<p>I'm desperately in need of advice. In short, I'm a visual arts major (~2.5 years) turned physics major (for the past ~1.5 years now and a senior). How this came about is a long story, but I made a decision to transfer and willingly changed my academic focus. Both these fields were always of interest to me but I simply had to make choices. </p>
<p>I'm planning to apply to PhD programs mathematics. I was very active in the arts and have been doing freelance work since high school, and collaborated in plenty of amateur and professional art publications, group shows, exhibits, etc. I basically have a strong arts resume typical of a proactive art major. I know several languages, both spoken and in programming, if that helps. I was drawn to math after taking courses in proofs and foundations, and became keen on group/representation theory, number theory, and other topics in algebra.</p>
<p>My biggest concern at this point is how to spin my statement of purpose. It's been a huge struggle to make it not sound like a justification, or rambling. I know I may seem ill-prepared for graduate work but I am honest when I say I want to learn more about math. And at this point, when I haven't taken may upper-division courses, that is really all I have to go on. I have some research experience in the physical sciences, 3 recs, an estimated 750-800Q on the GRE, but possibly a low GRE subject score. I just didn't have the time to learn all the required material past calculus in enough depth.</p>
<p>How do I make a connection between these experiences without sounding pretentious? I know that to be successful in either field, you need a great deal of creativity. But am I supposed to ramble about that for an entire page? I have taken 2-3 classes in the STEM area that gave me the same satisfaction that I had in art, but I've got nothing math-related in the research or awards. </p>
<p>Take a year off. Take those upper division courses first. They will really help you decide if grad school is really for you. You know that your STEM background is weak so wait unt il it’s strong enough to get you</p>
<p>Alright, but what if I know it’s what I want for sure? I definitely do not want to sound entirely pretentious, but this is how I feel. Is there no way of bypassing that extra year or coursework?</p>
<p>You can’t know that’s what you want if you haven’t even taken a real analysis or abstract algebra course. Upper-level coursework in math is so very different from even freshman and sophomore university courses so until you have seen what upper-level and graduate coursework in math entails, you can’t truly know that’s what you want to do. Take the previous poster’s advice.</p>
<p>Let me ask, what’s the rush? Don’t you want to be as well prepared as possible, as in having (nearly) full knowledge of what to expect in more advanced math courses that may require you to think much more abstractly than in lower level ones? You’ll be more confident of your abilities.</p>
<p>First off, you don’t go to a PhD program in mathematics just to “learn more about math.” You can take continuing ed classes at a college to do that. Your goal should be a career in mathematical research and possibly teaching at a university or college.</p>
<p>Second of all, if you didn’t learn the required material past calculus in enough depth, how do you expect to be competitive to mathematics PhD programs? I mean, calculus is pretty basic when we’re talking about higher math - that’s freshman/sophomore year stuff. No, there is no way to “bypass” the required material for math programs. First of all, they are competitive and you will be competing with people who HAVE completed the required sequences. Second of all, even if you do get in, you will be at a distinct disadvantage when compared to your peers. This will not help you, as you will be competing with them for fellowships and down the line, jobs and post-docs.</p>
<p>If you don’t feel like you have much to go on and you seem ill-prepared, why not wait a year or so to complete your undergraduate studies? You don’t have to go to a PhD program next year; it may do you some good to take some time to finish your upper-division math courses, perhaps take some graduate courses to beef up your resume and get some research experience in pure math if that’s what you’re interested in (although your experience in the physical sciences will help if you are interested in applied math).</p>
<p>If you know that this is what you want to do, take the appropriate amount of time required to prepare yourself adequately at it so you can be the best you can be.</p>