Do you have any additional comments? Do you have any advice for current statistics students?
Don't be afraid to pursue research & extra academic challenges, your professors will help you (that's
their job).
Learn as much coding as you can
Participate in REUs on your campus and apply for internships. Go to grad school.
I strongly recommend double-majoring, as statistics is relevant in almost all subjects these days
Just do your best!
Get a new advising department!
Current advise: pursue as many internships/summer programs as you can in various fields. You can do
so much with statistics, so do not limit yourself to one area unless you are sure it is what you want to
do.
Place more of an emphasis on statistical modeling using code.
Go see your counselor early and, together with him or her, pick classes that will give you an edge and
give you highly marketable skills. Interview as much as you can, no matter how horrifying it is. Network--
not just because it may get you a job, but because it's good to know how to communicate and win
people's confidence.
You need to network. That is how I landed many interviews. Filling out job applications is not nearly as
likely to give success.
The best way to land a good job right after graduation is to get involved as a student with research
projects and especially internships to build up a good level of experience by the time you graduate.
Dont assume that your program will keep you informed or sufficiently prepare you for the workforce.
My advice for current stats students is that if they want a job out in the world of jobs (i.e., not doing
research or teaching at a school or university), then learn Microsoft Excel, learn VBA, and get a minor in
Management--those three things have been more valuable to me, almost, than my actual degree itself.
My degree has helped me pass actuarial exams, but the stuff that actually matters day-to-day is not
taught in statistics courses.
Get a master's degree
Be curious about the world and study what is interesting to you.
Always take the opportunity to learn, especially from your mistakes. The professors at BYU are
extremely knowledgeable and love to help and answer questions. They really care in the Stats Dpt.
Learn Big Data tools (Spark, Hive, etc.). Be proficient in a Linux terminal.
Leave Utah to find a job
Get as much research experience as possible. Learn as many languages as possible and be really good at
1 or 2.
Take a few computer science courses because its the quality assurance in software testing industry thats
hiring. Everything else Statistics related wants you to have a Masters.
Make your actuarial classes top priority. Study the material before the lecture and be the kid that the
other students ask for help on the actuarial problems. Be the kid that the TA asks for help. Also, if you're
having a hard time finding a job, look at your resume. Have others review it. Do practice interviews with
people who are hard interviewers.
PLEASE REQUIRE SQL COURSES!!!!!
Study hard and play hard. Never regret what we have chosen. Statistics is a fun subject but challenging.
If you are an US citizen, congratulations! You can control the future!
If you plan on doing any kind if machine learning,get a minor in computer science.
Learn how to use Excel at an intermediate level.
Pay more attention. Soak in every detail. Learn how to program.
Minor in computer science. Learn R, SAS, and C.
Double major or at least really learn to code. Almost all stat jobs require coding skills.
Learn how to use many statistical software's (R and SAS for best outcome)
Become more involved, and explore the careers your degree can offer.
Pass actuarial exams.
Learn SQL and SAS.
Statistics is a great under-the-radar major. My job search was really easy and I have a great position and
an interesting job. It's easy to find internships in this field if you look for them. Get good at SQL, R,
SAS/SPSS/STATA, and Tableau. With all 4 it will be very easy to find a job in the current market.
Definitely seek out statistical classes with a practical component to them. Don't just rely on career
counseling office - speak to professors, etc. Having a dual degree that complements statistics e.g.
Economics-Statistics is very useful.
I would encourage statistics students to take more courses in computer programming.
Take more math courses. Have fun!
My advice to current statistics students is to look at job postings for jobs you think you might want when
you graduate. Look at the skills and tools they require, and make sure you learn the ones that aren't
taught in your classes.
Internships and research help so much in terms of job prospects and self-development!
You chose a good major. Pay attention in class, the stuff you're learning is actually very useful. Learn to
code in multiple languages. Work on something important: https://80000hours.org/articles/cause-
selection/
Statistics is actually fun but the undergraduate program was full of proofs and computations. Labs are
way too structured and there needs to be more classes where students can be creative with data
Tutoring math and stat is a great self-evaluation opportunity which can help one identify knowledge
deficits and communication deficits. Become a competitive programmer (know what comp SCI students
know, as well as what they don't traditionally know [statistics]). Also, dabble in machine learning and
snowball that knowledge. Be collaborative, share knowledge, and profess your love for stat and its
importance to society.
The content of statistics can be daunting at times, but it is well worth the struggle. Because once
everything clicks (and trust me - it will), it becomes one of the easiest things in the world to you. It will
give you a edge over many others who are afraid to even glance at the work you can now do. Statistics
is one of the biggest and best tools in the modern world for learning new things. Learn to use it, make
good use of it, and teach the world what it needs to find out about itself.
If you enjoy the work that you do with the SAS programming language, I would begin learning the R
language at the same time. My current employer had never heard of SAS or R but she looked into SAS
before my interview and said that SAS would not be something that they use because it is so expensive.
However, R is a free programming language. So if you are interviewing with a prospective employer and
that are interested in the work that can be done with SAS statistical software but they cannot afford it,
you would have knowledge of an equivalent free software in R.
Take AP. Don't be discouraged in intro classes..I'm SO thankful I got AP credit, not sure I would have
been a stats major otherwise. Gave me a great foundation. I tutor in stats and people struggle with
intro- it goes too fast, and people can't understand the nuances of it. Does not instill an interest, in or
appreciation for stats.. needs to be restructured and taught better. Perhaps there would be more
incentive to major/ minor in stats or take classes as electives if people generally understood the intro
material, rather than simply attempting to survive it.
Well, I am graduating in May 2018. I didn't get a job right after I graduated from college. I went for data
science master degree directly.
Unless you plan on going into insurance or academia a statistics major is probably a waste of time
Intern, find a passion, and learn to code in Python, or Go, and learn Excel!
Take as many computer science courses as you can so that you can learn more about data science.
Make sure statistics is something you truly enjoy. Don't just do it because the job market pays well and
statisticians are in high demand.
Experience is key to finding employment. Take every chance you get to gain real world experience. Just
as well, build and maintain a strong network. It proves quite useful if you don't have a strong work
history within the field.
Choose another major.
Advice: don't worry about whether you want to have a career in statistics - the skills and the way it helps
you learn to think can be helpful no matter what field you end up in.
Make sure you do utilize Career services, the earlier the better.
Get as much Computer Science background as possible. It's always useful.
I often felt like I wasn't good enough, or smart enough, to obtain my degree. I want other students to
know to never give up on the degree you want.
I did a combined bachelor's/master's degree in statistics. I highly recommend it.
Good luck!
Learn Python and R. Learn linear algebra well and remember the materials.
Participate in research and try to gain a strong understanding in mathematics
Get a stats major! Most useful for foundation - expand from that in graduate school even if you don't
get a "Statistics" degree!
Make sure to study for the knowledge, rather than for the grade - the grade will follow behind
knowledge.
Get a minor, and learn to code.
I think my name has stopped me for a lot of opportunities. I got my ciztenship after accept this offer.
Seek extracurricular opportunities. Literally anything.
Get involved in BOTH research projects AND industry internships. This will allow you to see which track
you like better and will diversify your resume to the point where you'll be viewed as a more desirable
candidate for a job. Take as many statistical programming classes as you can. Trust me, it will pay off
when you're on the job.
For this survey, you need the option for more majors. I had three majors in undergrad: general math,
applied stats, and mathematics education. For current statistics students, I highly suggest participating
in research or a internship. These opportunities can really help students to decide what their next step
should be and allow students to network with people that can help get their next step started.
Don't be an introvert. Be respectful in your business and whatever you do because someone is always
watching. When your having a conversation with someone, be in the moment and remember there
name and who they are and they will have a hard time forgetting you. Being smart with stats and
numbers is a great talent to have in one's arsenal but it means nothing if you can't show and
communicate your work to others.
Actuarial Science is a viable career path, just be ready for a lot of personal investment into your career
after undergrad
I am overall very satisfied with my decision to pursue Statistics at the undergraduate level. It has aided
me greatly in my time in Public Affairs graduate school, as I had a leg up on all my classmates in terms of
data analysis capabilities.
My advice for those interested in statistics but hoping for applied knowledge and practical career prep is
to look into market research. It is a broad field with a lot of industries to work in and types of work. It's
always interesting and a very useful and practical application of statistics, especially if you have a
business or consumer behavior interest. There are not many MMR programs in the US, but those I know
of are all great and have very hireable graduates.
Advice: Learn SQL, even if it is not required in your academic curriculum.
If a statistics student wants to specialize in actuarial science, the actuarial exams should be explained
and emphasized every semester of every year. I transferred into the program from another school
beginning the second semester of sophomore year and didn't' know of the exams until first semester of
junior year. By that time I was already behind schedule.
Don't expect any stats jobs with just a bachelor's. You need a master's.
Explore as many opportunities as you can
If you enjoy it, go for it!! The need is plentiful!
I would strongly recommend the stats department take additional steps to integrate technical skills
within their course work. More programming in related langauges like R and SAS, excel work, etc.
Statistics majors should either get an advanced degree, get work experience or internships, or change
majors. As versatile as data analysis may be in modern times, employers haven't caught up with this
idea.
n/a
I was put on this survey because I stayed an extra semester to complete Rice's Professional Master's
Degree in Statistics, most of which I completed while a student.
Try to get experience in whatever path you want to follow. Programming experience is almost always
helpful. Make sure you understand the significance of the data models, as in what do the conclusions
actually mean
It's important for statistics programs to not just be aimed at engineering/industry applications. My
statistics program did not use many social science examples and it was hard to translate what I learned
in my courses into the survey research I did in my internships and in my current job.
Absorb as much as you can. The little things will be the things to propel you somewhere great.
Take as much programming courses (online ones are fine too) as you can.
Talk to the professors and get to know more about their research
Study more computational statistics and models
1) I wasn't sure for the as of March 2017 if you were asking about my MPH or my bachelor of statistics
so I went with undergrad. 2) Students should look at data clean up and get use to organizing big data in
addition to their analysis. Before graduation, be thinking about what you want to specialize in (like
business analytics or biostatistics).
I would advise to become proficient in SQL and R while in college.
N/A
Would be nice to have more practical R training outside the classroom. Felt like skills were assumed in
classes.
Programming skills are probably valuable to everyone
Stats is really my second major. I was primarily a math major.
Statistics is so much more than data science and analytics. Learn as much statistical theory as you can,
not only that you can actually understand and interpret what the models you are building are telling
you, but also so that you have a strong foundation to build upon if you decide to pursue
research/further studies in Statistics.
Make sure this is what you want to do! I liked math and stats and had fun in the classes but I'm now
stuck looking for jobs my degree does not help me get.
Statistics at my school was taught very dry. i feel that it is more beneficial to focus on helping student
think through problems rather than just plug and chug formula. I woudl say statistics is not very relevant
in my everyday work but i do applied the skills i learned in classes such as citicial thinking, asking
questions and the importance of data in the bugger pictures. There is always a take away from your
courses!
Take real analysis and measure theory!
no
My advice to current statistics students would be to learn how to use statistical software like R or SAS
early on in their studies (additionally, it would be good to learn some computer programming and/or
how to use database related languages like SQL). Additionally, look for relevant experiences (internships,
research) early on or create your own experiences by doing personal side projects outside of class study
Pursue internships!
Be a math major with stat concentration
n/a
You're pursuing an great major that will open many doors for you. Getting a degree in statistics shows
you're logically minded and posses highly sought after skills. Don't be closed mind to only getting a
statistics job, many technical jobs that compensate well are recruiting students with your type of
thinking.
I would make it a priority to find an internship. I started with an unknown start-up company. That paved
the way for an internship with [redacted] and that led to full-time employment. Also, do not get
discouraged if you do not hear back from an employer regarding an internship position. I applied for
around 20 different internships before landing with the[redacted].
Be certain that you want to pursue this for the long term and go all out
Learning the actual math behind optimization algorithms is very useful and so go a long way in industry.
Become well rounded
Do side projects on your own
Think of statistics as a tool - that you are going to apply it to a specific field. Statistics is a tool, not an
area osf study
Get an internship
Learn to program!
Understanding what seems insignificant is significant in statistics.
Not a particular great major for job seeking. I recommend double majoring.
Get as much outside the classroom experience as possible. Whether it is in research, internship, or
projects just for fun e.g. kaggle competitions. These are the things that help the methods learned in
class really stick. Also, this is what 99% of any interview will be discussing, not just your good grades in
the classroom.
Try your best to enhance data analytics skills, which is essential for finding a job,
Learn programming early on it will be a tremendous asset when looking for jobs. Likewise, doing
projects in your own time outside of class looks great on your resume. Get to know your classmates.
Don't trust that your professors necessarily know all about the specific fields/careers you're interested
in it's always better to talk to someone who actually has that career.
Get involved in more projects, dive in and don't be afraid of being wrong or failing. Also don't be afraid
of reaching out to professors for advice or asking for research projects - the worst they can say is no
Apply your statistics to real-world problems that interest you. Go on kaggle and play with their datasets.
Pick a programming language and get comfortable with it early.
Double major in both math and stats. Math is basically useless without a statistics major.
I would look to develop a strong foundational understanding of statistics and be able to communicate
mathematical concepts clearly.
If you're not learning R or Python, there's a good chance you're in a poor program. Minor in Comp. Sci.
Students should know that communication is everything. It doesn't matter how clever your analysis is, if
you can't explain it and convince non-technical people listen to you, they're going to ask you to do a t-
test and call it good. In industry, managers take stock in people, not necessarily their analysis.
How to join in ASA?
Equip yourself with more programming skills because that is really important when you want to find a
job in data analysis field.
My advice would be to REALLY learn the concepts and methods taught in class. Don't just memorize
information to get an A. I had to revisit a lot of time series analysis methods because I tried to memorize
the information to get an A.
Double major
Get more hands on experience
Statistics is SO important especially in medicine I highly recommend majoring, minoring, or taking
several statistics classes before medical school!!
Choose either data science or math instead of statistics
This is a very cliche thing to say, but definitely take advantage of your resources when you have them.
Some might end up not being helpful, but it doesn't hurt to try.
Yes. Statistics is a powerful and can be applied widely, but I think it's better if you start thinking about
how you want to utilize the skills and in which field earlier in college. Also, practice coding and story
telling skill as much as you can. They will surely benefit you along the way.
Take CS classes. Take data science classes. Participate in a stats club. Take a business class. have a
personality
Advice: Don't spend time trying to learn many different statistical packages/languages. Pick one and
learn it well. I would personally recommend learning the R language and using it with the RStudio IDE.
After mastering a language, learning other languages will be much simpler.
Get internships, use a variety of statistical software, find classes that apply statistics to real world,
business practices.
You can go almost anywhere with a STEM background so make the most of it!
International students (especially male Asians) are basically fracked up in the job market.
My advice for current statistics student would be to improve their skills in programming. I truly believe
that those skills will be extremely helpful in any job, statistics-related or not. More specifically I would
suggest students pick one object oriented programming language (Java, Python, C++, etc.) and one
statistical programming language (SAS, STATA, R, etc.) and get really good at them. If they feel more
ambitious I would also recommend some basic shell scripting and SQL. With those skills you will be able
to get a technical analytics or research job at basically any place they might want.