Profile Evaluation: From the Top!

[dasgut]

Alright ladies and gents! Where should I apply this coming admissions season? What can I do to up the quality of my profile?

Applying to statistics and mathematics programs.

Undergrad Institution: Top 25 University, Top 15 B-School

Major(s): Finance & Accounting

Minor(s): Mathematics

GPA in Major: 3.67

Overall GPA: 3.51 (3.87 Last 2 Years)

Length of Degree: 4

Position in Class: Top 40%

Type of Student: Domestic

Grad Institution: Top 50 Uni, Top 70 Math

Type of Degree: MS in Pure Mathematics

GPA: 3.97

Length of Degree: 2

Courses (From Grad and Undergrad):

Multivar. Calc (

Linear Algebra (

Math Stat (A-)

Scientific Computing (A-)

Probability (A)

ODE (A)

Real Analysis I & II(A/A)

Abstract Algebra I & II (A/A)

Master's Complex Analysis (A)

PhD Topology I [General] & II [Algebraic] (A/A)

PhD Analysis I [Measure Theory] & II [Functional Analysis] (A/A)

PhD Differential Geometry I (A)

PhD Applied Math I & II (A/A)

Master's Research Project [minimal surface and complex analysis] (A)

GRE Scores:

Q: 770

V: 560

W: 5.0

Subj: 3rd Attempt (840 - 90%), 2nd Attempt (690 - 60%), 1st Attempt (650 - 53%)

Research Experience: 2 summers with Naval Research, MS project on minimal surface and complex analysis.

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Just GPA stuff, Highest Score on PhD Analysis score my year, and supposedly in many years (no formal recognition)

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: TA for Management Accounting, Currently Federal Financial Consultant

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: IDK<br style=""> <br style="">

Research Interests: Optimization, Differential Topology & Geometry, Probability & Stochastic Processes, Mathematical Economics and Finance, Differential Equations, Functional Analysis

[coffeeintotheorems]

Hi there! I recognize you from the math gre forum. So you've browsed all the profiles and results there in the 2010 and 2011 archives. Before anyone here responds, I'd like to know what your thoughts are. By comparing your profile to others' in that database, what do you think is a likely range (safeties->probables->dreams) for you to apply to?

My main advice would be for you to target schools with groups strong in what you want to research and simply design a straightforward SOP around that. The more specific you can be about your interests and profs you'd like to work with, the more likely you'll look like a good fit to them. Add enough strong schools in the middle-high range, and you're likely to get into one of them.

[StatlyDude]

Alright ladies and gents! Where should I apply this coming admissions season? What can I do to up the quality of my profile?

Applying to statistics and mathematics programs.

Undergrad Institution: Top 25 University, Top 15 B-School

Major(s): Finance & Accounting

Minor(s): Mathematics

GPA in Major: 3.67

Overall GPA: 3.51 (3.87 Last 2 Years)

Length of Degree: 4

Position in Class: Top 40%

Type of Student: Domestic

Grad Institution: Top 50 Uni, Top 70 Math

Type of Degree: MS in Pure Mathematics

GPA: 3.97

Length of Degree: 2

Courses (From Grad and Undergrad):

Multivar. Calc (

Linear Algebra (

Math Stat (A-)

Scientific Computing (A-)

Probability (A)

ODE (A)

Real Analysis I & II(A/A)

Abstract Algebra I & II (A/A)

Master's Complex Analysis (A)

PhD Topology I [General] & II [Algebraic] (A/A)

PhD Analysis I [Measure Theory] & II [Functional Analysis] (A/A)

PhD Differential Geometry I (A)

PhD Applied Math I & II (A/A)

Master's Research Project [minimal surface and complex analysis] (A)

GRE Scores:

Q: 770

V: 560

W: 5.0

Subj: 3rd Attempt (840 - 90%), 2nd Attempt (690 - 60%), 1st Attempt (650 - 53%)

Research Experience: 2 summers with Naval Research, MS project on minimal surface and complex analysis.

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Just GPA stuff, Highest Score on PhD Analysis score my year, and supposedly in many years (no formal recognition)

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: TA for Management Accounting, Currently Federal Financial Consultant

Any Miscellaneous Accomplishments that Might Help: IDK<br style=""> <br style="">

Research Interests: Optimization, Differential Topology & Geometry, Probability & Stochastic Processes, Mathematical Economics and Finance, Differential Equations, Functional Analysis

You had a good GPA in UG, and even TA'ed accounting. So what types of jobs have you tried? What led you to decide that the working world is not for you? You know that there are few jobs in academia and the pay is much less than what you could earn in business, so what made you decide to turn to math after all your business education and experience?

[bdawkins]

Coffeeintotheorems response is quite good.

A very important piece of information which I don't see in your profile is the status of your recommendations. How enthusiastic do you expect your three recommendations to be? Which courses did those recommenders teach?

[dasgut]

First off those are supposed to be B's. Sorry guys!

@coffeeintotheorems

I have no clue! I feel like I've got a pretty unusual profile honestly. I mean I didn't even have real analysis, abstract algebra, or complex analysis when I entered my MS yet I excelled against some people who went to VERY good places. I decided I wanted to math right before my senior year so I'm not sure how I'll be viewed. I can say that last year I was essentially waitlisted at Michigan's AIM program and accepted to an MS in MS&E at Stanford. I was told by people at one school, a state school that I will not mention, that if it hadn't been for some mistakes in the process (there's really no blame for anyone for these) that I would have been taken VERY seriously. My professors told me that with my originally poor GRE subject test at the time (51%) that I should have a really great shot at UMN and UT-Austin. I honestly have no clue where to shoot for now that I've got a good GRE subject score even after close examination of the mathematics gre boards!!

@StatlyDude

The working world is boring! I want to think! DESPERATELY! Plus, if I want to make money I can always try to be a quant. True I'll be losing good money making years, but it will give me a shot to make a crap ton of money doing something I love.

@Bdawkins

Two of three should be very good/really great. Basically, the letters say that eventhough I originally had no background in mathematics I showed a remarkable ability and that was reflected in my performance in my MS and later part of my undergrad. The third I really have no clue about, but I am looking at a number of potential letter writers.

Another thing: I'm not sure if I want to go the SDE, probability, and math finance route or the topology & geometry route. It seems like I can either way with a number of departments. However, if I really want to do math finance it seems that the best work is done in stats departments. What do you guys think?

[dasgut]

BUMP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone? Anyone? Buehler? Buehler?

[coffeeintotheorems]

BUMP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone? Anyone? Buehler? Buehler?

Dude, I'd love to help you, but you have a much better profile than I do (did!) and, as such, can and should aim at better schools than I did. (Although schools I applied to like IU and Purdue might be great fits for you as well. They're not top 20, but they do have solid if not strong programs in Analysis, which seems to be an area of interest for you.)

I see you applied to many top schools last year. Were you able to glean any information as to why they didn't accept you?

You mentioned something cryptic about "mistakes in the process" -- can you be more specific?

[dasgut]

I'm thinking about apply to a few stats programs for theoretical stats and mathematical finance. I know Stanford Stats in particular is looking for math fi students. Would it be advisable that I take a PhD statistical theory course? What would be the benefit? Would it greatly improve my application?

[dasgut]

So I just got my GRE generals back. My new scores are V162, Q167, AW 4.0. I'm right now applying for stats to:

Harvard

Yale

Princeton (ORFE)

Stanford

Chicago

Columbia

NYU-Stern

Duke (Decision Sciences)

Should I plan on getting destroyed? Also, I'm applying to NDSEG. I had to summer internships with the NREIP program which ASEE runs. Will these help in the decision process? How would you guys approach the summary of goals if you don't have specific research questions in mind?

Edited November 27, 2011 by dasgut

[mathgirl28]

I know it may be a little late, but i would encourage you to apply to few more safeties. The competition is going to be great this year and while you are a pretty strong candidate, given your profile there should be a few more safety schools on your list. While there is a good chance it might not happen, I would hate for you to not get into any schools and be forced to take another year off. Just my opinion (based on people with similar profiles in previous years)