Application Trajectory

[qweticowoods]

Undergrad Institution: Large State School... It has a PhD program, and is listed on the AMS graduate studies guide, but otherwise unknown.

Major: Math

GPA: 3.49, 3.67 Math

GRE Scores:

Q: 720 (75%) (Didn't watch the clock, lol)

V: 520 (69%)

W: 4.0 (50%)

I didn't get a chance to take the subject exam, sadly.

Undergrad Courses:

Advanced Calc I, II

Complex Analysis

Modern Algebra <--Didn't do too hot over all due to an unfortunate incident on the final exam. Though it was this prof that (happily) wrote one of my recommendations, so I think I've got this covered.

Linear Algebra

Numerical Analysis I, II

Numerical Linear Algebra

ODE's, PDE's

Probability

Over all, my Math GPA is about an A-/A. It'd be a lot higher if I hadn't missed an entire section of my Modern Algebra final.

Program Applying: Applied / Computational Mathematics

Research Experience:

I did a year in an undergraduate research position in a material science laboratory. I was able to present my results as a display at the 2009 American Physical Society meeting in Pittsburgh, and at the NCUR.

I wrote senior thesis on approximating L^2 functions and solving simple differential equations with wavelets.

Awards/Honors/Recognitions: A couple of departmental awards, a 10 on the putnam. (LOL)

Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Math tutor for two years... Air Force vet. (I'm interested in both numerical analysis and mathematical signals. My job in the military was a wideband radio maintainer, so I learned quite a bit about signals prior to returning to school...).

Applying to:

University of Nevada - Las Vegas - PhD, Applied Math

University of Kansas - Lawrence - PhD, Math/Applied Math

University of South Carolina - Columbia - PhD, Applied Math

Virginia Tech University - PhD (Masters), Applied Math

Possibly in the process of applying to:

Western Washington U - Masters, Applied Math

Cal Poly - Masters, Applied Math

Did I aim too high? My undergrad record is blotchy because I took a bunch of courses while I was still in the military... I'm perfectly comfortable with getting a masters and then moving to a different university for my PhD work, but I'd rather not have to move so much.

Edited February 23, 2010 by qweticowoods

[hubris]

I think setting up a second route via a MS is a good idea. Not so much because you need the course work, but so you can retake the GRE, 10 on the putnam with a 720 Q?

You can do a lot better than that.

[qweticowoods]

I think setting up a second route via a MS is a good idea. Not so much because you need the course work, but so you can retake the GRE, 10 on the putnam with a 720 Q?

You can do a lot better than that.

Yeah, I took some unsolicited advice and hid the software clock. I hope the committees feel the same way as you.

I haven't heard back from any of the schools, yet. Not a lot of this site's user pool apply to Nevada or Kansas, it would seem... so I can't really draw any conclusions about my viability.

[Tam]

It doesn't sound to me like you aimed too high, but this whole site is really the blind leading the blind.