Financial Mathematics: MS/P.h.D

<p>Any responses will be helpful.</p>

<li>School: University of California-Riverside (2002-2008)</li>
<li>BA Economics: 2.5/4.0 scale (2002-2006)</li>
<li>BA Mathematics: 3.7/4.0 scale (2006-2008)</li>
<li>Minor: Statistics: 3.8/4.0 scale (2006-2008)</li>
<li>Research with a Business Professor specializing in Financial Mathematics.</li>
<li>Senior Thesis: Multivariate Time Series Models w/ non-linear dependence.</li>
<li>Internships: First, an entrepreneur starting and directing a painting business. Second, an associate at Merril Lynch.</li>
<li>3 strong letters of recc from 2 math professors and 1 econ professor. All professors clearly indicate in their recc’s that despite my mediocre Econ GPA my math and research skills have fully prepared me and make me a strong candidate for any quantitative program.</li>
<li>Essay Topic: Studied for 1 month in 2007 in India with colleagues of the Dalai Lama. This changed my life as evidenced in my above accomplishments(#3 - #9).</li>
</ol>

<p>Obviously what I am most worried about is my Econ GPA. However, all schools offering Financial Math programs disclose that the most important pre req’s are advanced mathematics courses, all of which I have succeeded in. The schools I am looking at are University of Michigan, USC, Berkeley, UCLA, Claremont Mckenna, NYU (pretty impossible) and Boston. Obviously, these are all pretty prestigious school, thus the fact why I am worried. Which schools does anyone think I actually have a shot at??? What else could I add to my resume that would cause admissions officers to accept me??</p>