Stats PhD Chances: Range of Schools I should apply to Based on Profile

[ducky500]

Hello everyone,

I will be applying to Stats Phd Programs and was inquiring if someone could help me figure out what range of schools I should apply to in terms of Competitiveness.

Here's my profile (I don't want to give too much  personal information (i.e. I don't give too much information for example on research projects) , but here's what my profile generally looks like:

Undergrad Institution: Top 20 US News (according to UsNews) private university
Major(s): Mathematics
GPA: 3.9

 

Type of Student: Domestic US Student

Programs Applying: PhD in Statistics

 

Research Experience: Different projects involving R, independent studies with professors on theoretical graduate level topics.

Letters of Recommendation: Should be good 

Math and Statistics Courses (Grades A or A-): Real Analysis I, Real Analysis II (with an introduction to Measure Theory), Abstract Algebra(Groups, rings, fields), Complex Analysis, Probability Theory, Mathematical Statistics, Graduate Level Numerical Analysis (with proofs, emphasis on analysis and normed vector spaces), Linear Algebra and Diff Eq, Calc I-III.

Will be taking several additional graduate courses, fall semester senior year.  

Concerns: I'm not sure what range of schools I should apply to.  I know it is very difficult to get into Phd programs.  I'm having trouble creating a list of places to apply to.  I don't want my list to be too conservative nor do I want my list to be too top heavy.  What programs do I have a realistic shot of getting into?

Thanks so much for the help.

 

 

Edited May 19, 2018 by ducky500
added clarity

[GoPackGo89]

Do you have any research interests? Have you taken the GRE? The strength of math departments at schools in the USNEWS top 20 private list varies a lot but if it's a strong department I don't see why you couldn't apply anywhere you wanted to. 

[ducky500]

Thanks very much for the reply.  I haven't taken the GRE yet, but signed up for next month (which is why I didn't put the score).   I'm interested in doing research in probability or high-dimensional statistics.

[Bayesian1701]

Without knowing more details (which I totally understand why you don't want to reveal), it sounds like your application is very strong.  The main issue is how strong is your research compared to other applicants. There are a ton of different combinations of places to apply to.  If you are clueless on where to apply, use the US news rankings to get some ideas in which universities have a Ph.D. program.  I would go through the websites of any statistics program you would be interested in applying to.  Ignore places that have dealbreakers (climate, location, etc.).  I wanted a southern program with a direct flight home, preferably in a college town, and was only willing to sacrifice those things if everything else was perfect.  I also wanted at least two Bayesian statistician, sand that was how I came up with my list.  I found 15 programs that met my criteria and cut some to have a balanced list.  I really think you gain a lot from building a preliminary list because then you know if programs have what you want.  You could probably apply to anywhere you want and still have a reasonable chance, but I wouldn't stick to just top 10 programs.

[ducky500]

@Bayesian1701 Thank you very much for the helpful reply.  I was thinking of applying in addition to statistics programs, 1-2 biostatistics programs.  Is this a bad idea if I haven't taken a biology course during undergrad/ have not done research related to biostatistics.  I have looked at several biostatistics programs, Penn biostatistics for example, and they don't list biology courses as prerequisites for admission.  I was wondering your thoughts on this.  Thanks again.

[speowi]

I agree with both GoPackGo89 and Bayesian1701 that you don't really provide enough info for us to really give you any meaningful estimates. All we really know is that you go to a good school, have gotten good grades in math/stats classes, and have done some undefined amount of research-type work (projects and independent study). Many, many Ph.D. programs have students who fit that profile.

"Different projects involving R" can be viewed very differently by admissions committees depending on the types of projects you did, e.g. a project you worked on for a month for a class vs. a project you worked on for a summer for a company that was meaningful and ultimately implemented vs. a project you worked on long term with a professor that led to a publication in a professional, peer-reviewed journal. Similarly, "independent studies with professors on theoretical graduate-level topics" can encompass a wide range of activities that are going to impress or not impress admissions committees to various degrees.

None of the information you've provided suggests to me that you'd be automatically out of consideration at any program, but, again, really the only information you've provided that could've been a red flag but isn't is your GPA/performance in math and stats courses, so that doesn't say much. Without knowing more about your research (what it was about, how long you did it for, what came of it, what your specific contributions were), your GRE scores (are you also taking the subject test?), your letters of recommendation (who's writing them and what their relationship with you is like), and your overall purpose in pursuing a Ph.D. that you'll express in your SOP, it's really hard to say much; each of those factors could elevate or hurt your application substantially more than your GPA and the fact that you went to a T20 school.

If you're uncomfortable providing more details publicly, I would recommend messaging people privately and/or talking to your professors. Good luck!

[ducky500]

@speowi I did an independent study, one semester, with a professor on measure-theoretic probability and ergodic theory.  I will have finished an expository paper written in LaTex by the end of the summer on Ergodic theory. I'm not sure if such a paper can be published, so we will see what happens with that.   I will additionally be doing an independent study with a professor in the fall on a topic on functional analysis in relation to probability (exact topic is currently to be decided, I will find out exactly what it is soon)

Additionally, I was a research assistant for a professor for an entire school year,  both fall and spring, and also extending into the summer, in which I gathered extensive raw data relevant to the professor's research (gathered the data for the large dataset), organized the data, and used GGplot to create about 7 figures or graphs, which the professor used in his research paper and presented at a conference (I did not have coauthor or anything like that).  Additionally, I was a research assistant over the summer where I put together data for a large data set in the economics department. I've also done independent coding projects.

I will take the general GRE next month and will most likely not be taking the GRE math subject test. I believe the GRE Math subject test is only needed for Stanford and is recommended for several other schools. 

Thank you.  With this information in mind, is it possible to  give me a clearer picture what my chances are at different ranges of schools? Thanks again!

[GoPackGo89]

It sounds like at least two of your letters will be great. If you are considering biostatistics programs (I am biased and think you should), I don't think you'd have to look any further than Chapel Hill, Michigan, Minnesota tier. 

20 hours ago, ducky500 said:

@Bayesian1701 Thank you very much for the helpful reply.  I was thinking of applying in addition to statistics programs, 1-2 biostatistics programs.  Is this a bad idea if I haven't taken a biology course during undergrad/ have not done research related to biostatistics.  I have looked at several biostatistics programs, Penn biostatistics for example, and they don't list biology courses as prerequisites for admission.  I was wondering your thoughts on this.  Thanks again.

You don't need a background in biology or medicine to thrive in a biostats program. The methods being developed by biostatisticians are motivated from public health/biology/medical problems and data so having an interest in those areas would be important. You'd be trained as a statistician first and foremost. 

[ducky500]

@GoPackGo89  Thanks for the helpful advice.  So just to be sure (I worry about these things), I wouldn't be at a disadvantage in the admissions process for the Biostats Phd at Unc Chapel Hill or Columbia, for example, with no biology courses taken during my undergraduate? 

[StatHopeful]

@ducky500 I personally know people who have gotten into both of these schools without any biology at all. 

[ducky500]

@StatHopeful Thanks that's reassuring.  

[cyberwulf]

On 5/20/2018 at 11:55 PM, ducky500 said:

@GoPackGo89  Thanks for the helpful advice.  So just to be sure (I worry about these things), I wouldn't be at a disadvantage in the admissions process for the Biostats Phd at Unc Chapel Hill or Columbia, for example, with no biology courses taken during my undergraduate? 

No, you wouldn't. Many students in the discipline have had minimal, if any, training in biology.