Should I apply for graduate school in Statistics?

[Johntk5]

I am giving serious thought to applying for graduate school in Statistics, but I don't know if I should. It would mean 5 more years of school to get a Ph.D in Statistics. What do you think. Right now the courses I am taking are preparing me for graduate school.

 

[KillerCharlie]

What can you do with a Ph.D in statistics besides research at a university? Do you think you really need one?

 

[Fingolfin269]

Uh no.

 

[Johntk5]

Is the general GRE, and the Mathematics subject exam something you can study for?

 

[Johntk5]

Originally posted by: KillerCharlie
What can you do with a Ph.D in statistics besides research at a university? Do you think you really need one?

I would like to work for Bell Labs or ATT Labs.

 

[GiLtY]

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos045.htm

Something I found about working as a statisticians. Looks pretty good.

--GiLtY

 

[Johntk5]

I see the GRE exam covers Modern Algebra, but I haven't taken it yet. Will this be a problem.

 

[fire400]

... do you want to work for someone for the rest of your life? ask yourself that first...

okay, now how do you feel about making 90,000 USD a year, sitting in one spot, number crunching for a bank as a stat manager and overlooking a team? you're still working for someone!

alright, how about being head of a stats team that overlooks multiple projects and you get to travel, visiting and giving talk at Universities about the importance of mathematics? someone might settle for this, but it's some you wouldn't want to do for the rest of your life, still not convincing enough.

you have a high interest in a subject that involves statistics. you start your own business in the area and provide to companies that need immediate information ASAP. you organize team leaders and members to go with them. dispatch them all over the world. you will be rich, but besides the point, you will be remembered. man dude, it's cool working for people, but sometimes you gotta do things by yourself.

spider man comic book: spiderman loves mary jane.
MJ, her counselor tells her about life: "you only get one shot"

 

[dsfunk]

no

 

[msparish]

If you want to work in industry, a MS degree is generally the way to go over a Ph.D.

 

[eakers]

If you like stats then yes.
You can start a consulting company and advise people on experimental design, the integretity of their data, etc. Oh, and figure out how to interpret their data to give the results they want. There is a lot of money in this kind of stuff.