Guide to the London School of Economics: Applying to the MSc in Statistics

02-11

Applying to any graduate school program can be a hectic endeavor. This task can be even more daunting when you』re applying to a selective institution like the London School of Economics (LSE). Before you apply to the MSc in Statistics or MSc in Statistics (financial) at LSE, here are some of the basics I think you need to know:

I. Background

The MSc is going to be mathematically challenging. The assessors will require (and assume) that you have a solid background in mathematics. They will at least want to see an applicant with experience in calculus, linear algebra and first year statistics courses from college.

LSE has a reputation for its research course strength in economics, finance, time series, stochastic processes, etc. If you can show some research experience in these areas, the professors are likely to be very impressed. However, research experience is not a prerequisite to gain entry into this program. It also does not require GRE scores, but a very high GRE score can definitely help you. This is specially the case if you graduated from a university or program from outside of the UK.

II. Statement of Purpose (SoP) and CV

The department, currently, only requires a 500-word statement from you. This might not seem like a lot, but your Statement of Purpose is very important. In your SoP, you should highlight why you want to study statistics at the graduate level, the courses you are interested in pursuing during the MSc program, and any research idea(s), though the latter is only if you have any. The department may also require you to upload a CV. This is to help them have a succinct, summarized account of your background.

III. Application

The application itself is actually quite simple for LSE, especially when compared to some of the other top schools in the UK. Firstly, you』ll be asked, like in most applications, to fill in your personal details. You』ll also be asked to provide the email addresses of two references, so make sure to have this information readily available to you. Note that the references can also be sent physically. This is an option if your undergraduate institution does not use its own email domains.

After you』ve given all the requested details regarding your references, you』ll be asked to upload all other relevant documents. These include your CV, SoP, and maybe transcripts. Again, make sure to have these ready. Finally, you』ll be asked to pay for your application at the time of submission.

IV. Application Timing and Financial Support

It is very, very important that you apply as early as possible in the application cycle if financial support will be indicative of whether or not you can attend LSE. This is because, unlike most other schools, LSE provides graduate financial support on a first-come-first serve basis. If you apply too late, you risk missing out on important financial support for your degree.

V. Concerned Over Your Admissions Chances? Here』s a Tip

If you have another year before you apply to the program, or if you』re just concerned over your academic credentials, consider enrolling into the one-year 「Diploma for Graduates」 program from the University of London (though don』t let the name fool you, much of its academic direction is provided by LSE). The diploma is a one-year course. It is taught through distance learning methods and it does not require much investment, making a great way of bolstering your application without too many costs. But it isn』t for everyone. This qualification will especially help you if you are from a small university or you have concerns over the grades earned in your undergraduate degree. If you』re interested, here is the website, where you can find more information: http://www.londoninternational.ac.uk

Finally, there are probably other questions you have after reading this article that I didn』t answer or for which I might not have an answer. Should you require more information about the program, I encourage you to visit the following departmental website or write to the department directly. The link is: http://www.lse.ac.uk/statistics/study/prospective/mscstatistics.aspx

Remember that LSE welcomes applicants from all around the world. It seeks diversity in their programs. So, work hard, apply, and hope for the best. I wish you all the best in your application journey!