Uchicago Master Program

[stats_monte]

Until this point, I'm mainly choosing between NC State phd program and UChicago Master Program in statistics (and possibly UNC phd program since I know that I got waitlisted there). 

I also got waitlisted to a bunch of other schools (cornell, etc) but I don't really hold much hope for that. 

I really like the master program at UChicago because one has to do a master thesis and have a master advisor, which means that there is an explicit expectation that professors will work with master students. Some of their MS students do go on to their own phd program or elsewhere. 

So how is the master program at UChicago compared to other master programs? As another recent post suggests, is it a "cash cow"? (I know master program in some degree is cash cow for its respective phd program, so I guess I'm just wondering how "cash cow" it is?). It is shocking to know that there are around 280 students graduating from Columbia master program every year, considering there are only about 50 students in Chicago's program...

Edited April 1, 2016 by stats_monte

[Aftermath]

Of the limited 14 Fall students I know, there are at least 2 also got offer from NCSU PhD. Now they both got admitted to Booth.

If you have professors at NCSU that you are particularly interested in, just go ahead. Give it a visit. At PhD level I think, it's more about your advisor. 

For the "cash cow" issue, I think the 25% tuition remission for everyone says something about it.

Edited April 2, 2016 by Aftermath

[Residuals]

Depends on your long-term goals. Short-term going to UChicago would be quite costly. However, if one succeeds in its masters program then it is a good springboard to top PhD programs. The risk is that PhD students and masters students are taking the same courses so getting solid grades might be more difficult. NC State historically was a top program but since fallen to a second-tier program. But with that said, their is a legacy connection between NC State and SAS institute. The founders of SAS are from NC State. There is definitely favoritism for NC State students for possible internships and jobs at SAS which is an awesome place to work.

[beerkatmanor]

I'm biased because this is where I'm headed, but I did a lot of homework and it seems that UChicago has a great program. If you look up the recent alumni (linkedin creeping hehe) they are either at good phd programs or high-paying jobs. It seems very well regarded in the stats community.

[stats_monte]

On April 11, 2016 at 8:22 PM, beerkatmanor said:

I'm biased because this is where I'm headed, but I did a lot of homework and it seems that UChicago has a great program. If you look up the recent alumni (linkedin creeping hehe) they are either at good phd programs or high-paying jobs. It seems very well regarded in the stats community.

Hey I decided to attend Chicago too haha!  And yes, it seems like a much more serious master program compared to most other same-tier programs (Of course I'm biased too).

Look forward to meeting you in this fall! 

[stats_monte]

On April 10, 2016 at 7:29 PM, arima said:

Depends on your long-term goals. Short-term going to UChicago would be quite costly. However, if one succeeds in its masters program then it is a good springboard to top PhD programs. The risk is that PhD students and masters students are taking the same courses so getting solid grades might be more difficult. NC State historically was a top program but since fallen to a second-tier program. But with that said, their is a legacy connection between NC State and SAS institute. The founders of SAS are from NC State. There is definitely favoritism for NC State students for possible internships and jobs at SAS which is an awesome place to work.

Thanks so much for the reply! UChicago's master is appealing to me mostly because of its relative small size, and the fact that there's no barrier for Master students (mostly). Their master students are practically allowed to do anything that their Ph.D. students are allowed to (class-wise). Also it is appealing that faculty members will work with their master students, which is NOT the case at all (at least at Stanford. I took two Ph.D. level classes there and one of their master students told me it is fairly hard for master students to talk to professors about research. Of course I believe there are some exceptions but that's the general case at Stanford) in almost any other same-tier master programs (Stanford, Berkeley, Harvard, etc)

Edited April 14, 2016 by stats_monte