2015 Statistics MS/PhD Profile Evaluation

[Jacksons]

Hi all, I am applying for the graduate school in statistics and looking forward to getting some suggestions from you guys. 

 

Undergrad Institution 1: A university in China. (After two years of study, transferred to US)

Major(s): Social Work
GPA: 3.61 (Class rank 1) 

 

Undergrad Institution 2: Large state university in the midwest, around 55 in us news

Major(s): Mathematics, Economics double major, both in honor program
Minor(s): Statistics
GPA: 3.918

Type of Student: International student from China, Male

​Courses taken and taking: Calculus III (A), Honor Analysis I & II (both A-), master level of real analysis (Rudin) I & II (both A), Honor Linear Algebra (A), Honor Differential Equation (A), Honor Number Theory (B+), Honor Complex Analysis (A), Honor Differential Geometry (A-), PDE (A), Undergraduate level probability (A), Intro to Mathematical Statistics (A), Econometrics I & II (both A), Graduate level of mathematical statistics I (A), Graduate level of mathematical statistics II (A-), Probability Theory based on measure theory (IP). 

GRE General Test:
Q: 166 (92%)
V: 156 (71%)
W: 4.0 (56%)
GRE Subject Test in Mathematics:
M: 820 (83%); I also took the one in October, expected to be 85-90%
TOEFL Score: Waived

Grad Institution: N/A

 

Programs Applying: Statistics
Research Experience: 1. Did a data analysis for a book of a lecturer in the econ department;

                                       2. Did research with a math professor on ODE;

                                       3. Published a paper on the pedagogy. I designed the questionnaire and analyzed the data of the survey and wrote the data analysis part. 
Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Special grade of scholarship and excellent students at the undergraduate institution 1; Scholarship from the math department at the undergraduate institution 2. 
Pertinent Activities or Jobs: TAed and TAing maths courses. 

Letters of Recommendation: One professor from econ department with specialization in econometrics, strong; One associate professor from the math department, strong; One associate professor at the statistics department, I took a graduate class with her and got A in her class, strong. 

Any Miscellaneous Points that Might Help: Passed EXAM P at SOA (Society of Actuaries), preparing for FM and C. 

Research Interest: Stochastic Modeling, the applied statistics with connection to economics and finance. 

 

Applying to where: 

MS: Stanford, Berkeley, Harvard (Really no confident of applying to PhD directly)

PhD: Chicago (MS/PhD), Washington, Cornell, Columbia, Michigan, Yale, UPenn, Minnesota. 

 

Will the schools I list above are too high to reach? Do you have some other schools recommending to apply? 

 

Thanks in advance. 

[Stats2015]

Although I don't know what it takes to get into the big name schools you listed, you definitely have a pretty good package so far.

I would also look into:

-UC Santa Barbara

-Michigan State

-Purdue

-Iowa

Michigan State seemed to have a strong Stochastic program from what I remember and UC Santa Barbara has a strong financial and Stochastic emphasis as well.

I hope that helps!