Math grad program: Urgently need advice

[hyperbolic]

Hi,

I'm an international student who wants to do research in low-dim topology after having worked in a completely different profession for a few years (had messed up my undergrad..low gpa but high scores in group theory, topology, functional analysis, number theory), got a job...a year or two later discovered i really wanted to do math..taught myself math after office-hours. have mediocre gre (mid-50 percentile in subject, 1400 in gre with 710q -- i freeze during sit-down tests). i ought to have decent recommendations. It'd be great if some of you could help me out with the list of schools... i am obviously not applying to the top 30...in stead am chasing specific people i would want to work with (i figure it really depends on how good you are and not where you are at) :

the list: univ of iowa, notre dame, texas a&m, utah, michigan state, oklahoma, suny buffalo. do you think i have a chance?

thanks a lot

[frankdux]

you could probably get into 1 or 2 of those. but i'd recommend throwing in a few lower schools as well.

(i have fairly solid stats everywhere except my subject gre. i think i completely bombed that. i'm sure its common for applicants at non-top 10 schools to not have stellar EVERYTHING.)

[hyperbolic]

Schools lower than these... Do you have any to recommend?

why don't you find out your subject scores... you may not have bombed it. also, applied math programs generally don't ask for subject test scores so you don't have much to worry (at least according to a friend of mine at ann arbor).

[frankdux]

4 out of my 10 schools require the subject test. but thats because they have large math departments encompassing applied math, instead of a separate applied math department. typically, separate applied math departments don't require it.

[hartshorneBoy]

I'd look at the University of Georgia (UGA) and University of Southern California (USC) as well. UGA has Matic, Kazez, Cantarella, etc. that are all great low-dimensional topologists, and UGA is really well funded right now (also, each of these profs are well-respected and ought to place you well), since they have VIGRE right now. USC has Honda which has had some very successful students, at least one of who is graduating this semester, so Honda might looking for someone to take her spot.

You will probably get in to one of your schools, but look at these two too, esp. UGA.