Boston U LEAP 2014

[ddavis05]

Hey there folks. I'm applying to the LEAP program for either the summer or fall of 2014. I wanted to know how likely is it for me to get into this program with my background. I have some good attributes and some not so good ones as well when it comes down to my academic record. I graduated from a small, private, liberal arts school in 2005 with a bachelors of science degree in Applied Mathematics and a gpa of 2.78. The good: A average for Calculus, A- for Calculus II and Digital Electronics, B Average for Applied Math/Modeling and Sim. The so-so: B- Averages for: Calculus III, Differential Equations, Optimization, Prob & Stats II.  The not so good: C+ for Prob & Stats I, C for Linear Algebra, and C- Computer Science I(Java programming). The ugly: D averages for Physics and Numerical Analysis. Furthermore, I attempted to get a Master's in Statistics after I completed my Bachelors, but couldn't stay in because my gpa was below 3.0. (I made B's and C's for both semesters.) Four years later, I took a graduate level Euclidean Geometry class and earned a B in it.

 

My past occupations includes three years as an analyst for a consultant firm and four years in education as either a math teacher or math tutor. I'm currently on a short term assignment that ends in May. For the last few years since the recession started, I've been struggling financially. I see this as an opportunity to change careers and do something for a living that sparks my interests and put me on the path to the middle-class lifestyle. I have various interests. Part of me wants to get involved in the green energy industry and join the fight for sustainable energy. Another part of me wants to get involved with hardware design and revolutionizing computer hardware and software.

 

Excuse the length of my post. I'm curious to know how early should I apply and what are my odds of getting in?  I also want to know more about the financial aid and

[atomicwest]

dunno if you're still considering applying, but to be honest you already meet the minimum requirements for applying, which is at least a B in one college-level/non AP Calculus course. You have what sounds like a pretty good blend of work experience, and the application process is holistic, so I think you would have a good chance of getting in especially if you have already taken quite a bit of advanced/upper division math, and a bunch of programming experience. You might have to take some classes over (possibly physics)

 

Financial aid honestly sucks; theres a scholarship offered to LEAP students for Phase I but not all students get it. There are 2 federal loans available to all LEAP students, the direct loan and the PLUS loan which have a combined yearly total of ~82k. In terms of adjusting/moving to Boston and the chances of getting financial aid, the best semester to apply for is Fall

 

Alternatively, inquire other universities about possibly being accepted for a masters program; you have some probability and stats classes, and if theyre calculus based, it's to your benefit. Contrary to what people might think there are quite a bit of universities that accept engineering masters students who dont have BS's in engineering. They will instead assess what classes you have taken based on what they consider to be "baseline/essential" courses for all masters students; whatever classes you havent taken, you might be a provisional grad student and have to make up deficiencies once you get accepted.

 

hope this helps