Getting into Statistics Graduate School

[jrk012]

I am currently a 2nd year senior from a Big Ten university, getting a dual-bachelor, and I was wondering what my chances were for getting into a Master's program in the ranks of 25-50, 50-100, and 100-200. I have a 3.0 and expect to have around a 3.07 which isn't great, I know, but I have a 3.8 over my last 50 credits. I still have to take the GRE(which I will be taking within the month). Here are my credentials:

Majors: Statistics, Mathematics, and Actuarial Mathematics

Minor: Economics

Relevant Classes: Calculus Sequence, Differential Equations, Theory of Partial DE, Linear Algebra I & II, Abstract Algebra I, Mathematical Analysis I, Interest Theory, Probability Theory, Mathematical Statistics, Biostatistics, Actuarial Math I & II, Financial Mathematics, Programming in Python, Statistical Programming, and some Finance, Accounting & Econ Classes.

Computer Work: R, SAS, Python, and minimal MiniTab.

Other: Tutoring, including for at-risk children, club and IM member.

I have also passed the Probability Exam P/1 for actuaries.

I would eventually love to prove myself in a Master's program to hopefully advance to a PhD, however I know I need to get into a decent Master's program first. My GPA is lower, but it was from my earlier college years, during a rough family time, and I feel I can prove a lot more than I have thus far. What are my chances of getting that opportunity?

[biostat_prof]

I would eventually love to prove myself in a Master's program to hopefully advance to a PhD, however I know I need to get into a decent Master's program first. My GPA is lower, but it was from my earlier college years, during a rough family time, and I feel I can prove a lot more than I have thus far. What are my chances of getting that opportunity?

I'm a professor at a top-ranked biostat department, and your strategy sounds perfect to me. Most MS programs are not very competitive, so your GPA shouldn't be a major barrier. (Indeed, if your grades in your upper-division math courses are solid, you may be able to apply directly to a PhD program, but you will probably have more options if you do well in an MS program first.) Be sure to try to get some research experience and cultivate relationships with well-known professors who can write you recommendations, because that will help a lot. If it makes you feel any better, I know of recent cases where my department admitted students with catastrophic undergraduate GPA's provided that they showed evidence of better grades by their senior year and performed well in an MS program. Good luck.

[jrk012]

Thank you for your insight, it helps a lot. Do you think an MS at a Big Ten Program is out of reach?

[cyberwulf]

Thank you for your insight, it helps a lot. Do you think an MS at a Big Ten Program is out of reach?

No.