kash

I assume you want to get a job, and you don't want to proceed onto a PhD. Well the department seems great and the program allows for a lot of flexibility. I feel that 60000 is underestimated because for 45 credits the cost is going to be about 48000 so they are allocating only about 12000 for living expenses for the whole year if not longer.

I actually received an admit from Chicago as well, so now im really interested in this debate. Any students at either university want to weigh in. Also anyone on here going to either one of these schools. My ultimate goal is to obtain a PHd so which one program looks best?

Well there are plenty of great statistics programs that dont require the subject test, such as Harvard, Berkeley, Washington, and all biostats departmnets. You can also apply overseas to Oxford, and Toronto for example (both of which are great schools). The only great schools that require the subject test are Chicago and Stanford (Columbia is not considered a great school in the world of statistics). As to your question on how to get to know your professors better, well visit their office hours and talk about statistics, outside of your class assignments. Show them that you have a real interest in the subject, talk to them about journal articles you have read, ask intelligent questions after you have read them, and ask them for recommendations on articles to read. This can also help you figure out which field you are interested in, and what research in that field looks like. Try taking an independent study class if that is at all possible. In your personal statement it will be best to talk about areas in which you have experience in, rather than areas you only have a vague idea about.

Looks like your grades are good make sure you get an A in real analysis, and definitely an A in your Mathematical statistics classes, some more classes you can take could be a course on the theory of the linear model, multivariate analysis, time series analysis, graduate probability is good. Having a B+ in linear algebra might hurt a bit since you need to be really solid in that area. How much work did you actually do in your psychometric lab, because that will affect how good of a recommendation you will get. To get into Stanford you will have to get three really good recommendations, usually getting a recommendation from a professor you just had one class with doesn't get you a great recommendation, try working with other professors and get to know them. And you will have to take the GRE Math Subject test if you want to go to Stanford, looking at your coursework you probably do not have the background to get a score above the 90th percentile and it will probably require a lot of work and self study (which in my opinion is not worth it) to get above the 80th percentile without classes in topology, abstract algebra, complex analysis, differential equations, etc. Most schools do not require the subject test besides UChicago, Stanford, and Columbia. Im not sure you really want to spend your time studying for this test, since you dont really even have a compelling reason to attend Stanford, besides the ranking. What is your area of interest by the way.

I was actually thinking of asking this same question myself. i got an admit from Oxford for the same program, havent heard back from chicago yet but would be considering it if i got in. When did you hear from chicago?

well i have a different opinion on your situtation. It seems like you haven't taken enough statistics courses, that might make it a little difficult to explain why you want a doctorate in the subject. Which fields are you looking at? Applied theoritical and in what area. As to some of your programs, Toronto very rarely takes students who have not completed a masters degree, and they quite an extensive list of pre requisites and from the look of it they are asking for more statistics courses than you seem to have you might want to contact them about this. AS for oxford they usually also require a Masters before a Phd, and most of the department has a very applied focus. Only Stanford and Uchicago really require a Math subject GRE so i dont know if it is worth it to take. better to help out on a research project and try to get some great recommendations from some statisticians who can comment on your research skills. So in total you have a good math background you might need to shore it up with some statistics classes, and narrow down your research interests

I just had a question for Statsguy, how much can the GRE math subject test help. I mean if one is fairly confident he can score above the 90th percentile after a couple of months preparation, should they decide to spend their time on that? Or does the test not matter that much?

Maybe you can do a senior thesis that is related to mathematical finance, or in probability theory, stochastic modelling. The CS research does seem partly relevant from what you have told.

well i dont know what type of research you are trying to do in CS. But research towards proabability theory, stochastic modelling, or optimization will definitely be more helpful. If you are going for a FE Phd focus on math and statistics, even better if its math related to finance. One part i dont get is you want to work in the IB industry, in what capacity?

If you are doing a financial engineering Phd Math and Stat would be more important than CS. A look at the first year curriculum for Phd in FE usually shows courses in Probability and Mathematical statistics, stochastic modelling,etc. So focusing on that will be a lot more important than CS. Same goes for the GRE subject test.

Why do you find it odd, should it be ranked higher?

That is not how the rolling admissions at the statistics department works, i talked to them and they said there is no such thing as availbale number of seats, they simply take anyone who is qualified to join their program. I was also told specifically that it makes no difference whether you apply now or a day before the deadline its all the same to them. I dont know how the Masters in mathematical finance works, i am not applying there because i dont have all the pre-requisites such as a course in partial differential equations and i dont have any exposure to real analysis. Also my transcript from this semester will probably reach them after the deadline, MAy 31 fro MAFN, so i will be applying just to the statistics program.

You know u can apply to the mathematics of finance program and check the option to forward your application to the MA statistics program if you get rejected from the mathematical finance program.

I contacted Columbia and they do have rolling admissions for their MA in statistics program, and as for University of Chicago its looking like a bloodbath this year according to the results board, there are so many rejections, i checked the previous years and it wasnt that bad. Im wondering if this year was a special case. Anyone who got in can they post their stats

Yes there is a big difference between an MA and a PHd, the american statistical association has data on salaries of Phds and Masters graduates in the private industry. Also if you are talking about the financial industry some jobs will defintely be closed off for you since you only have a masters, and a masters in statistics not even masters in financial math. It is the same way in other industries such as biostatistics, you will hit a ceiling that is lower than the ones Phd holders have. I would strongly recommend contacting stanford and see what jobs their masters graduates earn after graduation, because from looking at top masters programs many people get into jobs which dont really have a really high salary and a 100,000 is a lot of money to pay back. Compare that to 0 in debt from Iowa.