sidneysamson

I'm thinking about using one of those online companies especially if nobody here volunteers to do so. Is that a bad idea? I have no choice at this point. Otherwise, I'd appreciate feedback. I'll PM you if interested.

This will determine how much time I spend writing these statements. Else I'm done.

Hi, I have an app due Dec. 1 for UW Madison and I may appreciate it if someone were to give me feedback on my S.O.P. Any takers? I'll private message you what I have so far and you can tell me what you think. Thanks!

Is there any reason to go for a masters instead of a ph.d if funding is a concern? I would rather not pay for a full year or two of tuition out of pocket so I was applying to Ph.D. programs instead. I figure I could leave early with my masters if I don't want to continue. Is this frowned upon? Also are there masters programs that provide funding? I'm looking at some Canadian universities as well because I heard those had funding for their masters programs. Can someone confirm this?

Wow, thanks! I'm new to this so I appreciate the feedback . If that's the case then, I'm going to start writing my apps for Berkeley, UWashington, and UToronto's graduate programs today. Got rec letters already.

So I just took this GRE yesterday. Didn't have any time to study at all since I've been swamped with work (currently working full-time). Ended up getting a 161-V and a 169-Q (I don't know what I missed in quant...). I don't have much experience with this so I want to get your thoughts on whether those are good scores or not. I'm applying to statistics ph.d. programs this year. Also I'm pretty sure I tanked writing but I'm not sure that will matter. I was half-asleep writing the essays...lol. Should I retake? I think I could ace this if I had time to study, but I don't think grad programs care that much. Or should I keep these scores and apply to programs now? Thanks!

Are there any reputable programs that would still accept an application now? I'm also trying to find places that would accept people for spring 2013 as well. Thanks!

On a side note, wasn't Erdos homeless all his life? I just heard he was a transient who only traveled with one bag while doing math for people where he was staying.

The following is all stuff my stat professors have told me, not my personal thoughts. For Berkeley and Stanford's programs at least, they require some real analysis background. I know this because people at both schools were telling me. However I guess you could take a crash course the summer before entry and be okay. I should mention too that their programs are also very theoretical so they wouldn't be good fits for you if you're into applied stuff. For master's, it won't destroy your chances of getting in without that background but it would help tremendously if you did. On the other hand, analysis is a must-have for good Ph.D. programs. It's mandatory and you'd be pressed to find a good program that doesn't force its graduate students to take some analysis or have some under their belts already. And yeah second what coffee said...linear algebra is crucial. Also some (at least) Canadian universities do provide funding for master's programs. However, getting into those master's programs is comparable in difficulty to getting into a ph.D. program in the US. Now personal thought: Don't bother with abstract algebra unless you find that stuff interesting. Otherwise, it will be a waste of your time.

Yeah, I'm focusing on RA experience at this point. I'm assuming that's what a lot of people do during a gap year. I might go work instead because I'm interested in actuarial stuff on the side, but I still want to pursue stat more down the road. However, it seems to me that stat is a field where the more time you take off, the rustier you get. How do people manage to stay sharp after a five year (just an example) break? Sudoku XD?

You have very good points. However, I know it's not going to wreck my life, DUH! It's not getting a C that I care about (trust me I've gotten a ton of Bs) but getting a C in one of the classes stat programs look at crucially. I think that's a genuine concern for someone who is serious about pursuing future study in statistics, not the worry of a perfectionist. Also it doesn't help when I see and hear of people with all As getting rejected by every graduate program to which they apply. My main question was regarding working as an RA though. It looks like almost every university only allows current students to RA.

Okay, anyone?

sorry to bring up an ages old thread again. do my grades hurt or help my application though? It would suck if they kept me from top 5 schools. Real analysis is of TREMENDOUS important to stat phd programs and that is the class I messed up badly. Then again I got an A in graduate analysis so I don't know if that makes up for doing badly in the UG version. Thinking about RAing for a year. How does that sound?

Current senior at HYP (Harvard, Yale, or Princeton). GPA: 3.50/4.00 Major GPA: 3.63/4.00 Math and stat courses taken: Freshman year, I took the honors sequence: Honors linear algebra and real analysis I: B+ Honors linear algebra and real analysis II (it's an integrated course): C+ I really don't know how I did so badly in that class. Sophomore year: Functional analysis and optimization theory: A Non-Euclidean geometry: A- Probability theory: A Graph theory and Combinatorics: A Differential Equations: A- Junior year: Probability theory (graduate course): B+ Abstract Algebra I: A- Complex Analysis: A- Stochastic Processes: A- Algebraic Combinatorics (junior tutorial): B+ Senior year: Graduate Real Analysis: A Statistical Inference: Currently taking. Introduction to computer science and programming: Currently taking. Writing an Honors thesis on a way to estimate Markov chain mixing times using the logarithmic sobolev inequalities. I have TAed functional analysis, participated in an REU on graph theory my freshman summer, and this summer I will be doing statistical research in Hong Kong through the UCLA-RIPS program. I can get very good recommendation letters from two or three professors. In summary, even though I'm majoring in math, I have a heavy leaning toward statistics. I have liked all my statistics classes a lot more than my math classes. What are my chances of getting into a good stat ph.D program? I'm currently looking at UToronto, UBC, Stanford, Cambridge, Oxford, Harvard, UCSB, and University of Auckland. I'm going to apply next year (as you can see I have a leaning toward statistics). Are my grades good enough to bother try? How badly will my C+ affect me? I'm really ****ed off about that grade because it brings down my GPA too and it's an important class, I think. Should I retake it? Or couldn't I do that during graduate school. Also does the program's name brand have an effect in any way? In other wards, will I be at an advantage looking for jobs with a Ph.D from Harvard as compared to UCSB? And at the moment it looks like I have nothing lined up after my summer in Hong Kong and it's too late for me to apply to statistics graduate programs for next year. What should I do? Lastly, I don't know where I stand compared to other applicants. Thanks!