Profile Evaluation: 2020 Stats PhD

[pcraw12]

Hello!

 

I will be applying to statistics PhD programs this fall and would love any feedback. I had a rough semester of trying out Chemical Engineering and quickly found out how much I disliked chemistry, but eventually found statistics and fell in love with everything about it! As a result of my rough semester of ChemE, my grades dropped a bit (otherwise would be at about a 3.75 or so) and am considering mentioning that in my SOP. 

 

Here is my profile:

 

Undergrad Institution: #66 in National Universities (US News)
Major(s): Statistics: emphasis in Data Science,  minor in Mathematics
GPA:  3.62

Type of Student:  Domestic White Male

 

Relevant Courses:

Math: Calculus 1-2 (A, A-). Linear Algebra (B), Fundamentals of Mathematics [proof-type class] (A-) 

Stats: Intro to Statistics (A). R programming 1-2 (B-, A), SAS programing 1-2 (A, B+), Analysis of Variance (B+), Probability and Inference 1 (B+), Intro to Regression (A)

Misc.: Intro to Computer Programming (A)

Currently enrolled: Data Structures, Calc III, Probability and Inference II, Big Data Science I

 

GRE General Test: 
Q: 166
V: 153
W: TBD

 

Research Experience:  Two part time undergraduate research projects, one with the Dept. Chair of the Math department (who also happens to be a leader in the MAA) looking at stock-data for a hedge fund located in Brazil. The other was working with a stats professor collecting and analyzing data for the universities' golf team.
Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Dean's list, awarded for academic excellence during undergrad study. Received two Math awards for undergraduate performance.

Letters of Recommendation: Two from the professors with whom I'm doing research. The other from a stats professor.
Any Miscellaneous Points that Might Help: Fluent in Portuguese! Again, as I said earlier, ChemE definitely didn't help my GPA out a ton... Also had an internship for a small tech company based out of Austin Texas, as a data analyst.

Applying to Where: (Stats programs)

Dream schools: UNC, UCLA

Stretch: UT Austin, UC Davis, UVA

Lower: VT, UCSB, SMU

 

let me know if my aims are too high, or if there are any other schools I should consider.. my wife and I like CA/Texas/ and east coast.

Edited August 31, 2019 by pcraw12

[bayessays]

Ideally you should take a few more math classes and do well in them as your math background is pretty thin with some inconsistent grades.  UVA is the lowest ranked program you listed, and I would say that and SMU are reaches and the rest are not realistic. I'd probably recommend a master's or at least a few more math classes if you would like to go to a ranked PhD program. 

[pcraw12]

@bayessays Glad to hear it! Thanks for your input.

If I were applying to the schools above for an MS would that be a pretty decent list given my background? or still too high?

Also, we are nervous about student debt as well. I know MS students are much less likely to be given funding, so would you say most people just make it work by taking out loans?

[bayessays]

I'm sure you would get into some of those MS programs but funding is hard to come by so you might want to look at in state options.  Depending on your goals, you might want to look at a lower ranked biostatistics PhD program (I'm thinking of something like UIC or Cincinnati), although I'm not sure exactly how competitive they are. I think if you took a couple more math classes and got As, it would help you a lot without paying for a while other degree. I just think that a lot of Bs/B+s in lower level math classes is going to make ranked programs wonder if you can handle the math, especially statistics PhDs (biostatistics will be more forgiving at lower ranked programs).