Fall 2020 Biostatistics PhD Profile Evaluation

[ultrafiltering]

Hello everyone,

I am a senior who will be applying to PhD programs in biostatistics. I have posted here before about statistics, but my list of schools was very different and after looking into biostatistics programs at the suggestion of a couple people here, I found that they actually do research which I find very interesting.

Undergraduate Institution: Top 20 among public universities; big, well-known state school; top 20 mathematics department.

Majors: Pure mathematics

Minor: Computer Science

GPA: 3.73/4.0

Major GPA: 3.83/4.0

Type of Student: Domestic Asian Male

Courses taken:

• Math: 
  • Calc 3 (A)
  • Intro Linear Algebra (A)
  • Honors Intro to Proofs (B)
  • Mathematical Probability (A)
  • Ordinary Differential Equations (A)
  • Intro Complex Analysis (A)
  • Elementary PDE (B+)
  • Honors Linear Algebra (A)
  • Honors Intro Real Analysis I (A)
  • Honors Abstract Algebra I (C+) 
  • Intro Real Analysis II (B+)
  • Mathematical Statistics (A)
  • Graduate Ordinary Differential Equations (A)
• CS:  
  • Intro to CS (A)
  • Data Structures (B)
  • Computer Architecture & Design (B)
  • Algorithms (A)

Currently taking: Graduate Real Analysis I (measure theory) (Going very well so far), Graduate Regression Analysis, Topology. 

Will take in Spring: Graduate Time Series, Independent Study (Geometric Measure Theory), Finite Automata, Graduate Systems Biology.

GRE General Test:  164V (94%)/164Q (84%)/4.5 (81%). Concern: Weak Q score.

GRE Subject Math: Not taking.

Research Experience: 

1 semester of exploratory research on the mathematics of cancer dynamics with professor I had for diffeq (ended after a semester since professor left uni, but we had a great connection and many great discussions).

1 mathematical biology REU; will likely result in eventual publication in a biology journal, however this isn't set in stone yet. Will be giving a talk at 2020 Joint Math Meetings on this research.

From 2019-2020, working as research assistant with an engineering professor on quantum computing applications to environmental modeling/optimization problems.

Working Experience:

3 semesters tutoring Calculus I, II, Intro Linear Algebra, Mathematical Probability (simultaneously). (Will continue this through graduation)

3 semesters grading for Mathematical Probability, Advanced Linear Algebra, Mathematical Statistics (one course for each of the 3 semesters).

Letters of Recommendation: One from the exploratory research on cancer dynamics (also was differential equations prof), one from REU advisor, one from measure theory professor who taught me mathematical statistics as well, one from Honors Intro Real Analysis I professor, and one from an instructor who has known me closely for a couple of years. All letters should be strong

Applied to the following for PhD in Biostatistics:

• Harvard
• JHU
• Yale
• Brown
• Columbia
• BU
• UPenn

I'd like honest opinions on what you believe are my chances at these schools. My concerns are about the inconsistent grades and low GRE. Thank you so much for taking the time to read! Looking forward to your thoughts.

[omicrontrabb]

You have a good profile, but you're applying to way too many reaches. I would be shocked if you got into Harvard/JHU and I think it's unlikely you'll get into Yale/Brown/Columbia.

A few things:

1. Ivies are more selective than their ranking suggests, since everyone wants the prestige of going to an Ivy.
2. Yale/Brown are very small programs and therefore extremely selective.
3. For getting a job, departmental reputation is far more important than overall university ranking. For example, people in the field would consider Minnesota better than Columbia.

You should have a good shot at BU. You should apply mainly to schools like Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Pittsburgh, etc.

Lastly, if you could improve your GRE-Q score by a few points, I think that would be helpful.

[cyberwulf]

You should probably expand your list of targets to include more schools in the 10-20 ranking range: Pitt, Iowa, UCLA, etc. Not because you definitely won't get into a  higher-ranked program, but just to be safe(r).

[ultrafiltering]

@cyberwulf Thanks for taking the time to comment. I am wondering what you feel is a red flag in my profile that will prevent me from the schools (save for BU) that I've listed. What do you think are weak points and strong points in this profile?

[bayessays]

Your GRE Q and those couple low math grades.

[cyberwulf]

13 hours ago, bayessays said:

Your GRE Q and those couple low math grades.

I wouldn't be worried about the 164Q score; that's not going to kill you. The fact that your grades were lower in "tougher" math classes is the bigger concern. 

Your application is a pretty standard one. You've got more math than most applicants to top biostat programs, but your grades are on the low end of the competitive range. If your letters are really strong, you could have some excellent results, but if they are just "good" then you might slip down the rankings a little.

[ultrafiltering]

@cyberwulf Thank you for clarifying. My math grades were indeed lower in tougher mathematics courses over all, however I would also say they are spotty (A's in certain tougher courses, non-A's in other ones, and really the big red flag would be the C+ in the Honors Abstract Algebra imo, however I am hoping that the amount of analysis with measure theory outweighs that.). If I were on a committee, that would leave me feeling neither amazed nor *too* concerned given the A's in majority of mathematics courses and the measure theory. But, at the end of the day, I am biased and I don't know anything about what a committee is thinking.

There are of course many, many applicants who have better grades in harder courses, so you do bring up a good point that there must be a compelling reason for them to pick someone with lower grades over other applicants who likely have better grades. And the only compelling reason that I can see is glowing letters, which I can only hope for. I feel they will be strong letters, but I can't read them myself, so one can only guess at that point. 

Edited November 19, 2019 by ultrafiltering