Give me some perspective on my chances

[DiffyQ]

I really have no idea how to rate my own chances of getting into grad school, so I thought some of you might be able to help. I'm applying to math Ph.D. programs, and I'm currently in my fourth year at U. Chicago as an undergrad. I'm thinking of going into algebraic geometry, but I'm far from certain about it.

GPA: 3.81 (both major and overall)

GRE's: Q800 (94%), V710 (98%), W4.5 (58%), Subject test 840 (92%)

The list:

Harvard

Princeton

MIT

Berkeley

Stanford

Michigan

UCLA

Columbia

Cornell

I'll have taken a large chunk of the upper-level math classes they offer here, as well as a year of graduate algebra and a quarter of graduate computability theory.

My letters of recommendation are from three senior professors: Paul Sally, an analyst; Peter May, a topologist; and Madhav Nori, an algebraist. I think they'll all say pretty good things about me.

I did U. Chicago's REU three years in a row. Peter May runs the program, and his philosophy (which I actually think is a pretty good one) is that a math undergrad's summer is better spent learning than doing research that is technically original but conceptually shallow. So I have two papers (I was interrupted by appendicitis in 2006) from the program, but they're both expository, and published only on Peter May's Web site.

I worked for a quarter with a research team in the computer science department developing a compiler for a language a professor there was developing. My name is on a status report which was published and presented at a conference which I did not attend. Other than this, I have no publications to my name. Is that bad?

I was thinking of being a math/CS double major for my first two years here, but switched to just math in the middle. I address why very briefly in my SoP. I got straight A's in the CS classes I did take. Does this potential indecisiveness hurt my chances? Does the breadth of exposure help my chances?

EDIT: One thing I forgot to mention. I'm unusually young for this; I'll be 20 when I would be entering grad school. Does anyone care? No one's really seemed to here.

[crispyk]

Ok, I'll bite. I'm also applying to math PhD programs. Our stats are similar but you have slightly better GRE scores and come from a better college (luckily for me there is only one school we are both applying to). I probably do not know much more about this stuff than you and your best bet would be to ask a professor at Chicago, but it is nice to have an outsider evaluate your profile.

I would not hold your breath for Princeton, Harvard, MIT, or Stanford. I don't think anyone should: they all accept very few people (keep in mind that not only is the incoming class small but they do not have to admit many since most people who get accepted there end up going) and there are tons of students with subject GREs in the 90%ile, excellent GPAs, excellent letters, and publications. With that said, I think you have an ok chance at these schools. Your profile is probably a little below average for the typical admitted student at these schools (I'm guessing most have subject GREs in the mid 90s and a few publications).

I'd be surprised if you didn't get into one of Columbia, Berkeley, or Cornell. Out of those three I think you're most likely to get into Cornell. I heard that Berkeley admitted too big a class two years ago and as a result admitted fewer students than usual last year. I am not sure what the size of their admitted class will be this year. I think you're all but a sure thing for Michigan. I won't comment on UCLA since I have never looked much into their program.

I do not think your lack of publications would hurt you since you did do three REUs at a very good math department. I also do not think that your flirtation with a math/CS double major would hurt you. However, I do not think it will help you much unless you mentioned that you are interested in a research area that utilizes a lot of programming (computational algebraic geometry?). Lastly, I do not think your younger than average age will have any effect. I think someone would only be considered too young if they were younger than 18.

Good luck!

[planofstudy]

The fact that you're 20 years old will blow those selection committees away! Because of your age, they'll understand that you're super intelligent, but really haven't had the time nor the opportunity to get published. However, you have a low writing score on your GRE. Being published would offset this, but since you're not I suggest that your essays and SOP's be flawless. Seek the help of professional essay writers at EssayEdge or a similar group to look over your work and offer pointers. I suggest doing this rather than having your professors read over your essays. Find someone who does it for a living to help you out. Good luck!

[dans595]

We're applying to 6 of the same programs with the same/neighboring area of interest . I want to do algebraic number theory / arithmetic geometry.

(The six are Harvard, Princeton, MIT, Berkeley, Stanford, UCLA.) Good luck to you!

[dans595]

Also, somebody above said they are unsure of the size of class Berkeley is taking this year.

The word around seems to be that UCLA/Berkeley will both be taking smaller classes than usual this year, due to state budget issues.

[hartshorneBoy]

I would say that you have a good shot. From what I can tell, your GRE subject score is exactly where it should be. From my friends that have gotten into top tier schools, their GRE scores are like that, and no one really looks at the difference of an 80% to a 95% besides people like Penn where they say their average GRE Subject test score. This is anecdotal evidence so I can't really confirm this, but it's what I hear.

Your GPA is good, and your research is good. Your age won't really matter since you're not Noam Elkies :wink: . Seriously though, the thing that will matter is how strong the letters are if you ask me, and how strong your SoP is. You're a very strong candidate, and I'm sad that I have to apply against you for 7 of the 9 applications [geez we overlap. lol]. Personally, I'm more a fan of the REU outside of your department, even though I see what May is talking about, but you can find better opportunities than "combinatorics of X." (I'm also speaking after my experience with summer research, and coming from a VIGRE school that incorporates research into education, so I have 3 full years of research exp.)

Good luck, and maybe meet you some time down the road!!

Best,

Fellow AGer to another.

PS AND LUCK! Luck will be a deciding factor on your application, since you're at the point of top tier applicants, haha.