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lrste

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lrste last won the day on July 31 2023

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  1. Won’t speak to your profile because I don’t know that much about admissions or anything, but I would recommend against applying to MIT Math if your main research interest is clinical trials. I don’t think there are many faculty doing statistics in a total sense. Certainly some applied probability happening there, but it would be very different from a typical statistics program I think.
  2. Hi all, I'm planning on applying to biostatistics PhDs for fall 2024, and I'm switching fields a bit. I actually previously posted on this forum a couple years back considering a statistics phd right out of undergrad, but things have changed a bit since then. I'm mostly trying to get a sense of the range of programs that I should be shooting for. I'm unsure of the competitiveness of my application, given that it seems a bit atypical (but not unheard of). Details below. Undergrad Institution: Top 3 US Major(s): Economics Minor(s): Math GPA: 4.9/5.0 GRE General Test: Q: 169 V: 166 W: 5.5 Programs Applying: PhD in Biostatistics, PhD in Statistics (if the stats department has biomedical research) Research/Work Experience: Some economics research in undergrad (both solo and with a professor), a summer spent in economic consulting, and a TA for econometrics for a couple semesters. Post undergrad, I've spent the last year (and will spend the next year) working for a major government-adjacent economics research department as a research assistant. Much of my research has been applying somewhat sophisticated time series and panel data methods to macroeconomic data, although some of it is focused on public health/health economics. I have considerable experience in data processing (especially in python and stata). Letters of Recommendation: 2 letters from former professors, one of which I did research under and TA'd econometrics for (very well known in econometrics and causal inference), one who supervised some solo research of mine (not known outside of economics, but very well known in economics). My last letter is from my boss at my current research job, who is a PhD economist who would be somewhat known in the economics world, but definitely not in the stats/metrics world. Regardless, I think this last letter will be very strong as he knows me very well. Other two should be pretty good as well. Math/Statistics Grades: Many of my math grades are just "pass", either because of COVID pass/fail grading or because of a general policy at my school having pass/fail grades for first semester classes. Undergrad level: Multivariate calculus (P), DiffEq (A), Probability & Random Variables (A), Linear Algebra (A) (This was a proof-heavy linear algebra class, mostly taken by math/physics majors, as opposed to CS), Fundamentals of Statistics (P), Real Analysis (A), Matrix Methods in Optimization and Machine Learning (A), Statistics Computation and Applications (A), Econometrics (P, but I TA'd for it twice), Causal inference with ML/AI (A), Grad level: Intro stochastic processes (P), Mathematical Statistics (P) (both of these seem to be at the master's level, as far as I can tell) I'm just trying to get a sense of what range of biostatistics programs I should be applying to. The two big question marks for me are my math grades (concerned what the "P" grades might mean for my application) and the fact that I'm switching fields. I realize that I'll need to explain that transition on my personal statement. My current research interests are high-dimensional statistics, 'omics, stat learning, and personalized medicine, but I'm really looking for departments that have a breadth of research because I'm far from settled on those topics. Thanks so much for any insight you can provide.
  3. Hi everyone! I have a few questions about Stats PhDs, but first, here's my profile: Student Type: DWM Applying for: Stats PhD Fall 2022 Undergrad: Top 5 Math/Economics Major: Double Major in Math & Economics GPA: 5.0/5.0 overall and in both majors Note: many of the classes listed below have "P" grades associated, which stands for "pass". In all cases but 1 (grad level math stat), this grading was required by the university, either as a typical first year grading scheme or for COVID, more on this below. Math: (no stats department, so many of these are stats courses in the math dept) Calc (single and multi): P, Diff EQ: A, Probability: A+, Proof-based Lin Alg: A, Theoretical Stats: P, Grad Stochastic Processes: P, Real Analysis: A, Grad Math Stat: P, Matrix Methods in Data Science (basically applied Lin alg for ML): A. Relevant Econ: Econometric Data Science: P, AI/ML for Causal Inference: A Research: Not a whole lot of experience here. I worked with my econometrics prof last summer on a COVID related project, but nothing deliverable ever came of it. Work Experience: I'll be working this summer at a well regarded Econ consulting firm. Teaching Experience: Two (so far) semesters as an econometrics TA. GRE: Taking in the early fall, starting to prep soon! I am planning to take the math subject test as well. Letters of Recommendation: Not entirely sure the best place to get these. One will definitely come from my econometrics prof, who is well known in metrics and has worked with me a lot at this point through research and TAing. I was thinking to get another from my stochastic processes prof, because he is also my academic advisor. As far as the third, it could come from a supervisor at my upcoming internship (likely an economics phd working in industry) or from my professor who taught both my undergrad theoretical stats and grad math stat classes. I performed okay in both of these classes (would have been an A in the undergrad class, B+ in grad class), but did not go to office hours often/connect with the professor. Other notes: As you can see, while my GPA is good, that doesn't show up in my transcript very much because so many of my math classes have just passing grades (no effect on GPA). I did well in these classes, but pass/fail was mandated by the university. Do you think this will negatively impact my application? General Questions: I've got a few general questions. First, would I even be ready to apply to a top 50 stats phd program with this profile? I'm not certain about my research interests, but they include causal inference and network structures. However, what I'm really interested in is teaching at a high level, so I want to apply to programs with good placement. Second, I only have one free slot in my schedule this coming fall for an extra class (everything else is taken up by Econ major requirements). Should I take graduate probability theory (a notoriously difficult class at my university that I may not be ready for) or another class (like a class on algorithms focusing on inference, or another math theory class like measure theory)? Finally, any advice on rec letters? Right now, I only feel that one of my rec letters is truly strong, but it feels like it is too late in the app cycle to get meaningful connections with profs at this point.
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