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mf161

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    2014 Fall

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  1. Well, I did make things unnecessarily difficult by spelling continuous as "cintinuous". A double integral is what it sounds like (integrating a function over two variables/dimensions, usually x and y). The Jacobian matrix uses partial derivatives to transform a function from one variable to another--I didn't go over this in great extent during MVC, but I was able to apply what I knew when studying Probability.
  2. Pay attention to the Jacobian matrix (useful for function transformations) and double integrals (useful for cintinuous probability functions).
  3. It seems like you and person A will never converge
  4. I'm particularly interested in the question about programming languages. Does anybody think this is a significant factor when choosing a department? I've noticed some departments primarily use R or SAS, which seems like it may have a non-trivial effect on immediate career opportunities (i.e. studying in a R-heavy department could lead to better academic-based opportunities, while an SAS-heavy department could lead to better private sector and government agency opportunities).
  5. I ventured a bit down that path (I took P1 and started studying for FM2), and I read much more information against graduate school than for it. I had no problem interviewing for entry level jobs (exams are the main consideration) without a degree in actuarial science, and my impression was that the exam process was potentially more indepth than grad school. Have you passed an exam yet? I imagine if you have a relative background (Actuarial Science, Finance, Applied Mathematics, etc.) you should be ready to take the exams and work.
  6. You could ask those departments to defer your acceptance until Fall 2015. Some graduate departments/schools do allow this strategy. What is your end goal for waiting another year? It seems like you have decent options right now; were you hoping for another program? It seems like you're willing to attend the programs that have already accepted you, so I'm not sure if you should try again.
  7. Whether a student took a course with a professor on-canpus or via distance learning may never even come up in the recommendation. Considering how many universities are now offering free online courses or online degrees, I hope professors and departments take the students' experiences as being equal.
  8. I think you should take a course on probability and maybe a course on linear algebra. You should be able to accomplish both in one semester or even over a summer, and I think both are a nice background to statistics courses (understanding the fundamentals of probability theory helps you think through statistical problems, and linear algebra will get you accustomed to working with matrices and related data). I discovered this cycle that you don't necessarily need a BS in statistics and relevant research experience to get into master's programs, but I think it might help to demonstrate that you have a legitimate and based interest in going in this direction, and a background that has exposed you to material that you will build off of in your future studies. For disclosure, I am an applicant this cycle.
  9. The aforementioned stipend is enough to live in Stony Brook (I previously lived there). CauchyProcess: If you end up moving to Stony Brook for school, then I think it would be wise to check out any potential housing situations before agreeing to a contract. I lived in an on-campus housing unit that was very poorly maintained, and I saw several off-campus units that were in awful shape (the apartments I saw were being rented by international students, so they may have been taken advantage of).
  10. Again, thank you both; your advice was both helpful and encouraging. If you don't mind assisting me again, I have two follow-up questions: What are your thoughts on the following three programs, and how do you think they compare for preparing for a career as a biostatistician: -University at Albany Biostatistics MS -University at Buffalo Biostatistics MA -Yale University Biostatistics MPH Although the sought degrees are different designations, I am not sure if there is a significant discernable difference in the rigor or breadth of the curricula. Thank you for your assistance! P.S. cyentist: I followed your advice and began to train with SAS; I am already, as a beginner, discovering extremely useful applications with the code!
  11. Thank you for your input cyberwulf; it's interesting to hear about the nuances of the application process from the receiving and deciding end. And thank you for the advice cyentist; I plan on taking a course on SAS in the spring and will notify departments of such in my personal statement. This has all been very helpful!
  12. Thank you for your input! Unfortunately, my undergraduate is a small, public liberal arts college that isn't very well known. Fortunately, I plan on applying to public universities in the same in-state program, so I think they should know of my undergraduate! Thank you again, I'm delighted to hear that I should go for it.
  13. Hi everybody! I'm interested in applying to a graduate program for a masters in biostatistics and wanted a few opinions on whether or not I am prepared. Below is my profile: Undergrad GPA: 3.8X Undergrad degree: BA, not in Statistics Relevant courses (grade in parentheses): 1. Differential Calculus (A) 2. Integral Calculus (A) 3. Multivariate Calculus (A-) 4. Differential Equations (A) 5. Linear Algebra (A) --I think this would fit the criteria for an introductory course 7. Introduction to Statistics (A-) 6. Probability Theory with Calculus (A) 7. Introduction to Applied Statistics (currently taking, I expect to get an A in the course; this is a graduate level course) GRE scores: 162 Q 5.0 Analytic Writing Noteworthy skills and other: -SQL (basic, but I am learning more every day) -Minitab (same as SQL) Thank you for your assistance!
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