Fall 2024 Applied Math Phd Profile Evaluation: Will it go better this go around or has my 3 year plan been for nought?

[Alois98]

Finishing masters degree this winter 2023, applying to PhD's for  fall 2024. I tried doing this before getting my masters degree but things didn't go so well. I've really given it my all over these past 13 months to improve my profile. Since I'm to awkward to ask this to my advisors, curious how you'd rate my chances:

Qualifications:
Grades: Ms.c Applied Mathematics from University of Washington, 3.98 GPA,   B.A Math from  University of Virginia, 3.93 Major GPA, 3.55 overall GPA

GRE: 170 verbal, 168 quant. No subject tests.

Research: Two major research projects under two advisors at UW.  One is close to publication, other has major results but not close to publication. For first project,  advisor tells me he thinks it's unlikely we will get anything out on arxiv before my application deadlines. I'm essentially waiting on him as I have a first draft 90% done already. I had math research experience in industry coming to UW but nothing very formal. I just listed those things on my CV. 

Letters of Rec:
1. First/main advisor.  Assistant professor at UW.  Young but quite well connected. I know him very well and he's very very happy with the work I've been able to produce. He's essentially told me he'll tell the admissions at UW to admit me in strongest possible terms and that he'd take & fund me. And equally strong rec for other places. He'll be writing some people at the places I'm applying to that he knows to vouch on my behalf.

2. Second advisor. Full professor, former dept chair, big name in scientific computing, has like 2k publications. Don't meet with him nearly as frequently and haven't been quite as successful with that research ( tho I do have some novel results and algorithms to show for it, publishable with some more applications). Should give good but not exceptional rec.

3. UW CS Prof I took class with. Mainly chosen bc big name in deep learning theory which I'm interested in. Got A+ in his class but do not know on personal level. 

Other factors: I took two gap years in between undergrad and grad school. Worked a number of research oriented internships in data science & operations research and took more graduate math classes part time. So I have more less formal mathematical research projects to speak to at least on CV. I have one publication but its in microscopy, not math related.

I'll also be out of school between winter and next fall which isn't ideal but there are more research projects my main advisor wants me to complete during that time to which hell testify in his letter of rec. I've done somewhat minimal direct outreach to potential advisors. Recently sent them all a fairly basic email introducing myself, asking if  they're seeking new grad students and expressing interest in their research. 

Applying to PhD in Applied Math at:

MIT, Caltech, University of Washington ,  Stanford, John Hopkins,  University of Maryland,  NYU,  Duke,  Emory, Carnegie Melon,  UT Austin,  Georgia Tech.

Do you think this list is to ambitious? Advisor tells me admissions at UW is close to guarantee so I feel minimally motivated to apply to anywhere I wouldn't go to over UW.  He has looked over this list and vouched this is sensible.

 

 

 

Edited November 4, 2023 by Alois98
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