bedmas

The absolute worst is "Stop worrying, you'll get in, you're smart." 1) Stop invalidating my feelings, and 2) yeah, everyone else is smart too. One of my friends yesterday was like "I don't know what you're worried about. As long as you're willing to pay their stupid tuition, don't you go?" I put on my pokerface and told her that's not really how it works.

yes, exactly that! luckily (or unluckily, i guess) my program has no research/thesis component, and i'm not taking a full course load, but i want to get out of my program and move into the next stage of my academic career SO BADLY that it's becoming very hard to care about what's going on now.

I do think that it's a lot of undergrads here. I'm still not over Bachelors ==> PhD in the states! I'm just finishing up my undergraduate and I can't imagine applying to phd programs right now. I understand the first bit is like a "Masters", but still

Congrats! If you don't mind my asking, how many schools did you apply to? Everyone I know in Canada applies to 1-2, and it doesn't seem like too many on here, either. I can't even imagine applying to 15 schools, mostly because there are so few up here.

It's amazing how deadlines vary within schools, but program to program! My UVic application isn't due until Feb 15, but the application status has already changed from "Submitted" to "App forwarded for review" to "App forwarded: Interim Review". It's driving me nuts!

I didn't see a topic like this (at least, not program specific), so I thought I would start something for those of us applying to schools in Canada! My first applications (SFU and University of Manitoba) were due today, so I guess now it's sit and stir time... anyone else? I know some Canadian schools were January 15.

I'm in the exact same place, and it's gotten to the point where people are like "Oh, so you're going to X next year, right?!" I wish I had kept my mouth shut about it. And my parents are acting like this is a Definite thing, and it'll all be very, very devastating if that doesn't pan out...

One of my applications' status changed from "App Forwarded for Review" to "App forwarded: Interim Review", which i am obviously overanalyzing because the application isn't even actually due until Feb 15. Also, maybe this is just me, but I never really bothered to unsubscribe from emails (mostly of shopping websites...), I just ignored/deleted them. But now that I'm actually expecting emails that matter, I've been unsubscribing from these like crazy. There's nothing worse than seeing a new email, praying for an admission decision, and instead seeing something about Spring Trends from Forever 21...

Hey! I'm applying to SFU as well. My program's deadline isn't until Feb 1, so I expect I won't hear anything from them for a while, but it's cool to see another person applying there. quick question, maybe you know the answer: did you include your application/applicant number on any of your supporting documents (CV, SOP, etc?). I swear I saw somewhere to include a number, but now I don't know which number, and I can't find where I saw that. best of luck!!

One of my applications' status is "App Forwarded for Review" and even though the deadline isn't until Feb 15 I am TERRIFIED of this status! I guess I get almost a month to panic?? I also hope they don't actually read it until my last reference is in (they require 2, I have 3, and the outstanding one is my strongest one...). Ugh, I guess I am `losing my damn mind.'

Congrats!

I feel you - I'm only applying to three schools, GPA is around the same, and I have NO idea of what the pool of applicants is like :/ it's hard just not knowing. That being said, just submitted my first application and this is SO nerve-wracking already.

Thanks for the feedback! I know some of the writing is sloppy, and I'll work on that some more. As for specificity, do you mean in terms of research topics/fit? I do think I should add some more on those, since it mostly seems to be about my experiences (rather than my future) right now.

I was hesitant to do so because I'm very self conscious about my writing, but I should probably get over that. All the department website asked for was: A brief (1-2 pages) statement of purpose which should include your financial aid expectations and/or requirements. And the actual application expanded on it: The statement of intent generally includes your specific area of academic interest and research topic you would want to work on, how your past education and relevant experiences have prepared you for a graduate program, what you hope to achieve during and after your graduate program, and why the particular program you are applying best suites you. So I went off that (I haven't put the bit about financial expectations in yet): I am writing to express my interest in pursuing a M.Sc. in Statistics at X. Statistics serve to explain much of the world around us, by combining mathematics and real world data to produce information. I am interested in pursuing a career in applied statistics. Given its top department with excellent researchers, facilities, and opportunities, X will prepare me for this. Having always excelled in mathematics, I began at Y with the intent to study actuarial science and become an actuary. However, when I took my first statistics course, I was drawn by the interdisciplinary nature of the subject. Working in statistics, one can make use of mathematics and computer science, and draw from problems in ecology, economics, biology, environmental science, among many more, to produce information and contribute to knowledge. I made the decision to change my program shortly thereafter. Since entering the statistics program, I have taken a wide breadth of courses, which have prepared me well to continue on into graduate studies. Ranging from theoretical, computational, and applied statistics, my coursework has given me a broad exposure to the many facets of statistics. I have thrived in this program, achieving a GPA of 3.84/4.00 in my last two years. In my courses, I have had the opportunity to work on a number of projects, both individually and as part of a group, where I enjoy taking a leading role. These have allowed for excellent collaborations between my classmates and I, and I have received excellent feedback on my analytical, technical, and presentation skills. Of particular pride was a term project on the reliability of Y's Transit's C-Train trip times. I played an integral role in this project, starting with the design of the experiment and data collection. I was able to experience how to deal with problems in data collection, and demonstrated the ability to adapt and reevaluate given complications. This project allowed me to apply the statistical methods I have learnt through my courses to a real world problem, and gave me a taste of what is involved when working in applied statistics. It was through my course in Monte Carlo Methods and Statistical Computing, this past fall, that I was inspired to pursue graduate studies. The professor for this course, Dr. Z, emphasized the real world applicability of the material, while ensuring a quality understanding of the theory and demonstrating unparalleled enthusiasm for the subject. In this course I was exposed to both computational statistics and Bayesian inference, both of which I was drawn to immediately. Bayesian inference is intuitive, and I am interested in its use in applied statistics, allowing for knowledge from the discipline at hand to serve as prior information. In this course, I developed strong programming skills in R, which I hope to further develop at X. Beyond my coursework, I have also had the opportunity to work as a teaching assistant for Introduction to Statistics I within Y's Department of Mathematics and Statistics. In this role, I have learnt to balance laboratory instruction, lesson planning, marking, and office hours, along with my own courses, earning a GPA of 3.93/4.00 for the fall semester. Working as a teaching assistant has exposed me to another side of academia. I greatly enjoyed teaching a subject I am passionate about, and my open-door policy and welcoming approach greatly assisted my students. I received glowing evaluations and a great sense of satisfaction. The field of statistics that I am interested in working in is applied statistics, and in particular applications in ecology. While the majority of my education thus far has been based off the frequentist approach, I would like to expand my knowledge in Bayesian statistics at the graduate level. Dr. A's specialization in computational statistics and Bayesian methods, and recent publications in capture-recapture experiments, make him an excellent fit for my own research interests. X's strong graduate program in statistics, with excellent researchers, broad coursework, and opportunities to develop consulting skills will prepare me well for a career as an applied statistician. After completing the M.Sc. program, I intend to continue on with my studies, with the eventual goal of obtaining a Ph.D. and working in academia. My strong academic record, hardworking nature, drive, and dedication to the field of statistics have led me in this direction, and I hope to continue to develop and learn at X. I would like to thank the admissions committee for reading my application, and I am looking forward to a decision.

That's a good suggestion for the wording, thanks! I didn't mean to imply that I'm being lazy about it. Truth be told, I've been agonizing over the thing for weeks. Writing isn't my strong suit, and I'm struggling not to sound completely full of myself while not really saying anything at all. But it's getting down to application time and I'm not sure how much better I'll be able to make it, if that makes sense.

While word around here is that statements of purpose don't matter much for statistics, I would really appreciate it if anyone would be able to look over mine! Apparently they need to be merely competent, so I guess I'm just looking for someone to tell me if mine is competent or if it's completely inappropriate. If someone could PM me (or post here) with the willingness to look over it, that would be much appreciated! Also: the school that this is for says I should include my financial aid expectations and/or requirements. When it comes down to it, I won't be able to attend a program that isn't funded (Masters are typically funded in Canada, especially for a field like statistics), but I'm not sure what a tactful way to say that is. Suggestions are welcome! Thanks in advance.

+1 for vegan, but i just want something super thick crust and loaded with daiya and nutritional yeast (i guess an acceptance letter would be nice too).

That's the answer I was hoping for, thanks!

I might be too worried about tiny things, but I'm wondering what e-mail address I should put on my CV that I'm submitting for applications. It makes more sense for me to use my university email address, but that's not the email address I used to sign up for my application accounts... would it be an issue if the two don't match up, or not at all?

One of the schools I'm applying for asks for a statement of aims and objectives that is less than 100 words. This seems really, really short and I'm pretty confused as to what I could even write in less than 100 words. Anyone know what would be expected in this little? The application also asks for a statement of academic/research interests (less than 400 words) that has to be entered before the application is submitted/LoRs receive their requests (slightly frustrated that the longer one has to be written before my LoRs are contacted, but that's life). If I'm writing this, what is my statement of aims and objectives even supposed to be? Thanks for any advice! 100 words just seems tiny.

I feel you! for me, it's been that I'm so amped about applying to grad school, I'm actually neglecting my course work... I guess reading here has confused me a bunch because I seem to be weirdly ahead (already talked to profs about LORs, contacted a potential supervisor, etc...) but also not at all. Writing a statement of purpose is absolutely terrifying, so i guess i'm not really ahead. i also have due dates feb-march. I guess what helps me is reading up on the programs' websites, looking at profs research, etc... this might be because i'm just excited to go to a school that isn't mine! I think starting online helps, because then you have an actual list of what you need, etc. I think the online applications definitely have more specifics about what you need for a statement of interest. I don't have too much advice, i guess, but it's nice to see another canadian and where they're at in the process!

That being said - I think the application politics for a MSc in Statistics and a PhD in English are probably quite different!

I wrote back to him explaining that i couldn't make it out to the campus at this time but I would be interested in phone/e-mail discussion... and he wrote back almost right away apologizing for the confusion (he meant phone/email) and "I wasn't expecting you to come to (city) (!)" Now I feel silly but that also makes waaay more sense. As for cozying up to profs... I'm not really sure what it entails. I think it's good to have had initial contact with a prof, especially if you're going to list them as someone you're interested in working with, as long as that doesn't lead you to believe that automatically guarantees admission? I'm also a first-gen student so I'm not too sure. I guess I want to keep it professional and not ask for too much help - that's what this forum is here for, IMO, and I don't want them to think I'm clueless on my own!

Thanks guys. I've started the application process, and I didn't mean for my email to come across as if talking to him would get me admission - i'm well aware of the competitiveness and i'm obviously not relying on one email with a prof to get me into a program. i guess i was mostly confused because i wasn't asking him about the application process, but i see that he was just clear about it.

I emailed a prof that I'm interested in working with for my MSc - included information about certain papers of his that I read, the topics that I'm interested in, as well as my CV. He replied within a few hours, but the response is somewhat confusing to me. More or less: "Thanks for your email. Yes, I am accepting graduate students, but I don't have the initial say in acceptance to our department. Admission to our department for the graduate program is on a competitive basis. You need to complete the application procedure, send in the letters of reference etc. Once these are available, the Graduate Studies Committee reviews all applications to decide which student to accept. After acceptance, students are assigned to faculty members. So you need to pass this first hurdle. If you have further questions about the initial process, please contact the Chair of the Graduate Studies Committee, () In the mean time, I'd be happy to discuss research ideas with you. If you want to talk in person, this week is best...(etc)" Maybe I'm just being paranoid/discouraged because this is the first email i sent out/the first response I've received... Mostly i'm confused by his description of the admissions process, which I know in great detail. I'm also worried that since he mentioned it is competitive, my CV led him to believe that I would not be competitive. The offer to talk in person is nice, and he went into more detail about when he is available, but I don't live in the province where the school is located and definitely can't afford to fly in right now, especially not this week. Basically I'm confused if this is a good response or not. I'm getting mixed feelings about it and just really unsure. I think I might just be overreacting! Any advice is appreciated!