2020 Statistics PhD Evaluation

[kaehler]

Undergrad Institution : Imperial College London, 4 year MSci

Major(s): Mathematics
GPA: First Class (ranked top 5% of class)

Minor(s): Statistics (took a bunch of courses but no official minor)

 

Grad Institution: Toronto

 

Major(s): Mathematics
GPA: 3.97

 

Type of Student: International

 

Courses taken and taking: (divided into what I think are normally undergrad/grad level in the US. Starred courses are at UofT, others are at ICL)

 

Mathematics - Undergrad level: Linear Algebra, various methods courses (Vector calculus/Fourier/ODEs/PDEs), Dynamical Systems, Numerical Analysis, Abstract Algebra, Real Analysis, Complex Analysis, Topology, Differential Geometry, Probability

Mathematics - Grad level: Measure, Probability, Functional Analysis, Stochastic Calculus, Manifolds, Riemannian Geometry, Algebraic Topology, Differential Topology, Complex Manifolds, Graduate Probability II*, Geometric Analysis: Brownian Motion on Manifolds*, Non-Linear Optimisation*

 

Statistics - Undergrad level: Statistics, Statistical Modelling (both introductory courses)

Statistics - Grad level: Statistical Theory, Generalised Linear Model, Stochastic Processes, Time Series, Computational Statistics, Bayesian Methods, Machine Learning, Methods of Applied Statistics I*, Methods of Applied Statistics II*, Topics in Statistical Machine Learning*, Theory and Methods for Complex Spatial Data*

 

GRE General Test:
Q: 170 (97%)
V: 162 (91%)
W: 5.0 (93%)

 

GRE Mathematics Subject Test: 960 (99%)

 

Programs Applying: Statistics PhD

Research Experience: 2 summers of reading and writeup (1st on statistical learning, 2nd on topological data analysis). ICL thesis on Malliavin calculus, UofT project on information geometry. No real original work, just high level review/exposition.

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: 1 data science internship at a tech company, working there full time from October. Proficient with Python and R, competent with C++ and Haskell.

 

Letters of Recommendation: 6 options (4 from project supervisors, 2 from analysis/geometry professors who liked me), will choose most appropriate 3 for each program.

 

Applying to where: 

 

(Probably not gonna happen, but one can dream): Stanford, Berkeley, Harvard, Princeton ORFE, MIT Applied Mathematics

Reach: Chicago, CMU, Washington, Duke, UPenn Wharton

Match: UWisc, UMich, Penn State, Columbia, Cornell, Purdue, Yale

Safety: UCLA, UCD, USC, Rutgers, Northwestern, UIUC, MSU

 

I have no idea exactly what I want to do, but I know I'd be happy working on anything along the lines of probability theory, statistical learning or the intersection of those fields with geometry/topology.

[penguinbombs]

Your profile looks great to me, but I'll withhold comment since I'm not to familiar with international admissions.

Just wanted to say that despite their relatively lower rankings, Yale and Northwestern are definitely not a match and a safety. Because of their small size yet big name recognition, they are very difficult programs to be accepted to. Anecdotally, I was accepted to four top 10 programs, yet rejected by both Northwestern and Yale.

Edited July 1, 2019 by penguinbombs
Clicked publish on accident before I was finished

[Stat Assistant Professor]

Your profile looks very strong, and with a BS from ICL and a MS from Toronto (both excellent schools) and an excellent math subject GRE score, you should be able to get into some of your "reach" schools and most likely all of the "match" and "safety" ones as well (fyi, I wouldn't consider Duke, CMU, or Washington a "reach" at all for your profile though). I think you have a good shot at UPenn Wharton and Chicago, and you would be very much in the discussion at Harvard, UC Berkeley, and Stanford as well if you were to apply to them.

Edited July 1, 2019 by Stat PhD Now Postdoc

[kaehler]

1 hour ago, penguinbombs said:

Your profile looks great to me, but I'll withhold comment since I'm not to familiar with international admissions.

Just wanted to say that despite their relatively lower rankings, Yale and Northwestern are definitely not a match and a safety. Because of their small size yet big name recognition, they are very difficult programs to be accepted to. Anecdotally, I was accepted to four top 10 programs, yet rejected by both Northwestern and Yale.

Oh wow, thanks for letting me know, I’ll definitely keep that it mind. Do you know if any of the other programs in my match/safety list are significantly harder to get into than rankings suggest? I’m particularly interested in Columbia, as I don’t know if I’m going to enter academia after the PhD or not, and I’ve been told that they have excellent connections to industry.

[kaehler]

1 hour ago, Stat PhD Now Postdoc said:

Your profile looks very strong, and with a BS from ICL and a MS from Toronto (both excellent schools) and an excellent math subject GRE score, you should be able to get into some of your "reach" schools and most likely all of the "match" and "safety" ones as well (fyi, I wouldn't consider Duke, CMU, or Washington a "reach" at all for your profile though). I think you have a good shot at UPenn Wharton and Chicago, and you would be very much in the discussion at Harvard, UC Berkeley, and Stanford as well if you were to apply to them.

Ok, thank you! Do you think there’s a chance for consideration at Princeton or MIT?

[Robatum1030]

5 minutes ago, kaehler said:

Ok, thank you! Do you think there’s a chance for consideration at Princeton or MIT?

I think you have a chance anywhere. Your profile is extremely strong. Just don't apply to too many programs with really small cohorts, unless they are schools you are really interested in.

[Stat Assistant Professor]

2 hours ago, kaehler said:

Ok, thank you! Do you think there’s a chance for consideration at Princeton or MIT?

Princeton ORFE and MIT Applied Math are very difficult to get into but I wouldn't rule these as completely out of the question since you finished First Class with a math degree, have a MS from a top 30 school in the world, and scored exceptionally well on the Math GRE. I think you will definitely be in the discussion for all Statistics PhD programs though, and you may be able to get into one of the very top depts like Berkeley, Stanford, or Harvard.

[hopesandprayers]

I think your profile is fantastic and I think that you'll get in to several of your "probably not gonna happen, but one can dream" schools.  Apply anywhere that you feel like you would regret not applying to later.

I thought my list was really top heavy when I was applying (based on my own insecurities and evaluation on here), and it still ended up being top heavy, but I removed two schools (Berkeley for Statistics and Princeton ORFE) and proceeded to get in nearly everywhere I applied (with the exception of Harvard, Stanford (where I was waitlisted) and Carnegie Mellon) and I'm going to Columbia.  I really regret not applying to those two programs because I feel in hindsight that I would have had a good shot of getting in.  My profile was worse than yours (take a look if you want, it was posted last year), so you're in fantastic shape.  Write off ~$500 (if this is affordable) to apply to your dream schools.  Please do not undersell yourself.  You will get into Columbia with near certainty, and if you base your prospects on having a better profile than me, you will also get into UChicago and Duke as I was admitted to those as well.  Obviously I say near certainty because of the variation between applicant pools.  Best of luck, and feel free to PM me

[bayessays]

I'd be shocked if you didn't get into a top 10 program. You have probably the best profile that I've ever seen posted here. I wouldn't bother applying to the safety schools.  Some of your matches are likely safeties for you.