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Thanks again! That was very, very helpful. I'll think about dropping the stats schools because I'm definitely more interested in biostats and you mentioned that my chances are low anyway. I'll keep the top 4 because I think I'd regret it if I don't even give it shot, and hopefully somewhere from the rest of list will take me Also, thanks for your comment on Michigan - I'll take a closer look at their faculty and make a decision. Thanks. Good luck with your research. If anyone wants to give more advice, please jump in!

Thanks again. This is very helpful because it's hard to casually chat with people these days. My advisors are the only people I talked with about my list, and they just gave generic comments like "this looks like a good list" and I'm not sure what to infer from that. Anyhow, I've added those top biostat programs because this is my only chance ever to take a shot, and so, why not? As you can see, I'm applying to 10 more biostat programs apart from the top 4. Given that I'm more interested in biostat programs than stat programs do you think I should more to my current biostat list, "University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, Columbia, UCLA, UPenn, Yale, Emory, Duke, Vanderbilt, BU"? Again, thanks a lot!

Thanks again everyone! So is the consensus that I should apply to more programs? Am I aiming too high? I know my math background is on the shallower side (because I started late), but I was hoping that I can demonstrate that I have the quantitative skills and can learn fast by mentioning my Linear Algebra and Real Analysis grades, along with my quant score. My stat class grades are good too. Is there really no way that an international student without a math/stat undergrad degree can signal that "I'll be able to follow and more"? Thanks a lot! This is very helpful. To add, three of my letter writers are biostat faculty at my masters institution, and I have been working on research projects with them, making fair progress.

Thanks for your response. I don't really care about the prestige, and just want to continue doing research in biostatistics. Considering this, are there other solid programs I am missing? I do want to make sure I get into somewhere I apply. I understand that my chances for the stats programs are low, but there are family-related/geographical issues that I'm applying to these schools. Thanks again.

Hey guys! I I got my M.S. in Biostatistics this May, and before that I worked slightly over 2 years in the pharmaceutical industry. I am a licensed pharmacist in one of the East Asian countries. Given my background, I am wondering if you can give me a rough idea of what range of schools I should be aiming for, or, if I have a chance at all. Thank you! Undergraduate Institution: Rank around top 50 University in QS Asian University Ranking Major: Pharmacy GPA: 3.90/4.3 Graduate Institution: Rank around top 10 University in QS Asian University Ranking Degree: MS in Pharmacy GPA: 4.09/4.3 Graduate Institution: One of the Yale, UPenn, Columbia and UNC Degree: MS in Biostatistics GPA: 4.13/4.3 GRE General Test: 170Q/155V/3.0W Type of Student: International Asian female Math classes: Calc (A), Real Analysis I (A+), Linear Algebra (A+) Stat classes: Probability (A+), Intro to Biostatistics I (A+), Biostatistical Methods II (A), Statistical Inference (A+), Analysis of Longitudinal data (A+), Survival Analysis (A) Misc classes: Epidemiology (A-), Statistical computing (P), SAS (A+), R(A-) Research Experience: 1. Working in progress focusing on causal inference 2. Working in progress focusing on applied longitudinal analysis 3. Three published papers in biology (during master’s program in pharmacy) Work Experience: worked in one of the leading pharmaceutical companies (not as a statistician) Letters: Three professors in biostatistics and one professor in epidemiology who I am working with right now. Two of three professors in biostatistics are junior professors and the other one is senior. Schools: Biostatistics PhD: Harvard, Johns Hopkins, UW, UNC, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, Columbia, UCLA, UPenn, Yale, Emory, Duke, Vanderbilt, BU Statistics PhD: UConn, Texas A&M