Stats Master 2021 Profile Evaluation: How to Compensate?

[DashCyrus]

Student Type: Senior Student. 

Undergrad: US News top 40 private university

Major: Economics, Mathematics, International Studies

GPA: 3.96

Math Courses: Cal I, II, III; Differential Equations (A), Probability (A), Stats Theory (A), Linear Algebra (A), Introduction to Proof (A)

Also took Econometrics (A). 

GRE: V 164 Q 169 W 4.5

Letters of Recommendation: two academic recommendation letters from my econometrics professors. One that taught me econometrics and one that I TA-ed for. One professional recommendation letter may come from my previous supervisor in the state government treasury department. 

My Worries: Is recommendation letter from econometrics professor enough for applying to Stats master programs? My math courses were mainly taught by PhD fellows, and I was not familiar with the few math professors that taught me. Also, I was wondering whether a recommendation letter not from a directly stats-related internship helps in my application. Meanwhile, do you guys think I should take real analysis in this semester?

[Stat Assistant Professor]

Recommendation letters aren't as important for Masters programs as PhD programs. With a 3.96 GPA and having met the math requirements for Statistics MS programs, you should be able to get into most Statistics Masters programs with your current profile.

If you are contemplating a PhD eventually, then you probably do need to take some advanced proof-based math classes, including real analysis. If you could fit some in to your senior year schedule and/or take two such classes (one of which has to be real analysis) in your Masters program, then you will have a better chance at Stat PhD programs.