mhallard

Student Type: DWF Undergrad: BA at a top LAC, then math courses (part-time while working) at a decent large public university, now starting a funded postbacc for math (another top LAC). Major: English lit (BA), Mathematics (postbacc) GPA: 3.75 overall; 3.67 math (hopefully higher after this semester) Math & stats: At the public university: Intro to Discrete (B+), Calc II (A-), Linear Algebra (B), Calc III (A-), Real Analysis (A-), Intro to Probability Theory (A-). This semester I'm taking intro to stats, category theory*, and ordinary differential equations for the first semester of the postbacc year. (*Odd without having taken abstract algebra, I know. There was no abstract algebra course offered this semester.) Maths & stats, next spring: Intro to data science, stats seminar, regression, and either intro to machine learning or topology/geometry seminar (depending on how my prior stats courses go). GRE: Cancelled this year. Debating bothering with the general. But maybe I should take it, since I'm such a weird candidate and it offers some (dubious) basis for comparison! Research: Will be doing REUs this semester and next, TBD. Work Experience: Nothing relevant (book editor at academic presses). Letters of Recommendation: I think I will have supportive letters, but from junior scholars (lecturers/visiting assistant profs/assistant profs). Miscellaneous stuff : Obviously I am a strange applicant applying in a strange cycle. And I think it's probably obvious why I'm aiming for master's programs, though if there are PhD programs that might be a good fit, I'd love to know about them. I have a huge programming gap (among other gaps) in my background, but I'm aiming to develop sound basic knowledge of R and Python by the time I begin grad school. Applications: I don't know what constitutes reach, fit, safety, etc. for me with respect to MS programs. I would go pretty much anywhere for a good program that would lead into work in industry. (I am not interested in academia at all, but am considering trying for a PhD if the postbacc and start of the master's go well.) Looking for stats programs (emphasis on applied), or applied mathematics more generally (I feel I can't make a case yet for pursuing computational mathematics, but that's also of interest). I've been looking at MS programs at Georgia Tech, Duke, UNC, Texas A&M, Rice, UWashington (biostats and applied math), and some international programs (UK and Canada). Would rather not do an online program, especially after this year. I have no idea if I'm aiming too high or without enough spread. Grateful for any input!

I hear that Oxford is publishing a book on Pauli Murray that is largely biographical (though focused on her religious philosophy) that comes out in January. It's called The Dream Is Freedom, by Sarah Azaransky.

I'm considering applying to the MSt in medieval English at Oxford or Cambridge, and have two questions that I'm desperately hoping someone will be able to answer: 1) How narrowly focused should the statement of purpose be? Do I need to have a research topic to be seriously considered, or is it enough to indicate general research interests? (I.e., physiognomy in several romances, treatments of space and travel, treatments of geography in romance, etc.). I took eight English courses in my last two years of college, but did not focus in any particular period. 2) Will it matter that my writing sample is not at all theory-heavy? I tend toward close readings, focusing on language and structural themes (which now strikes me as almost childish), and I don't think that I used any secondary literature in my undergraduate thesis (it was an honors thesis written for a very reputable liberal arts college, and my thesis adviser is a very well respected medievalist who thought it was excellent). I doubt this would fly with a US school, but I've been told that Oxford is less theory-oriented. I'm not as sure about Cambridge. I intend to go on to law school after this one final hurrah (knowing the employment prospects in academia), and I know the funding situation I'll be getting myself into, but going to Oxford or Cambridge (but particularly Oxford) has been a lifelong dream and I would deeply appreciate any input. Thank you very much!