ginagirl

One thing I'm trying to be better about is my car maintenance. I can do a lot of it on my own to avoid taking it to a shop but my car is falling apart so it's not always possible to do on my own. Knowing the basics like changing a flat, changing headlights/taillights, oil changes, windshield wipers, etc can save money. I also own a small tire pump that I can use to keep my tires at pressure without having to go to a gas station to do it. I guess house maintenance might also fall under this- unclogging sink drains, etc. Just learning to be handy can save money/time. Most other things I can think of are unnecessary anyway and I've cut out of my budget altogether. No gym membership (the great outdoors is my gym- also there are a ton of workout videos on youtube, sounds lame but if it works, it works), no mani/pedis, mom trims my hair when I'm home. I'm probably forgetting about other things. I've found that the simpler/cheaper I live, the more it feels like a treat to have someone do something for you. Going out to dinner, getting a real hair cut, getting a full service wash for my car..it's all silly stuff but being able to treat myself with "normal" things I believe has saved me a lot of money.

I think it probably depends where the issue is. Do you usually mess up copying down the problem? Or do you have trouble reading your own handwriting/are you not able to keep the problem neatly organized? If it's usually just a copying error you just have to try to remember to BE CAREFUL. Also, try to minimize the amount of times you need to restart the problem so you don't inadvertently rewrite it wrong. If it's a problem with your handwriting and or how you organize the problem, that just takes practice. I'm sure there are online resources with how to organize the scratch paper, but I was never very good at this. Also the neater your work is, the easier it would be to QUICKLY scan for any glaring errors (ie 5 x 2 = 20).

If there are other universities you think you might be interested in but they are out of state, you should look on their websites or ask if they have reciprocity agreements with Colorado, meaning as a Colorado resident you might still be able to get highly reduced out-of-state tuition or even in-state tuition in that state. I am an AZ resident currently and I was offered in-state tuition at CU-Denver as part of this agreement. I don't know much about it other than this, but I think it probably is most common in neighboring states. Of course this only lessens the financial burden and might not help the personal aspect you mention, but it could be something else to consider.

I personally would suggest focusing on the outside project, mainly because I think the experience of learning from "muddled" research is more worthwhile talking about than a successful independent research project (which you will still be including in your CV). I worked on a project for 2.5 years in undergrad on a study which I did not design completely on my own. It stinks but we barely had anything concrete to show for it at the end, even with the regular, hands-on contributions of two full-time faculty members. Obviously I didn't discuss it quite in that way in my SOP (ha) but I think being able to say that you learned something about the research process itself is more valuable to an admissions committee than that you learned about a specific phenomenon. Not many people can say they worked hands-on with a design and can appreciate the work it takes to make a truly successful study. I personally feel I learned more from my 2.5 year project than my summer-long independent project that had no hiccups but was not engaging/challenging/rewarding. Obviously this is all just my two cents, and possibly just a devil's advocate position. I would say as long as both are included in your CV you can't really go wrong, but I would suggest not trying to cover ALL the research you've done your SOP, just one or two specific studies. ** just as a sidenote, that long project was a rat study- I'm sure you can understand why it didn't always go according to plan

I'll be starting a masters biostats program in the fall and I'm wondering what sorts of things I should do to maximize my employability upon graduation. I am unsure if I want to continue for a PhD at this point. Obviously networking will be important. Aside from that, should I not focus on research/publications (aside from my thesis) and try to get consulting experience? What about TA? Volunteer work? How can I make sure I'm spending my time on the right things?

I think there's also something to be said about research fit- I would suggest if it's something you want to continue with, to look for programs with research focuses in biomedical imaging, etc, and work that in your favor. Figure out what it is that you can bring to the table with the experience that you have, and find programs that can appreciate that. I think that is what would give you the best chance. Also keep in mind most programs require or strongly recommend certain prior mathematical coursework (usually some amount of calculus and linear algebra).

Undergrad Institution: Top 50 Liberal Arts College Major(s): Neuroscience Minor(s): Psychology, Mathematics (through Calc III, Linear Algebra, Real Analysis) GPA: 3.61 Type of Student: DWF GRE General Test: Q: 162 (84%) V: 167 (97%) W: 4.5 (78%) Program Applying: Biostatistics (11 PhD, 5 Masters) Research Experience: 2.5 years undergraduate research project; summer independent research project; 2 years full-time stroke research; 4 posters/abstracts, 2 published contributions (NEJM, Stroke), 1 pending co-authorship Pertinent Activities or Jobs: TA for upper level neuroscience research seminar (2 years) & intro level neuroscience course (3 years); peer tutor for Calc I & intro level neuroscience course (3 years); full-time stroke research (2 years) Letters of Recommendation: 2 from neuroscience professors/research supervisors, 1 from current boss/PI, 1 alternate from summer research supervisor (all "outstanding", according to one admissions faculty from highly ranked program.) Insight into Outcome of Application Season: I think it was somewhat advantageous for me to have a different background than other applicants, while still having a decently strong mathematical background/interest. I don't think I spent enough time tailoring my applications to the programs and contacting programs/professors ahead of time, and I feel that hurt my application. I know that my LORs were what pulled me through in a lot of my applications, and having 3-4 unknown but enthusiastic writers to vouch for my dedication and intelligence was crucial. I am disappointed I wasn't more competitive for PhD programs but I understand it is difficult to admit non-stat/math applicants with how competitive the applicant pool is. Attending- Hopkins, ScM degree. Attended their PhD recruitment weekend, and made it to a very small waitlist just before the deadline. Was offered ScM while I was waitlisted after I mentioned that I was considering other Masters programs also. Ended up not getting off the waitlist (spots left were filled), so I took the ScM offer. Great program, even better research fit Results: PhD Downgraded to Masters acceptance (4 out of 11): Hopkins, UCLA, Minnesota, Emory Waitlisted, withdrew application before 4/15 (4 out of 11): Duke, UPitt, Boston, Vanderbilt Rejected (3 out of 11): UPenn, UNC, Brown Masters Accepted (5 out of 5): Duke, UColorado, UVermont, UMass Amherst, SUNY Buffalo

Am I supposed to have gotten at least a proposed description of loan amounts that I am eligible for BEFORE accepting an offer, or is it common to deal with this after? I submitted my FAFSA last month. I have gotten loan info from a few schools I have been accepted to, but not all.

Well that makes me feel like i made the wrong decision :X oh well haha

I took the same approach, because I wanted a hook, and also because it was true ("I haven't always like math"). Dunno if it worked or not but I felt it suited my writing style more than a bland opening, even if it is a bit corny. It also explained a bit about why my background was different (in a good way) from other applicants.

Does anyone know what the usual protocol is for enrolling in a PhD program after obtaining an MS at another school (for biostatistics)? Would I have to retake coursework? Take additional coursework? I'm sure it probably depends on the program but I'm just looking to get a general sense. Is this even a common thing to do?

Where it says "Line spacing", select "Double". You should also make sure that spacing after the paragraph is set to 0 pt.

If anyone is sitting on a Hopkins Biostats (PhD) acceptance and don't think you'll attend please let them know ASAP. I hate saying that because I would NEVER want to pressure anyone into declining an offer, but I want it so bad and I know I'm close :/

Thanks cyberwulf, your take on this makes sense as well. I did leave out that I have a slightly different background from most other biostats applicants in that I come from a non-math degree and have been doing research in that field for 2 years since graduating. As this is the area that currently and historically excites me the most, I do hope to continue to contribute to that area as I move into biostatistics. However, I have been keeping in mind that I might be happy doing other sorts of research as well!

Thanks for your response, that's really helpful!

I am struggling a lot right now with how to narrow down my current biostats MS choices. Right now I am considering UCLA, Minnesota, Duke, and Emory. I have been leaning towards Minnesota as I feel it would be the strongest program overall, but I keep getting hung up on how my research interests might fit with the programs. My main interests are neuroimaging, psychology, and neuroscience. Minnesota and UCLA have a few faculty each that do some work in these areas, but Duke and Emory have a few more (though it seems debatable how big of an impact each of those additional faculty members are making on the field). Emory also has a Center for Biomedical Imaging Statistics, which is pretty cool. My issue is not only are Duke and Emory lower ranked, they're more expensive to attend than both Minnesota and UCLA. I guess my main question is I'm not sure which should be most important- cost, research fit, or ranking. I want to go to a good school, but I also want to be excited about my research and not panicking over how much debt I might have. Does research fit not even matter as a masters student? Also, am I placing too much value on the rankings? I do hope to continue on for my PhD after, and I'm unsure if I should be thinking about that as well in terms of being able to set myself up to stay at the same program or if I should be open to reapplying. I know this is sort of long but I'm really stumped and sort of stuck in my head with this whole thing. I don't want to make the wrong decision. Any advice would be appreciated.

Nope- I emailed the dept to ask about my status and haven't heard anything yet

I'm wondering how to be able to tell who within the field (biostats) are the well-known, well-respected ones. I know people say it's important who your advisor is (sometimes more important than what program it is), and I'm curious how people figure out who is "good" and who is not.

I am starting to feel that way. It's so stressful to have to make such a big decision with so many factors involved, and I worry about making the wrong choice. I guess what I've been telling myself is that I will try to make a completely informed decision, and then just commit myself fully to that program and do everything I can to make that experience a good one!

What about over spring break? I find it hard to believe they can take a whole week off from this process but also wouldn't expect anything during that time...thoughts?

No, the PhD in biostats is brand new: https://today.duke.edu/2013/12/trustees12-13-final .

I applied for both, but this was an acceptance for the Masters. (I applied late for the PhD since I didn't know there was one until much later). There wasn't an interview, and there is an "accepted students" visit on the 21st. I don't know what that might mean for your application.

I got an acceptance from them last week via phone