2020 Biostatistics PhD Application Evaluation

[nematode538]

Hi all,

I am a senior applying to PhD programs in biostatistics for the Fall 2020 cycle. I am interested in working on neuroimaging data or other complex data structures coming from biology/medicine, but I know that that will probably change later on!

Do you have any thoughts or feedback about the list below?

Undergrad Institution: Top 5 public (USNWR)

Major(s): Statistics & Math

GPA: 3.5

Type of student: Domestic White Male

GRE General Test:

Q: 169 (95%)

V: 163 (93%)

W: TBD

Programs Applying: Biostatistics PhD

Research Experience:

-        5 semesters + full-time summer in biology lab doing machine learning and statistical analysis on imaging data

o   Got a few thousand in grants from university and NSF to support summer project.

o   Hopefully submitting a paper in the next couple of months, but may not be in time for apps.

-        Honors thesis in statistics department, very applied.

 

Letters of Recommendation:

-        Biology PI: can speak to research experience, knows me well.

-        Two stats professors from upper level classes I did well in.

 

Grades:

A:

•          Machine Learning

•          Differential Equations

•          Simulation

•          Combinatorics

•          Spatial analytics special topics (Grad level)

•          Object-Oriented Java

•          Data Science

A-:

•          Econometrics

•          Probability

B+:

•          Stochastic Models (Grad level)

•          Real Analysis

•          Multivariate Calculus

B:

•          Linear Algebra

•          Discrete Math

•          Optimization

For what it’s worth, GPA has improved from a 3.2 the first three semesters (most of the B's were in the beginning) to a 3.8 the last three.  Currently taking Measure Theoretic.

Schools I'm thinking about (all Biostatistics PhDs):

•          Michigan

•          Washington

•          Wisconsin

•          Minnesota

•          Ohio State

•          Penn

•          Brown

•          UC Davis

•          UCLA

•          Columbia or Berkeley?

[bayessays]

I think Washington is going to be a huge reach for you and probably not obtainable. Your upward trend in grades helps a lot.  A school like Michigan is probably a more obtainable reach - they have a lot of imaging people though, so I'd stress your interest in that.  I could see you getting into a few of those schools, but honestly, I could also see any or all of them rejecting you because of your GPA - and your research experience is good but won't make you stand out in a way that makes up for that.

My recommendation would be to nix Washington from your list and add a few schools slightly lower in the rankings as safer options. I would also consider if you could get a funded master's at any of these schools - if you can continue your trend of grades by doing awesome at a MS program, maybe getting a paper published, I could see that improving your results immensely. 

[nematode538]

Thank you very much! That is really helpful information and I appreciate your feedback! I'll swap Washington for something more attainable.

[Robatum1030]

On 8/23/2019 at 9:20 PM, nematode538 said:

Thank you very much! That is really helpful information and I appreciate your feedback! I'll swap Washington for something more attainable.

Unless application fees are too burdensome, you should apply to Washington anyway. You never know unless you try! With my profile, I didn't think I would get into my biostats PhD program.

[cyberwulf]

If you're interested in neuroimaging, Hopkins should be on your list.

[bayessays]

You know, I may have been looked at your profile too hastily. My apologies. I still think you should add a safety, but I do not want to discourage you from applying to schools like Washington/Hopkins even if they are going to be on the reach end of your list.   I never want to discourage anybody from applying to highly ranked schools, and if you have the funds to add more schools, please do. I will word my advice more carefully in the future. 

Edited September 5, 2019 by bayessays