Statistics PhD with Econ Background

[ccc88]

Hello!

I am an international undergraduate freshman currently attending a Top 50 QS Asian university, majoring in economics. I am interested, if possible, in applying to Statistics PhD programs in the US right after I graduate. However, my econ background is making me scared of really applying to stats programs since I don't see a lot of econ majors really making it to the top programs. I will try my best to take the sufficient math courses such as linear algebra, advanced calculus, etc and try to get as much research experience as possible and maybe even get some applied statistics-related internships (since I'm more or less more interested in applied stats). Are top stats PhD programs truly impossible considering my background? Will definitely take the GRE Math subject test if it's necessary to prove my math ability to the adcoms tbh.

Thanks!

[Stat Assistant Professor]

It does seem as though the very top-tier schools (Stanford, Harvard, UChicago, Berkeley) do accept mainly international students who majored in mathematics or statistics, but I have occasionally seen some economics majors do okay in Statistics PhD admissions in the tier of schools below that (e.g. I know of some people who went to Duke for their PhD who have undergrad degrees in Economics). If you major is not Math or Statistics, then I think it is very important to demonstrate strong evidence of mathematical maturity in your application -- e.g. two semesters of real analysis and other evidence of ability to do advanced proof-based math would help. 

Is there any way that you could pick up a double major in Mathematics? That would probably be your best bet if you're aiming for "top" schools. Internships don't really matter much for Stats PhD programs.  

[ccc88]

@Stat Assistant Professor It is definitely not possible to have double majors, minors, etc in the country where I am currently attending college in. However, it is possible to take sufficient math classes usually required for Statistics PhD. It is possible for me to take at max 3 semesters of calculus, 2 semesters of linear algebra, 2 semesters of real analysis, a semester of probability, a semester of programming, the 2 semesters of economics statistics already included in my major (econ stats here basically covers the same material as math stats), and 2 semesters of math for econ (optimization, etc). Nonetheless, it will probably be hard for me to take other math classes other than the above mentioned. Will taking the GRE Math Subject Test help?

Or applying for Masters at the really top programs (Stanford, Harvard, Berkeley) while applying for PhD at lower tier programs seems more possible?

Edited April 20, 2021 by ccc88

[Stat Assistant Professor]

Yes, you could do that. I think you might have the most luck at schools ranked a bit lower, e.g. those ranked 20-50 in USNWR. However, there is quite a bit of noise in PhD admissions, so you never know. Despite the noisiness in admissions, I *would* say that the very 'elite' programs will most likely favor international applicants who have degrees in Mathematics or Statistics from elite schools like Peking, Tsinghua, USTC, SNU, ISI, etc. and who are usually at the very top of their class. Usually the successful applicants will also have relevant research experience (I saw that Stanford admitted a student one year who had a publication accepted in Annals of Statistics in their first year -- goodness!). So I am not sure that you would be able to compete against such applicants.

Applying to a few Masters programs is a good idea too -- you could even do a Masters in Statistics/Mathematics at a reputable school in your home country, and that might help too.

[bayessays]

Yes, you will be well-prepared with those classes! The major isn't very important, the classes are what matters.  Only a few top programs look at the subject test, so I don't think it will help you very much.  Sending out 1-3 MS applications as back-ups in case PhD applications don't work out seems like a reasonable idea, and lots of people do that.

[StatsG0d]

It's probably much more difficult as an international student, but FWIW I did an undergraduate degree in Economics and I was admitted to nearly all the schools I applied to in the 10-20 range.

Edited April 20, 2021 by StatsG0d

[kingduck]

I had a subpar GPA in econ, did an MS in stats with a perfect GPA, and got into several stats programs outside of the top 20 (ps: I didn't bother applying to the top 20)