ajw

Hi all, I have received fully funded (and relatively comparable in $$$) admission offers to the UNC Biostatistics PhD program, Colorado Biostatistics PhD program, and University of Michigan M.S. program. I'm having a tough time discerning differences between the programs and would appreciate comments on the strengths, weaknesses, and possible reasons to favor each program. I'm currently having a hard time deciding between the three, but I will choose to attend one of the listed programs. I don't necessarily have a particular research interest, but I think my end goal is to get an industry job focused more in data science. This might play into picking PhD vs. masters or vice versa, but I'm not sure. I'm definitely looking for a collaborative environment, a good place to live, and a school that has strong job placement outcomes (isn't that the goal of this anyway?). From what I know, UNC and Michigan are ranked 4 & 5 behind Harvard/Hopkins/Washington so they're definitely more well-regarded in the field. Colorado is most intriguing due to the location in the Denver area with mountains close-by and their laidback community. I've had a chance to visit both UNC and Colorado, but my campus visit to UM was cancelled due to the coronavirus. I appreciate any insight that can be given on the three programs to help me with my decision!