What is the difference between Statistics and applied Statistics? Which is better? Are they similar?
Answer (1)
18th May, 2018
Currently there are lots of job opportunities in statistics, especially as computer-collected data proliferates on the Internet through social media and search functions.
A minor in CS (regardless of whether you choose applied or general) is a very, very good idea. Many of the jobs in statistics in the next 5-10 years will be in Big Data/Data Science, a new-ish field that combines mathematical and statistical modeling with computer science/programming, database management, and software development. People with those two skill sets will be in heavy demand.
Since a job as a statistician often involves writing code in a computer statistical program (like R or MATLAB), if you can write your own packages to modify these programs or your employer's proprietary program, that's great. Lots of statistician jobs also require someone who knows SQL and many want Python too.
As for applied or general -
I don't think it matters too much. Statistics majors in both will come out learning how to do statistical analyses for employers with computer applications. Without knowing what college you attend, I'm betting that the general statistics major emphasizes more theoretical explorations of statistical knowledge and may be targeted towards people who think they want to go to graduate school (particularly for a PhD), while the applied statistics major will emphasize computer applications and practical knowledge and be targeted towards people who think they want to work right after college as a professional statistician.
The main difference will probably be the version of classes you take. For example, when you take linear regression analysis there may be two versions offered - the "general" track might be more geared towards expression the regressions as equations, emphasizing the calculus base of the equations, and talk about regression from a theoretical perspective, although you'll still learn how to run the regressions in R and interpret them. The applied class will emphasize using the computer to perform different kinds of regression analyses and interpret them, although you will also learn some of the theory behind them.
So really, it's about what you think you want. Even if you want to go to graduate school, the applied statistics major will still probably be more than adequate (especially if you think you want an MA/MS in statistics so you can continue to work as a master's level statistician). If you know that you really want a PhD in statistics one day, it might be worthwhile to do the general track.
A minor in CS (regardless of whether you choose applied or general) is a very, very good idea. Many of the jobs in statistics in the next 5-10 years will be in Big Data/Data Science, a new-ish field that combines mathematical and statistical modeling with computer science/programming, database management, and software development. People with those two skill sets will be in heavy demand.
Since a job as a statistician often involves writing code in a computer statistical program (like R or MATLAB), if you can write your own packages to modify these programs or your employer's proprietary program, that's great. Lots of statistician jobs also require someone who knows SQL and many want Python too.
As for applied or general -
I don't think it matters too much. Statistics majors in both will come out learning how to do statistical analyses for employers with computer applications. Without knowing what college you attend, I'm betting that the general statistics major emphasizes more theoretical explorations of statistical knowledge and may be targeted towards people who think they want to go to graduate school (particularly for a PhD), while the applied statistics major will emphasize computer applications and practical knowledge and be targeted towards people who think they want to work right after college as a professional statistician.
The main difference will probably be the version of classes you take. For example, when you take linear regression analysis there may be two versions offered - the "general" track might be more geared towards expression the regressions as equations, emphasizing the calculus base of the equations, and talk about regression from a theoretical perspective, although you'll still learn how to run the regressions in R and interpret them. The applied class will emphasize using the computer to perform different kinds of regression analyses and interpret them, although you will also learn some of the theory behind them.
So really, it's about what you think you want. Even if you want to go to graduate school, the applied statistics major will still probably be more than adequate (especially if you think you want an MA/MS in statistics so you can continue to work as a master's level statistician). If you know that you really want a PhD in statistics one day, it might be worthwhile to do the general track.
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