(Bio)stat MS/Phd -- Unconventional Profile

[statmigrant]

Profile: Domestic Student with a BA in the Humanities. Discovered interest in programming, statistics, public (health) policy late into undergrad, took additional math courses online and at local university after graduation. 

Undergrad Institution: Top 30 in US (top 5 public university)

Majors: Middle Eastern Studies (Arabic) and Philosophy 

Major GPA: 4.0; Cumulative: 3.76 (Due to quite bad Accounting & Econ (non-mathematical) grades one semester)

GRE: Q: 165  V: 168

Coursework: 

In Undergrad - Applied Calc 1 (A), Statistical Inference (A), Intro to Programming (A), Healthcare Policy (A)

After - Calc 1-3 (A), Linear Algebra (A), Probability Theory (A), Intro to Advanced Math/Proofs (A), Advanced Linear Algebra (A)

Plan To Take - Real Analysis, Mathematical Statistics, Stochastic Operations Research 

Experience:

• ~2 years working at a medical relief NGO based out of DC. 1.5 of those working primarily as a research coordinator. Nothing too quantitative, did some basic data processing and analysis. Switched to part-time to take some of the math prereqs above. Expect to get a positive LoR from the MD(RES) I worked under. 
• Proficient with R, SQL. Have some basic data cleaning and analysis projects I've put together on the side.

Target Programs: 

Interested in applied/computational methods more than theory. Along those lines, I'm looking primarily at biostats but also applying to general statistics programs.

Given my lack of research experience and unconventional background, I think shooting for a MS might make the most sense and let me get into a higher-ranked program. My goal for a masters would be a top 15 program, maybe top 30-ish for PhD. Is that realistic? 

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Thanks for the help!

 

 

 

 

[Stat Assistant Professor]

If you have strong performance in real analysis and can get great letters of recommendation, I think you could have a good shot at Biostatistics or Statistics programs. Here is a newly hired Assistant Professor of Biostatistics at UCLA who majored in German and Classics at UC Berkeley as an undergrad but then switched to Statistics/Biostatistics after his BA: https://andrewjholbrook.github.io/

I also personally know people who majored in biology, psychology, economics, and journalism  as undergrads but switched to Biostatistics or Statistics later on. Often times, these folks had to take the math prerequisites (the Calculus sequence and linear algebra) and then got a Masters first before going on to earn their PhD. But in your case, I think you could probably just apply directly to PhD programs since you  will have taken all the math prerequisites as a non-degree seeking student by the time that you apply.

Edited May 24, 2020 by Stat Postdoc Soon Faculty

[StatsG0d]

I agree with @Stat Postdoc Soon Faculty. The only part of your profile I'm unsure about is that it appears you took most of these math courses online. I'm not sure how this will be viewed by admissions committees. 

[statmigrant]

Thank you both for your feedback. Re: your point @StatsG0d, yes I've taken all of those classes online, but I am soon planning to just be working on my applications and my courses as nondegree student. So I'll be taking Mathematical Stats and Stochastic Operations Research in person at least (Real Analysis though will be online through UIUC Netmath).

If this is a potential concern, do either of you think it might be worth it to add on another upper-level math course to take in person and get a strong letter? Something theoretical and proof based like Abstract Algebra or Numerical Analysis, maybe? I'm not sure i could do it in the same semester as Stats, Stochastic OR, and Real Analysis, but I could maybe swap out Stochastic OR or delay my application for more classes.

 

Edited May 24, 2020 by statmigrant

[Stat Assistant Professor]

1 hour ago, statmigrant said:

Thank you both for your feedback. Re: your point @StatsG0d, yes I've taken all of those classes online, but I am soon planning to just be working on my applications and my courses as nondegree student. So I'll be taking Mathematical Stats and Stochastic Operations Research in person at least (Real Analysis though will be online through UIUC Netmath).

If this is a potential concern, do either of you think it might be worth it to add on another upper-level math course to take in person and get a strong letter? Something theoretical and proof based like Abstract Algebra or Numerical Analysis, maybe? I'm not sure i could do it in the same semester as Stats, Stochastic OR, and Real Analysis, but I could maybe swap out Stochastic OR or delay my application for more classes.

 

Did you have any meaningful interaction with your professors in your online classes? You could ask one of the professors in your remote advanced math classes for a letter of recommendation. In their letter, they can describe that the classes you took were equally as difficult as the in-class ones and also involved rigorous proofs and derivations. If you interacted with these professors in any meaningful way, then I think it should probably be fine.

You can also explain in your SOP that because you were working full-time, the online courses made the most sense for your schedule. In fact, stressing that you worked full-time *and* took these additional classes because you were so motivated to pursue a PhD in Biostatistics may help your application. For comparison, I know one PhD graduate from Harvard Biostatistics (now a postdoc at Princeton) who worked full-time as a software engineer while working on a Masters in Statistics part-time at Georgetown University. He then left his job to pursue the Biostatistics PhD at Harvard. His undergrad degree was also in Biology, not mathematics or statistics. 

 

Edited May 24, 2020 by Stat Postdoc Soon Faculty

[bayessays]

As long as you can get some good recommendations, I think biostat departments will appreciate the unique background and experience and you'd get into some solid PhD programs as is, especially after adding real analysis and doing well. 

[cyberwulf]

Agree with the above. Depending on your letters, you could have a real shot at a top 10 biostat PhD program. I wouldn't bother with a Masters first; a substantial minority of biostat PhD students come straight from undergrad without a math/stat degree.