[Profile Evaluation for Stat phd for 2024 Fall- any advice thank you]

Thank you so much for the advice! It was a great help thank you

[Profile Evaluation for Stat phd for 2024 Fall- any advice thank you]

Hi, I'm international student currently studying abroad and I would like to apply to Stat Phd this year. I would like any advices because I am new here, and I'm confused about my direction.

 

Type: International Asian

Undergrad

Degree: Statistics (Top 3 in my country)

Cumulative GPA: 3.83/4.3

Major GPA: 4.15/4.3

Courses Taken (Grade) : (Math/Stat Courses)

Real Analysis I (grad level : A+)

Numerical Analysis (grad level: A+)

Analysis I (A+)

Topology (A0)

Mathematical Statistics I and II (A0/A+)

Advanced Calculus (A+)

Linear Algebra I and II (A+)

Regression/Survival/Categorical/Bayesian Analysis, etc of roughly about 10~15 courses related to statistics all A+ except for one or two A0

 

Master

Degree: Master in Statistics (Top 10 in US) First Year

Cumulative GPA:  3.787/4.0

Courses Taken (Grade) : (All Math & Stat PhD courses)

Functional Analysis (B+)

Probability Thoery (A)

Grad-level Mathematical Statistics (A-/A)

Statistical Learning (A)

Applied Classes (all A)

(planning to take this semester)

- Convex Optimization in Math Department

- Measure Theory

- Theoretical Linear Models

 

the above lists are all Phd level courses except for applied courses.

 

Research Experience:

- one paper submitted and under revision: but it's more related to applied math than statistics => not to a famous journal though.

- doing research about variable selection with one of profs, but not predicting to turn it into paper before application cycle.

 

Letters:

Haven't decided yet.

 

Exam Scores

Toefl : 114 (30/30/27/27)

Gre general: 157/170/4.0

Gre subject Math: 85% (should I submit this? I didn't do that much good)

 

Schools: (All Stats PhD)

reaches: Texas A&M , NCSU, PSU, UW madison, UMN, etc about 10~20 rankings in US

targets: UFL, UIUC, OSU, ISU, MSU

 

 

1. Am I aiming too high for the application? Can you give me any advices of where I should apply to? My undergrad institution sends students to those reach schools + some top schools so admission comittee might know my undergrad institution probably.

 

2. Is B+ in Functional Analysis going to hurt my application? I did roughly about median in the class with other Math phd students, but my school has harsh grade on core math phd courses (but I should have tried harder though..) for qualifying exam exemption.

 

3. Any advices of how to boost my chances of application?

 

Thank you so much.