[Updated] Fall 2019 Profile Evaluation - (Bio)statistics PhD :^ )

[Martingale]

[Disclaimer: This is somewhat of a repost but I have GRE scores now and a much better idea of the schools to which I would like to apply. I will greatly shorten this post, but my original one can found on my profile (it's the only other post I've made)]

My Questions: I'm not sure how realistic these choices are for me, but I'm very interested in the biostatistics programs of Harvard, JHU, UNC - Chapel Hill, and UPenn. For statistics programs, Cornell and Rutgers looked interesting to me. I'm comfortable applying to mostly higher end/reach schools as I will be applying to UVA. I am almost certain they will accept me, and I very much like the department and people here. My three biggest questions are: (1) should I retake the GRE? I am very confident that I can do better, but I don't know if my scores are good enough already, (2) how realistic are the schools I listed, and (3) are there any other schools I should look into (*on the East Coast*)

 

Undergraduate Institution: University of Virginia

Major//Minor: Statistics (Interdisciplinary BA with a concentration in Econometrics) // Physics

Cumulative GPA: 3.83

Major GPA: 3.84

Student Type: Domestic White Male

GRE General Test: Q: 167, V: 160, AW: TBD

Classes: 

   A+: Mathematical Probability

   A: Calc 3, Macroecon, [Physics-motivated programming class teaching C], Regression Analysis [with SAS], Data Analysis with Python, [Stats class teaching R], [Stats class on database usage/manipulation focusing on SQL], Statistical Machine Learning, Intro Physics 1, Ordinary Differential Equations

   A-: Astrophysics 1, Intro Physics 2, Linear Algebra, Stochastic Processes

   B+: Modern Physics, Intro Mathematical Statistics

   In progress: Basic Real Analysis, Statistical Physics, Nonparametric Statistics, Survival Analysis and Reliability Theory, Applied Time Series

 

Programming Experience: R, SAS, Python, C, MATLAB, SQL, Minecraft Redstone

 

Research Experience: I worked in the Chemistry Department from my very first semester through the end of my first summer. Since then, for the past two years I've been working in the Biomedical Engineering Department focusing primarily on image analysis techniques and novel ways to analyze the resulting data (in broad strokes).

Research Interests: Broadly speaking, my interests are in applications of methods or techniques across disciplines. I realize this is very vague, but I'm an undergraduate student; what do you expect? I am definitely more applied-oriented, and I'm very open to learning about other applications of statistics in any field.

 

Publications: 

   Submitted before deadlines: (1) Between third and sixth author [minor to moderate impact bio-related journal]. (2) Third author on a review paper [minor impact bio-related journal]. (3) First co-author [moderate to high impact bio/bioinformatics journal]

   Most likely submitted in December: Between third and sixth author on a paper submitted to Image and Vision Computing

Teaching Experience: I was a TA for a graduate level chemistry course my second semester of my first year, and I was a TA for the intro stats class.

Teaching Interests: My greatest passion is teaching. I absolutely want to go to a program where I will have greatest opportunities to teach.

 

Letters of Recommendation: Strong letter from a statistics junior faculty member. Strong letter from a statistics faculty member. Lastly, a very strong letter from the head of the lab I've been working in for 2 years (Senior faculty in the BME department). All three know me well

 

[Stat Assistant Professor]

It's hard to say for Harvard and JHU (as in, I wouldn't classify you as a "shoe-in," but most likely would be "in the discussion"). But I think you have a good chance at being admitted to UNC-Chapel Hill and UPenn Biostats. UVA is a great school, and your GPA is quite good. Physics is a difficult subject too, so I'm sure the adcoms will look favorably at your physics background.

You don't need to retake the GRE. A 162 or lower on the Quantitative Section might raise some red flags and warrant a retake, but any Q score 163+ rarely makes any difference in the application.

Edited October 19, 2018 by Stat PhD Now Postdoc

[Martingale]

Thank you once again friend. I appreciate your comments. I'm glad you nudged me towards looking into biostats programs. When I was reading through stats programs barely any "spoke" to me but so many of the bio stats ones felt really "right"