Major: Statistics
Who will win the next presidential election? To find out, you might ask each and every registered voter how they plan to vote. But a more practical way to get your answer is to conduct an opinion poll, questioning only a small sample of registered voters. But how can you use the answers of a small group of people to make a prediction that involves many millions of people nationwide?
That’s where statistics comes into play. Statistics is a field of applied mathematics that relies heavily on computers. Using statistics, pollsters can decide who to interview and how to weigh the information they collect to make accurate predictions.
Statistics students study probability theory and sampling theory. They also learn to use techniques based on these theories to study the relationships between groups of measurements.
“Think of an area of study that interests you. You can usually find statisticians giving work-related advice to professionals in that field.”
Michele Marini, Statistics Department,
Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
Are You Ready To...?
- Take math classes, including several calculus courses
- Study algebra and computers to learn the skills you’ll need to describe and analyze data
- Go to lectures, but also work in labs and computer-based courses
- Design studies, collect and analyze data, and present reports on your results
- Work on your speaking and writing skills so that you can communicate with others and work as part of a team
It Helps to Be...
A curious problem solver who likes to conduct research and work with numbers.
College Checklist
- Will the program prepare you for graduate school?
- Does the program offer specialties, such as actuarial science and biostatistics, that interest you?
- How often are statistics-related courses offered? Will you be able to take the classes you want when you want them?
- Is there an active campus organization for statistics majors?
- What are recent grads doing now?
Did You Know?
- Statisticians use regression analysis, a technique for looking at the relationships between measurements, to predict the future.
Course Spotlight
In a course on probability theory, you’ll begin studying one of the basic issues in statistics -- randomness. Probability theory is based on a few basic rules that can be applied to the simple as well as the complex. It can help you predict what will happen when you flip a coin, for example, and it can help you decide whether or not a sample of DNA points to a suspect’s guilt.
During the semester, you’ll learn the language of statistics, use mathematical notation and calculus, and move from problems that are concrete to those that are increasingly abstract.
Explore this major in more depth on MyRoad™