Motivated student but low GPA due to chemistry grades

[CW_ZegarraMX2021]

Undergrad Institution: One of the NYS SUNY Schools 
Major(s): Math 
Minor(s): Atmospheric Science and History 
GPA: 2.58 overall/ 3.05 Math  

Type of Student: Domestic, Male, Hispanic 

 

Research area: Mostly an applied math person. ODE/PDE and complex analysis

 

Research Experience: None
Awards/Honors/Recognitions: In Recognition of your exemplary attitude and outstanding achievements as a student with a disability (Won the award twice)
Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Math tutor, bagger at a supermarket

Letters of Recommendation: None as of yet, Although I am looking at two professors who can backup reasoning as to why GPA is low. 

Math/Statistics Grades:  Calculus 1 D  (second attempt B), Calculus 2 B-, Calculus 3 (B), Ordinary Differential Equations A-, Partial Differential equations TBD, Linear Algebra TBD, Probability Theory TBD, Statistics TBD,  Advanced Calculus 1 Fall 2020, Real Analysis C (summer course 8 weeks), Complex Variables B 
Any Miscellaneous Points that Might Help: Grad Atmospheric Chemistry (currently have an incomplete but I just submitted the assignment last week), I will be taking graduate level complex analysis this Fall. Also planning to sit in an Analysis seminar called "Spaces of analytic functions"

 

I went to a community college and started in Intermediate Algebra and made my way to calculus 1 before I transfer. During my time at CC I had changed my major mulptic times because I wasn't sure what to do. At first I was interested in atmospheric science, Geology, Biology and chemistry. Whenever, I took the required classes I always saw myself focusing on math. I ended up transferring as a chemistry major because I was a chemistry major during that time. My first semester at SUNY, Fall 2017, started and I got my first F (Physics 1) which brought my GPA really low. Second semester I did better but organic chemistry 2 lecture was the only C- I got all other courses I was B or A that semester. In Fall 2018 I realized that I loved math more than any other subject. Now I am two semesters away from finishing. I am graduating in Spring 2021

Looking to take a 6 month or year break to study for my GRE and math GRE exam subject while I work at a library.

 

Final Thoughts:

1. Is there anything I can do at this point?

2. I am taking three math courses over the summer 2020 (Partial Differential equations TBD, Linear Algebra TBD, Probability Theory TBD)

3. CC 2014-2017, Four year 2017-2021

 

 

 

[DanielWarlock]

I really admire your record and drive to learn. My understanding is that once you can "do real math" and get recognition from experts in the field (i.e. professors), admission will focus more on that (i.e. publication and recommendation letter) instead of your GPA, or math GRE grade. After all, you get into  graduate schools to solve problems not to take courses or do standardized testing. Have you thought about contacting one or more pro mathematicians and let them give you some research-level problems to solve? I imagine that solving a few open problems (maybe just the easier ones) will be the easiest way (for you in particular) to secure a spot at the top graduate programs. 

Don't be too ambitious when you start. You will likely not be able to solve one of those "famous problems". Just try to derive more generalized results based on the published papers in your field. My personal experience is that you should form your own "philosophy" of a problem that is unique and un-obvious to others.This does not always happen but when it does, it is something that worth sharing with the community (through publication). 

[CW_ZegarraMX2021]

On 4/20/2020 at 11:57 PM, DanielWarlock said:

I really admire your record and drive to learn. My understanding is that once you can "do real math" and get recognition from experts in the field (i.e. professors), admission will focus more on that (i.e. publication and recommendation letter) instead of your GPA, or math GRE grade. After all, you get into  graduate schools to solve problems not to take courses or do standardized testing. Have you thought about contacting one or more pro mathematicians and let them give you some research-level problems to solve? I imagine that solving a few open problems (maybe just the easier ones) will be the easiest way (for you in particular) to secure a spot at the top graduate programs. 

Don't be too ambitious when you start. You will likely not be able to solve one of those "famous problems". Just try to derive more generalized results based on the published papers in your field. My personal experience is that you should form your own "philosophy" of a problem that is unique and un-obvious to others.This does not always happen but when it does, it is something that worth sharing with the community (through publication). 

Thank you very much Daniel. I am in contact with one of my math professors at my university. He gave me a paper to read about the diffusion equation and he said to email him back on what I learned and go from there. His papers goes talking about nonlinear diffusion equations. 

He actually gave me a problem to think about which involved, differential equations and complex variables, but during that time it was too late in the semester to start.