BongRips69

I was accepted to applied mathematics at JHU. I applied to AMSC at UMD, not mathematical statistics... still haven't heard anything! Will be handing in my UCSB letter tomorrow!

Probably UCSB... but really want to hear back from UMD.

I remember when I visited UCSB, one prof said, "...and I like combinatorics, but don't get to do much of it here. If you told me you were interested in combinatorics, I'd tell you to go somewhere else." Replace UCSB with any department, and combinatorics with some subject in which the school doesn't have much expertise. Mathematics is a social endeavor! We've already concluded in this thread that GRE scores are relatively unimportant. If your fit in the department isn't important, than what is? In my opinion the two most important things are (in no particular order) research interests/fit and letters of recommendation. Besides that you'll see that all the quantitative measures are roughly correlated (department ranking, applicant GPA/GRE, undergrad institution ranking), but can be overcome to some extent based on the first two. Oh yeah... here's my profile on mathematicsgre.com, just so you can take my comments with the appropriately sized grain of salt. http://www.mathematicsgre.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=357#p1599 Two parting comments: 1) If you see people with maxed out subject GRE scores getting rejected from a bunch of places... check their country of origin. We Americans get a pass! 2) Many top schools (NYU, for instance) will gladly "accept" you into their Master's program, providing you're willing to shell out for it!

I don't really know, can only tell you my experience. I picked up a degree and training in meteorology in the military. I was an officer, so that gives me some leadership experience (gah... dealing with DUIs and other shenanigans). Since then I worked as a software developer writing scientific codes. In my SOP I stated that my interests were in fluids, geometry, dynamical systems, etc. Some of the programs I applied to were applied, others were just regular mathematics programs with a lot of people doing fluids. I know at one program my interests helped me get an IGERT fellowship (by definition, not really a pure math award).

I strongly disagree with this. I got very good feedback during in-person and phone interviews saying how good of a fit I was for the department. I subscribe much of my success in applications this year to applying to the "right" programs (along with work and military experience, maturity, decent subject score). I have zero academic research experience.

Following up the rejection with an acceptance from UCSB! Still going on UCI visit on Friday... we'll see.

First rejection! I was included in the UCSD wave today. Oh well! Here's to hoping for UMD. Anyone going to UCI visit on Friday?

Before considering law school, please read the following... http://bigdebtsmalllaw.wordpress.com/2009/08/13/shitlaw-primer-part-i-life-of-a-coder/ http://bigdebtsmalllaw.wordpress.com/2009/08/21/shitlaw-primer-part-ii-the-“experience”-scam/

I'm looking at my letter from U Delaware, it says "Graduate Student Contractual Agreement". It's basically an employment contract. At University of California, I believe graduate assistants are covered under a collective bargaining agreement. If you don't sign before 15 April, the offer is usually rescinded. If you do sign, then you've signed a contract! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graduate_student_unionization As others have said, if you're not getting any financial aid then there is no obligation.

Anybody going to UCI visit day on Friday?

Mrb, this just makes researching and visiting potential schools all the more important. The department webpage is a good first order stab at this process. UCI's department webpage doesn't even have a research group for algebra, and the two groups with more than 4 faculty listed are "Mathematical and Computational Biology" (6 listed) and "Applied Mathematics" (13). Also, hopefully your statement of purpose completely conveys your interests. Even if you're an outstanding candidate, I'm guessing you'd have a difficult time getting accepted if your interests were in algebra. And once you've been accepted, I've found it's important to talk to professors and graduate students. Usually this is easy, as they will contact you (as they are interested in you). Hopefully, you never choose a place and simply arrive without have going through the necessary steps! The exams at UCI definitely look a little foreboding! Do they expect people to usually pass the advisory exams? Geez, if I accept this offer I'm going to have to study my ass off... those things look difficult!

Geometry, fluids, dynamical systems, modelling. Also have more than a passing interest in logic. That's mainly because I'm a Platonist and view all mathematics/language/art as the quest to model some unchangeable truth. Sort of like THE BOOK that Erdos spoke of.

I live in SB and visited the department back in December. Everybody made it very clear that this year was anomalous due to budget issues. After meeting with a few professors I met with the head of admissions in the department (Prof McCammond). He sat with me for a good twenty minutes and explained their philosophy. First, they only accept those who they can completely fund for PhDs (no MS admission). On average, he said they admitted between 10 and 12 students per year with that increasing to 12-14 in the past one or two years. This year that number would drop to six, maybe a few more... but definitely less than 10. At any one time, there would be no more than that number of offers on the table. He stated flat out that those would go to the top candidates first. He fully expected that many of those accepted would decline, but not until towards the end. He warned that this admission season would go right down to 15 April. So if you can stand the wait and really want to go, hold out until the end knowing that any offer from them will most likely be solid financially. I'm not sure I can wait, but if I don't get into my top choice I'm going to be torn on my west coast decision. UCI is ranked a little higher, but the Santa Cruz area is much more similar to SB. UCSD would trump both of those, as it's much more highly ranked... and UCSB is as good a fit as UCI and UCSC but I wouldn't have to move!

Anybody hear anything about waitlist at UMD AMSC program or UCSD? I tried emailing, but so far have been in radio silence. May try calling, but don't want to be a pest! I have a few equally good offers, so getting into UMD would make it 100x more easy to make a decision.

Algebra and analysis, as others have said. You could probably teach yourself enough statistics (and even the calc-based stuff) to cover the subject GRE... so I wouldn't worry about those classes unless you'd like to go into that field. Instead, take more algebra and analysis or maybe topology, complex analysis, combinatorics or number theory.... again, depending on your interests. Can you take classes this summer?

I waited until a day before the deadline for UCSC, then heard a week later. They said my application was a perfect fit.

I have the same choice. I currently live in SB and would much rather live in Santa Cruz than Irvine, but it's further from family and I think UCI would be a better fit. I like the fact that they have regular course offerings in logic (in addition to a large number of people doing applied stuff). They both have a decent number of people doing geometry/dynamical systems type stuff... which is my primary interest. I also have this IGERT from JHU's applied program hanging out there complicating the situation. Grrrrr...

I think the bigger question (besides the "morality") is why? I can think of two situations where you'd apply to one PhD program and then transfer. You're plain unhappy with your current choice. You think you can "trade up" to a significantly "better" institution... but this is probably like the first case. The practical expense is so high that you should really think about going down this path. If you manage to get a Master's from the first institution, will you still have to pass qualifying exams at the second? Probably. Will you have to repeat classes? Probably. Will you have to make new connections with potential advisors? Most definitely. Will you have to find people willing to write you recommendation letters? Yes. All that stuff takes time. So if the benefits outweigh the effort, don't let the red tape stop you. Also, I wouldn't worry about the morality of getting a "paid-for" Master's degree. All sorts of things could happen in that time.

It's a joke. I had written it down in my comedy journal and couldn't stop laughing. And that picture of W. looks like he's taking a huge rip, so it sort of works. I'm a huge fan of the absurd... and this message board is full of it. I try not to take things too seriously!

Don't have much else to add to this except to say that I've been feeling almost the same way. But it's not so much straight depression because everything I've heard back so far has been an acceptance. More of a bipolar thing!

What's the deal? Accepted to UCI today! So far, I'm batting 1.000!

Haha pretty sure it doesn't work like that. Man, looks like a pretty rough day for the UCSD hopefuls. I see some people actually got acceptances a few weeks ago... must have been the first round. I didn't hear anything today, sort of wish I had. It stinks having over half your applications still outstanding!

Since you've been accepted, the department will probably be receptive to helping you setup a visit. I drove 5 hours for a pretty crappy visit when this wasn't the case. I'm still considering the school, it was just hard to get people to agree to meetings without any reason. Meet with everybody you can... grad students, professors, etc. Why a financial aid advisor? No funding?

Are you going to dress for the job you have (grad student) or the one you want (professor)? It's an interview. Not an entirely formal one, but an interview nonetheless. On my visits so far (5), I can only recall a few professors wearing sneakers. That is perfectly fine when you're doing the day-to-day thing, but interviews are not normal days! Do yourself a favor and don't wear jeans and a t-shirt.

I was accepted to UCSC without an interview, only a week after submitting my application. They said my application fit exactly what they were looking for. I initiated a visit with JHU and UDEL... so can't say there.