Overall GPA vs. Major GPA

[dearbwj]

Hi,

 

I am planning to apply grad schools this coming fall. I am finishing up my second semester of my senior year, but English course for my college requirement class is screwing me over little bit (as I am a foreigner).

 

If I end up not doing as well in English course, I would get overall GPA of 3.96, but my math GPA would be 4.00 (in NESCAC school in Maine).

Does that matter that much? (right now overall is 3.98).

 

I am hoping to apply Harvard, NYU, MIT, Stanford, and Berkeley for applied math phd.

I have GRE score of 163/170/4.5 (reading/quant/writing), and need to take Math subject GRE. How does my chance stand?

I did summer research every year except the summer before senior year, and I am doing an applied math intern this summer.

 

Also, another question, do I need Math subject GRE for applied math phd?

 

Thanks for all your time!

 

 

[the_sheath]

Don't think the difference matters much, no. Not if the single class that's screwing you over is English, and is not like a failing grade or something.

Don't know where you're from, or how good you are at math, and honestly, good performance on the quant part of the gre doesn't really say much for how well you'd do on the subject, since the latter is significantly more difficult.

Los of places don't require the gre, and it depends on the institution. Is take it anyway, if you are able

[dearbwj]

Btw, congrats on UCSD! I am looking into that school too. 

 

Anyways, I got the department award that gives to the top students in pure mathematics. I have taken Analysis, Advanced Analysis, Advanced Linear Algebra in Quantum Computing, Abstract Algebra, and stat courses...

 

Should I still take GRE math subject??

[Stat Assistant Professor]

Both your major and your overall GPAs are very high. I wouldn't stress over the English class too much, but try to get at least a B-.

 

Some applied math programs require the subject test, but a number of them also do not. There is often much more leniency on this than in pure math programs (e.g. any score above 50th percentile -- roughly the mid-600s -- is considered a good score for a lot of applied math programs, whereas many of the higher-ranked pure math programs want to see mid-to-high 700s and above). However, at the schools you listed, even the applied math applicants should have at least an 800 on the subject test (at least at MIT and Berkeley -- all applicants are expected to have achieved 800+ on it, and I know that they screen out the vast majority of applicants who score lower than that).

Edited May 15, 2014 by Applied Math to Stat

[bsharpe269]

I am pretty sure that most grad programs just want to see a gpa > 3.5 ish. I really don't think they care about a 3.8 vs 3.9... once youre up to that point, research experience and LORs are what seperate candidates.