Chance me for applied math PhD programs please

Graduate School
1

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>I am a 5th-year double major in computational math and applied physics at UC Santa Cruz. My overall GPA is 3.1, my physics GPA is 3.1, and my math GPA is 3.33. </p>

<p>I haven't taken the GRE yet, but I'm taking the general this month and the subject next month. I don't really have a way of guessing what my score will be...but I'm thinking my verbal will be just under average (my vocabulary is terrible, though I am a good reader and writer). My math will probably be excellent, and I'm thinking the math subject test will be just above average (I looked at it and if I practice enough, I might ace it, but as it looks right now there's a lot of room for error for me). </p>

<p>I've had 3 positions working with research professors, and I'm going to be getting letters of recommendation from each of them. </p>

<p>The first was Santa Cruz Institute for Particle Physics--I did a bunch of data analysis and lab tech work and they put me as co-author on 5 papers that were published in IEEE Nuclear Instruments and Methods for Physics Research. </p>

<p>Second I've been working for the Storage Systems Research Center in the computer science department. I'm writing a program that converts a scientific data format called Hierarchical Data Format into XML. It's pretty much done but I am making it more portable for different types of data files within that format. </p>

<p>Third I've been working for the ocean sciences department in my school. They've hired me to write a couple of simple little java apps for visualizing scientific data. I'm waiting on another project with them. </p>

<p>I know my GPA is low but I really want to get into a great applied math program like UCSD (I am applying to their CSME program if you are familiar with that). I am also applying to UC Berkeley, though I know my low GPA hinders me greatly. My back-up school is UC Merced. Anyone care to chance me? Let me know! Thanks.</p>

2

<p>I forgot to mention…I’ve also taken a bunch of computer science classes because I was considering a CS masters instead of applied math PhD…My CS GPA is also around 3.3 and I am 2 classes short of a minor.</p>

3

<p>The math grad school process has been brutally competitive recently. You need to look at web sites detailing the math GRE test (expect that 800 in the regular GRE)- the scoring goes to 990 and the credentials of applicants often include post grad work done in other countries. They won’t care that much about coursework unrelated to your proposed field of study. Your math gpa seems somewhat low- you need to study a lot for the math GRE. Discuss your options with your math professors, you will need to look at schools where your gpa and test scores are competitive.</p>