PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad: B.A. Economics from mid-ranked private college with no econ PhD program
Undergrad GPA: 3.63/4.00 (Econ: 3.91/4.00 Math: 2.83/4.0)
GRE: 800Q, 670V, 5.0AW
Math Courses: Calc I-III (A,A,C), Linear Algebra, Diff Eqs (D), Real Analysis (B), Stat (B), also W for Calc III and PDQ
Econ Courses: A's in Intermediate Micro and Macro, Game Theory, Econometrics, et c, B in Environmental, B+ in Math Econ
Other Courses: Liberal Arts
Letters of Recommendation: 3 good letters from Dept Chair, Thesis Adviser, and Micro Theory/Econometrics prof
Research Experience: Senior Thesis, lots of conference experience including refereeing for an undergrad conference
Teaching Experience: 4 years of tutoring principles 1hr/wk
statement of purpose: Pretty good, talked about my desire to do applied, policy-relevant research
Other: Need to be in the Philadelphia area for 4 years while my wife goes to med school there
RESULTS:
Acceptances: Temple PhD ($$), Delaware MA (no $)
Rejections: none
Attending: Temple PhD
What would you have done differently?
1) Better math grades, my glaring weak spot. I could never get myself to finish problem sets even when they were graded.
2) Applied earlier than March to get funding, and to be able to apply at all to Lehigh, Drexel, Penn
3) But really nothing, since Penn is the only school close enough that is significantly better than Temple, and I don't think better math grades and an early application would have been enough to get me in there