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Bayesian1701

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Everything posted by Bayesian1701

  1. Real Analysis for sure if you are going for a PhD or a top masters. Even you already have a semester or real analysis, real analysis would be better. You don't need a biology background for biostats, but you need a math background. If all you have are the basic prereqs (calculus, a stats course, linear algebra), you are going to be at a disadvantage to math majors with 10+ math courses. It is important to note that most Ph.D. applications will be due in December and January so you might not have fall grades, but even taking real analysis and having an in progress on your transcript will help you. For Masters applications you might have more time to include grades.
  2. Thanks for the advice. My main concern that is driving me to ignore my burnout is that I currently need leveling courses and I want to try to avoid taking them. I don't know how many of the students in my cohort will be coming in with a background less than mine. But I do know that I am coming in with less preparation than other students historically. Since I know that part of me feels like I need to work really hard this summer so that I won't be behind. The Ph.D. program I am entering is very much designed for students who already have a masters, since the majority of students do have one coming in. The first year coursework has a graduate level prerequisite I don't have. Since I don't have this class, I will be on a different schedule unless I can cover all of that material (a two-semester course) this summer. Part of me wants to just relax and prepare maybe 10-20 hours a week; then another part really doesn't want to start behind and do whatever it takes to attempt to cover a two-semester graduate course over the summer even though that's crazy. I have no idea how I got in. I am afraid that others in my cohort (and potential advisors as well) will think I don't deserve to be here because I can't handle the typical schedule and will be delaying qualifying exams. My choice is to recover from burnout and do the leveling courses (which will count as elective hours for my degree) or attempt to bypass the leveling courses through intensive self-studying.
  3. Without knowing more details (which I totally understand why you don't want to reveal), it sounds like your application is very strong. The main issue is how strong is your research compared to other applicants. There are a ton of different combinations of places to apply to. If you are clueless on where to apply, use the US news rankings to get some ideas in which universities have a Ph.D. program. I would go through the websites of any statistics program you would be interested in applying to. Ignore places that have dealbreakers (climate, location, etc.). I wanted a southern program with a direct flight home, preferably in a college town, and was only willing to sacrifice those things if everything else was perfect. I also wanted at least two Bayesian statistician, sand that was how I came up with my list. I found 15 programs that met my criteria and cut some to have a balanced list. I really think you gain a lot from building a preliminary list because then you know if programs have what you want. You could probably apply to anywhere you want and still have a reasonable chance, but I wouldn't stick to just top 10 programs.
  4. I’m starting a Ph.D. program in the fall after graduating in three years. I burned myself out by attempting to cram four years of college experience (coursework, research, activities) into three. I was a math major, and I will be doing more of what I love in a statistics program, but it is going to be difficult. I am going to a place where the vast majority of first years already have a masters, and I need a few different courses because I don’t have the graduate coursework that is typical for the program. On one hand, I know that I should prepare, but I know I need a break. I don’t have a lot of responsibilities this summer. I have some research to wrap up, and I want to pursue my hobbies. I will probably be expected to do things (cooking and cleaning) for my parents since I am living at home which will probably end up being a part-time job but that's another thread. How should I manage my Ph.D. preparation while giving myself the time to recover?
  5. cyberwulf is a biostat professor and this is what they posted about the math GRE. I would say submit. I would guess that the 82nd percentile on the test would translate to a least 82nd percentile (probably higher) if you focused on only statistics applicants. Looking back at past profiles for 2018, 2017, 2016, and 2015 that seems higher than most people. Of course, the profiles are an incomplete sample and very few people who took it posted their results so there isn't much data. @Radon-Nikodym Thanks, their website was down when I was writing the post so I couldn't verify if it had changed when I wrote it.
  6. It's hard to generalize because not every top program (Duke doesn't take scores) requires it, and a good score is best understood in context of your entire application. If you already have evidence of mathematical maturity in your transcripts (high grades in upper-level and graduate courses) and an overall great application your score is not as crucial as someone whose application is below average (at specific programs). But a near-perfect math GRE will not by itself guarantee admission to any program. Over the years there has been debate over this in the forum, and you can find the old threads by searching. I never took the Math GRE, since I was unwilling to take it just for Columbia (the only program on my list that recommended it). Stanford says that the average admitted score is in the 82nd percentile, so something close to that is probably a good score (or at least a score good enough to make you stand out). I think this is the only average that has been released by a program. Hypothetically If I had a score of over 82nd percentile, I definitely would send it because that would be higher than Stanford's average. But how low is to low to send is a tricky question. For Columbia, I probably would have set a cutoff for myself (had I taken it) of at least 60th percentile to send.
  7. I don’t think you should say you have a degree or major in something you didn’t get a degree or major in even if you basically have the background of a typical undergraduate in that field. For example, I am a math major but I have a background through coursework and research that is close to a statistics undergraduate degree at other univeristies. I did explain why I majored in math and why I don’t want to continue studying math in my SOP, but I didn’t say I had a major in stats because my transcripts doesn’t say that. You don’t want to say something someone may consider academic dishonesty because you don’t actually have a degree in Cognitive science. Saying you have some experience in the field is ok, but you don’t want to sound like you have more expertise than you actually do.
  8. Are you sure you need to retake the GRE? Your Verbal and Writing are great for STEM and while your Quant isn’t perfect it’s high enough to show mastery of the material. I am a fellow math major and I don’t think its a good idea to overload upper level math and CS classes. It may have worked for you so far but if you haven’t gotten into a lot of upper-level proof based math yet (real analysis, abstract algebra, complex analysis) those classes are insane time suckers that are best handled with easier classes. I probably spent 15 hours a week outside of class on Real Analysis II (a 3 credit semester long class). Take things a little slower, get more research experience, and build better relationships with your professor.
  9. I think I was asked about academic offenses along with criminal offenses on most if not all applications but most of the time the application had a space to explain it if neccesary. I would disclose it to be safe, but I don’t think it will hurt your chances.
  10. If you attend a Ph.D. program with no intention of continuing past an MS it will probably burn bridges. You might have trouble getting recommendations. Secondly, Stanford's Statistics Ph.D. program is arguably the best in the country. It is incredibly difficult to get in, even for the very best candidates in the world. To even be on the level of getting into Stanford you would ideally already have a manuscript or extensive research experience, a masters degree (a theoretical one) would be preferred, a near perfect GPA, a near perfect GRE general and high GRE math subject test, amazing rec letters, and chance. Go to the Mathematics and Statistics subforum and fill out a profile evaluation so we can judge your chances. The problem with leaving PhD programs is that you aren't going to be taking a lot of applied coursework in your first two years. It's not the same thing as a doing an applied MS. If you make it through the first two years you would have the statistical background to learn applied statistics but you would probably be better off doing a masters program and paying for it. If you are a domestic student there are some places where TA funding for masters students is available based on past grad cafe results(Virginia Tech, Missouri, Iowa State). There are a lot of one-year data science programs, while it will typically take two years in a Ph.D. program to get an MS. That extra year of work would probably make up for some of the costs of the master's degree.
  11. I am so bored too. I have a paper due and three easy finals and about 3 weeks to graduation. This summer I am not working and my plan is to DIY decor for my new apartment and relax. I am a little bit anxious about starting in the fall. I want to meet my cohort already (or at least know who is in it) and move to my new town. I want to see how in over my head I am. Most people at that program come in with a masters and I am going straight into a Ph.D. program after graduating undergrad in three years. I am totally afraid of failure.
  12. I am living alone next year as a first year PhD student. I have never done it so it will be an interesting experience. What I am looking forward to the most is getting to have the decor I want. My roommates have been very hit or miss with me either getting along great and becoming best friends for life, or the drug dealer roommate from hell, who gave out copies of our key to guys at bars. I will never live with a stranger again for the rest of my life, since I learned that even through google searches could not prevent you from having a crazy roommate in the honors dorm. If I find someone I like, I would consider a roommate in the future but since I can afford a one bedroom alone that's what I am doing. Don't risk your sanity if you don't have to.
  13. Nova GRE Math Course and Magoosh (note: referral link) . I have more advice on getting a high quant score here.
  14. I am a math major and for those of you, unfamiliar Abstract algebra and Analysis are probably the two hardest undergraduate math courses. A B in abstract algebra isn't that bad of a grade plus it is probably useless (or close to it) for economics. I made a B in Calculus III and a B in Numerical Analysis and still got into great stats PhD programs, and I know there is a difference between stat and econ but I don't think it matters that much. Plus each 3-hour course is worth 2.5% of your final GPA if you take 120 and less if you take more. I don't think adcomms are going to quibble over a few hundredths of a point in GPA.
  15. I am going to chime in here even though I am not as experienced as the three people who applied above. I would drop NYU and Maryland unless you have a special reason to since they are in joint departments and are small. I would apply to 8 to 10 places and maybe do like 1-2 top 10, 2-3 top 20, and 1-2 competitive and prestigious but not highly ranked (Yale, Columbia if you like NYC), and the rest being safer choices. I don’t have many suggestions since I mainly know the southern and Bayesian programs. Speaking from experience on applying too safe, it is possible to regret not applying to top 10 programs.
  16. I don't normally like to feed trolls, but I felt that this thread needed a woman statistician/mathematician. I am a little late here but I felt like I needed to say something about my sample size of one. I am a female math major. No one has ever told me explicitly that women can't do math. At my undergraduate institution, our department chair is a woman, and we have a large percentage (for math anyway) of female faculty. This does not mean that my experience was easy. It started in middle school, where on more than one occasion I got some weird looks when they announced I won competitions. The disproportionally small number of smart women in STEM in the media didn't help either. In college, when the professor announced what the high score was and it was mine some guys would always ask the other "smart guys" if they got the high score but no one ever thought to ask me. I have gone to office hours and felt like I wasn't viewed by the professor as smart as the guys who would go in before and after me and that I had to prove myself. I felt like I was fighting a constant uphill battle. I didn't consider applying for external PhD programs until I was pushed by some great mentors who saw me not as a woman, but as a great statistician. And in this December I read reports of sexual assaults among female graduate students and young faculty at conferences for my subfield. Yes, I did well in my cycle but I doubt it was *just* because I don't have a Y chromosome. I had to fight to get here, and I am sure your female undergraduate friend had to as well. I have had to endure people like you my entire life, and I probably will for the rest of my life. I would trade any advantage I got because of my gender (which probably wasn't much) in a heartbeat to not have to deal with the disadvantages. You are trivializing the success of others because they did better than you. Like everyone said you don't know that gender was the only reason you didn't do as well as a female applicant. You didn't see the rec letters for the both of you and you didn't apply to the same schools.
  17. I am debating getting a desk for home or spending more money on a nice chair (which is where I usually work). I have the room for a desk. I have never worked on a desk in my life (it's always been the place I put random stuff) and I will have a university provided one in my shared office. Is a home office essential?
  18. Yale if your goal is a PhD. Berkeley’s masters program is too applied. Yale isn't a bad program either. If you want Yale and I think your post reflects that, then chose Yale.
  19. UWM all the way. I am a Bayesian and I would make that decision if I was in your shoes. Duke is better for Bayesian but not $165k after interest better. Plus UWM is high enough ranked to probably help you get in a good PhD program in two years.
  20. If you are going to go the windows route I think Lenovo is one of the best brands. If you get their warranty with accidental damage they will cover literally ANYTHING like chargers, cracked screens, batteries. They also have a wide variety of options and lots of sales. I might switch to a Mac though when my current computer dies because windows can get annoying.
  21. Did you get something?
  22. All of my offers said sometime on 15th with times ranging from 5 pm to midnight.
  23. @superk60 I am going to assume that your undergraduate institution is a place where a 3.3 is not a bad GPA and math classes are rarely curved, and that your real analysis professor will be like: ”he can handle the math”. But if most people make As in real analysis/probability and you didn't that's going to look bad. That being said your list is probably to reach heavy. To consistently get into top programs (ie get into like 3+) you probably need some combination of luck, a great profile, and a wow factor that makes you unique. Yale and UT Austin may not be highly ranked, but they are both small and still good (Yale being a better program). Your list is mainly (but not completely) top universities (which can be harder to get into even if they aren't highly ranked) and top statistics programs at state schools which means on an as-is basis you might not do well. Safety schools are complicated (some of the lower tier programs are small and/or have funding issues) but you are probably lacking realistic options. I don't really have suggestions on what to drop and what to add because it depends on your preferences (location, program size, research, etc.) but probably fewer places like Yale and Michigan and more places like UConn. A good strategy in general might be (for domestic students) be: 1-4 places you don't think you will get into (group 1), 2-4 places where you expect to get into 25-50% of this group (group 2), and 1-4 places you expect to get into more than 50% of this group (group 3). How you structure your list will be based on how much risk you think you can tolerate. A lot of the programs you are interested are popular (Michigan, Ohio State) enough so that by reading old profiles you can get a vague estimate of what your chances are. But it's probably realistically going to be +/- 20% with the small amount of biased data available. But if you would be happy with applying to all those places and only getting into UConn and maybe one or two other programs, and a slight chance of striking out than go for that list. It's not that you are not a good applicant, its that there are a lot of good applicants.
  24. I reread your profile and if that was the semester you took some combination of: Advanced Calculus, Probability Theory, Mathematical Statistics, and other courses it is might be worth a mention because that really stands out as odd and is probably one of the weakest aspects of your profile. Write something up and have a few people look over it. I can look over your SOP when it is finished if you want.
  25. I also think you should call Michigan on Monday, and look at visiting Michigan (flights, maybe hotels?) this weekend but don't book anything. I would also wait to ask for an extension at UCI until you are sure you have a funded acceptance at Michigan. I think it might come off as you don't want to go to UCI but I think you do. You should probably tell Michigan (if you haven't already) that you have another offer and they want a response by April 15th so you need to know as soon as possible if they are going to accept you and if you are you want to possibly visit or skype with professors/grad students this week. I would be afraid that Michigan would fall through so I would hold onto that acceptance at UCI until April 15th.
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