Help me with the next step in my non traditional path

Graduate School
1

<p>So I plan on applying to MA and possibly Phd programs in statistics next year but because I have a strange back ground I'm having a hard time figuring out where to apply. Looking for Profs with similar research interests doesn't really help as I'm interested in bayelian math and modeling and this is what pretty much everyone is interested in. </p>

<p>A little back ground:
- I graduated a few years ago from an average state school in the mid west
- BA Political Science ~3.0
- 3.9 in math stat and CS pre reqs taken at harvard extension school after graduation ~40 hours
- I feel confident I can get at least a 770 quant on the GRE and should be fine on language.
- I will probably take the math GRE also as another exemplifier of my capabilities, but have no accurate idea what my score would be or what a respectable score would be. I can say that after reviewing the subject outline online I at least am familiar with all the topics covered with the possible exception of advanced topology.
- 1 great letter of rec from a very well regarded stat prof who I have worked for as a research assistant for the past year but have not taken any classes under; 1 great LR from a prof at extension school
- 1.5 years working as a research assistant in quantitative/stat intensive research department at harvard
- I've assisted in a lot of research and have my name of some papers but have not published anything myself. I have enough time between now and when I will be applying that I could work towards publishing something if it would be a make or brake.</p>

<p>I guess I'm looking for a range of schools I should be looking at for stat MA/Phd. I feel like my under grad GPA is really going to weigh me down ( but there may be nothing I can do about that.) Can I look at top 5 top 10 top 20. Obviously I would love to apply to Stanford, Berkely, or Chicago but get the feeling that might be better off focusing me time towards less competitive departments. Any suggestions on what I can do going forward to help my chances. Sorry for the length.</p>

2

<p>Your graduate GPA will be far more important than your undergrad one, particularly since your undergrad degree was in a different field. The grad grades are more indicative of your recent work and your work in the field.</p>

<p>You probably need to find another letter writer - most programs need 3.</p>

<p>Do you still have contact with any of your professors from the classes you took as a non-degree student? Perhaps ask them for some recommendations of places that you can apply. Professors in your field will be the best source of this kind of information.</p>

3

<p>I know I need a third recommender, but haven’t decided on who it will be and assume it will be a good LR but not one that will make or break my application. </p>

<p>I’m more concerned with figuring out what range I should look at. Its possible that this is an unanswerable question and I should just look to apply to a really wide range. Though I would think that it would be possible to at least tack down whether my application would be at all viable at the top top schools. </p>

<p>Additionally, before when I wrote that I was looking at MA programs I should have written MS.</p>