phddream

@bayessays You're probably right. I've enrolled in summer school for the two classes the Berkeley professor told me; I figure it'll be good prep for any program. Do you think that would help with my profile or not much? Thanks for your feedback, super appreciate this.

@Stat Assistant Professor I think my biggest doubt comes from not having submitted my general GRE. I know I can do well because I've gotten 99% on quant years ago (so old). My test date was cancelled due to COVID and I didn't get to take it before applications were due. Many programs waived it but I think it was still an important factor that could have helped me, I should have thought of this and figured out a way to take that darn test (regrets).

From my experience, STEM subjects requires a lot of time and drilling to grasp foundations and build on previous concepts. As someone who had to work three jobs to pay for college, my socioeconomic situation did not lend itself well to succeeding in STEM. I relied on pulling multiple consecutive all nighters to cram rather than spreading learning over time, which research shows is better for digesting information. As a woman who went on to work in industry, I've also experienced blatant discrimination, from superiors preferring to work with a male intern rather than me, a full time employee who owns the subject space with the feedback "they would rather hear this from a man" to a male manager telling me I should "be less direct so people will think you're more approachable." @stemstudent12345 experience with high school class resonated with me. I had wanted to take AP Physics my senior year, having already taken AP chem and bio, and my counselor me girls usually have a hard time in AP Physics and to keep my grades stellar, he moved me out of that class for TA period. I don't share this to complain, only to provide examples of additional external factors that created obstacles for me to do my job or succeed in my career, since we're talking about perspectives and broadening of minds. Generously, maybe none of these examples have anything to do with my gender. Maybe I am way too direct in communication in a business setting. Maybe the audience would rather hear the forecasting model that I build explained by a man. Maybe I would have failed at AP Physics and my counselors saved my GPA. That is how I have to reframe my thinking in order to do the work I care about and spend time and energy dwelling on this instead. I don't doubt that men have problems of their own but sure would be nice to not have these doubts hanging over my head.

Thanks for your helpful responses. I think part of my challenge is feeling like I didn't give applications my all this year (no GRE math score, missing course work that I probably should have before I start a PHD program anyways). I certainly am grateful for getting any offer and don't want to insult any programs by declining to reapply, but I also don't want any doubt going into a PHD.

Thanks for the encouragement, @trynagetby The program is lower than 25 (>25). And I haven't taken Real Analysis except to look up concepts for work. I've already enrolled in Cal summer school since the feedback, figuring it'll be good refresher before graduate program any ways. I got paranoid about the program because I saw most alumnus go on to DS work. I don't want to leave my DS job to work 5-6 years for a phd to be eligible for only more DS positions.

I am currently a senior DS at a FAANG company but my passion lies in academia. I have 2 publications, 3.5 GPA from large top 20 public school in Statistics, but my GRE general and subject test dates were cancelled last year due to COVID (I took them over 5 years ago and got 99% in GRE Quant, 85% in GRE Verbal, and 73% on math subject test). I applied to 12 top 30 ranked programs. Perhaps my concerns are premature but so far, I have only been admitted to one lower ranked program. The Berkeley faculty I interviewed with gave me the feedback that my coursework could be stronger (ie. Real Analysis and upper level Linear Algebra). In any other year, I would be grateful to get into any program, but I wonder if my lack of GRE scores and applicable coursework kept me out of top programs. As I want to be employable in the professorship job market after completing my phd program, I wonder if it would be worthwhile for me to reapply next round (taking the suggested courses, taking GREs, and I have a publication expected in the summer) instead of taking my one offer. Grateful for any thoughts and advice -- thanks! (and sorry if this is not supposed to be posted here ? )