ANDS!

"Dear Sally, I am unable to personally fund (though loans or otherwise) a doctoral program. I thank you for the offer, however I will have to decline your offer of admission."

No. Perhaps in the non-STEM based programs this is prevelant, but I am pretty confident about my choice.

Holy god. Well, if you can do first semester analysis in 2 months, my hats off to ya. Personally, I'd just wait to take it at whatever campus you end up at. I would also check that your Analysis course doesn't have a "Formal Math" course requirement (essentially a class where you learn how to write proofs).

I got the Emory stats from them at a recruitment event (which included more than a couple non-math majors - so there is that). I'm not trying to rain on parades, just trying to help people perhaps be a bit more realistic about expectations. As for RA, I agree that the great majority don't have it as a minimum requirement; however the subject matter will make a lot more sense (and thus make for a more informed student). Same goes with taking an upper division LA course. I would email the programs specifically (after they get out of grad application mode) and see what their view is on RA and upper-div LA - they may say it wont hurt you one way or another, or they may say "Take it when you get here (unlikely it'd be offered in the summer)".

It is entirely possible that individual departments will list their averages (of course this isn't of much help in determining spread). I would look at the Results Survey, and order by campus; you'll be able to see the spread of GPA/GRE that are given offers.

No, I was quoting the minimum which is Calc, and LA (which the second poster will just barely have). I have seen a few that mentioned a preference for exposure to analysis; and why shouldn't they - you'll still have to go through a Prob/Math-Stats sequence, which given the second posters background, he/she simply is not ready for. Of course its possible for them to still be admitted to some good schools, but you gotta be realistic here; Emory had 300 or so applicants last year (who knows how many this year) - I'm sure that's a lot less than an English program, but that's still a pretty good pool for only a few slots. And no one said anything about Big Name UNI's with Big Time GPA's - I'm from a state school and have had quite a bit of success.

I was accepted in late January. I would call them if you haven't heard back. Also, that "prestige" lasts for what, until you actually get to work? If you got into Duke I would go, because not only is it a well regarded campus but it also has a highly ranked program. If you do not get into Duke - who cares? You will still get an excellent education.

The OP and the poster below are going to have a tough go at it I believe. Minimum requirements are Calc I-III and Linear Algebra (this is formal LA, not the lower division Euclidean based LA) for most spots; others will toss in Real Analysis which neither seem to have. Of course, one can always make up these deficiencies, but you're going to be competing against Math/Stat majors who already have exposure to these topics and more. I would say, definitely temper your expectations - however, if you have the cash go for it (I would however be a bit more realistic about the choice of where to go. . .the long shots are more than just long shots).

Davis is a great city, however Sacramento is the cheaper option (with a bit more "varied" night life if that interests you). Of course Davis is less of a drive to SF.

Terrible idea. Your statement of purpose is where this needs to be, not your LOR. If you lack academic letters, go for another professional. It may seem "novel" to you, but your academics are what will stand you out from the crowd; one less LOR means one less opportunity for someone within your field to speak to your capabilities and highlight something your other LOR's missed. The graduate committee wants to know the opinions of others qualified to judge your preparedness for their program; unless your sensei can speak as an "authority" on your field of interest, it's not going to help you.

An email? Sheesh, how about a thumbs-up the next time you see them? Certainly a personal card, at a cost of 4 bucks, is worth the invaluable assistance they have given you in this process. For one of my LOR's I got them a book that I think they'll enjoy based on personal conversations we've had.

That's not quite what is going on. When you (if you) checkmark that box, it simply means you do not have access to your LOR's in your file after they have been submitted. I would be very concerned for the person who didn't know what was going in their LOR's. I haven't read mine, but I know exactly what is in it. As for the OP, hopefully in 4/5 years your kid will have made stronger connections that they can exploit for future employment/academic opportunities and wont need their grad school LOR's (which will say be talking about an entirely different person).

I assumed we were talking about an offer that included funding; if not disregard. I wouldn't even bother with an offer that didn't talk about funding to be honest - I'm sure some folks options are limited.

That book doesn't stress it at all; and it shouldn't. It's still a pretty "light" treatment on Real Analysis, which goes with the topic of the class I suppose. Having flipped through it (a brisk 300 pages), I would say the OP could probably tackle the subject matter if the class is taught in a similar fashion to the book.

Cosigned. I didn't meet a single person, send a single email before "app season. . ."

Andsowego is right; even if this guy was Machine Gun Preaching in Africa the last 7 years - there is still a minimum that graduate admissions MUST see on a persons transcripts that wont be reflected here (at least at a majority of campuses).

If a school is a signatory to that April 15 deadline no department can force you to accept sooner.

I'm sure you know SF is far from LA (hell San Diego is quite a ways away from LA); I can count on my hand missing a few fingers how often I get to Southern California. However you can't beat the weather (though the cost of living will beat you about the head).

I would ask these professors after the spring semester, especially if you will have them again.

If you can, you'll want to take upper division Linear Algebra. The abstract algebra you have had will be sufficient to get you through the course. If you can get the final semester of Real under your belt I'd grab that as well, although property of the reals, sequences and continuity are the biggies they want out of that first semester.

If you feel like you can handle it, go for it. However none of the courses you've had so far will have prepared you for the rigor that will be demanded of an analysis proof.

All depends on ones major.

It is highly unlikely that they will allow you to take Real Analysis without first having taken an introduction to proofs course. Depending on the school you are doing an exchange at, you can possibly take this class in the fall, and then grab Real Analysis in the spring.

Does your program even require you to do research?

The number one complaint that a very well known statistician had was that incoming students to her graduate program didn't know how to write a proof. This is why stats departments like math majors - they generally have all the tools, except the stats, available. It is much easier introducing a class to concepts of sigma-fields and probability spaces if one has had an analogous introduction in perhaps analysis or algebra - topics stat undergrads aren't necessarily exposed to. Not sure what programs you're looking at. In the past three years I've taken 3 non-math courses. A math major - depending on the track/program requirements - is more than certainly going to have more math than this gentleman. I will say they will most assuredly have one and a half years of calculus, upper and lower division linear algebra, and at minimum one semester of real analysis and algebra (our program requires full years of both).