I'm creating this market to estimate my chances of getting into one of the listed PhD programs. I'm applying to all programs listed in the options and options will resolve yes if I am granted admission. Being put on the waitlist will resolve no.

I’m pursuing this with a clear motivation to advance in the field of statistics and data science. Here are relevant details:

Academic Background

• Master of Science in Statistics and Data Science, UT Austin. GPA 3.83/4.0

  • Relevant coursework: Foundations of Regression and Prediction, Advanced Predictive Models with Complex Data, Principles of Machine Learning, Design Principles and Causal Inference, Deep Learning and Advances in Deep Learning, Reinforcement Learning

• Bachelor of Technology in Electrical Engineering, NIT Trichy (India) GPA 7.60/10.0 (or converted 3.27/4.0)

  • Relevant coursework: Calculus and Laplace Transforms, Fourier Series, Matrices and Differential Equations, Complex Variables and Partial Differential Equations, Numerical Methods and Statistics

Research Experience

• NA; no published work

Work Experience

• I have ~11 years of experience at a FAANG company in data analytics/science/engineering roles across 3 countries. While not academic in nature, my work has included research-like projects. I provide ample detail in my SOP and resume about this.

Recommenders

• I've got 2 academic (a full professor and an associate professor) and 2 from industry supervisors (one among them is a PhD holder). I'm picking three from this pool depending on school. It is either 2 academic, 1 industry or 1 academic, 2 industry

Choice of Programs

• I've chosen these programs because they have a strong interdisciplinary focus in their Stats departments. My intention is to work on the intersection of Stats and the physical sciences.

GRE

• Practice GRE Scores: Quant 163, Verbal 159, Writing 5. I will update with official scores once I’ve taken the exam.

• However, not all schools are accepting it. Some make it optional, some don't even want candidates to submit the scores.

I'm also considering to apply to Stanford and UC Berkeley, but I'm still working on some financial planning to see if it even makes sense for me to apply. If I do decide to apply, I will update the answer choices.

Please feel free to ask me any questions in the comments and I will answer with as much detail as possible. Admission decisions should be out mid Feb to mid March 2025, so let's see what happens.

Wish me luck and please make some bets! Thank you.

P.S: I will not bet on this market.