Applied Math, Biostatistics, unsure of direction to take

College Majors Engineering Majors
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<p>Hi all,</p>

<p>I'm a rising sophomore and I haven't declared a major yet, but I'm pretty sure I will major in applied math. I really like math, especially the wide range of things you can do with it. </p>

<p>However, I'm not sure in which direction to take this major. I am doing an intense biostatistics training program this summer, and that will determine if I like it or not, and I'm glad I'll have this chance early to test out the waters. </p>

<p>I know it's a bit early, but I am thinking of grad school. I am interested in public health, but a more quantitative side (not science-y. Which is why biostatistics appeals more to me.) </p>

<p>Knowledge of a programming language is a requirement for one of the public health schools I looked at (an extension of my university), so I will be taking a CS course or two. I have been reading posts about job prospects and CS and it basically scared me away from pursuing a CS career (although I don't have that much liking/experience anyway, despite my CC username chosen in 11th grade). </p>

<p>Long story short, I came in wanting to major in engineering and there's much more job certainty (as in what I'll be doing after college) than with applied math. When people ask what I want to do I just say "there's a lot I can do, I'm not worried about that just yet". </p>

<p>My questions for now are:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Since (applied) math is a very open field, which courses should I make sure to take to maximize chances of switching fields (say I go into operations research analyzing, then want to move to something else)?</p></li>
<li><p>What is the typical day-to-day experience of a biostatistician? I don't really want a "desk job", but unless I'm a snake wrangler or something, that's kind of unavoidable. I just don't want to be bored after a certain time. I want my work to help people and I want to see the outcome. </p></li>
<li><p>How do I find out what kind of field I want to go into after college (should I apply to diverse internships, etc)?</p></li>
<li><p>How important is GPA? for grad school (specifically public health, but in general as well)? Does it change with field (STEM vs not)? for employment in general?</p></li>
</ol>

<p>(GPA question is in response to the probably misguided information I've received that since STEM GPAs are usually lower, somewhere around a 3.3-3.5 is solid. Also I know that it's not as intense for med/law school, but just wondering). </p>

<p>This thread is kind of all over the place, my apologies. Thanks in advance.</p>

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<p>if you wanna do biostatistics, i’d also take classes in biology…and it’s funny, i just finished my MS in electrical engineering, with a concentration in signal processing (its kinda well known that signal processing is the most mathematical within EE, and ppl sometimes joke it should just be a discipline within applied math rather than EE)…and i’m looking at statistician jobs myself…</p>

<p>i’d imagine that it’s a desk job, but that you’d be using a lot of your mathematical abilities</p>

<p>apply to all sorts of internships bc work experience is huge in this god-awful / terrible / went-to-hell-in-a-hand-basket economy, and with recruiters and HR ppl that don’t give two #&@*s about your resume, and probably don’t even open it…i mean just look up job postings, they ask for experience in all sorts of random, unheard of software with intimidating looking acronyms…sometimes they ask for 10 years of experience in a software that’s only been around for like 5 years (not sure how that’d even be possible??)…but the bottom line is…the more exp u have, the better off you are</p>

<p>GPA is important for grad school…so is the school u went to…the weights of it, idk…i had a low GPA from a good school (3.2 from RPI) and i ended up getting into an MS program and finished with my MS with a 3.3, just as an example…take it for what it’s worth</p>

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<p>Thanks for the response. I took a general bio/chem course but that’s really not appealing to me. I looked at the kinds of science courses I’ll take in grad school, and they are much more appealing (and applied, and still math based to an extent). For biostatistics, the math/stats part is more important than the knowledge of science. Bioinformatics is where I’d need a few science courses as background. (I looked at admissions websites for the top 10). </p>

<p>Summer opportunities are really competitive which freaks me out. I plan on applying to fellowships for undergrads I found for next summer.</p>

<p>I attend Harvard. I don’t want my school’s name to “carry” me through life, but if it helps then I can’t complain. I spoke with a student who graduated when I was in HS who went to Harvard as well and she is in a PhD program at a top 10 school of public health and her major GPA was 2.7-3.0 and overall was not that much higher. She stressed doing opportunities outside of classes like internships and things. I definitely plan on doing something next summer and summer after junior year (I’m doing a biostat program this summer). </p>

<p>Thanks again!</p>

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<p>What elements about CS scared you away from the field? Just asking because I’m enrolling in a CS curriculum in the fall.</p>

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<p>You can search CC for threads related to CS. Like any field, CS is subject to boom and bust cycles, but more so than say being a doctor. Also, you’ll have to be able to keep up with a rapidly changing world (on your own, employers are not likely to want to train you) while balancing other life things. My job will be important to me but it won’t be my life. I suggest you look for threads on CC, especially the ones where adults who’ve been in the industry for a couple of decades have given their input. It’s enlightening and I’m not doing it justice. </p>

<p>Also, I want to more directly help people. It’s possible to do that with CS but that’s not the main focus.</p>

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<p>Oh, ok. That makes sense. I actually enjoy having to update my skillset every two years or so. I guess I’m weird like that. :slight_smile: It keeps my mind out of a rut. I’m also fine with the field having booms and busts - pretty much every field has them EXCEPT medicine. Good luck with your grad school or job search.</p>

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<p>Other, older posters are more knowledgeable. It won’t be that easy once you’re an adult with responsibilities other than your job. Not many careers go through boom and busts like CS, though. It’ll be hard to be “fine” with it once you’re out of a job. I’m not trying to discourage you, just being honest.</p>

<p>Thanks! Good luck with college!</p>

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<p>^ I have to disagree, read this post by Tomservo</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/engineering-majors/1511967-ageism-software-industry.html#post16024615[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/engineering-majors/1511967-ageism-software-industry.html#post16024615&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>The field with the most jobs opportunity is CS</p>

<p><a href=“http://seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2020963312_edlazowskaopedxml.html[/url]”>http://seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2020963312_edlazowskaopedxml.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Applied Math and BioStatistics are great majors but CS has better job prospects. Now if you dont like CS, you are better off staying away from it. If you want to work with technology whether it is hardware or software you have to update skills every 2-5 years. This is especially true on software where you have to be passionate about to be good. To answer your question, I think you should go with applied math. It has better prospects than biostatistics.</p>

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<p>I think Tom Servo said something like this…</p>

<p>No Math, Physics, Stats major should leave college without a minor in CS.</p>

<p>I tend to agree.</p>

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<p>^ I agree as well. It is very helpful for software jobs. This is from the article I posted</p>

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<p>My OP wasn’t choosing between applied math and biostatistics, since biostatistics is almost completely a graduate degree (not sure if undergrad biostatistics degrees are respected. Nonetheless, one will need at least a Masters). </p>

<p>Different sources say different things about job prospects; I’m not pretending to have the answers. But I do trust the words of people who’ve been in CS careers for 10+ years for their first hand experiences, and there are posters on CC who’ve been in the field for 20-30+. </p>

<p>I don’t like CS at all. I wasn’t going to take it until I saw that only 1 grad school I’m looking at requires “some knowledge”. In biostatistics I’ll largely be using statistical computing software vs C and the like (Python/Perl for Bioinformatics). Courses in my major will revolve around Matlab and other scientific computing. </p>

<p>Public health is very broad and I know I will not stay crunching numbers my entire life (which is partly why PhD programs require you to have 2 minors). </p>

<p>After talking to a student at the SPH connected to my university, and after this biostatistics summer program, I’ll have a clearer idea, but I’m pretty sure I’m doing biostatistics. I don’t even know what I would do with a BA in applied math alone.</p>

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<p>Scientific computing is a subfield of CS… I’m pretty sure most employer would choose a CS with some statistic class as electives over a biostatistic major for that job.
With an applied math degree you can become an actuary and they usually have tons of electives that can easily help you minor or double major.</p>

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<p>lightnin-- can you be more specific when you say a CS/stats person would be chosen “for that job”? What job?</p>

<p>I haven’t taken scientific computing yet so I’m going off of course info sheets and feedback from upperclass students, but if I’m not mistaken it’s not the same thing as C/Java/HTML/etc. </p>

<p>I don’t want to be an actuary and number crunch forever. Actuarial sciences don’t interest me at all. I want my work to have a direct impact on humanity, with health being my chosen/preferred field (don’t want to be a doctor or nurse, etc). </p>

<p>After reading info from people in the field, a PhD in biostatistics (right off the bat) may limit my employment opportunities at first, but I will be able to attain higher positions. A Masters has a work and salary ceiling, the PhDs are the ones devising the studies and plans for the Masters to carry out. I want mobility.</p>