2021 Phd Application Evaluation

[ZNtheory]

Hi everyone!

I want to apply statistics PhD program for 2021 fall. I am posting this to want to know where I can roughly aim for.

Undergrad institution: One of the best schools in China

Exchange institution: one of G5 in UK

Major: Statistics

GPA: 3.7

Major GPA: 3.83

Background: International Asian male

Relevant math courses: 

Calculus 1-3, Mathematical Analysis , Linear algebra 1-2, Probability, Mathematical statistics , Numerical analysis, Real analysis(measure theory), Complex Analysis, Functional analysis, Stochastic Process, Time series

I got all A or A- except for linear algebra.

Will take: Linear Regression, Multivariate Regression

GRE general:
Quant: 166
Verbal: 153
Writing: 4.0

TOEFL: 103

Research experience: Mainly 2 long periods of experience and result in 3 papers. The first experience is when I am in my sophomore year, I spent whole summer in McGill University and worked with a Professor there and another Professor in U of Connecticut. It is about computational statistics which mainly focus on developing a GLM model with extreme value response(heavy tail) and develop a very fast proximal gradient algorithm and write a R package. 

The second experience is during my stay in London, I work with Professor in UCL and mainly focus on theoretical machine learning, which results in two papers. The first is about doing fast inference for generative model using QMC method. The second one is about deriving a Sobolev bound and L_{\infty} bound for the derivative Gaussian Process approximation.

Papers:

1. The first paper finished when I was in McGill will be published on JCGS.

2. The second paper which is about QMC will be published on JMLR.

3. The last will be submitted to Neurips 2020.

LOR: 
Three Professors I have mentioned above will write me a LOR respectively. They will be very strong since all of them have given me quite positive comments and I have worked with them for a long time and collaborated with them on some papers.

I am taking up math GRE this october.

 Any suggestions and comments are appreciated. Thanks!

Edited April 7, 2020 by ZNtheory

[ZNtheory]

BTW: my main research interest is about computational statistics and theoretical machine learning.

Edited April 7, 2020 by ZNtheory

[DanielWarlock]

This is what I call a "Stanford profile". You should be able to get into Stanford. That being said, you should apply to some other schools for good measure.

[bayessays]

I don't agree at all with above but you have a good profile and should apply to top schools as well as plenty that are not in the top 10 and probably some that aren't in top 20.

[ZNtheory]

4 hours ago, DanielWarlock said:

This is what I call a "Stanford profile". You should be able to get into Stanford. That being said, you should apply to some other schools for good measure.

Thanks for the encouragement! Although it is very very unlikely for me to be admitted to Stanford, I will try my luck.

[ZNtheory]

Thanks bayessays!

I just make a list. Could you guys help to comment on them?  Thanks so much.

Reach:

Stanford(stat)

MIT(machine learning)

CMU(machine learning and stat)

UCB(stat)

Princeton(ORFE) 

U of Chicago(stat)

Upenn(Wharton)

NWU(stat)

 

Match:

PSU(stat)

Michigan(stat)

UNC(stat)

Minnesota(stat)

 

Safe:

TAMU

OSU

UIUC

 

I want to add some safe schools, what do you suggest?

Thanks again.

 

 

[bayessays]

I don't like to comment on international profiles because the admissions are so competitive that it's hard to even guess.  Next year, there may be funding issues as well because of the virus situation so things might be even more competitive.

My guess is that you might want to add a few more of those "safety" schools because I don't think they're totally safe.  At visit days, I met an international student with an MS degree from a top US school who had a JMLR paper and got into only 1 school - one of the safeties on your list. If you're the first/main author on some of these papers and your letters of recommendation are great, you'll probably have really good results.

[ZNtheory]

11 minutes ago, bayessays said:

I don't like to comment on international profiles because the admissions are so competitive that it's hard to even guess.  Next year, there may be funding issues as well because of the virus situation so things might be even more competitive.

My guess is that you might want to add a few more of those "safety" schools because I don't think they're totally safe.  At visit days, I met an international student with an MS degree from a top US school who had a JMLR paper and got into only 1 school - one of the safeties on your list. If you're the first/main author on some of these papers and your letters of recommendation are great, you'll probably have really good results.

Thanks for comment!

Yeah, I am the first author for all three papers. The reason I think my letters are very strong is that the supervisor in UCL as well as the paper collaborator has told me that he would really love to take me as his PhD student if I want to apply for UCL. 

 

The other two LORs I think will be strong is because these two professors have already written me a letter when I apply for REU at MPI this summer. The faculty in MPI read the letters and give me very positive feedback.

 

Which safety schools you recommend which have professors working on theoretical ML especially in optimal transport can fit me well?

 

Your comments are always appreciated, bayessays.!

[bayessays]

In that case, that is pretty impressive and your list is probably fine.  I'm not super familiar with optimal transport except knowing there is a guy who works on it at UIUC which I think you'll probably get into.  It will be hard to find lower ranked schools with many theoretical ML people.  Maybe check out UC Davis as one more "safer" option. 

[DanielWarlock]

4 hours ago, ZNtheory said:

Thanks for comment!

Yeah, I am the first author for all three papers. The reason I think my letters are very strong is that the supervisor in UCL as well as the paper collaborator has told me that he would really love to take me as his PhD student if I want to apply for UCL. 

 

The other two LORs I think will be strong is because these two professors have already written me a letter when I apply for REU at MPI this summer. The faculty in MPI read the letters and give me very positive feedback.

 

Which safety schools you recommend which have professors working on theoretical ML especially in optimal transport can fit me well?

 

Your comments are always appreciated, bayessays.!

Just so you know, I was rejected at a bunch of "safety schools" such as Uni of Florida and U Minnesota but got into UC Berkeley Harvard Duke ect. And you are a way better applicant IMO. You must apply to schools that fit you in terms of level and interests rather than trying to be "safe". Talk to your prof at UCL to see if he can guarantee you a spot. If so, you can save a lot of money by not applying to other "safeties". Otherwise, your list is very good and I stand by my opinion that you will get into Stanford. 

Edited April 8, 2020 by DanielWarlock

[ZNtheory]

1 hour ago, DanielWarlock said:

Just so you know, I was rejected at a bunch of "safety schools" such as Uni of Florida and U Minnesota but got into UC Berkeley Harvard Duke ect. And you are a way better applicant IMO. You must apply to schools that fit you in terms of level and interests rather than trying to be "safe". Talk to your prof at UCL to see if he can guarantee you a spot. If so, you can save a lot of money by not applying to other "safeties". Otherwise, your list is very good and I stand by my opinion that you will get into Stanford. 

Thanks so much! What level UCL you think should be in? Match or Safe?

Edited April 8, 2020 by ZNtheory