Biostatistics Ph.D. evaluation

[RandomForest]

Thanks in advance.

I am a senior and not confident in myself. I am interested in cancer research and genomics.

Undergrad Institution: Ohio State
Major: Mathematics
Minor: Statistics, Computer Information System
GPA: 3.97 Overall, only a B+ in probability

Honor & Awards: summer research scholarship($3500), dean's list each year

Type of student: international male
GRE: Q 167 V158 AW3.5
TOEFL: waived

Courses: 
Undergrad: Analysis 1(Bartle), calculus 1-3, linear algebra, probability, mathematical statistics, ODE, PDE, dynamical system, scientific computation, regression, SAS programming, time series, stochastic process, C++, Data structure, discrete structure
Programming: R, MATLAB,CPLEX, C++,Python, SAS
On-Going: Real Analysis 1(grad level, baby rudin), Linear Mathematics(grad level), Multivariate Statistics(grad level), Linear Optimization(grad level),abstract algebra 1

Plan to take: Real Analysis 2, Abstract algebra 2, one pending
 

(Research) Experience: 

-Undergraduate research assistant at a computational clinical lab in the department of psychology. Use machine learning methods to predict and identify psychiatric disorders and its risk factors.

-A funded project about using machine learning predicting alcohol use problems

Letters of recommendation: 
- lab professor(assistant)
- math professor with whom I did a small project(assistant)
- biostatistics professor(assistant) or industrial engineering professor (associate)

Worries:

I am not confident because I think I should take more math courses (I just started math major in sophomore). And this semester I am taking some important courses but the grades will not be available before deadline of some programs. I wonder if it will influence my admission if there's no grades for on-going courses.

List:

By the way, Is there any "safe"  school for me depending on my profile? Thanks!

Emory

U Pittsburgh

Utexas Health Center

Brown

OSU

Florida

UC Davis

Rutgers

South Methodist

Boston University

RICE

 

At last, I don't care a lot about funding, I mean I can afford 1 to 2 years' study. If there's a good program gives me admission without funding, I will still accept it. I just really want to pursue a phd degree.

Edited September 28, 2016 by RandomForest

[jim94]

Your GPA and research experience should get you into any top 15 programs I would say.Your mathematical background should be sufficient enough for applying for biostat and I do not think they expect you to take any pure math courses. If you are interested in theoretical statistics, then some real analysis and algebra courses would be helpful. From what I have learnt on school webpages, even if you are short of some courses, you are still able to make up during your first year in phd. The most important thing is your learning and research ability demonstrated in your package, which are pretty strong in your profile. My suggestion is that you can give a shot at some top programs.

Edited September 28, 2016 by jim94

[splanga]

29 minutes ago, RandomForest said:

I am a senior and not confident in myself. I am interested in cancer research and genomics.

Lol relax. Sounds like you have a classic case of imposter syndrome. Have some more belief in yourself and I also agree that you'll do great! (By the way, I would literally donate a kidney just to have grades like yours.)

[cyberwulf]

You're way under applying; basically every school on your list qualifies as a "safety" given your profile.

Your math prep, even if you didn't take any more math courses, would be stronger than the vast majority of applicants, even those applying to the top programs. 

Do you seriously not know this? How many biostat applicants do you think there are every year with a near-4.0 GPA in math from a top state school? It sounds to me like you should go talk to someone at OSU Biostat; they can get you started on a more reasonable list of target schools. If I were advising you, I'd start the list with at least one of the top tier programs (Harvard, Washington, Johns Hopkins) and then apply to most in the next couple of tiers (UNC, Minnesota, Michigan, Berkeley, Penn, UCLA, etc.)

Lastly, if (more like when) you get a PhD offer, it will come with guaranteed funding for the duration of your program; with your record, you should never go to a PhD program unfunded.

[RandomForest]

 

16 hours ago, cyberwulf said:

You're way under applying; basically every school on your list qualifies as a "safety" given your profile.

Your math prep, even if you didn't take any more math courses, would be stronger than the vast majority of applicants, even those applying to the top programs. 

Do you seriously not know this? How many biostat applicants do you think there are every year with a near-4.0 GPA in math from a top state school? It sounds to me like you should go talk to someone at OSU Biostat; they can get you started on a more reasonable list of target schools. If I were advising you, I'd start the list with at least one of the top tier programs (Harvard, Washington, Johns Hopkins) and then apply to most in the next couple of tiers (UNC, Minnesota, Michigan, Berkeley, Penn, UCLA, etc.)

Lastly, if (more like when) you get a PhD offer, it will come with guaranteed funding for the duration of your program; with your record, you should never go to a PhD program unfunded.

 

18 hours ago, splanga said:

Lol relax. Sounds like you have a classic case of imposter syndrome. Have some more belief in yourself and I also agree that you'll do great! (By the way, I would literally donate a kidney just to have grades like yours.)

 

18 hours ago, jim94 said:

Your GPA and research experience should get you into any top 15 programs I would say.Your mathematical background should be sufficient enough for applying for biostat and I do not think they expect you to take any pure math courses. If you are interested in theoretical statistics, then some real analysis and algebra courses would be helpful. From what I have learnt on school webpages, even if you are short of some courses, you are still able to make up during your first year in phd. The most important thing is your learning and research ability demonstrated in your package, which are pretty strong in your profile. My suggestion is that you can give a shot at some top programs.

 

 

Thanks for the replies. This makes me feel better. I will focus on my on-going courses and do my best. Good luck everyone!

 

Que sera sera.

[Residuals]

I agree with all the posts. You have solid record from many dimensions. Good UG university.  Excellent GPA. Solid quant GRE score. Great interdisciplinary research experience. And more than enough math courses for a biostats program. You should indeed have more confidence and shoot for a higher tier of biostats programs. From what I see, I would be surprised if you aren't admitted to at least one of the top 10 biostats programs.

(As a complete side note which has no bearing on your strong math training or on your record, I am surprised that Ohio State uses Baby Rudin for graduate level real analysis I. Baby Rudin is a classic book that the better schools would use for undergraduate real analysis. Graduate real analysis courses tend to use one of many possible books that are at the next level up. Again no consequences with my comment, just a bit surprised.)

[RandomForest]

58 minutes ago, arima said:

I agree with all the posts. You have solid record from many dimensions. Good UG university.  Excellent GPA. Solid quant GRE score. Great interdisciplinary research experience. And more than enough math courses for a biostats program. You should indeed have more confidence and shoot for a higher tier of biostats programs. From what I see, I would be surprised if you aren't admitted to at least one of the top 10 biostats programs.

(As a complete side note which has no bearing on your strong math training or on your record, I am surprised that Ohio State uses Baby Rudin for graduate level real analysis I. Baby Rudin is a classic book that the better schools would use for undergraduate real analysis. Graduate real analysis courses tend to use one of many possible books that are at the next level up. Again no consequences with my comment, just a bit surprised.)

Thanks.

I am taking a 5000-level real analysis, which is mainly for some engineering masters and phds. As for math master or phd, they have a 6000-level one.

But as for undergraduate, Baby Rudin is not used. I really suggest that Ohio State open undergraduate analysis courses based on Rudin which is a classic book. By the way, I think OSU does not have enough analysis for undergraduate since there's no measure theory for undergraduate but some universities do.

Edited September 28, 2016 by RandomForest

[Robbentheking]

@RandomForest

They don't let you take graduate level math courses as an undergrad at OSU?

[RandomForest]

8 hours ago, Robbentheking said:

@RandomForest

They don't let you take graduate level math courses as an undergrad at OSU?

You can take it with petition and prerequisite completed, but most students do not take graduate level courses.