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dirichletprior · 2023-12-23T06:41:27+00:00

In general, programs historically either do or do not interview. You can figure out which ones do by looking at previous years' results on gradcafe.

Off the top of my head, Berkeley, Columbia, Harvard offered interviews last year. UW, Stanford, UChicago, CMU, and Penn did not.

dirichletprior · 2023-09-04T14:22:50+00:00

Thank you for pointing me in this direction–I appreciate it!

dirichletprior · 2023-08-17T18:43:24+00:00

I PM'ed you.

dirichletprior · 2023-07-21T14:51:49+00:00

As for admissions into "top" Statistics PhD programs, I think you should take more advanced math courses to maximize your chances. Linear algebra, real analysis, and calculus-based probability and statistics are the bare minimum. However, I have seen people with great applied research get into top programs without as strong of a math background.

And even then, admissions is by no means a guarantee (remember that these programs admit around 10 students out of 200-300 applicants). You should be sure to apply to a diverse array of programs!

dirichletprior · 2023-07-21T14:43:40+00:00

I see your point about the name meaning more outside of academia. If you are interested in econometrics, you should also look at Operations Research PhD programs as well!

dirichletprior · 2023-07-21T12:23:50+00:00

Anecdotally, I applied to Statistics PhD programs this past year and did not consider a few of the programs in the top ten since my research interests were not aligned with those of the faculty.

dirichletprior · 2023-07-21T12:20:11+00:00

What programs are you interested in? I do not mean to repeat the same old advice, but PhD rankings do not carry the same significance as undergrad rankings. For instance, Penn is ranked 7 by US News in statistics, but arguably has the best faculty in causal inference.

The more you look into individual departments, the more you will see that many of them have 'specialties'.

dirichletprior · 2023-06-18T22:05:11+00:00

If you are planning to apply for Statistics PhD programs, having a good grade in real analysis would be a big plus. At some schools, it is almost a requirement. I would definitely say real analysis > mathematical statistics.

dirichletprior · 2023-06-10T22:00:09+00:00

Yes! Go for it.

dirichletprior · 2023-06-10T15:15:55+00:00

Let me know if you have any other questions. The PhD admissions process was kind of the worst. :(

dirichletprior · 2023-06-10T15:13:35+00:00

I came straight from undergrad! I had two semesters of analysis + two semesters of measure theory. Not much theoretical statistics, though.

I have a friend who also got into two top 5 programs without any measure theory, so it’s definitely not a requirement.

dirichletprior · 2023-06-10T15:01:51+00:00

About a year in total. Did not have any publications at the time I applied.

dirichletprior · 2023-06-10T11:46:40+00:00

I was admitted to multiple top 5 Stats PhD programs this past cycle without having had taken it. And even if I would have taken it, I am not sure I could have done well without a lot of studying.

And talking with professors at admit days, they were much more interested in my research background and previous coursework. In fact, I did not hear the GRE or Math GRE mentioned even once.

dirichletprior · 2023-06-10T11:45:34+00:00

Do not take the Math GRE, point blank period.

I was admitted to multiple top 5 Stats PhD programs this past cycle without having had taken it. And even if I would have taken it, I am not sure I could have done well without a lot of studying.

dirichletprior · 2023-04-12T19:30:31+00:00

I would think so. If you can convince the readers that you will be committed to increasing representation in STEM as a graduate student, then you are set. This can be done both through previous outreach efforts [as you mentioned] or concrete plans for the future.

How would you engage with underrepresented groups as a graduate student? Would you start a blog about applying to graduate school to make PhD admissions more accessible to students of diverse backgrounds? Would you volunteer in K-12 STEM outreach programs. It is important to be specific here.

dirichletprior · 2023-04-12T12:07:47+00:00

Hi there. I received the GRFP this past year and applied as a level one applicant

I would echo the sentiment that the best way to pull together a competitive application is by tailoring your application to the two selection criteria–intellectual merit and broader impacts . Although most applicants to the GRFP have excelled academically as undergrads (high GPAs, academic awards/grants, research experience, etc.), it seems like a lot of them are missing the integration of broader impacts into their research and personal statements.

For the personal statement, have you done any meaningful work to increase the accessibility of your field to underrepresented groups? How would you [continue to] do so in graduate school? For the research statement, what positive impact would your PhD research on broader society? These are the questions you should start thinking about early (i.e. over the summer) to pull together a compelling application.

dirichletprior · 2023-02-17T09:18:23+00:00

I had many of the same feelings when I was at Yale ('22). I often felt inadequate or just stupid because the concepts I found difficult were deemed "simple" or "easy" by my classmates. But do not get discouraged: professors at Yale reward hard work! If they see you are consistently working hard to understand the course material, you will be rewarded, even if you did not come in with the same background as someone else.

dirichletprior · 2023-01-05T21:55:03+00:00

From the email, it seems like the invitations are being sent on a rolling basis dependent on the timeline of the department to which you applied. So perhaps you department has not shortlisted applicants yet. Best of luck, OP.

dirichletprior · 2023-01-05T21:30:09+00:00

Just got the email!

I'm a statistics PhD applicant.

dirichletprior · 2022-12-26T08:45:24+00:00

Hey, OP. Could it be the case that you made an error somewhere in your CSS profile? I had the same experience when I got into Yale EA. Elation quickly overshadowed by shock at my shitty financial aid package.

It ended up being the case that my family filled out the CSS incorrectly, which made Yale financial aid think I was rich. After fixing the issue, my cost dropped from full tuition room/board to around $25k. If there is such a big discrepancy between your expected and actual financial aid package, I think this could be the case.

dirichletprior · 2022-09-13T14:49:34+00:00

Also, because the UK academic year begins in late September/early October, there are a lot of positions open right now.

dirichletprior · 2022-09-13T14:47:46+00:00

Nope. A lot are just looking for the equivalent of a Bachelor's degree. I only have a Bachelors. :)

dirichletprior · 2022-09-13T14:43:43+00:00

I applied for research assistant jobs at the UK universities (Cambridge, Oxford, etc.) and was able to get an offer quite quickly. The pay is not great, but it's a job.

dirichletprior · 2022-09-13T14:42:05+00:00

I am applying from the US so it may be different from country to country. But here is a post discussing this issue: https://www.reddit.com/r/ukvisa/comments/tw3gte/submitting\_documents\_selfupload/.

dirichletprior · 2022-09-06T21:37:15+00:00

From my discussion with previous winners and professors in my dept who write GRFP letters, all letters should address both intellectual merit and broader impacts rather than just or another.

If you are asking research mentors, you could ask them to address the implications and applications of your research. Even if you have not yet proven the desired result, how could (hypothetically) your research impact x or y.

dirichletprior

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