How high should I reach? (Statistics PhD/Profile Evaluation)

[BatsuGame]

I'm in the process of narrowing down the list of schools I want to apply to. My fiancée and I would prefer to stay in Chicago - hence the prevalence of them on my list - but we're open to moving under the right circumstances.

 

Undergrad Institution: University of Illinois at Chicago
Major: Statistics - Theoretical track
GPA: 4.0 / 4.0

Type of Student: White male

Upper Division Courses:

Calculus track, Probability, Applied Statistics I and II, Statistical Methods and Computing (R, SAS), Linear Algebra, Real Analysis, Statistical Theory, Applied Probability Models I

 

GRE: 163 V / 166 Q

 

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Graduated from UIC Honors College. Was awarded two department scholarships. Dean's list all four years

 

Research experience: Honors College Capstone project (unpublished): used time series analysis to model red light camera data

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: I'm fairly confident I'll be locking up a job as a data analyst for the coming year. Volunteered as a tutor for a semester.

 

Letters of Recommendation: Two stat professors (one of which was my Capstone faculty supervisor) have agreed to write me letters. Will need to find a third.

 

Plan to apply to (Phd Statistics Programs):

 

I plan on applying to these schools no matter what:
Northwestern 
U of Chicago
UIC

 

Other schools I'm considering:

Illinois

IIT (applied mathematics)
Purdue
Michigan
Michigan State
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Berkeley
Stanford
Washington
UCLA
NYU
Harvard
Columbia

 

I plan on limiting myself to 8-10 schools, and a lot will depend on further research on my part. But am I reaching too far with Berkeley/Stanford/Harvard/Washington? Am I generally on the right track with the rest of the list?

Edited August 10, 2017 by BatsuGame
Typo

[GoPackGo89]

Well you are a LOCK for UIC unless they frown upon taking their own undergrads which I know some schools do. Are you sure you can handle all the Packer fans at UWisconsin?

I'm a fellow applicant but based on the many profiles I've watched over the years your list looks great. The hard part is how to subset it to 8-10.   

[BatsuGame]

I am a Packer fan!

I'm pretty sure UIC doesn't frown on taking their own undergrads. I'd rather go elsewhere, but, like I said, staying in Chicago is a big part of our calculus. 

And yeah! Trying to cut it down to 8-10 is tough, especially since I don't want to apply to all the reach schools and potentially leave myself without many options!

Thanks so much for your reply.

[JohnKim]

Wow! Your detailed plan is really amazing. Thank you for sharing this.

If I were you, I'll go to UIC.

[cyberwulf]

Given your geographical preferences, your obvious choice is University of Chicago. It is head and shoulders above both of the other Chicago options. Given your profile, it seems like you stand a pretty decent chance of getting in. Honestly, there aren't a lot of schools that are clearly better and you should consider leaving for; maybe Stanford and Berkeley?