20-something naivety and wisdom — my grad school application

With outside-the-home life slowed way down, I have seized the opportunity for home organization. Yawning my way through old files yesterday, I happened across a file folder with a paper version of the application letter I sent out to prospective Statistics graduate programs — over 20 years ago. It’s simultaneously embarrassing and enlightening to look back at things we wrote when we were 20-something. For me, it’s always a weird combination of glaring naivety and surprise at my more mature insights. In some ways I’ve traveled so far, and in some ways I’ve arrived right back where I started. I’m posting the whole letter here — as some sort of tribute to our simultaneous naivety and wisdom … at any age.

[Boldface added to parts I found most surprising or interesting]

My desire to enter the field of Statistics stems from a culmination of my experiences in graduate school thus far. I originally chose a Motor Control and Biomechanics graduate program. The two related topics appealed to me because they encompassed both fascinating biological and mathematical ideas and principles. After earning my Master of Science degree and beginning work in a Motor Control and Biomechanics doctoral program, I came to several important realizations and conclusions. First, I do not want to spend my professional life collecting data only on humans. I became frustrated with the seemingly impossible number of human variables that cannot or should not be controlled and came to respect how difficult it often is to find appropriate and willing participants. Second, I found that I loved being involved in the design and analysis aspects of experiments. I found it very rewarding and motivating to spend time talking with other students and professors about their proposed studies, or problems they were having in their experimental set-up or analysis. This heightened my already existing interest in statistics. Third, I became disenchanted with the research process I was observing in fellow students and professors. I believe the most valuable class I have taken as a graduate student is a Research Methods class based on the principles outlined in Strong Inference by John R. Platt (1964). In my experience, I found these principles seldom applied to real-life research. For example, an emphasis existed on collecting as much data as possible, analyzing it in some convenient way, and then thinking up a question to fit an already statistically significant answer. This frustrated me and motivated me to learn more about proper design and analysis procedures, and to pass that information on. In response, I incorporated research methods principles into a junior/senior level undergraduate Motor Control class that I co-taught with a fellow graduate student, and found this to be an exciting, though challenging, subject to teach. Fourth, I realized that I wanted a broader range of job options and choices, rather than being confined to only an academic setting.

Therefore, as a result of the previous conclusions, I searched for a program that would prepare me to (1) be actively involved in many varied research projects, (2) concentrate on helping others to valid, reliable, and objective research, (3) use the mathematics and biology that I love, and (4) choose from a broader range of career options. A statistics program, focusing on Biostatistics, appears to combine all of the qualities that I desire in a graduate program and degree.

I realize that the actual number of statistics classes I have on my record is small. However, I feel that I have a much broader knowledge of statistics than it appears on paper. I have limited experience with statistical analysis programs Minitab, SAS, and SPSS, and gained valuable experience in the experimental design and analysis of data for my master’s thesis. I have also been exposed to statistics throughout graduate school in various classes, seminars, and discussions. I am very will to, and capable of, completing any independent work or extra classes to give myself a broader statistical base to build on.

I head Graduate Assistantships at both school I attended, and feel this to be an invaluable part of the graduate school experience. My teaching and research experience is summarized on the attached pages. I look forward to the possibility of a new program, new ideas and concepts, and new experiences as a Graduate Assistant.

Megan Dailey (Higgs) – 1999 letter included with my application to Statistics graduate programs