agent229

Helpful post for the future generations ;-) I do have to nitpick a tiny bit though... the math GRE is not required at Chicago. A lot of people think it is, and it is probably preferred, but not required technically.

Hi, I'll be starting my PhD in ML/Stats next year. I'm currently tearing my hair out looking for housing, ha! Moving with my SO and looking for a place with a bit more space. Probably can't visit again to find a place, too expensive and probably couldn't make it until too late anyway, so relying on the internet...

I'll see you two at CMU as well :-)

One just thinks the small college town would be a better overall experience, the other mentioned that he thinks it's "overall a stronger and more interesting institution". However... that person is actually not in statistics, so maybe that advice is not really helpful. Thanks! This is helpful!

I'm going to piggyback here... I am really struggling to choose between CMU and Cornell... any thoughts? CMU seems better "on paper" but multiple advisors have told me Cornell may be a better choice overall. I really liked both departments when I visited.

This is a good point. I haven't decided yet, but in my visits I noticed every school boasted this, but only a couple showed real evidence of structure to support interdisciplinary work. As to the original list, I think it's great... what's been hard for me is that evaluating on a bunch of different factors has not helped me reach a decision! A list like yours helped me to narrow it down but I am still stuck between two schools, which are unfortunately pretty similar in strengths and geographic region. Some advice I read elsewhere on here is to imagine yourself actually choosing a school, think through all of the scenarios of living there etc, and then do that with each school and hopefully realize there is one you would rather go to.

Jesus, 21 programs? Wow... my advisor said he wouldn't write me a letter if I did any more than 12 ;-)

Waitlisted for Chicago too, but withdrew my app. Hope someone who really wants it gets a spot!

I really like New York and Company's dress pants. Their shirts suck for some reason but the pants seem good. I'm on a visit where the high is 0 degrees, so I kind of threw fashion out a bit, but am trying. I am going to wear some mid-calf Keen boots that are waterproof but look nice, some thick leggings.... and then either a sweater dress type thing with some shirt layers under, or a pencil skirt over the leggings with a different sweater. Hopefully it works!

Ooh interesting idea wine in coffee cups... For me the results were most interesting for getting an idea of the timeline (when I would hear from different schools). I might play around with it later this week and see how consistent the schools are across the years. I think it would be helpful to see the overall pattern though... some schools seem to do it all at once, some spread it out, etc.

Also could be bias in who chooses to put their details and who doesn't. It seems it'd be hard to make any statements about the "average GPA" or anything like that since so many are missing.

I was pretty sure Berkeley was not going to accept me, but it still stung a little to get the email to check the website... which I also just got... oh well!

Undergrad Institution: Large state school, not particularly highly ranked Major(s): Mathematics (focus on pure math) Minor(s): Computer science GPA: 3.9 Type of Student: American Female GRE General Test: Q: 168 (96%) V: 168 (98%) W: 5.5 (97%) GRE Subject Test in Mathematics: N/A Programs Applying: Statistics PhD Research Experience: REU at a very interdisciplinary place where I did a machine learning project, leading to presentation at undergrad math conference Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Tutored while in undergrad, taught high school math/programming after graduating from undergrad Letters of Recommendation: One math professor, one CS professor who is probably fairly well known, and my REU advisor Applying to Where: Carnegie Mellon - Statistics and Joint Program in Machine Learning / Admitted (to both programs) UW Madison - Statistics (with Biostat concentration, after professor contacted me about a fellowship) / Admitted Colorado State - Statistics / Admitted Purdue - Statistics / Admitted Cornell - Statistics / Admitted U Michigan Ann Arbor - Statistics / Waitlisted (notified by email on 2/20) Berkeley - Statistics / Pending on 2/20 U Chicago - Statistics / Pending on 2/20 University of Washington - Statistics / Rejected Harvard - Statistics / Rejected

I got a reject from Harvard in the mail on Friday, which was expected. After getting other offers, I don't really care either. I haven't heard from Michigan.

What about attire? I'm from a warm, dry place where I am currently wearing a t-shirt outside ;-) I want to dress nicely but also feel like it will be really cold there. I'm also female which I feel like complicates the whole thing, since I'm not typically a very fashion-oriented person...

Thanks! So... I know this isn't CMU specific, but what are you guys expecting at the visit? I am thinking it's mainly to introduce people, show us their current research areas, and convince us to go there (along with hopefully have a little fun)... what do you think? For instance, do I need to read up on professors beforehand (more than I did when I was applying)?

Yep, I am going on the 7th.

Hi! I am attending the open house on the 7th. (I got into both the stat program and the joint machine learning program, but can't attend the machine learning program open house.)

Thank you! I agree, either would be awesome. My hardest task now is convincing my partner that he wouldn't absolutely hate living in Pittsburgh..... I actually can't visit the ML program specifically so I am just going to the visit for the regular stat and will meet a few of the crossover professors there.

Woo, just got confirmation of funding from Cornell, and found it I got in to the joint machine learning program at CMU!

If you're 100% sure you won't go there, why did you even apply? (Unless you just didn't get funding) I am visiting all that want to fly me out! I genuinely think it will help with my decision and I feel no guilt.

Makes sense. I looked at flights and if I do a red eye on the way home I can make it for their offered budget

Thanks all! I will look into flights but I would be surprised if costs were not covered by their offer.

Oh... What did yours say? I know they don't offer many spots. If I know I'm going elsewhere I will let them know as soon as I can! Good luck

It's a visit weekend type thing. I suppose I should do it. It's still more than a month in the future though, so maybe I will wait to make plans and hope to hear more definitive news from them first...