Biostatistics Ranking

[Xero735]

Hi all,

Currently I am a doctoral student in a math department and am making the switch to Biostats. I have already applied to Yale, Brown, Harvard, and BU. I was invited up to Brown to visit their program. I know these are all typically good schools but I was wondering if someone has a ranking for biostatistics programs as I don't know how to stack any of them up. Thanks again

[Matt W]

http://grad-schools....chools/rankings

This has rankings for both statistics and bio statistics departments. You'll notice that some schools have two rankings. Click on the school to see which department it is referring to.

[Xero735]

The listing there seems fairly incomplete with respect to biostatistics programs. i.e. Brown isn't even listed, and Yale is only listed once.

[rutiana]

Have you considered that it is because those programs didn't rank?

[Xero735]

Its entirely possible but I have a hard time believing Ivy League Public Health programs didn't make any spot on the list.

[rutiana]

Why? That's a bit silly. Anyways, the rankings look right from everything I've been told by my advisor who's on the adcom of UNC's biostat grad program.

[biostat_prof]

I am a professor at a top-ten biostat department. For the most part, the USNWR rankings of stat/biostat programs are fairly close to reality. Having said that, they are often misused by students, since in a PhD program, the reputation of one's dissertation adviser is more important than the reputation of one's school. You would be better served to attend a lower-ranked department with several strong faculty in your area of interest than a higher-ranked department where there are no faculty for you to work with. Also, note that the rankings for schools 9-27 or so are probably within the margin of error of one another. This is another reason to consider the faculty that you might work with rather than the ranking of a school.

Of the schools that you listed, Harvard is outstanding, although admissions will probably be very competitive. My impression is that Yale has several strong younger faculty, although they have fewer superstar senior faculty. I'm not very familiar with the department at BU. As for Brown, that is a very new department, which is probably why it is unranked. I have no idea who they have hired, although attending a new department like that is always a bit of a gamble. Was there some particular reason you only applied to schools in the New England area?

One way or another, it is probably a moot point, since you have probably missed the deadlines for most (if not all) biostat PhD programs by now. If you're serious about this, you may want to apply again next year. The admissions process is brutally competitive this year, and you really should apply to more than four schools unless you have superstar credentials. (And if you're not a U.S. citizen, it's going to be even uglier. I would recommend that non-citizens to at least 15-20 schools unless your resume is absolutely flawless.)

[Xero735]

I wanted to get back to New England for family reasons. Thank you for the info, it is very helpful.

[anonymo]

... in a PhD program, the reputation of one's dissertation adviser is more important than the reputation of one's school. You would be better served to attend a lower-ranked department with several strong faculty in your area of interest than a higher-ranked department where there are no faculty for you to work with. Also, note that the rankings for schools 9-27 or so are probably within the margin of error of one another. This is another reason to consider the faculty that you might work with rather than the ranking of a school....

How can you tell if a professor is "strong" or not??

Thanks!

[biostat_prof]

How can you tell if a professor is "strong" or not??

Thanks!

Look at how much the professor has published and where they published. If they have lots of papers in JASA/Annals/JRSSB/etc., that is a good sign. You can also just ask your current professors what they know about the reputations of various programs. If you have any specific questions, I'll do my best to answer them.

[bynbutterfly]

Look at how much the professor has published and where they published. If they have lots of papers in JASA/Annals/JRSSB/etc., that is a good sign. You can also just ask your current professors what they know about the reputations of various programs. If you have any specific questions, I'll do my best to answer them.

There are a lot of universities which are not in the rank. How to know whether biostatistics in these universities good or not?

Do you know something about NYU and Brown?

[Arn]

There are a lot of universities which are not in the rank. How to know whether biostatistics in these universities good or not?

Do you know something about NYU and Brown?

The top Biostatistics programs seem to reside in the best schools of public health. NYU and Brown do not have schools of public health. I'm not sure if this is a good recommendation to give, but personally I wouldn't even consider applying to a Biostatistics program at a university without a school of public health.

A list of schools of public health can be found here: http://www.asph.org/...nt.cfm?page=200

[bynbutterfly]

The top Biostatistics programs seem to reside in the best schools of public health. NYU and Brown do not have schools of public health. I'm not sure if this is a good recommendation to give, but personally I wouldn't even consider applying to a Biostatistics program at a university without a school of public health.

A list of schools of public health can be found here: http://www.asph.org/...nt.cfm?page=200

Public health

Brown: http://publichealth.brown.edu/

Thank u for advice.

[Xero735]

Yes that it is the program in public health, it is not a school of public health

[alanyilan]

I am a professor at a top-ten biostat department. For the most part, the USNWR rankings of stat/biostat programs are fairly close to reality. Having said that, they are often misused by students, since in a PhD program, the reputation of one's dissertation adviser is more important than the reputation of one's school. You would be better served to attend a lower-ranked department with several strong faculty in your area of interest than a higher-ranked department where there are no faculty for you to work with. Also, note that the rankings for schools 9-27 or so are probably within the margin of error of one another. This is another reason to consider the faculty that you might work with rather than the ranking of a school.

Of the schools that you listed, Harvard is outstanding, although admissions will probably be very competitive. My impression is that Yale has several strong younger faculty, although they have fewer superstar senior faculty. I'm not very familiar with the department at BU. As for Brown, that is a very new department, which is probably why it is unranked. I have no idea who they have hired, although attending a new department like that is always a bit of a gamble. Was there some particular reason you only applied to schools in the New England area?

One way or another, it is probably a moot point, since you have probably missed the deadlines for most (if not all) biostat PhD programs by now. If you're serious about this, you may want to apply again next year. The admissions process is brutally competitive this year, and you really should apply to more than four schools unless you have superstar credentials. (And if you're not a U.S. citizen, it's going to be even uglier. I would recommend that non-citizens to at least 15-20 schools unless your resume is absolutely flawless.)

Professor, what about STAT at SUNY Stony Brook? Thanks!

[Arn]

The newest USNWR rankings came out. I picked out the first 10 Biostatistics programs and re-ranked them accordingly:

School - Biostat Rank

Harvard - 1

University of Washington - 1

Johns Hopkins - 3

UNC Chapel Hill - 4

University of Michigan - 5

UC Berkeley - 6

University of Minnesota - 7

University of Wisconsin - Madison - 8

UCLA - 9

Columbia - 10

USNWR changed their methodology which is why UC Berkeley was able to find its way into the top 10. Apparently, school reputation as determined by high school guidance counselors is given a larger weight this time around.

[wanthony86]

The newest USNWR rankings came out. I picked out the first 10 Biostatistics programs and re-ranked them accordingly:

School - Biostat Rank

Harvard - 1

University of Washington - 1

Johns Hopkins - 3

UNC Chapel Hill - 4

University of Michigan - 5

UC Berkeley - 6

University of Minnesota - 7

University of Wisconsin - Madison - 8

UCLA - 9

Columbia - 10

USNWR changed their methodology which is why UC Berkeley was able to find its way into the top 10. Apparently, school reputation as determined by high school guidance counselors is given a larger weight this time around.

Wasn't it already in the Top 10? I don't think anything has changed. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Arn]

Wasn't it already in the Top 10? I don't think anything has changed. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Last year, UC Berkeley's Statistics program was in the top 10 (as expected), not the Biostatistics program. I pointed this out to illustrate the futility in using rankings to guide graduate school decisions. The USNWR ranking in particular is questionable in my opinion considering that Berkeley has a Biostatistics group, not a division or department.

[demeng]

Professor, do you know the biostatistics program at University of Southern California? It is under the department of preventive medicine, keck school of medicine. Is it good? Do you know any faculty over there?

thanks!

Last year, UC Berkeley's Statistics program was in the top 10 (as expected), not the Biostatistics program. I pointed this out to illustrate the futility in using rankings to guide graduate school decisions. The USNWR ranking in particular is questionable in my opinion considering that Berkeley has a Biostatistics group, not a division or department.

[Hanyuye]

Professor, do you know the biostatistics program at University of Southern California? It is under the department of preventive medicine, keck school of medicine. Is it good? Do you know any faculty over there?

thanks!

BUMP!

Hoping someone would answer this. I'm applying for at least 10 schools myself.

[YepUrsi]

I would look more broadly about which Universities have good statistic programs, not specifically bio statistics. I know that Stanford has a very good statistics program, Berkeley too.