Admission offer from a US-top B-school - What does it take?

[AstralTraveller]

Dear people,

Sorry for the ambiguous title I provided, but I am really concerned about my PhD degree, and in the end it all comes down to that title. I don't know what to do to get an admission offer (probably it's the main concern of 99% of the people who get on these forums).

I am interested in a Ph.D. in Decision Sciences (not OR), Applied Micro (a.k.a. I/O and Policy) and/or Econometrics, at a US top Business School. Would not dislike too much a PhD in Economics, but my main interest lies in B-schools. Will apply this year, in order to begin fall 2008.

This is my profile:

- Studies: B.Sc. in Business and Economics, and M.A. in Economics from the (unambiguously) top University in my rather small country.
- Finished my M.A. in late 2005. I'm 24 years old.
- Working at a B-school as a full-time researcher since I finished my M.A. I don't know if this is relevant or not, but I've never worked outside academia. All my job experience is at Universities.
- GMAT (over 90% quantitative, over 80% verbal)

"Pluses":
- Great recommendation letters from faculty who know me well.
- One year experience as a RA
- Four years (2002-2005) as TA in Statistics and Econometrics classes (both Undergrad and Graduate --MBA, MA and PhD-- level). I have been instructor of Econometrics (undergrad, Engineering), Statistics (undergrad, Business and Economics) and Introductory Optimization & Econometric methods (graduate level, Economics). I also taught a summer math camp (1.5 months) for pre-M.A. students.
- Authored three papers (one on my own, two co-authored, the latter of which is in-press at a not very well known but ISI-indexed and blind-refereed business journal).
- Currently finishing an introductory book in Econometrics (comprised mainly of my class notes). Also working on two empirical papers.

"Handicaps":
- Far from stellar grades (in the top 25% of my class), not better for econ/math classes (my only top-of-the-class grades are on Econometric Theory and Applied Econometrics M.A. classes...decent grades on Statistics).
- My recommenders are not that well-known abroad, at least in B-schools (the one that is well-known doesn't know me that well, so I take his recommendation with a grain of salt). Most of them are Economists, not Business scholars.
- Except for my book, my publications have little to do with Decision Sciences or theoretical econometrics.
- Although I have 1 year of calculus and 1 semester of linear algebra, I haven't taken Real Analysis or Topology classes (since I'm on a full-time job now, I cannot arrange to take them either). I have taught some chapters in Probability Theory, so that should not be a problem.

I am quizzical about where to apply, how many schools, and where I could succeed with my application (combining prestige and a stipend covering living expenses). What should I put on my personal statement? I am absolutely confident in my ability to succeed once I get accepted. But at 1-4 admission offers granted each year, I am sure there are plenty of other candidates at least as attractive as I am.

My recommenders (all the ones who know me well) say they could recommend me to a Econ school, and help me succeed, but they don't know about B-schools.

Your help is much appreciated!

Sincerely,
Astral