Either the LAC offers the sequence of classes that you want to take for your intended major, or it doesn’t. It should not matter if you are aiming for Caltech or Princeton grad school. No college is gonna create a class for you bcos you prefer MIT over Caltech over Yale. Either the LAC places well into top grad programs, or it doesn’t.
And agree with others. For your career goals, a MA/MS doesn’t add anything. Just get involved in research as an undergrad – and this is what you should ensure the LAC offers – and then apply for a fully-funded PhD program.
“…are highly likely because of the connections the president has …”
btw: what happens if the President retires next year, or takes a similar position at another college?
Good point. But even if he doesn’t, how is this supposed to work? He calls up Columbia’s math department chair and says, “hello there! This is your buddy ______ calling. I have a student here who is just starting their undergraduate studies but to whom I promised an MA at your school. Can you please accept him/her in 3 years?” And then they say yes?
as we both know, the only thing ‘guaranteed’ in such a scenario is an interview, assuming top grades four years hence. The math/physics/Phil faculty will make the grad admission decision. Unless it’s one of Columbia’s cash cows, which accepts a lot of full-paying students.
fwiw: methinks the OP is hearing what they want to hear.
Why does he even need a guarantee at this stage?He may completely change his mind. Also, masters programs are not funded. What’s the value here, to take a few extra classes? You’re not contributing original scholarship…
I am going to assume that the LAC is sincere and has been understood correctly, and that this is a legitimate decision to be made. I have a bachelor’s degree in mathematics (from MIT), and a master’s in a sub-field of applied mathematics (from Stanford). However, both are heavily leaning towards the applied side rather than the pure math side. I took quite a bit of CS particularly when studying for my bachelor’s and this has been very useful ever since.
I would be surprised if there is anything that you are going to learn during a bachelor’s and master’s programs that is a secret. The schools that you have listed are all very good. I think that you can get a very good education at any of them.
One thing that I am wondering about is whether you might decide to trend towards applied math or stay with pure math. Personally I liked using math to solve problems. It is sort of like you get to solve cool puzzles, and (once you get a job) they even pay you! I have been quite happy about how my career has played out over the years with degrees in mathematics. I do not honestly know whether I was just lucky, but my understanding is that math is indeed a useful skill in a range of careers.
MIT is on the semester system, and students typically take 4 classes at a time (or at least did when I was there). Stanford is on the quarter system and students typically take 5 classes at a time. The difficulty of classes is adjusted accordingly. I liked the quarter system because you get to take more classes in a year. If you are only so-so about a class it is over quickly. If you really like a class then you take the next in the sequence the following quarter. With the quarter system you do not want to fall behind because the end of the quarter comes up quickly. However, you already do not want to fall behind at any university at this level because classes move quickly and you need to be ready for whatever they are going to teach next.
One issue is where do you want to live for a year or two? Harvard square is a very interesting place to live. There is lots to do in Harvard Square and nearby. Stanford is more suburban. MIT is right next to Boston, and not all that far from Harvard but it is a significant walk (if you are walking) to get there, or a wait for the bus. I have always enjoyed my trips to the UK and conversations with my colleagues from the UK (and the “not really cold” but very good British beer). I think that Oxford would be a very interesting place to live for a year or two. I do not know much about Princeton but everything that I have heard has always been very positive about it for all of mathematics, a bachelor’s degree, and a master’s degree.
If you go with Oxford this might be a very good opportunity to get to know a culture which is similar but different than US culture, and get a broader view of the world.
The value of the MA is an extra year that allows me to take more mathematics graduate classes which I want, before going on to PhD. Yeah yeah ik about how most dont have MA or MS programs for pure maths under normal circumstances. As to who is going to pay for the 1-2 years I am not sure, I hope I can get a scholarship/ scholarship extension but I dont think that is how it works since Ill be doing the MA at a different institution but if not I might as well not do it, idk. I mean the math classes at the LAC seem pretty solid but they dont go as high as I wish for them to and they do not have the specific math classes I am looking for. The LAC has very good placement in grad school (top 10).
Perhaps you are right in that this sounds very used car salesman. Is there any advice you would give me to try and figure this out more? The main person who has told me all of this is the counselor.
They do not normally have 3+2 arrangements with any of these schools, but the claim they made is that they would be able to arrange one specifically for me. For that reason, I dont think the name of the LAC would be of any benefit as I would prefer to keep relative anonymity, but if it is really needed then I can provide the name.
Sorry, there was a misunderstanding. What I was talking about is that the LAC has analysis sequences and abstract algebra sequences and physics sequences and things like that and they all need to be taken in order if you want to get to the “advanced classes” (cosmology, quantum mech I-II, and custom math classes (idk if they have an algebraic geometer)). I wish to take those advanced classes before graduate school so thats why it would need to be planned ahead. STEM in general is like this.
Also, the president is brand new, like just arrived. But I believe that even if they left or retired the deal would have been set in stone (like signatures, copies, formal papers all that jazz).
Nono. It would be an arrangement wherein I am placed into a masters program after 3 years as part of some official partnership. Not just some call and an “under-the-table thing.”
Well I imagine the grad school would reserve the right to change their mind if like I ended up with awful grades or below what they expect or whatnot.
As to if am I hearing what I want to hear: I am unsure. I am a new-college student asking for advice in what I have been told. I apologize if what I am saying is absurd or whatnot, I really don’t know what to say.
I do believe that I will stay in pure mathematics, but I am not truly sure because I do not know my future. I do know that applied maths makes a lot more money, especially in the business world (or at least I have been told so), but I wish to go into academia (unless I end up as an adjunct professor, which would suck).
I really do think that the quarter system seems better than the semester system from what I have been told/ what I have seen.
It seems like this LAC is having to twist themselves into some kind of pretzel to come up with what is still a rather ill-defined BA/MA. Why not look into other schools where submatriculation is already in place and defined? I see Penn is on your list. They have submatriculation. I’m sure others on your list do, too.