Low Cumulative GPA

[Ins1ght]

Undergrad Institution: Princeton
Major(s): Mathematics
GPA:  3.4

Major GPA: 3.9

Type of Student: Domestic Asian Male

 

Relevant Courses:

Honors Analysis I, II (B+, A), Complex Analysis (A-), Algebra I (A), Graph Theory (A), Statistics (A-), Probability and Stochastic Systems (A-), Graduate Probability Theory (A), Graduate Stochastic Calculus (A-), Seminar in Analysis (A).

 

Planning to Take Next Year: Graduate Statistical Theory, Topology, High-Dimensional Probability

GRE General Test: 
Q: 170
V: 162
W: 4.5

GRE Math Test: 940

Research Experience:  

• One semester research experience with a math department professor in probability theory
• Summer REU
• Going to have a year long thesis in probability theory

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: None really

Letters of Recommendation: Three letters from the supervisors of my independent works. I think I maintained very close relationship with all of them, so the letters should be strong.

Comments: I am really concerned about my cumulative gpa. I had a lot of B’s in miscellaneous classes, and I was wondering if that is going to hurt my chances at top schools. Which range should I aim for realistically? Or should I apply for MS and then for doctorate programs? Thanks in advance!

[Stat Assistant Professor]

The cumulative GPA is a bit lower, but your math GPA and your GRE subject test score are superb. And you went to Princeton which has the best mathematics department in the country. I think you are in good shape to get admitted to a top Statistics program (if that's what you're interested in?)

[Ins1ght]

On 9/14/2018 at 9:31 AM, Applied Math to Stat said:

The cumulative GPA is a bit lower, but your math GPA and your GRE subject test score are superb. And you went to Princeton which has the best mathematics department in the country. I think you are in good shape to get admitted to a top Statistics program (if that's what you're interested in?)

Thanks for the feedback! Yes, I am pretty set on applying to stats PhD. Also, do you think it is tougher to get into applied math programs? 

[Stat Assistant Professor]

7 hours ago, Ins1ght said:

Thanks for the feedback! Yes, I am pretty set on applying to stats PhD. Also, do you think it is tougher to get into applied math programs? 

I think the top PhD programs in Applied Math (NYU Courant Institute, UCLA, etc.) will be quite competitive, and most of the admitted students will have already taken a number of PhD level mathematics courses. This is not necessarily the case for Statistics. I think once you get below the top tier (e.g. NYU in Applied Math and Stanford in Statistics), Statistics and Applied Mathematics PhD programs are about equally competitive. Admissions are holistic, and your profile is pretty good. Maybe try to improve your overall GPA as much as possible by the fall of next year and get great recommendation letters, and you could be admitted to a really good school. But given that you're from Princeton with excellent math grades, I would guess that your application will be "in the discussion" at most schools you choose to apply to.

Edited September 24, 2018 by Stat PhD Now Postdoc