Fall 2020 Stats/Biostats PhD Application Evaluation

[kathy0131]

Thank all of you who give time to look at this and give comments!

Undergrad: senior, Top40 public state university

Major: Statistics

Minor: Computer Science

GPA: 3.83

Student Type: International, Asian Female

GRE : 154(V)/167(Q)+4

Will take again for better verbal score but not sure if necessary?

Courses:

Math:  Linear Algebra (A+), Foundations of Analysis(A), Numerical Analysis (A+)

Statistics: Probability and Stochastic Processes I,II,III(A, A, B+), Mathematical Statistics(B+, A-), Computational Statistics(A+), Time Series(A+)

Computer Science:  Data Structures (A), Intro to Machine Learning (A), Theory of Computation(A)

Programs Applying: Stats/Biostats PhDs

Research Experience: Currently working with in a biology lab doing computational analysis and one of involving project will publish a paper soon.

Work Experience: Summer internship at local biopharmaceutical company. Worked as research informatics in research group and mainly developed machine learning algorithms to lab data.

Letter of Recommendation:  1.One of my statistics class professor, and also did a weekly meeting independent reading course with this professor, should be decent. 2.Supervisor from my internship, should be good, too. 3.Professor of one graduate biostats class, not sure about this one. 

 

I have two main questions here:

1) I didn't take real analysis and it seems no time for me to take the courses before application. Will that matter a lot in phd applications? I'm worried because one of my professor said some of the program seek students with real analysis background and it is quite important to take before get into the program. Should I mention it in the application and say I'll take real analysis later, before entering the program?

2) Is anybody familiar with UCLA stats and biostats? Since they can only apply for one program, I'm really struggling on which one I should apply for. Whether if they differ a lot on staff, resources and chances to get in. UCLA is the one that I want to go to the most, so can anybody evaluate my chances here?

List of school apply for:

UCLA, Michigan, UCI, UCSD, Duke, OSU, Minnesota, Iowa state, UIUC

Would be great if there is any suggestion and comment on this list. Thanks!

[DanielWarlock]

I don't think a real analysis course is absolutely mandatory, especially when your background is computer science instead math/stats. Graduate probability/stochastic calc and inference classes use real analysis extensively--so doing as well as you did in those classes should be a good indication of your math ability. I personally would also include books I have read such as Rudin, Royden, Folland, Stein etc to amend lack of pure math real analysis class. If you have "corroborated evidence"  such as research work using knowledge of analysis, grad-level probability classes, I believe this statement will be taken into account. 

[kathy0131]

@DanielWarlock Thanks for your suggestion!

[kathy0131]

As the deadline approaches, I'd be appreciated if there is any comment or suggestion on the school list. Thanks!

[bayessays]

I would add some lower schools.  If you were a domestic applicant, I would not feel that any of your choices are safe and admission for international students is very competitive.