Masters/PhD Profile Evaluation- School selection too top heavy?

[GoPackGo89]

Undergrad Institution: Large state school (not well known for math)
Major: Math (applied and statistics focus)
Minor: Economics 
GPA: 3.9+ (overall), 4.0(Math)

Type of Student: Domestic White Male

Courses/ Background:

Quantitative Courses:

Multivariable Calc (A), Linear Algebra (A), Differential Equations (A), Probability (A), Mathematical Statistics (A), Analysis I (A), Analysis II (A), Intro Number Theory(A), Numerical Analysis(A), PDE(A), Mathematical Modeling(A), Intro to Linear Models (A), Programming 1(A), Programming2(A), Econometrics(A)

 

I'm proficient in R, and competent in C++.

 

GRE: Taking soon, based on practice tests I would guess 165+ Q

Research Experience: 1 REU, and a research project with one of my professors
Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Dean's List, on pace for Magna Cum Laude
Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Research assistant, Grader, Tutor

Letters of Recommendation:

-Department Chair

-Math professor I took independent study with/ research

-Professor I've taken many classes with and attended office hours regularly.

Thinking of applying to:

Masters: 
Stats: Stanford, Chicago
Biostats: Washington, Harvard, Berkeley

PhD:
Stats: NC state, UC santa barbara
Biostats: Columbia, UCLA

Is my list too top heavy? My goal is to get into medical research via statistics

[cyberwulf]

I would say that your list of biostat PhD programs isn't top-heavy enough. You should really apply to Washington and Harvard's PhD programs (and Hopkins too, if you're interested in living in Baltimore), and depending on your geographical preferences add a few more from the next couple of tiers (Michigan/Minnesota/UNC/Berkeley, Penn/Emory/Columbia/UCLA/Brown). You might not get into UW or Harvard, but it's certainly not a waste of your time to apply.

[GoPackGo89]

On 8/18/2016 at 11:09 PM, cyberwulf said:

I would say that your list of biostat PhD programs isn't top-heavy enough. You should really apply to Washington and Harvard's PhD programs (and Hopkins too, if you're interested in living in Baltimore), and depending on your geographical preferences add a few more from the next couple of tiers (Michigan/Minnesota/UNC/Berkeley, Penn/Emory/Columbia/UCLA/Brown). You might not get into UW or Harvard, but it's certainly not a waste of your time to apply.

Thank you for the reply, Cyberwulf! Do you have any recommended safety schools? Based on your advice could I consider the masters programs at some of the top schools (UW, JHU, Harvard) as safeties? 

[cyberwulf]

On 9/5/2016 at 1:59 PM, statbiostat2017 said:

 Based on your advice could I consider the masters programs at some of the top schools (UW, JHU, Harvard) as safeties? 

Yes, I think those would be pretty safe bets for you.

[GoPackGo89]

I've given it some thought and was thinking of now only applying to: Harvard, JHU, UW, Berkeley. If I go 0/4 admits I would graduate 1 semester later giving me time to have another paper submitted to a journal as well as another summer to do an REU more focused in biostats. This would also give me more time to take more Math classes and biology classes.

Is this a bad idea? 

 

@Biostat_student_22 I'd really value your thoughts as you are a current student. If you thought pushing graduation one more semester could help your chances of getting into your dream schools would you do it?

Edited October 28, 2016 by statbiostat2017

[Biostat_Assistant_Prof]

On 10/28/2016 at 5:56 PM, statbiostat2017 said:

I've given it some thought and was thinking of now only applying to: Harvard, JHU, UW, Berkeley. If I go 0/4 admits I would graduate 1 semester later giving me time to have another paper submitted to a journal as well as another summer to do an REU more focused in biostats. This would also give me more time to take more Math classes and biology classes.

Is this a bad idea? 

 

@Biostat_student_22 I'd really value your thoughts as you are a current student. If you thought pushing graduation one more semester could help your chances of getting into your dream schools would you do it?

Well, you certainly are a strong applicant and I think your sights are right where they should be, but if you're going to postpone a year if you don't get in the top 3... I personally would not do it. 

The longer I've been in grad school, more and more have I become convinced rankings matter less and less. Your mentor/advisor will matter far more than where your school falls on the list. A strong student can find success almost anywhere they go, because ultimately it's your own drive and work that gives you success, but a great mentor is the biggest key to facilitating that. Most PhD programs will teach you about the same things in classes; the reason the top ranked schools are just that are because they have the highest number of "high quality" faculty that can serve as mentors... but you can probably find at least a couple of great mentors that will set you up for success almost everywhere. 

Back to the point of the question, you will still surely get into a very, very good program. If not UW, Harvard, Hopkins, you'll get an offer from Michigan, Berkeley, or UNC if you choose to apply... and in my opinion it would not be worth it to postpone a year to possibly get into UW next year when you have an offer to Michigan now.