2025 Stats PhD Profile review and Program recs

[grnola]

Undergrad Institution: Top 25 Public School in the US

Undergrad Major: Applied Mathematics and Statistics

GPA: 3.72

Coursework: Ordinary Differential Equations (A), Probability Theory (A), Statistical Theory (A),  Calc 1,2,3 (A), Linear Algebra (A-), Coding in Python (A), Financial Mathematics (A-)

(Note: No A+'s in undergrad's grading system)

 

Master Degree in a top 3 US Quant Program:

GPA: 3.38

Highlights: Numerical Analysis in C++ (A+), Computing in C++ (A), Time Series Analysis (A), Machine Learning Capstone (A), Simulation Methods (A), Data Science (A-)

Misc: Machine Learning (B), Stochastic Calculus (D) - I was dealing with a loss in my family during this semester. Also didn't score well on finance-focused classes.
 

Experience:

Internship and currently working at a small quant trading firm as a quant researcher

Tutored statistics in undergrad

 

Awards:

Full undergrad scholarship, magna cum laude

LORs:

- Strong: Data Science professor who oversaw my graduate capstone project

- Strong: Math Professor who I took Linear Algebra and Calc 2 with in undergrad

- Tossup: Head of Applied Math program in undergrad

 

Planning to apply to: Reaches - Berkeley, Columbia, Chicago, Washington. Realistic: UCLA, Stony Brook, UCSD, UT Austin

Edited August 30 by grnola

[Luke99]

If you're still interested in financial applications I'd recommend adding UCSB's program to your list: https://www.pstat.ucsb.edu/graduate/phd/emphases/fms

[bayessays]

This is tough - obviously your master's GPA doesn't look great, but when you look at the extenuating circumstances and look at all your math grades, they're pretty solid.  On the other hand, your math background is pretty weak (no real analysis or any proof-based classes), you don't have any research experience, and your list consists almost exclusively of the most competitive programs.

Stony Brook is really the only program that I think is realistic on this list, and I think you'll have trouble getting into top 40 programs, except maybe some of the larger state schools in less desirable locations (not California).  I think schools like Iowa and Michigan State are reaches, but they're much more realistic than the current list.