Choosing a Stat PhD School

[frequentist]

Hello Everyone! 

My application cycle went pretty much as expected. I got into almost every large public schools I applied to but did not get into any private schools. I wanted to get opinions on this forum so that I do not end up committing without thinking thoroughly.

1. Michigan- Ann Arbor: The stipend is decent with a fellowship for first year. It is a little more money but I still have to do TA (10 hours) and 20 hours starting from second year.

 

2. Penn State: The stipend is decent (slightly more than Michigan), but no  teaching duties for first year.

 

3. NC State- Stipend is slightly less. But I love Raleigh. Location wise, NC State is the most preferable to me. 

 

Right now, I am leaning towards Michigan. But NC State is also a school worth considering. I am not excited about the weather in Michigan as I have spent all my life in subtropical regions. The lack of teaching duties at Penn State might give me a headstart. But again it is just a year, so may not have much impact in a long run. 

As of right now, I am not sure if I want to go to academia or industry. I have never worked in industry, so I would like to do at least one internship during my PhD. Thus, I am trying to optimize both prospects at the moment. Sadly, I do not have any strong preference about the area of research either as I have only taken couple of stats classes. However, just looking at faculty profiles, all there schools have a couple of folks that I would be grateful to work with.

What are your opinions regarding these schools? What might be the pros and cons attending one over another?

[bayessays]

Are you only leaning towards Michigan because it's higher-ranked than the other schools?  If you like Raleigh, I don't think Michigan is *so much* better it should be your only factor. The programs are in the same league and you could definitely be equally successful from both.  Michigan does give big stipends, but the total difference is probably a month or two of what you'll make after graduating. NCSU has some fantastic people.  I'd also factor in the fact that if you like Raleigh, you can more easily just stay and get a job in the area and you won't have to move again in 5 years and start a new life if you don't want to.

[statsguy]

Sounds like NC State wouldn't be a bad option for you. I would ignore the stiped amounts (as long as they are enough to sustain you), but no teaching is a decent perq. The area around NC State (RTP) has lots of internship opportunities that won't require a move (a major plus), and many industry job opportunities if you don't go into academia. Don't underestimate the effects of winters if you're not used to them - I went to a school that had long, cold winters with very little sunlight in the winter, and several students struggled to adjust.