MS Stats - Colorado State vs TAMU

Hey everyone.

I have a BS in Math and have been considering doing an MS in Stats via distance learning. I saw that CSU and TAMU (both well ranked and respected schools) offer an MS in Stats and I was wondering if anyone had any experience with either program?

I'm having a difficult time choosing between the two. CSU definitely seems more rigorous which is nice since I plan to pursue a PhD in stats in the future. However, TAMU has a better reputation. The cost of the programs isn't really of much concern to me.

I'd appreciate and info/advice anybody could offer!

 

Well, what TAMU you're talking abut? College Station or Commerce? If it is College Station, then I would go with TAMU for its reputation. If it is Commerce, then I would go with Colorado State University.

 

I am very close to enrolling in a Master's program with CSU (haven't made my final decision yet, but I am pretty sure it will be CSU). I can't speak of their program quality, but one thing I can say is that my experience with the school has been amazing from day 1 of the application process. Not one but two professors (!!) supported me throughout the application process, and one even called me to remind me of registration deadlines. When I was accepted, I was assigned to an academic adviser who has answered all my questions in a timely, knowledgeable, and friendly manner. Just in general, CSU seems to have a very down to earth, supportive atmosphere. This is the School of Education, so there is of course no guarantee that your experience will be the same. But so far, two thumbs up for the Rams.

 

Why not take one (hopefully transferable) course from each school and see how it works for you.
Perceptions about "better reputation" probably depend on your location in the USA, and probably don't matter at all to your current or prospective employers or to your clients.

 

There's also an online master's in statistics from Penn State.

 

Online Statistics program

I was struggling making the decision about which school to apply myself. TAMU, CSU or Penn State. Eventually, I decided to go with TAMU and being accepted, without applying for the others. I was comparing the program courses side-by-side, these are my impression. CSU seems to concentrate on a lot of heavy mathematics behind the statistics, Penn State concentrates on application of the statistics (keep in mind one degree is MS in Statistics, and another is Master in Applied Statistics). TAMU feels like it's in between. One thing I do like about TAMU is the ability to choose specialization after the first year, which is important to me. Ultimately I think it's up to what you plan to do with the degree. I was a Biochemistry major and in research field for 8 yrs. My goal is mainly to expend my ability to design and analyze research experiments. Do you know if either schools honor the course work you will be doing in MS program when you decide to go after PhD later on? I think this is quite important to know, especially when it comes to online learning. Has anyone had experience taking online Statistic with TAMU? I would love to hear from you guys regarding your experience.