leviathan23

Undergrad Institution: Reed College Major(s): Math w/ Concentration in Statistics GPA: 3.79 Type of Student: Domestic White Male GRE General Test: Q: 167 (89%) V: 166 (97%) W: 5.5 (98%) GRE Subject Test in Mathematics: Not taken (wasn't available anywhere) Programs Applying: Statistics, Biostatistics Research Experience: Senior thesis on statistics topic, not much else Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Dean's Commendation all years, Phi Beta Kappa Pertinent Activities or Jobs: 2+ years experience as a math tutor, grader for stats class Letters of Recommendation: One letter from my thesis advisor (an assistant stat professor), one from a professor I took multiple statistics courses, and one from a math professor who I took Real Analysis/Abstract Algebra from. I think all were at least good, and my thesis advisor's letter was likely very positive. Math Grades: Calculus (A-), Intro to Analysis (A), Linear Algebra (B+), Vector Calculus (B), Discrete Math (A), Combinatorics (A), Abstract Algebra (A), Real Analysis (A), Intro to Stat (A), Data Science (B+), Statistical Learning (A), Algorithms and Data Structures (A-), Probability (A), Mathematical Statistics (A) Stats PhD Programs: U of Washington Statistics - Rejected U of Wisconsin Statistics- Rejected Iowa State Statistics - Accepted (20k TA per academic year + 15k total in extra fellowship over 4 years) , attending U of Minnesota Statistics - Waitlisted (only found out after emailing) Yale Statistics - Didn't hear back UIUC Statistics - Rejected, Accepted into Masters, declined Ohio State Statistics - Didn't hear back Colorado State Statistics - Rejected Michigan State Statistics - Didn't hear back Oregon State Statistics - Accepted, declining Biostats PhD Programs: UW Biostats - Rejected Brown Biostats - Didn't hear back U of Rochester Biostats: Accepted (25k TA/RA for 9 months), declined Stats MS Programs: UBC Statistics - Didn't hear back Parting thoughts: I'm glad with the outcome overall. Part of me wishes I had applied to more schools in the 10-30 range for statistics (like UC Davis or NCSU), but I'm very happy with how it played out. I'm definitely glad I applied to as many places as I did, since things are getting more competitive and there are so many factors out of applicants' control which determines whether a department accepts them. Hopefully my results are helpful to others. Also, I'm pretty surprised how many schools just ghost applying students; any communication whatsoever would be better than the radio silence, I personally think it sets a not-very-friendly precedent.

Thanks again for the advice, I will definitely look into applying to the UW Biostatistics program as well, along with other statistics graduate programs. Now that I think about it more I would probably rather be in a statistics program, even if it was a master's, than an applied math program.

Undergrad Institution - Reed College Major - Math w/ Concentration in Statistics, graduating Spring of 2021 GPA - 3.7 GRE - I'm taking the General Test in August, and the Math subject test in October. From practice tests, I expect to get high scores on at least the general exam. Math Courses Taken - Calculus I (A-), Discrete Math (A), Intro to Analysis (A), Linear Algebra (B+), Vector Calculus (B), Intro to Probability and Statistics (A), Combinatorics (A), Data Science (B+), Algorithms and Data Structures (A-), Abstract Algebra (A). I will be taking Statistical Learning, Real Analysis, Probability and Mathematical Statistics classes in my senior year. Other Relevant Courses - General Physics 1 (A), General Physics 2 (B+), Intro to Comp Sci (B+), Logic (A) Type of Student - Domestic White Male Research Experience - In my senior year at Reed I will write a Math/Stats thesis. Work Experience - Math tutor for High School math, Grader for Intro to Statistics. Letters of Recommendation - 2 letters from Statistics professors at Reed, one being my thesis advisor. I will have taken multiple classes from both and graded for one of them. The final letter will be from another math professor I have taken a class with. Concerns - I'm worried mainly because of my lack of research experience and the math classes I got B's in. The program I want to get in most is either the University of Washington PhD program in Statistics or the University of Washington PhD program in Applied Math. Would these programs be a reach in my case? Other places I'm considering are Ohio State and University of Wisconsin for statistics PhD programs. I also may apply for the UW Statistics master's program if I find I'm unable to get into the PhD program there. The main question I'm also considering is whether or not I should wait a year to apply to grad school, to have a chance to pull my GPA up some, get more research experience, and maybe find a better 3rd letter of rec writer. Thanks for any feedback!