Fall 2020 Statistics Applicant Thread

[captivatingCA]

@ENE1 A little bit! I'll just message you though. I doubt most people want to hear about climbing haha.

Edited February 20, 2020 by captivatingCA

[stochasticworld]

4 hours ago, zscki said:

Yet to hear from 5/6 of my programs...a bit unnerving. Anyone have any intuitions about UCLA, UW, or UT Austin? The other programs are NYU and USC data science, which I assume not very many people here applied for.

I got an offer from UW statistics. I think most results are out including rejections from UW according to gradcafe result page. The visit day is 3/6. NYU data science program (PhD) sends a first round of interviews quite early around late December and early Jan. There's an onsite interview on 2/4 (accepted by 1/20). The admission statistics is about 400 PhD applicants, 30 invited to onsite and about 20 got admitted (according to one of my interviewed prof). 

[Casorati]

For Michigan Biostatistics, I randomly checked the Wolverine portal yesterday and and there was a 'view decision' link. I clicked into it and it said 'A decision has been made. Your program of application will inform you of the decision.' However, I haven't received an email yet. Since I haven't received an interview, does it mean I am rejected?

[drmrpr]

6 hours ago, zscki said:

Yet to hear from 5/6 of my programs...a bit unnerving. Anyone have any intuitions about UCLA, UW, or UT Austin? The other programs are NYU and USC data science, which I assume not very many people here applied for.

I got an offer from UCLA last week, so they've def sent some stuff out, but nothing from UW. On that note, is it too early to be emailing the department about my application's status? Or should I wait until March?

[kingsdead]

Got rejected from Harvard Biostatistics (PhD). Didn't get an interview though so that was expected. Only waiting to hear back from three more schools so hopefully this rollercoaster will be over soon! Best of luck everyone

[shuggie]

On 2/17/2020 at 2:29 PM, Stat PhD Now Postdoc said:

Doing original research truly is the primary focus of the PhD. For your PhD research, you are mainly teaching yourself the things needed for your research. One cannot reasonably expect to learn *everything* there is to know through classes anyway. 

This is something I've heard a lot and I'm curious if this sentiment is more to emphasize that you can't build your research from coursework,  or if it's a commentary on the role of coursework in a PhD program. With that, what are the intended purposes of coursework in a PhD program? Would you ever advise choosing one program over another based on course offerings (holding all else roughly equal)?  

 

My impression is that the classes you take give you some more interaction with select faculty, inform your areas of interest, provide a level of basic/vocational training for when you are working on research, and they can be a lot of fun. I understand that coursework is not the purpose of a PhD, but sometimes I get the impression that people feel like it was of little importance to their PhD experience as a whole. 

[AM61]

8 hours ago, zscki said:

Yet to hear from 5/6 of my programs...a bit unnerving. Anyone have any intuitions about UCLA, UW, or UT Austin? The other programs are NYU and USC data science, which I assume not very many people here applied for.

My UT letter referenced "over 150 applicants and an incoming cohort of approximately 5 students," so take that as you may. Visit day is next week, so after that (early March?) I imagine they might send out more final decisions. Considering their small size, my guess is that they won't send out many more offers, if any. ? (That's just speculation on my part, though, based on past posts.)

[Stat Assistant Professor]

7 hours ago, shuggie said:

This is something I've heard a lot and I'm curious if this sentiment is more to emphasize that you can't build your research from coursework,  or if it's a commentary on the role of coursework in a PhD program. With that, what are the intended purposes of coursework in a PhD program? Would you ever advise choosing one program over another based on course offerings (holding all else roughly equal)?  

 

My impression is that the classes you take give you some more interaction with select faculty, inform your areas of interest, provide a level of basic/vocational training for when you are working on research, and they can be a lot of fun. I understand that coursework is not the purpose of a PhD, but sometimes I get the impression that people feel like it was of little importance to their PhD experience as a whole. 

Assuming all else is roughly equal (e.g. institutional reputation, number of potential PhD advisors, venues where the faculty are publishing, location), I suppose you could delve a bit deeper and look at course requirements and offerings. Some schools have very intensive coursework requirements, including two semesters of measure-theoretic probability and a lot of classical statistics theory, plus two written qualifying exams, while others have fewer coursework requirements and only one written qualifying exam. But like @bayessays said, I don't think you need to worry about the coursework not being rigorous at any ranked PhD program, regardless of whether it is ranked #1 or #90. For the most part, these courses are based on the same or very similar texts (e.g. Casella & Berger for Masters level stat theory, Durrett or Billingsley for advanced probability theory, etc.).

As to whether the courses are important: I think they can provide a solid foundation, but their main purpose is to prepare you to (hopefully) pass qualifying exams rather than research. Once you reach the research stage of the program (and if you continue on in academia), you really are teaching yourself for the most part- -- even the PhD advisor isn't typically going to hand-hold you or teach you the subject of your dissertation, but rather guide you at a high level. So that is why I would recommend prioritizing things like potential faculty advisors for your thesis, average PhD completion times, and job placements when selecting a program to attend (especially if you are interested in academia).

[DanielWarlock]

Does anyone here get interviews from Columbia? I saw another person posting interview invite on results page. Is interview a necessary step to Columbia admission?

[DanielWarlock]

1 hour ago, DanielWarlock said:

Does anyone here get interviews from Columbia? I saw another person posting interview invite on results page. Is interview a necessary step to Columbia admission?

Looks like they are sending out offers? But only one guy reported... Not sure but not looking good. Does anyone else get an offer?

[likewater]

I've got to say, being in this weird purgatory where rejections have been sent out and you haven't gotten any but at the same time you didn't get interviewed is pretty awful... just reject me already lol.

[MrSergazinov]

Okey, so I applied to 15 schools total and only heard from 4. I am 90% sure that it’s a rejection at this point as many have posted their admission results for these schools already. But I must say that this rollercoaster is terrible. 
 

 

[BL250604]

The rollercoaster is terrible, but it's not even March. Mid-March is when decisions really roll out. Initial waves have just been sent out or are being sent out now. Most schools don't send out other waves of acceptances until after they here from their first wave, that way they don't send out too many. 

You guys are fine. The waiting game sucks- but it happens year after year. Develop hobbies and find ways to keep yourself out of your email. That's what I did!

Best of luck.

[SomeNerd]

3 hours ago, MrSergazinov said:

Okey, so I applied to 15 schools total and only heard from 4. I am 90% sure that it’s a rejection at this point as many have posted their admission results for these schools already. But I must say that this rollercoaster is terrible. 
 

 

SAME! At least I hope I am waitlisted since they have not rejected me directly. Fingers crossed for top of the waitlist and hopefully some results will come before my response ddl's. 

[MrSergazinov]

Yeah, I try to keep myself out of this forum and my inbox for the most part. However, each time I get an email I shudder

Edited February 21, 2020 by MrSergazinov

[bill533]

Anyone hear back from USC for Stats yet?

Edited February 21, 2020 by bill533

[likewater]

Has anybody heard from Berkeley biostat? I emailed them somewhat recently with some questions and haven't had any response.

[kingsdead]

18 minutes ago, likewater said:

Has anybody heard from Berkeley biostat? I emailed them somewhat recently with some questions and haven't had any response.

I had an interview with them a week ago. It was really quick, like less than ten minutes, just them checking whether I was still interested in the program and an opportunity to ask a few questions. Then I just got accepted like twenty minutes ago. I was accepted to their Masters program (they don't admit applicants with only bachelors directly to the PhD program I think, so that was expected). They guaranteed funding for one year as a GSI.

Interestingly enough the date on the letter they sent me said February 13, so it looks like they waited over a week before sending it to me? So I wonder if they're just being slow about getting them out there. Best of luck!!

Edited February 21, 2020 by kingsdead

[captivatingCA]

I got an acceptance from CMU earlier today! I thought I was out of the running after the wave of acceptances a little while ago. So there still is some hope for people still waiting?

[FarazSaeed]

Applied to sfu for masters in visual computing but haven't heard back from them yet. Did anyone else get an email?

[noinim]

Hi, I was wondering if any of you have any input on a dilemma I'm facing. I'm mostly interested in statistics and social science applications, particularly social network analysis, policy and causal inference, demographic methods, etc. I was accepted into the joint program at CMU (statistics and public policy) earlier today, and am not sure I can attend both their visit day and the Michigan visit day. I know there are a couple professors at Michigan doing similar research, but I'm not sure if their program is as focused on interdisciplinary social science research as the CMU joint program is?

Thanks in advance for any advice! 

[Geococcyx]

I would assume a joint program is more interdiscliplinary, but you can probably just set up an ad hoc visit with one school at a different time.  Some people I know have done this when they couldn't attend a scheduled visit -- it may not be an option everywhere, but feel free to check first.

Edit: I misread, so the date may not be the reason you can't attend both, but you still might be able to get some accomodations to learn about one if you ask.  Apologies if I've missed the mark.

Edited February 21, 2020 by Geococcyx

[zscki]

5 hours ago, bill533 said:

Anyone hear back from USC for Stats yet?

If you're talking about the Marshall program, they said to me back in November when I was inquiring about the program that interviews would be mid-February with final decisions in March.

[bayessays]

3 hours ago, noinim said:

Hi, I was wondering if any of you have any input on a dilemma I'm facing. I'm mostly interested in statistics and social science applications, particularly social network analysis, policy and causal inference, demographic methods, etc. I was accepted into the joint program at CMU (statistics and public policy) earlier today, and am not sure I can attend both their visit day and the Michigan visit day. I know there are a couple professors at Michigan doing similar research, but I'm not sure if their program is as focused on interdisciplinary social science research as the CMU joint program is?

Thanks in advance for any advice! 

I'd check into what your dissertation would be like at CMU and how their graduates fair on the job market with a more interdisciplinary degree (although it seems like they get the same stats background as regular stats PhDs so it should be fine).  Michigan has the Institute for Social Research and the survey methodology program, which are top in the country.  I don't think you can go wrong.

[softdrink]

anyone heard back from U of Florida? I saw some got rejection on the result page, but no acceptance.