Undergraduates FAQ

Program Expectations

What should I expect?

As an undergraduate, you should expect to

  • Commit around 4 hours per week to independent reading related to your project
  • Meet with your graduate mentor once a week for an hour
  • Submit short (1-3 sentences) weekly reflections
  • Deliver a 10 minute final presentation
  • Submit a writeup about your project and experience

You may register for 1 credit (CR/NC) of STAT 499 for this work. Your presentation and writeup will be shared on this website.

Can I choose to not register for STAT 499?

We strongly encourage students to register for STAT 499. Sometimes students have a very good reason for not wanting to do so, and that is fine. However, we expect the same level of participation and commitment regardless of whether you register for credit.

Admissions

Who should apply?

Any undergraduate student at UW Seattle with a budding interest in statistics should apply! You do not need to be a statistics major. Those without previous research experience and those from underrepresented backgrounds are especially encouraged to participate.

When should I apply?

Information about projects and applications for each quarter will be posted approximately three weeks before the start of the quarter. Applications will typically be live during the last week of classes and finals week of the preceding quarter, with decisions made during the break between quarters. We do not run the DRP during the summer quarter.

What are the admissions criteria?

Each quarter, we select a group of students with varying levels of statistical experience and at varying points in their academic careers to match the mix of levels of the project proposals for that quarter. Unfortunately, we typically have more undergraduate applicants than available mentors so we are not able to accept all applicants. We are not necessarily looking for students with perfect grades or extensive statistical experience. The most important part of your application is the free response section, where we will look for demonstrated passion for statistics and clear articulation of how you will benefit from the DRP program.

Some preference is given to upperclass students without previous research experience and to students who have applied to the DRP several quarters in a row. Students who have already participated in the statistics DRP or in related opportunities at UW will typically not be accepted, but are welcome to apply. The only exception to this is for students and mentors who wish to continue their DRP project from the previous quarter.

How does the admissions cycle work?

Once the application closes (typically during the finals week of the previous quartyer), the admissions committee will review your applications. The admissions committee is made up of the graduate student coordinators. Applicants will be matched with projects based on interests. Selected applicants will receive an email asking them to confirm their acceptance. Since some applicants may decline joining Statistics DRP (because they are doing a different DRP or research experience), acceptances will be sent out in multiple waves before the quarter starts. Once all projects have been assigned a student, we will notify remaining applicants encouraging them to apply next quarter. Strong applicants who apply repeatedely will have a higher chance of being selected in the future.