mathdeficient

PROFILE: Type of Undergrad: B.B.A. in accounting from large state university Undergrad GPA: 2.32 Undergrad GPA last 60 hrs: 3.93 Type of Grad: M.S. in accounting from same state university Grad GPA: 3.90 Type of 2nd Grad: M.P.P. from top-ranked public university Grad GPA: 3.84 currently - exp graduation 05/21 GMAT: 44V 47Q - approx equiv to GRE: 168V 165Q, plan to take next summer Math Courses: calculus 1-3 (A), linear algebra (A), business statistics (B), applied stats & optimization (A), business calculus (B) Undergrad Econ Courses: intermediate micro/macro (A), business economics (B), international economics (A), quantitative analysis (A) Grad Econ Courses: history of economic thought (B+), micro (A-), macro (A+), quant analysis (A-), international development economics (A+), econometrics I (A+), econometrics II (A) Letters of Recommendation: two relatively strong letters from respected econ professors at current program who can speak to research I've done in their classes, one very strong letter from previous boss who is partner at CPA firm Teaching Experience: n/a Professional License: CPA - 3 yrs private sector employment at regional firm Research Experience: no RA experience. several graduate research projects and papers, extensive use of STATA and econometric analysis Research Interests: Public Policy, Labor, Monetary Policy My undergrad GPA is cringeworthy, I know. I had a serious injury my junior year that left me in a wheelchair and changed my priorities a bit. Theres a clear shift in my grades post-injury, so anyone looking at my transcript would easily notice the medical withdrawal, gap years, then mostly all As after. But Im worried that the cumulative GPA will be an automatic rejection in the first round of sorting/cutoffs at most schools. I'm applying for RA positions in the DMV area now, hoping to get some experience at the FRB or a think tank in the area to add to my application. I'm also taking math classes online through IU's CITL program, planning on having real analysis, differential equations, and a proof class or two done before applying. Maybe some statistics as well. Questions: 1) What type of schools should I target? 2) How irredeemable is the undergrad GPA? I've got some mitigating factors like the grades trending up post-injury, private sector work experience and professional license, and the graduate degrees but I'm not sure how much weight these carry. 3) Mostly, though: what can I do to improve my application? Is taking any extra math classes worth it? Or are grad econ classes more important?