How necessary is the GRE math subject test

[danny1997]

I am looking into phd programs in statistics, and a few masters programs in applied mathematics or statistics. I was hoping to take the math GRE subject test to help with this, but cost and distance from the nearest testing center made that difficult, so I did not take it. My math and statistics GPA is right above a 3.5 and will go up before graduation, and on the quant section of the regular GRE I received a 166 (have yet to receive percentile score). Do you think this will hurt my chances of getting into any programs?

[Stat Assistant Professor]

Not necessary at all for MS programs. For Statistics PhD programs , if the rest of the application is very strong, then it's not necessary (except at the schools that require it). For applicants who went to less well-known schools, who have a light math background, and/or who have lower math GPAs, then a great score on the Subject GRE can help boost the application. However, even in these cases, I would also say that obtaining a Masters degree in Math or Statistics and performing well in the Masters program would serve as bigger boosts to the  PhD application than the Subject GRE.