Applying to Top Pure-Math PhDs

[Shyler]

Undergraduate Institution: Canadian School (mid-tier)

Program: Business (I know)
GPA: 3.6/4.0; 4.0/4.0 on all (12 one-semester) Math Courses

Type of Student: Asian; International

GRE: 159V, 170Q, 4.5W

Math GRE: 880 (90th %ile)

Program Applying: Pure Math PhD

 

Work and Research Experience:  No formal research experience and no relevant work experience. For the last three years I've been doing my own projects/businesses and spend most of my time learning. I have co-founded some 6-figure businesses and run a small fund with some friends that has grown 40x to barely north of a million. I think I can show my interest in mathematics by spinning my story as I have done a lot of independent research on probability, stochastics, numerical analysis, advanced statistics, etc. 
Awards/Honors/Recognitions: No substantial awards.

Letters of Recommendation: I have really good connections with some of the math professors. I am confident I can get 2 really good and 1 ok letter of recommendation. My grad real analysis professor, I feel, would write the strongest letter. 

Math Subjects:  (Took maximum math courses allowed) Calculus, Multivariable Calculus, Applied Linear Algebra (2 Semesters), Introductory Real Analysis, Real Analysis, Algebra I, Graduate Real Analysis, Graduate Functional Analysis, Graduate Harmonic Analysis, Graduate Probability, Graduate Convex Optimization.

*My GPA is awful as I hated my business courses

 

 

Programs: Berkley, Princeton, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Chicago, UCLA, NYU, Columbia, Cornell,  Brown, UPenn,  

 

 

Question: Do you think given my unconventional background I would have a chance? Is there something I could do that would improve my chances?

[Qasim Rauf]

Hi. 

Although you can apply to a PhD having completed a Bachelors but usually the bachelor degree is related to the field you are applying to. So I would say you test the waters by contacting some relevant supervisors having research interest closer to yours and see how it goes and what their response is.

Hope it helps.

[filmic]

Not sure, but just wanna say props on turning away from business/money to pursue a PhD in math, unironically i think that takes a lot of strength. Plus, if all else fails you can try bribing the committees lol

One q is in terms of your "independent research", what has come of it?

[Zetton]

Did you get any offer or interview?