Who Should Visit the U-M LSA Statistics Website?

Updated

The U-M LSA Statistics website (lsa.umich.edu) is the right starting point if you are exploring statistics and data science study or research at the University of Michigan, or if you are a current student or researcher looking for program and faculty information. It is an informational department site, not an application portal: you will not apply, pay fees, or register for courses here. Use it to understand what the department offers, then move to the specific program page or contact the department for next steps.

Who gets the most value from this site

  • Prospective students evaluating whether U-M's statistics and data science programs fit their goals. The site describes top-ranked applied statistics and data science programs, so it works as a first filter before you commit to an application.
  • Current U-M students who want to understand program structure, faculty expertise, or research options within the department.
  • Researchers looking for faculty, research areas, and collaboration opportunities in statistics and data science.
  • Advisors, parents, and referrers who need a reliable overview of the department to pass along.

What the site actually provides

Based on the department's own description, the site centers on three things:

Area What you can expect to find
Programs Applied statistics and data science programs at the department level
Faculty Expert faculty profiles and their areas of work
Research Diverse research opportunities tied to the department

This matches the three questions the site is built to answer: what the department is, what programs it offers, and what research opportunities exist.

What it does not do

Set expectations correctly before you spend time here:

  • It is not an admissions application system. You cannot submit an application through this site.
  • It does not publish tuition, fees, or cost information as part of its core purpose.
  • It does not handle course registration or enrollment transactions.
  • It is not a general statistics learning resource for the public; it is a University of Michigan department site.

If you need any of the above, treat this site as a signpost rather than a destination.

Suggested next steps

  1. Identify your goal first. Prospective student, current student, or researcher — each path leads to a different section.
  2. Go to the specific program page for the degree or program you are considering, rather than relying on the homepage summary.
  3. Review faculty and research pages if your interest is research collaboration or finding an advisor.
  4. Contact the department directly for anything transactional — applications, deadlines, costs, or registration — since those are handled outside this informational site.

If your question is "should I start here?", the answer is yes for orientation, no for transactions. Use the site to decide whether to go deeper, then follow the program page or the department contact route.