Fall 2024 Stat/Biostat Profile Evaluation

[ohrnor]

Hey y'all, please take a look at my profile and chance me. Don't hold back on your assessments as I am very lost as to what schools would be match or safe. 

Gender :  Asian Female

Ethnicity : International Student 

Undegrad Institution : Top 30 Private University, average math department and a new statistics (not called this) department 

Major : Economics + Applied math and statistics 

GPA : 3.982 (one B+ from upper elective econ class taken freshman year, everything else is A)

Relevant Courses : ALL A's

Math/Statistics/ECON : 

Math Econ, multivariable calc, ODE, PDE, discrete math, linear algebra, numerical analysis, applied PDE, convex optimization, math stat 1 + 2

intro to stat, stat computing (R), machine learning, parametric estimation, nonparametric estimation,

intermediate micro + macro, econometrics, causal inference, game theory, 

PhD level classes

biostat department: causal inference; econ department: micro theory 1+2 

General GRE : Quant 170 (94%) , Verbal 169 (99%), Writing 4.5 (81%)

Research Experience: honor thesis on nonparametric ATE estimation, a summer research with math professor on uncertainty quantification (didn't do much), a year of econ research on game theory, two-sided markets (kinda gone nowhere) 

LORs:  Two from statistics professors, one of which is the honor thesis advisor, another I have taken classes with and speaks highly of me; the third is from econ professor I took two metric classes with and done well in. 

I want to apply to PhD Statistics/Biostatistics for Fall 2024 in US. 

weaknesses: 

1. international student 

2. didn't take real analysis

3. not a ton of research experience 

4. no masters or work experience 

strength

1. decent letters (I hope. Letter writes are pretty hyped)

2. good GPA

3. some coursework in PhD level and gotten A's in all of them 

BTW I am not super set on academia so I just want to get in to a decent and supportive program and keep my options open 

Schools I am thinking about applying to (blue = applied) 

CMU stat

Emory biostat

UW madison stat

UC davis stat

Duke biostat 

Uwashington stat 

Rice stat

reach

Cornell

UCLA stat 

NYU center for data science (huge reach)

umich stat

duke stat

Columbia stat

UNC stat

Yale stat/biostat 

JHU biostat/applied math 

NC state stat 

match 

vanderbilt biostat

rutgers 

UC davis biostat 

Texas AM stat

northwestern stat

UT Austin stat

Pittsburg stat

UC Irvine stat 

BU stat 

UCSD math with stat specialization/data science 

Uminn twin city stat 

UIUC

safe ???

very few lol. maybe I should look into schools outside of top 50

rochester 

UCSC

UC Riverside 

[bayessays]

I think your classification of schools as reaches/matches is basically correct.  Your profile is basically ideal, except for the lack of real analysis being a detriment at top stats departments.  I think you'll have a lot of success.

[ohrnor]

10 hours ago, bayessays said:

I think your classification of schools as reaches/matches is basically correct.  Your profile is basically ideal, except for the lack of real analysis being a detriment at top stats departments.  I think you'll have a lot of success.

Thanks so much! Would you say I need to add more safe schools to make sure at least I get into one school? If so any recommendation is appreciated. 

[bayessays]

If anything, I might just switch a few schools from their stat to biostat departments - ie, Michigan/Minnesota/Columbia/Duke are reaches for stats, but their biostat programs are easier to get into.  It really depends on if you're more interested in doing math or doing applied work though - I don't think the same person would be happy at both Columbia stat and Columbia biostat.