Profile Eval for Stat/Applied Math PhD

[leviathan23]

Undergrad Institution - Reed College

Major - Math w/ Concentration in Statistics, graduating Spring of 2021

GPA - 3.7

GRE - I'm taking the General Test in August, and the Math subject test in October.  From practice tests, I expect to get high scores on at least the general exam.

Math Courses Taken - Calculus I (A-), Discrete Math (A), Intro to Analysis (A), Linear Algebra (B+), Vector Calculus (B), Intro to Probability and Statistics (A), Combinatorics (A), Data Science (B+), Algorithms and Data Structures (A-), Abstract Algebra (A).  I will be taking Statistical Learning, Real Analysis, Probability and Mathematical Statistics classes in my senior year.

Other Relevant Courses - General Physics 1 (A), General Physics 2 (B+), Intro to Comp Sci (B+),  Logic (A)

Type of Student - Domestic White Male

Research Experience - In my senior year at Reed I will write a Math/Stats thesis.

Work Experience - Math tutor for High School math, Grader for Intro to Statistics.

Letters of Recommendation - 2 letters from Statistics professors at Reed, one being my thesis advisor.  I will have taken multiple classes from both and graded for one of them.  The final letter will be from another math professor I have taken a class with.

Concerns - I'm worried mainly because of my lack of research experience and the math classes I got B's in.  

The program I want to get in most is either the University of Washington PhD program in Statistics or the University of Washington PhD program in Applied Math.  Would these programs be a reach in my case?  Other places I'm considering are Ohio State and University of Wisconsin for statistics PhD programs.  I also may apply for the UW Statistics master's program if I find I'm unable to get into the PhD program there.

 

The main question I'm also considering is whether or not I should wait a year to apply to grad school, to have a chance to pull my GPA up some, get more research experience, and maybe find a better 3rd letter of rec writer.

Thanks for any feedback!

 

 

Edited July 17, 2020 by leviathan23

[Spaghettini Plot]

Since Reed college is known for grade deflation I would think Washington statistics is possible but a reach. This is provided you score well on the Math GRE.  I can't really say as far as applied math goes.  Otherwise I'd say Wisconsin is also a bit of a reach but I think you should have a very good shot at OSU and a UW masters.  Certainly if you are set on a PhD, I would look at some more places between OSU and Wisconsin depending on where your research interests are

[bayessays]

Is there a particular reason your second choice is the applied math program? If being in Seattle is important and you want to study statistics, apply to both the statistics and Biostatistics departments. 

[leviathan23]

Thanks again for the advice, I will definitely look into applying to the UW Biostatistics program as well, along with other statistics graduate programs.  Now that I think about it more I would probably rather be in a statistics program, even if it was a master's, than an applied math program.

Edited July 21, 2020 by leviathan23