Statistics@UFL, Mizzou or VT?

[dajyahao]

Hi there,

 

I posted this thread on the Decisions, Decisions forum and was adviced to come here.

 

So I've been accepted by PhD programs in statistics at florida, missouri and virginia tech. Now I don't really know how to choose.

 

UFL have a good reputation, but their department seems really small, and it seems they have been losing a number of important faculty members in the past few years.

 

I think Missouri have some strong professors. I don't understand why their rank is much lower than UFL. I am too new to statistics, rankings trouble me a lot.

 

I didn't dig deep into Virginia Tech( partly because I haven't received any financial aid from them) but I like their website ...

 

I hope to get a academic position in the future, but I am really new to the field( I studied physics as an undergraduate). I haven't made up my mind as to what area of statistics I want to research in... all those areas seem equally interested to me! OK maybe time series or Bayesian analysis might be two good choices.

 

So does anyone know about the statistics departments( or their PhD programs) in these three schools? Any information will be helpful. Opinions on their academic level are especially appreciated! Thank you and good luck to everyone~

[Stat Assistant Professor]

qinqin11,

 

I'm not sure if you have already made your decision as to where to go, but to address the UFL issue... Florida recently split up their statistics department into stats and biostats, so I don't think it is that a lot of the faculty have left UF, it's just that they are part of the recently formed biostatistics dept instead.

[dajyahao]

qinqin11,

 

I'm not sure if you have already made your decision as to where to go, but to address the UFL issue... Florida recently split up their statistics department into stats and biostats, so I don't think it is that a lot of the faculty have left UF, it's just that they are part of the recently formed biostatistics dept instead.

Thanks for the piece of infomation. So that's a reason why they look smaller than other stat departments...

I haven't finalized my decision yet but I think I'm going to Florida in fall. Don't know if it's right. Hope I can do well and become a professor someday, haha...