wittywonka

Thanks for the feedback. At this time, I have no significant (pun intended) interest in developing new theories or proving new theorems. I would be much, much more interested in applying existing methods in novel, innovative ways.

I'm in the process of trying to figure out how "theoretical" or "applied" some of the top 20-25 statistics programs are, but I was hoping anyone with knowledge/experience in the field could help me narrow my general search? More specifically, I'm interested in programs generally considered more "applied" than "theoretical." I know that biostatistics programs will naturally tend to be more applied, but I'd still probably choose a more applied non-biostatistics statistics program over a more-theoretical biostatistics program... if that makes any sense. Thanks in advance for your input.

Unfortunately I have work commitments that would keep me from being able to study anywhere out-of-town...

Thanks for the feedback, all. I am willing to take a "make-up" class, so to speak, but I live in a smallish-city. It looks like, based on the research I've done, that the two four-year colleges/universities within driving distance of where I live don't offer any advanced-, or really even intermediate-, level math classes over the summer. I am considering taking a class in the fall, but I wouldn't have my grades back until after the application deadline at many PhD programs. Does anyone know if PhD programs would consider my application anyway, if I sent them my final grades ASAP after I finished the course in the fall? Or perhaps, any recommendations as to online classes I could do, instead?

Overall GPA is >3.8. I'd love to lie and get false reassurance, but the reality is that I took linear algebra in the fall of senior year. So, hardly an "upward trend." The only momentum I can show is experience and recommendations (and hopefully more publications) from my job, since graduating. Why did I do so poorly? I spent more time with my then-girlfriend than I did doing problem sets. Not blaming her--I'm certainly to blame for the decisions I made. But I'm just saying--it's not exactly a sympathy-winning explanation for an admissions committee.

I thought about trying to take the math subject test, but I don't have anywhere near the math background to do fair, let alone to do well. I just meant 95+% on the quantitative reasoning part of the regular GRE.

Hi, I'm new to these fora. Please forgive me if questions of this type have been answered elsewhere. I am interested in applying to (top-15) biostatistics graduate programs. I graduated in the spring of 2014, and ideally I would like to apply to programs this fall, with the intent to matriculate in the fall of 2016. I have a strong application in many ways--co-authorship as a statistician on an original, peer-reviewed article; 2 years' experience doing data analysis for other PI's; 3 years' experience using SAS; strong letters of recommendation; A's in other relevant upper-level coursework (Bayesian statistics, epidemiology, biostatistics...); etc.--but not in every way. Ultimately I just didn't so hot in the standard prerequisite mathematics sequence: AP credit for Calculus I, A in Calculus II, B+ in Calculus III (multivariable), and a whopping C+ in linear algebra. So my question is less "Is this a problem" than it is "So now what do I do about it?" Even if I crush the GRE (my current focus), my sense is that I need to do ore to overcome that C+ in linear algebra. Do I need to re-take the class? (Not possible to re-take at mu undergraduate institution, but I could look into taking it locally or online.) Do I need to take a different, higher-level "pure" math class? Do I need to pre-emptively offer to retake the class at the institutions to which I apply (i.e.,in the summer of 2016, as part of the "refresher" course/sequence that many universities encourage/offer)? Do I give up altogether and look into becoming a poet? Insight and suggestions are much appreciated. Thanks!