Next time you’re at the register during your food shopping, maybe it’d be fun to think about the fact that there are 293 different ways to make change for a dollar. Then, when you’re putting away your groceries, remember that 75% of Americans consider eggs to be an essential item in their refrigerator. Hey, speaking of refrigerators, did you know that 23% of homes in the United States have more than one fridge? If you’re wondering where this tangent is going, consider that all the previous figures have something in common. See if you can figure it out.
Give up? Okay, it might be a trick question, but these are all facts based on studies by statisticians. Whether we realize it or not, statistics are everywhere, permeating every aspect of our lives; sports, media, politics, entertainment, and even our everyday routines. However, these facts and figures are not conjured on their own. They are developed through hard research and number-crunching by those who delve deeply into the field of statistics. Through this department of study, we ensure that our society will always be able to extrapolate data to show trends or fashions. If you’re an aspiring statistician, you’re in luck; here, you’ll find a few of the many statistics scholarships for budding data devotees, including:
Purdue Statistics Scholarships
Amount: Varying
Deadline: File the FAFSA
Purdue University, located in the pastoral rolling plains of central-west Indiana, is renowned nationally for many reasons. Home to distinguished alumni such as astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, popcorn entrepreneur Orville Redenbacher, and New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, Purdue’s student body is diverse in their interests.
One of the school’s most popular programs is their Department of Statistics, which was recently ranked in the top ten national statistics programs. To recruit students to the Department of Statistics, Purdue also offers a myriad of major-specific scholarships. Among these are the Virgil L. Anderson Scholarship Fund, named for a retired professor of statistics, the McLean Scholarship for graduate students, and the Carroll Scholarship, which offers $1,000 to high-quality graduate students interested in attending Purdue’s flagship program.
Edward C. Bryant Graduate Scholarship
Amount: $2,500
Deadline: March 1
The first of two scholarships discussed that are offered by the American Statistical Association, the Bryant Graduate Scholarship is offered annually to a survey statistics graduate student. The field of survey statistics is often considered to be one of the most commonly used in the umbrella “statistics” major. Students who choose survey statistics study both data and the reasons behind data, such as the instruments used for extracting data from a population.
Applicants, according to the scholarship’s rubric, must demonstrate outstanding potential, experience, and academic performance. If they are chosen by the ASA’s Scholarship Award Committee, students will receive a financial stipend of $2,000. Students are also honored at the annual August ASA conference, the Joint Statistical Meetings. The Bryant Scholarship, named for the co-founder of the American Statistical Association, is one of the most competitive in the nation for graduate statistics students due to its name recognition and exclusivity.
Gertrude M. Cox Scholarship
Amount: $2,000
Deadline: February 23
Diving deeper statistics, we can pull an interesting figure about gender in the field. According to 2012 figures, women make up less than half of all stat majors in the country, at around 44%. While the genders are relatively close to evenly split, institutions such as the Gertrude M. Cox Scholarship strive to even out the playing field to an even higher degree.
The Cox Scholarship is also awarded by the ASA, partnered with the Caucus for Women in Statistics, a nonprofit which, according to their site, is devoted to “[f]ostering opportunities for the education, employment, and advancement of women in statistics.” Applicants for the Cox Scholarship must be women, as well as citizens of the US or Canada who are admitted to a statistics program in an institution of higher learning. If chosen, students will receive $2,000 and, much like the Bryant Scholars, are also honored at the Joint Statistical Meetings.
Interested in studying statistics or a related field? Use our free college match tool to find the schools with the best statistic programs!
| Lender | Rates (APR) | Eligibility | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
5.50%-16.12%* Variable
3.99%-15.61%* Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CITIZENS |
 |
5.54% - 15.70% Variable
3.99% - 15.49% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT SALLIE MAE |
|
|
4.63% - 17.99% Variable
3.49% - 17.99% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CREDIBLE |
 |
6.00% - 13.75% Variable
3.99% - 13.75% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT LENDKEY |
 |
5.66% - 14.72% Variable
3.69% - 14.56% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ASCENT |
 |
3.70% - 8.75% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ISL |
 |
5.62% - 16.85% Variable
3.69% - 16.49% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT EARNEST |
 |
5.00% - 14.22% Variable
3.69% - 14.22% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ELFI |
