Fall 2019 Stats PhD Profile Eval

[someone001]

Hello! I completed my BS this summer and am hoping to attend a stats PhD program starting next fall. I would appreciate some assistance in deciding on a reasonable selection of programs to apply to (I'm currently thinking that I'll apply to 9 in total).

 

Undergrad Institution: University of Oregon

Major: Mathematics

GPA: 4.06 cumulative / 4.05 major (on the 4.3 scale used by my school - adjusted to a 4.0 scale, 3.78 cumulative / 3.77 major)

Applicant Demographics: Domestic White/Hispanic Male

GRE General Scores: 170 V / 166 Q / 4.5 AW

Relevant Courses:

200 or 300 level (sophomore and junior):

Calc I, II, III: A, A+, A

Multivariate Calc I, II: A+, A+

Differential Equations: A

Linear Algebra: A+, A+

Intro to Proofs: A

Elementary Analysis: A

 

400 level (overlapping senior/first year graduate):

Complex Analysis I, II: A, A+

Real Analysis I, II, III: A, A, A-

Topology I, II: A, A

Differential Geometry: A+

Abstract Algebra I, II, III: A, A, W (I withdrew from the final term)

Prob & Stats I, II: A, A

Linear Regressions: A

Research Experience: Not really sure if this counts, but I did a senior thesis which involved investigating an unsolved problem in random matrix theory (with the intention of trying to solve it). Nothing publishable came of it, but it did involve reading a number of graduate-level textbooks and academic papers as well as reproducing and elaborating some extended proofs for the writeup.

Honors: Received an award from the math department for being "the outstanding graduating senior" of my graduating class of ~55 in math. Also Dean's List for all semesters eligible and graduated summa cum laude (top 2%) and with departmental honors (for the thesis).

Relevant Teaching and Work Experience: None.

Letters of Recommendation: One from my thesis director - a probabilist - which should be strong, a second from my topology instructor and a third from the professor who taught all three of the courses in stats that I took.

Concerns: Very little on-the-record programming experience. The only course in which I did any programming was the linear regressions course, where we used R pretty extensively. I do know some Python, but I have nothing to testify to that fact. Also: the 'W' in Abstract Algebra III.

Programs I'm considering (for the moment) applying to:

University of Washington, UNC - Chapel Hill, Rutgers, UConn, Pitt, Ohio State

Not firm on any of those, however, and I realize the first two at minimum may be BIG reaches. As I mentioned, it would be much appreciated if someone could tell me whether this range of schools is shaping up to be reasonable and suggest some others - I'm looking (ideally) for a program which provides a pretty rigorous backing in the theory of statistics and probability. Thanks for your help!

Edited October 26, 2018 by someone001