 'I can only assure you that all files were read at least twice and decisions were made with care' maybe they should have read it a third time!?.... so back to europe and my EME offer
  • Institution: Princeton University Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: 3/8/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No
  • Institution: UCSD Economics PhD Decision: rejected Funding: na Notification date: March 8 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: NO Comment: Learned to expect this.... im going for zero north american admits, only cornell and UoT to hear back from
  • Institution: NYU Stern Economics Decision: Rejection Funding: --- Notified: 3/12 Notified through: email to check website Posted on GC: no Comments: totally expected
  • Institution: Brown Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 03/15/12 Notified through: E-mail Comments: OK - so i've given up on the usa now... obviously my app is a lil random for them
  • Institution: NYU Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification date: 03/21/12 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Cornell Economics PhD Decision:Rejected Funding: - Notification date: 04/12/2012 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: i'm out of the USA... hopefully Toronto can give me my one north american admit
Waitlists:

huneba 2012:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: International bachelor (me and the degree)
Undergrad GPA: ~3.7
Type of Grad: Masters
Grad GPA: ~3.9
GRE: 166Q, 156V, 4.5 AWA
Math Courses: Calculus II (A)
Econ Courses (grad-level): ​Microeconomics I (A), II (B), Macroeconomics I (A), II (A), Econometrics I (A-), II (A), Thesis (A)
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Microeconomics (A), Macroeconomics (A-), Econometrics (B-), Advanced Microeconomics (B), Advanced Macroeconomics (B), Advanced Econometrics (A-), Time Series (A), Microeconometrics (A), Maths Econ (A)
Other Courses: N/A
Letters of Recommendation: Thesis advisor and a couple of other professors that taught me (reasonably well-known)
Research Experience: Research assistant
Teaching Experience: N/A
Research Interests: Microeconomics, industrial organization, econometrics
SOP: 2 pages -- mainly discussed my research experience and interests
Concerns: Isn't it obvious? The only maths on my transcript is calc 2!
Applying to: Chicago, Northwestern, Yale, Penn, NYU, Columbia, UCSD, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Duke, Maryland, Boston, Cornell, Brown, Penn State
Accepts:
  • Institution: UT Austin Economics Decision: Admitted Funding: ?? Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: website, checked after saw reddavies post Posted on GC: No Comments: First admit!
  • Institution: University of Maryland, College Park Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: 19.5k TAship Notification date: 03/06/2012 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: Yes Comments: Waitlisted for first-year fellowship.
  • Institution: Queen's University Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: TAship + other awards Notification date: 3/7/2012 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: Yes
  • Institution: University of Wisconsin - Madison Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: No first year funding - TA/RAship afterwards. Notification Date: 3/14/2012 Notified through: E-mail (informal) Posted on GC: No Comments: Notified 20 mins ago.
Rejects:
  • Institution: Yale Econ PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 02/22/2012 Notified through: Email to check website Posted on GC: No Comments: First response... at least I've finally heard something!
  • Institution nstitution: UPenn Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: e-mail to check website Posted on GC: no Comments: I thought I had a decent chance here
  • Institution: Caltech Social Science Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: No
  • Institution: Rochester Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification Date: 2/28 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: Yes
  • Institution: Duke Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 03/05/2012 Notified through: Email to check website Posted on GC: Yes
  • Institution: Minnesota Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 03/05/2012 Notified through: Website Posted on GC: Yes Comments: I really don't understand why some places don't send us emails.
  • Institution: UCSD Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification Date: 3/9/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: Yes
  • Institution: Columbia Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notified: 03/13/12 Notified through: Email to check website Posted on GC: Yes
  • Institution: Brown Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 03/15/12 Notified through: E-mail to check website
  • Institution: Michigan Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 03/15/12 Notified through: E-mail
  • Institution: NYU Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification Date: 3/19/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Expected
  • Institution: Boston University Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification Date: 3/19/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Not expected
  • Institution: Cornell Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 04/05/12 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Anyone care to explain this?
Waitlists:
  • Institution: Cornell Economics PhD Decision: Waitlisted Funding: N/A Notification date: 04/04/12 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: See below.

econobot 2012:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: B.A. in Economics at a top LA University
Undergrad GPA: 3.7
Type of Grad: M.A. in Economics, same institution
Grad GPA: 4.0
GRE: Q: 800, V: 480, AW: 3.5
Math Courses: Calc. I-III, Algebra, Probabilities, Statistics, ODE, Introductory Real Analysis.
Econ Courses (grad-level): Microeconomic Theory I, Macroeconomic Theory I, Econometric Theory I-II, Asset Pricing, Financial Economics, Financial Econometrics, Applied Macroeconomics.
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Intro. Micro., Micro. I-II, IO, Intro. Macro, Macro. I-II, International Economics.
Other Courses: Finance I-II, Seminar of Finance.
Letters of Recommendation: Should be very strong. Several Professors from Chicago, MIT, UCLA, Cornell.
Research Experience: 1 year as R.A. in different projects + 1.5 year doing applied research in the public sector.
Teaching Experience: Several years as T.A. (grad and undergrad. courses), two semesters teaching Introductory Microeconomics.
Research Interests: Behavioral Finance, Financial Economics, Asset Pricing.
SOP: Partially tailored for each school.
Concerns: GRE: low Verbal and AW scores (although a pretty decent TOEFL), solid but not stellar grades.
Other: Unpublished co-authored paper.
Applying to: Ph.D. Econ: Top 10 + BU, UCLA, Cornell, Duke, Brown, JHU. Master Econ: Toulouse, LSE, Toulouse, PSE
Accepts:
  • Institution: TSE M2 Decision: Accepted Funding: Not mentioned Notification date: 02-17 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: no Comments:
  • Institution: TSE M2 Decision: Accepted Funding: Doesn't mentioned Notification date: 02-17 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: no Comments:
  • Institution: Duke Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: 18k Notification date: 2/28/12 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: awesome
  • Institution: University of Chicago Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: 23k Notification date: 2/29/2012 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: Yes Comments: completely happy right now!!!!!!!!!
  • Institution: Boston College Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: 17k Notification Date: March 1 Notified Through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments: will decline the offert soon.
Rejects:
  • Institution: LSE EME Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 01/17/2012 Notified through: email Posted on GC: NO Comments: one of my safeties just got burned :S
  • Institution: Berkeley Econ PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: Notification date: 02-24 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: no Comments: very sad
  • Institution: Berkeley Econ PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: --- Notification date: 02-24 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: no Comments:
  • Institution: MIT Econ PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: Notification Date: February 29 Notified Through: E-mail to check website Posted on GC: No Comments: very sad...
  • Institution: Princeton Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: --- Notification Date: 03/08 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: yes Comments:
  • Institution: Stanford Economics Ph.D. Decision: Rejected Funding: --- Notification Date: 03/02 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: yes Comments:
  • Institution: NYU Stern Economics Decision: Rejection Funding: --- Notified: 3/12 Notified through: email to check website Posted on GC: no Comments:
  • Institution: Columbia Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: --- Notified: 3/13 Notified through: email to check website Posted on GC: no Comments: very sad
  • Institution: NYU Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: 3/19/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: expected, but still very sad.
  • Institution: Cornell Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 4/4/12 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: So, annoyed because I hadn't heard about Cornell's decision, yesterday I decided to write to the graduate office asking for my status. Two hour ago, I received an email saying I was rejected. Then, people started to post Conrnell's rejections here. It seems to me they had forgotten about us, and my email made them recall they had some rejections left to send.
Waitlists:
  • Institution: Yale Econ PhD Decision: Waitlisted Funding: Notification date: 02-23 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: no Comments:
  • Institution: Yale Econ PhD Decision: Waitlisted Funding: --- Notification date: 02-23 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: no Comments:
  • Institution: UPenn Econ PhD Decision: Waitlisted Funding: --- Notification date: 02-27 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: no Comments:

kekecib 2012:
Institution: Texas Tech
Program: PhD in Economics
Decision: Accepted
Funding: TAship (~$15K)
Notification date: 1/23/2012
Notified through: E-mail
Posted on GC: NO
Comments: One of my safety schools. Good to know that I am in. However, they want me to let them know by 2/17/2012 about my decision. I'll try to extend the decision deadline.
Accepts:
  • Institution: Texas Tech Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: TAship (~$15K) Notification date: 1/23/2012 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: NO Comments: One of my safety schools. Good to know that I am in. However, they want me to let them know by 2/17/2012 about my decision. I'll try to extend the decision deadline.
  • Institution: Pittsburgh Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: Decisions are still being made. They will let us know. Notification Date: 02/29/12 Notified Through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments: Yesssssssssss. I needed this so badly.
  • Institution: University of Delaware Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: TAship (Full tuition waiver + 16K) Notification Date: 3/1/12 Notified Through: E-mail saying the official admission letter is coming. Posted on GC: No Comments: It is great to know that I have a place for next Fall with good financial support.
  • Institution: Michigan State Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: TAship (Tution Waiver, Health Insurance, +17.5K) Notification Date: 03/02/12 Notified Through: E-mail Comments: This is the school I want to go really bad. The offer is good, and I feel great.
  • Institution: University of Kansas Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: TAship (Full tuiton waiver + 13.8K) Notification Date 03/09/2012 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: I will decline their offer, I hope somebody from this forum gets it.
  • Institution: ArSU Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: RAship (Full tuition waiver + Insurance + Summer Aid + 20K) Notified: 03/14/12 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Good to know that I got in ArSU, and their financial aid package is very good,
  • Institution: GSU (Georgia State University) Economics Decision: Accepted Funding: RAship (Full Tuition Waiver + $18K - $1100 Mandatory Fees) Notification Date: 3/15/2012 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments: I am glad to hear this news. It would have been a better offer if they paid the mandatory fees.
Rejects:
  • Institution: UVA Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: None Notification date: 02/07/2012 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Pretty disappointed. I thought I had a chance there.
  • Institution: BC Economics Decision: Rejected (implicitly) Funding: None Notification date: 02/08/2012 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: I feel pretty bad and disappointed upon reading that I am not a very good fit for the department. I thought I had a chance there and really wanted to go to that university. I believe my coming from unknown universities is playing a very big role in this rejection because I think they are pretty good in econometrics.
  • Institution: Rochester Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification Date: 2/28/12 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Receiving a master's degree from unknown universities is playing a big role in this decision. My NYU application probably seems like it is gonna be rejected. Damn.
  • Institution: UT Austin Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 03/08/12 Notified through: I checked my application status online. Posted on GC: No Comments: I am very surprised that they rejected me.
  • Institution: NYU Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification date: 03/21/12 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments: Expected. It would be very nice to be in NYC.
Waitlists:

troy43 2012:
Institution: WUSTL
Program: Econ
Decision: Rejection
Funding: N/A
Notification date: 02/15/2012 (16:30 EST)
Notified through: email
Posted on GC: no
Comments: First official notification. Not what I expected but plenty more to go
Accepts:
  • Institution: Pittsburgh Econ PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: ~19k Notification Date: February 29 Notified Through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments: I'm ecstatic!! First admission (after 5 rejections). GO STEELERS!!
Rejects:
  • Institution: WUSTL Econ Decision: Rejection Funding: N/A Notification date: 02/15/2012 (16:30 EST) Notified through: email Posted on GC: no Comments: First official notification. Not what I expected but plenty more to go
  • Institution: Stanford GSB EA&P PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: A couple big macs Notification date: 02/23 Notified through: Checked website (no e-mail) Posted on GC: No Comments: I'm burning my Stanford T-Shirt... not really, still like them
  • Institution: UPenn Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: e-mail to check website Posted on GC: no Comments: Freaking out!!!
  • Institution: UC Berkeley Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: e-mail Posted on GC: no Comments: 2 rejections in 10 minutes... nice!
  • Institution: Caltech Social Science Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification 2/24/12 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: No Comments: It was only my dream school, so no biggie... Anyway, this was expected since they sent their offers a couple weeks ago
  • Institution: Princeton University Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: 3/8/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: Why would I? Comments: Completely expected. Lets wrap it up and move on...
  • Institution: Brown Economics PhD Decision: rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 03/15/12 Notified through: email to check website Posted on GC: Never!!
  • Institution: NYU Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: NA Notification Date: 3/19/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Final post in this thread... I'm glad I have a great place to go to. Good luck everyone!!
Waitlists:

minimax 2012:
Institution: NYU
Program: Economics PhD
Decision: Rejected
Funding:
Notification Date: 3/21/2012
Notified Through: E-mail
Posted to GC: Yes
Comments: That took them quite a while...
Accepts:
Rejects:
  • Institution: NYU Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: Notification Date: 3/21/2012 Notified Through: E-mail Posted to GC: Yes Comments: That took them quite a while...
  • Institution: Cornell Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 4/4/12 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Same situation here: Took long enough. Already accepted an offer elsewhere.
Waitlists:


Waitlists:

fina 2012:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: Top Canadian School
Undergrad GPA: 4.25/4.33
Type of Grad: N/A
Grad GPA: N/A
GRE: Q800/V770/AW5.0
Math Courses:Calculus I (A level), Calculus II (A+), Advanced Calculus I(aka honours vector calculus, A), Vector Calculus II(A), Matrix Algebra (A+), ODE (A+), RA I (A), Number Theory (A)
Econ Courses: Intro Micro&Macro (A level), Honours Intermediate Micro I&II (both A+), Honours Inter Macro I&II (A, A+), Maths for Econ (A+), Intro Econometrics (A), International Finance (A+), Environ Econ (A), Econ Transition (A-), Grad Econometrics (A+), Game Theory (A+), International Macro (A-), Trade Theory (A-), Market Structure [aka IO] (A+), Tax (A+)Other Courses: languages, literature classes, all A+
Letters of Recommendation: One from a young professor, one from well-known labour economist, one from well-know micro theorist, all know me well personally
Research Experience: Honours Thesis, senior research
Teaching Experience: tutor for intro and intermediate econ contracted by department; grader for maths
Research Interests: micro theory/IO/Policy
SOP: Standard
RESULTS:
Acceptances: Wisconsin($), UT Austin($), UCSD($), Minnesota($), Cornell($), Brown
Waitlists: Michigan, UPenn, CMU, NYU
Rejections: Yale, Princeton, Northwestern, Columbia
Pending: Toronto (what the hell....)
Attending: Wisconsin!!!
Accepts:
    Acceptances: Wisconsin($), UT Austin($), UCSD($), Minnesota($), Cornell($), Brown
  • Institution: Wisconsin Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: TAship Notification: 2/26/12 Notified through: E-mail Posted on GC: Yes Comments: Nice to have somewhere to go~~~~~
Rejects:
    Rejections: Yale, Princeton, Northwestern, Columbia
Waitlists:
    Waitlists: Michigan, UPenn, CMU, NYU

roadvirusss 2012:
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: Top 5 Liberal Arts College
Majors: BA Math, BA Economics
Undergrad GPA: 3.94/4
GRE: 800Q, 610 V, 6.0 AW
Math Courses: Linear Algebra (A-), Vector Calculus (A), Cryptography (A-), Combinatorics (A), Intro to Analysis (A), Differential Equations (A), Real Analysis I (A-), Real Analysis II (A), Probability Theory (A), Statistical Theory (A), Complex Analysis (A), Abstract Algebra I (A), Operations Research (A), Topology (A)
Econ Courses (undergrad-level): Intro Macro (A-), Intro Micro (A), Empirical Methods (A), Intermediate Micro (A), Intermediate Macro (A), International (A), Energy Economics (A), Econometrics (A), Game Theory (A), Advanced Micro (A)
Econ Courses (grad-level): Econometrics I (A-)
Research Experience: Departmental honors for theses in both majors; Math thesis will be published. Did econ and math research during undergrad summers.
Research Interests: Applied Micro, IO
SOP: Spent no time on fluff; focused on a particular project.
Letters of recommendation: Four active Harvard PhD economists.
Concerns: Did poorly when I applied two years ago (Profiles and Results 2010).
Work Experience: Two years working as an RA at a top 5.
Results:
Accepted: Princeton, Northwestern, Chicago Booth, Columbia, UCLA, UCSD, Wisconsin, Duke
Waitlists (all declined): Penn (vh), NYU, Michigan
Rejected: Wharton (Interviewed), Yale, Berkeley, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, GSB, Chicago, Stern, HBS, Cornell
Never Heard from: UW
Attending: Princeton
What would you have done differently?
Nothing. I was very well informed about the process this time around. I'm definitely happy with my results, and in the end the decision between Princeton and Northwestern was a tough one. It was odd that the only Top 7 I got into was the one worst in IO even though my SOP was spent entirely on an IO topic. My decision to take two years off was in the end vindicated, even though I largely slacked off during this time and at one point almost gave up on the PhD route. I can't help but be an advocate of the liberal arts college -> RA -> PhD route, as the improvement in rec letters alone earned me a jump from the top 25 to the top 5.
Accepts:
    Accepted: Princeton, Northwestern, Chicago Booth, Columbia, UCLA, UCSD, Wisconsin, Duke
  • Institution: Booth Econ Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: 35k Notification Date: 2/23/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Shocked!
  • Institution: Duke Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: 19k Notification Date: 2/28/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Columbia Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: 26.5k Notification Date: 3/2/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: UCLA Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: I need to ask for it? Notification Date: 3/2/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Withdrawn
  • Institution: Northwestern Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: 22k Notification Date: 3/5/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Wow!
  • Institution: Princeton Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: 30k Notification Date: 3/8/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Absolutely stunned.
  • Institution: UCSD Economics PhD Decision: Accepted Funding: 19k Notification Date: 3/14/2012 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Declined
Rejects:
    Rejected: Wharton (Interviewed), Yale, Berkeley, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, GSB, Chicago, Stern, HBS, Cornell
  • Institution: Yale Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification Date: 2/17/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Stanford GSB Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification Date: 2/23/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Berkeley Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification Date: 2/29/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Disappointed...
  • Institution: MIT Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification Date: 2/29/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Chicago Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification Date: 2/29/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Stanford Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification Date: 3/2/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Harvard Economics PhD Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification Date: 3/5/2012 Notified Through: Mail Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution:NYU Stern - Econ Economics Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notified: 3/12 Notified through: email to check website Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: Wharton Applied Economics PhD Decision: Rejected (Interviewed) Funding: NA Notification Date: 3/16/2012 Notified Through: E-mail to check website. Posted to GC: No Comments: Didn't take it as a good sign that my interviewer never got back to me with the follow-up emails he promised. My results have had a pretty high variance so far.
  • Institution: Cornell Decision: Rejected Funding: N/A Notification date: 4/4/12 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: NSF waiting list?
Waitlists:
    Waitlists (all declined): Penn (vh), NYU, Michigan
  • Institution: Penn Economics PhD Decision: Waitlist Funding: N/A Notification Date: 2/24/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments:
  • Institution: NYU Economics PhD Decision: Waitlist Funding: N/A Notification Date: 3/6/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Waitlist size is "in the tens."
  • Institution: Michigan Economics Decision: Waitlisted Funding: N/A Notified: 3/13/12 Notified through: Email Posted on GC: no Comments:

wuna 2012:
Institution: NYU
Program: Economics PhD
Decision: Waitlisted
Funding: N/A
Notification date: 03/15/12
Notified through: email
Posted on GC: Definitely NO
Comments: OMG!!!! My Top Choice!!! I might not be shut down by Top10!! I hope all admits also get admitted by Harvard/MIT/Stanford/Yale/Chicago!!
Accepts:
Rejects:
Waitlists:
  • Institution: NYU Economics PhD Decision: Waitlisted Funding: N/A Notification date: 03/15/12 Notified through: email Posted on GC: Definitely NO Comments: OMG!!!! My Top Choice!!! I might not be shut down by Top10!! I hope all admits also get admitted by Harvard/MIT/Stanford/Yale/Chicago!!
  • Institution: Cornell Economics PhD Decision: Waitlisted Funding: Also Waitlisted Notification Date: 3/19/2012 Notified Through: Email Posted on GC: No Comments: Seems like it's kind of my year of Waitlist..So far 3 Top 10 waitlist + Cornell...I really like Ithaca...Congrats on admits!!
Admit summary statistics:
As submitted and recoreded from Test Magic:
There were 11 accepted out of 42 applicants.Of those accepted, average GPA was 3.93, average GREQ was 796.7.
From the Department webpage in 2010 (please send me a link if this is wrong!)
Over the last two years, we have averaged over 800 applicants per year. We take 18-20. We make between 45 and 50 offers...The GREs typically set out necessary rather than sufficient conditions. We look for strong quantitative skills. We know that the GRE does not test those skills adequately, but if you score below some threshold (say, below 740) you either had a bad day or there is a problem with the mathematics background somewhere. Do we immediately condemn you on those grounds? Not at all, but if you have low GREs you will have to have that much of a stronger application elsewhere to make up for it. Conversely, if you have 780 or 800 don't sit back and relax. Many of our applicants achieve perfect scores, many more than we can admit. The rest of your application will be looked at very seriously.
(Source)

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Last Updated: 14:58:10, Fri May 11, 2012