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Out of school for the past 5ish years--what are my chances?


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Posted (edited)

So this is yet another "What are my chances" type of thing, but I truly am completely lost.

Quick summary of my background:

  • BS, Mathematics, top tier private school, GPA 3.3, none of my projects/awards are really worth noting here unfortunately.
  • MS, Mathematics, relatively unknown state school, GPA 4.0, interned as a data analyst in the meantime (they basically paid for my tuition).
  • 5 years of experience as a data scientist (applied statistics, data engineering, database management, machine learning, optimization, data visualization and reporting).
  • I just took the GRE. 164 V, 170 Q, ?? W. Very relieved I did okay as the only chance I've had to study were the two weekends preceding it (I usually have to work late).

I graduated with my MS 5ish years ago and before that I completed my BS, both in mathematics. Since then, I've worked as a data scientist. Now I'm thinking about going back to school for a PhD. 

After some research, I discovered that PhD in data science is a thing now. The one I'm looking at is the one at WPI as it's not tied to their business school and seems to provide a bit more freedom in the way of interdisciplinary studies. 

So what other programs would be suitable for someone with my background? I'm currently looking at industrial engineering, operations research, applied statistics, and machine learning. Going by course lists and ongoing research activities, there are a million different programs I want to apply to, and I suspect that the limiting factor won't be my interest in these programs but their interest in me as a grad student. Having been working for the past 5 years, I really don't know where I stand next to other typical applicants. That said, the programs that especially caught my attention (including the WPI data science program mentioned earlier):

  • UMD Information Studies
  • Cornell Operations Research
  • University of Wisconsin Industrial Engineering

Can you shed any insight on my situation?

Thanks!

Edited by poopyhead

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