CH1128

@Stat PhD Now Postdoc @bayessays @gc2012 Thank you all again for your input. My goal is definitely to attain a tenure track position, but I am realistic with myself about the low probability of that occurring. I also think the industry positions available to a Biostatistician sound very interesting and fulfilling, so it wouldn't be the end of the world for me if I miss out on a tenure track position. I am really mostly concerned about quality of education, faculty, and students. I want to make sure I learn as much as I possibly can, and I think being surrounded by talented and hardworking people will push me in ways that being at a weaker department might not. My undergrad school's departments seemed content with being unmotivated and under-achieving on the whole (not to throw them under the bus, but that was the impression I got during my time there). I would like to avoid that as much as possible for grad school.

@bayessays @Stat PhD Now Postdoc @Biostat_Assistant_Prof Thank you all for the advice and reassurance. Given that the list of ranked Biostatistics programs is so short (about 35 ranked by US News last I checked), I was worried that there would be a marked drop off in department quality at what in another field would constitute a relatively high ranking (possibly around #20). I'm very glad to hear that this isn't the case.

Do you have any advice as to what I can do to improve my profile in that case? I just feel a bit uneasy with resigning myself to having a weak application. I may have 1-2 papers under review by the time I apply. Would that be enough to make a significant difference in my application?

@Biostat_Assistant_Prof @cyberwulf @omicrontrabb Thank you everyone for the dose of realism. I appreciate your input. Given that my background is a bit weak, would it be beneficial for me to take the time to do an MS in Biostatistics before applying? I have no student debt at the moment so my monetary situation is fine. It would just delay my timeline a bit. If that would be beneficial for me to do, what MS programs are realistic for me to get into that would boost my PhD prospects the most? Thank you all again for your help.

Thank you for your reply. I will make sure to address my undergraduate grades in my personal statement. My GRE scores at the moment are 163V (93rd percentile), 165Q (88th percentile), 5.0W (92nd percentile). I will probably be retaking the GRE before I apply to graduate school in order to aim for 95+ percentile in both Verbal and Quantitative. Given my stats, do you have any recommendations as to what Biostatistics PhDs are realistic for me to target? Or would I need to do a second masters in Biostatistics at a reputable university before I can even being to consider applying for PhD programs?

Hey guys! I am currently a masters student in Applied Statistics and will be applying to Biostatistics PhD programs for Fall 2020 admission. I was wondering if you could help me choose a range of school rankings to target. I would hopefully like to apply to programs in 5-20 range, but I am not sure if that is completely unrealistic. Is a school like UNC at all reasonable, or is that way outside of where I should target? Thank you in advance for your help! EDIT: I would also like to add that I have been self-teaching a significant amount of upper-level math since my undergrad days. Would it be worth it to take and do well on the GRE Mathematics Subject Test when applying to Biostatistics PhDs? Undergrad Institution: ~70th ranked US university GPA: 3.32 (3.58 in-major) Majors: Math/Computer Science Relevant courses: CS I (A-), CS II (A), Discrete Structures (A), Programming for Math & Science (A), Data Structures (A), Data Mining (A), Database Systems (A), Machine Learning (A-), Theory of Computation (A-), Computer Algorithms (B+), Calc I (A), Calc II (A), Calc III (B-), Calc IV (A-), Discrete Math (B+), Linear Algebra (B), Differential Geometry (B-) Graduate Institution: Business school within undergrad institution GPA: ~3.8 Degree: MS in Applied Statistics Relevant courses: Statistical Theory I (A), Statistical Theory II (A), Applied Regression Analysis (A), Hierarchical Linear Models (A), Statistical Methods & Computation (A), Real Analysis (B+/A-), Numerical Analysis (B+/A-), Bayesian Analysis (A), Observational Studies (A) Type of Student: Domestic White Male Programs Applying: PhD in Statistics Research Experience:  My Bayesian Analysis course is an independent study course that will hopefully result in me publishing a biostatistics paper. I worked as a student researcher in a biometrics lab for 2 years and presented research at my university's undergraduate research symposium. I worked as a research intern at a machine learning-based finance start up for a year I am currently interning at a marketing science firm with significant statistical projects Letters of Recommendation: Probably one great letter of recommendation from the professor I am doing the independent study course with. Most likely two more okay ones from the head of the Applied Statistics program at my university and another professor.

Hey guys, I'm considering doing a research-oriented masters degree that would give me the opportunity to transition to a PhD if I end up liking it a lot. My interests are mostly in Developmental & International Economics. Here is my profile: Bachelor's: Math & Computer Science at Fordham University (Overall GPA: 3.492, In-Major GPA: 3.641) GRE: Q - 165, V - 163, AW - 5.0 Research: Worked at a research lab on campus analyzing biometric data using neural networks. Also programmed a High Frequency Trading algorithm. Also worked with an Economics research group at NYU. No publications, but I have presented at my school's research symposium If you could recommend any masters programs that would be a good fit for me, that would be great! Thanks in advance!