CA State Schools?

[AHGRE]

Is going to a state school for a masters in stats just as acceptable as going to a UC? Thanks!

[ANDS!]

Define "acceptable".

[Shostakovich]

Is going to a state school for a masters in stats just as acceptable as going to a UC? Thanks!

State School as in Cal States? Because UCs and CSUs are both state schools

But I mean, we're looking at something like UC Berkeley which has a Stats dept that many people rank as the #1 department versus many Cal States which I don't even think are ranked. Which degree is right for you depends on what your profile looks like as well as what you plan to do with the degree.

Good luck.

[XDzard]

Shostakovich, would you mind elaborating on that?

[Shostakovich]

Shostakovich, would you mind elaborating on that?

 

I think I misunderstood the first part of OP's question (as OP obviously meant Cal States). My apologies for that.

 

As for the comparison between doing your masters at a Cal State versus a UC, a MS Stats degree from some place like Berkeley or UCLA will obviously be considered more prestigious than a degree from a Cal State. This will open more opportunities, including better chances at admission into PhD programs as well as better prospects for finding a job.

 

I think the above is especially true for PhD admissions, where you will be at a disadvantage coming out of a Cal State program (versus other candidates with more reputable degrees). However, if your priority is to find a job you may still be competitive with a MS from Cal State (based on # of job openings in your discipline, which I was told is decent in Statistics).

Edited January 17, 2013 by Shostakovich

[XDzard]

Thanks Shostakovich! Yeah, I'm planning on just getting a MS then finding a job. Now I guess I don't have to worry so much over a few bad grades?

[Shostakovich]

Thanks Shostakovich! Yeah, I'm planning on just getting a MS then finding a job. Now I guess I don't have to worry so much over a few bad grades?

 

Hi XDzard,

 

I'm not sure what exact situation you are in so it's hard to give specific advice, but I'd say don't let a few bad grades discourage you from applying to programs you like. Even if you are not interested in pursuing a PhD, I think it would still be in your best interest to attend at least a somewhat reputable program as it will obviously make you more competitive for the job market.

 

Also, are you interested in just Statistics, or are you open to going into Biostatistics as well? If you choose the latter the barrier to entry may be a bit lower for many of the masters programs at decent schools (and in the end it's still very much Statistics, just that you're mainly dealing with the health/bio applications of it). As far as schools in California I'd look at UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UC Davis for the UC's, and Cal State East Bay has a MS in Biostatistics program that they advertise to be great for finding a job. I was also told that Cal State LA has a masters program in Statistics, although their program seems to be a bit heavy on the Econometrics side.

Edited January 18, 2013 by Shostakovich

[XDzard]

I'm actually more interested in biostatistics I'm currently a sophomore at UC Davis, majoring in applied statistics with a concentration in evolution and ecology, genetics, or molecular and cellular biology. My GPA is at a 3.42 right now, I feel that it's just falling more and more as the quarters go on.

 

What about the other UCs? Are their programs not as good? And SJSU has a Professionals Master Degree, is that viewed the same as a Masters of Science?

[Shostakovich]

I'm actually more interested in biostatistics I'm currently a sophomore at UC Davis, majoring in applied statistics with a concentration in evolution and ecology, genetics, or molecular and cellular biology. My GPA is at a 3.42 right now, I feel that it's just falling more and more as the quarters go on.

 

What about the other UCs? Are their programs not as good? And SJSU has a Professionals Master Degree, is that viewed the same as a Masters of Science?

 

That's good to hear. Looks like you're building a good background, and since you're just a sophomore you have a lot of room to improve. 3.42 from Davis is a decent academic record, could very well be enough for Berkeley or UCLA depending on your "softs" (math background like real analysis/lin algebra/probability, letter of recs, GRE, research background, etc.) but I'd try to get it up to a 3.5-3.6 to be more competitive (looking at the results page that's what their incoming class typically had). The upward trend in grades will be viewed favorably as well...

 

When I was doing research for my own admissions, it seemed to me that other UC's generally didn't have educational programs in Biostats. If you need a backup school to apply to, I would consider USC as well as some schools out of state, although it would be in your best interest to stay in-state for tuition purposes. I doubt you'll need to apply to Cal States, but can't hurt to do so for safety measures.

 

Good luck!

[XDzard]

Thank you so much for your advice!