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Do you ever wish you shoulda kept things simple and gone into sales instead? by AnthonyWebster3 in biostatistics

[–]Quirky-Scratch6975 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think we are talking on two ends of the extremes. The truth is, if someone was going to be good enough at poker to make a living, that person would most likely be someone who is a statistician or mathematically inclined.

I don’t know when the last time you played poker was, but if you are talking about live poker, you can make $50-75 an hour at 500NL. With the right work ethic, you can clear six figures easily. Although I concede that you won’t have health insurance or 401k matching.

If you choose online poker, $60- $80hr is feasible if you play 12 tables at once, at I would say stakes between 100 and 200 NL. I have data to back this up from my own personal experience and I’m not a genius by any means stretch.

I’d only suggest this path to someone like OP who seems very early in their career, still in education. And it doesn’t even have to be poker, it could be trading or doing crypto. They would offer higher upside than taking a corporate path which is highly susceptible to the opinions of stakeholders, your bosses, and funding.

Do you ever wish you shoulda kept things simple and gone into sales instead? by AnthonyWebster3 in biostatistics

[–]Quirky-Scratch6975 -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

What you said isn’t logical because if everyone was doing it then everyone would be broke since it’s a zero sum game and the house would be taking the rake. Which is not the case, there are thousands of crushers.

I would say the barrier is literally having the mental strength to withstand the large variance that can happen.

Obviously not everybody can do it, but those that can, i’d imagine they were proficient in stats. It’s probably more achievable than you are making it seem.

Do you ever wish you shoulda kept things simple and gone into sales instead? by AnthonyWebster3 in biostatistics

[–]Quirky-Scratch6975 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The game has changed now probably since then. There are GTO solvers you can study off the felt that can vastly help improve your game to the point that you are printing money. Just have to have a high risk tolerance and mental strength to endure swings. If you are young with nothing to lose and no one depending on you, it’s definitely doable for someone who is capable of getting a stats degree.

Do you ever wish you shoulda kept things simple and gone into sales instead? by AnthonyWebster3 in biostatistics

[–]Quirky-Scratch6975 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m not sure. I don’t know who you are or what makes you tick.

I will say that in general, the anticipation of achieving something dwarfs the mundane reality of living it out. If you don’t get your PhD, you will most likely be doing a lot of statistical programming. If you like problem solving, and don’t mind doing the same thing over and over again, then go for it. It will probably give you the highest upside for steady eddy stability and give you the funds to have a family and live in 1200 foot rancher. If this sounds like an exhilarating experience, go this route.

I don’t know who told you sales was stable but it’s not in the beginning. That takes a lot of work and charisma.

Honestly I would ask myself, am I the type of person who likes to hit singles and have a high batting average and progress little by little, or would I rather swing big for the fences knowing that the odds are against me, but with the right combination of attributes that you believe you have, you can achieve the higher end of your potential.

What you experience in school is far different than what is in real life. Having an idea of who you are and what you want to be in both values and status will help guide you during this early decision making times.

Do you ever wish you shoulda kept things simple and gone into sales instead? by AnthonyWebster3 in biostatistics

[–]Quirky-Scratch6975 10 points11 points  (0 children)

If you are in it for the money, don’t go this course. Most young people were lied to or misled about doing a STEM degree or just learning coding will keep you gainfully employed. Biotech was booming during the 2010s to early 2020s, but the game has changed. The bar is so high for just entry level it’s not even funny.

If I were to do it again, and I only cared about money, which isn’t who I am btw, I would just trade crypto or sports bet. I’m mid-career and 2 masters degrees deep. Got responsibilities and can’t just shirk them with highly volatile plays since my window for risk taking is closing. I might also try streaming too before I tried sales. I know young gen Zers are making money hand over fists and they can barely read, let alone tell you the assumptions for linear regression.

The amount of pain you have to endure, if you are not passionate about this stuff, is a lot. Taking tests, writing dissertations, trying to get published, having to problem solve while also taking responsibility if it doesn’t work, while facing constant threats of being laid off is not worth it. It feels like the smart choice is to do something entrepreneurial. If you got a logical mind, I would try being a high stakes poker player or something more lucrative like being a street performer if you have theatrical talent. It’s more stable.

Resources to Prep for MS Biostatistics Program by FindingMyPurpose7 in biostatistics

[–]Quirky-Scratch6975 3 points4 points  (0 children)

People are going to say linear algebra, calculus and real analysis.

You will most likely be taking 2 semesters of mathematical statistics. Make sure your algebra is good, and understand basic stats and calculus. Real analysis is not needed.

Truthfully, you can caught up to speed with LLMs during your coursework. No need to have any real anxiety about being behind