Hi guys, I am a bio major student who got accepted at Waterloo and UofT for MS in biostatistics. I can't decided between the two programs and I am seeking some advice. I want to apply for PhD programs after graduate and go to pharm companies as a biostatistician later ideally.
Waterloo Biostat MS
Pros:
- Offer TAship to cover the tuition and part of the living expenses
- Under math faculty and the courses are harder (theoretical), which I thought it would be great for me to build a solid math foundation and for going to PhD
- Students need to work with a supervisor for the research project in the last semester (4 months)
Cons:
- They have Co-op positions but its not guaranteed while I don't have much experience
- Again the courses are hard and I'm concerned that if I can't keep up then I'm screwed (I took cal1-3, lin alg1, math stat, reg analysis, taking time series, and plan to take lin alg2)
UofT Biostat MS
Pros:
- They have a practicum course which allows students to work in hospitals/research institutes every week, so more practical experiences
- Under public health department, the courses are more applied and I might like it and perform better (maybe)
- There is a thesis option (12 month) after the first year of courses
Cons:
- No guaranteed financial aids, I can try to look for TA positions though
- Not sure how competitive is for transferring to thesis option and Phd program?
Thank you so much in advance for your valuable input!