Program Decision Help

[stat123]

Hello! I have applied to multiple Statistics and Biostatistics Ph.D programs and have begun hearing back (either admission or interview) from some of the programs! Though I know it is still early in the process and I don't need to decide on a program until the spring, I would love a bit of advice regarding my decision.

Currently, I have been admitted into the University of MN Biostatistics Ph.D Program and received full funding + stipend (huge relief). I am very excited about this program and the work they are doing. However, I have an interview with Dartmouth's QBS program in a few weeks and, though I know I have not yet been admitted, I am curious how it stacks up against some other large institutions. I know it is a fairly new program and does not appear in most Biostats program rankings. However, it seems like they are conducting a lot of very interesting research and cultivate a great environment. Does anyone have any insight regarding this program? Is it largely unranked because it's new? Would it be much more beneficial to my future to choose a program such as the UMN?

Any insight would be wonderful! Thanks!

[kalgrey]

I think one of the biggest things to consider in your situation is also whether you want to be somewhere where they are solely (bio)Statistics-focused, or whether you'd prefer a program that also incorporates Epidemiology and Bioinformatics--I'm guessing you won't get as much of a Theoretical Statistics background, but you'd learn about other interesting things. And then consider what you want to do afterwards: do you want to be a professor? It might be best to have that theoretical background in that case. But if you're most interested in Applied Statistics, the Dartmouth program would give you a lot of tools to be able to do effective research in the field. 

I'd say it's unranked because it's new, and also because it is kind of an "interdisciplinary program". If there are faculty who are well known in their fields, that's a good sign. 

[stat123]

Thank you kalgrey! This information was very helpful.

[Luptior]

Hey, I'm quite interested in Dartmouth's QCB program. How was your interview going?