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Your stream of consciousness has been immensely helpful! After thinking about this topic more this week, I realize another concern I have with directly applying to PhD programs is with my letters of rec. I expect one of my letters from a professor I did research with to be strong, but I get the sense that the other two (especially the letter from a work supervisor) may not be strong enough because the potential writers don't know me as well. Are there better ways than a master's to strengthen the LOR aspect of the PhD application?

Yep, GPA is definitely a big part of my hesitation. Thanks for the advice!

Do you have any suggestions on what range of MS programs I should apply to as "safeties" alongside PhD apps? Would Berkeley, UC Davis, or UCLA be reasonable options to shoot for with my MS applications? (Interested in these three because I have CA residency, but also open to going out of state.) Thanks for bearing with all of my questions!

Thanks for the responses! I'm definitely surprised to hear that I'd have a chance for PhD admissions. Regarding PhD admissions, do most applicants have a good sense of their research interests and more stats research experience when applying? Does it make sense to go into an MS program to clarify research interests and hopefully improve my profile, or would it not make a difference to the admissions committees?

Hi everyone! I am a few years out of college and considering applying to masters programs in statistics/biostatistics within the next few years. I am concerned about my inconsistent math record and my dearth of/low stat grades. For context, I have a general upwards trend in my GPA and my grades in Abstract Algebra and Math Stats were during one quarter where a close family member passed away. Will I be competitive for good stat/biostat masters programs? Should I take mathematical statistics, probability, or linear algebra online or at a local university to make up for my current record? Additionally, if I were to apply for a PhD program post MS, how would my undergrad record affect my application chances for good programs? Thanks! Undergrad Institution: MIT/Caltech/UChicago Major(s): Math/Econ GPA: 3.42 (Around 3.6 for major) Type of Student: Domestic Asian male GRE General Test: 168Q, 163V, 5.0AW Relevant Courses: Calc I-III (B-, B+, B-), Abstract Linear Algebra (B), Intro to Proofs (B-), Real Analysis I-III (B+, A, A), Measure Theory (B), Abstract Algebra I-II (C+, B+), Computational Linguistics (A), Mathemathical Statistics I (B-), Intro to Applied Stats (B+), Intro to Computer Science (A-, B, A), Econometrics (B+), Computability Theory/Formal Languages (A), A's in three econ with econometric components Programs Applying: MS in Statistics/Biostatistics, interested in applying to PhD programs in the future but want to gain more research and stat background Research Experience: RA for an econ research institute and for a business school professor Work Experience: Data analyst for tech/consulting firm Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Dean's List Letters of Recommendation: Two letters of rec from economics professors, one from work supervisor with econ PhD