Unfunded UW - Seattle & Michigan vs funded Duke MS Biostatistics

[BioStatKid]

Hi every one, 

May I ask for some advice regarding which program to choose amongst the three? Duke gave me a big package (20k / year) and realistically is the cheapest option, but I want to pursue a PhD afterward. Michigan has an internal track, while UW, which I got into the thesis track, is a top-tier department that is hard to turn down. I have a feeling that the culture at UW is pretty competitive. Also, its curriculum seems to be the most theoretical (and harder), and I wonder if that may help to boost my profile if I do well. Overall, my friends reside near Duke, and as an international student, this sense of community seems important. However, after realizing how competitive the PhD admission is for internatonal student, is it worth it for me to pursue a highly-ranked MS program to boost my chance? My research interest is loosely-defined right now, but leaning toward genomics / genetics / ML, which seems to be UW's strong suit. 

Edited March 22, 2021 by BioStatKid

[csheehan10]

Unless you are very (VERY) wealthy already, definitely take Duke. Any potential benefits you might get at UW or Michigan vs Duke are almost certainly smaller than the cost of attendance.

[trynagetby]

I mean it's possible to go from Duke Biostatistics to Upenn Biostatistics PhD to Harvard Biostatistics Professor. I met this professor during Harvard Biostats visit day:

https://sites.google.com/view/ruiduan/biography?authuser=1

She's super smart ofc, but I don't think Duke biostatistics would limit you. I think professors from the Statistics department like Amy Herring and Fan Li now advise Biostatistics Masters. So if you can work with them and get their recommendations you'd be in great shape.

 

Edited March 22, 2021 by trynagetby

[BioStatKid]

This is insanely hard for me to finalize my decision as I see this as a long-term investment. I saw both pros / cons of the 3 programs. Honestly, I'm more inclined to attend UW / Michigan (since I prefer their curriculum design), but Duke has better weather / cheaper tuition. I kept pondering that I may miss out the chance to attend higher-ranked PhD programs if I turn down Michigan /UW (more theoretical, better track of placement for PhD, etc.).