When it comes to getting into a top mathematics graduate school, is it better to have graduated from a top-tier math University at a normal age, or to graduate from a university ranked ~110 in math as an 18 year old?
Some context: Im currently a high-school sophomore spending my second year as a full-time math major at a low-ranked (~110 in math) university using a duel-enrollment program in my state. My goal in life is to become a math professor at a university, and have learned through talking to my professors and through my own research that the best way to become one is to graduate from a top-tier grad school. I have the credits to graduate college as a 18 year old with a degree in mathematics, but I worry that doing so would put me at a dissadvantage for top-tier math grad schools. I’ve reached the age where I should really start preparing for college applications if I want to graduate from somewhere else, but Im not sure if the boost in prestiege is worth the extra time and money. Would not having a degree from a top-tier university put me at such a dissadvantage that it would be worth spending the extra time, and money, to attend one? Im torn and any guidance would be greatly appreciated.
You should find out from your profs if undergraduates from your school get into top tier math graduate programs. All else equal, graduate programs will prefer students from peer institutions. But your preparation for a top tier graduate program will be more important. And we cycle back to the question of do students from your current university get into top tier math grad programs. Because if your current university rarely or never sends someone to a top grad program, it’s not likely that you’ll get there.
The material you will have mastered would seem to be at least as important as rankings considerations. Your degree requirements at your current university will likely include courses in upper-level topics such as real analysis and modern algebra. However, courses in topics such as complex analysis, functional analysis and topology would be highly recommended for math majors interested in pursuing graduate school. Your planning might depend on where you will fall in this spectrum.
Math PhD programs reportedly do have a significant bias toward what they consider better undergraduate math programs, though what is considered “better” may vary between PhD programs and is not publicly disclosed (and is not the same as general university prestige). This is sometimes discussed in the context of some PhD programs not taking students from most liberal arts colleges.
You may want to ask the math faculty at the university you are taking courses at now how the undergraduate math program is seen by the math PhD programs you are interested in.
Top tier school helps, but what you really need is some accomplishments. There are well-known mathematicians in many colleges, and if you do good research with one of them and have a great recommendation letter, you’ll be a serious contender anywhere. Of course, there’s also college and social experience to think about that you might miss if you go to grad school at 18.
Your professors are the ones who are best able to advise you about this. Talk with them. Find out where their graduates normally go, and where they think that you, given your particular set of abilities and interests should go.
You’ll need to have the grades and talent to get admitted, and money to afford it (roughly $45K per year) but its undoubtedly an ideal path to the top of the math world and they would actually value your extensive experience and ignore many of the things like extra-curricular activities that top US schools look for.
My ds could have easily graduated from his college (ranked similarly to yours) with his degree in physics in 2 yrs, a double in physics and math in 2 1/2. Grad school in physics was his absolute objective and had been since he was in 8th grade. Long story short, he decided to stay all 4 yrs to increase his strength as a grad school applicant. He was already involved in on-campus research, so he pursued REUs (for students from lower ranked schools, I would consider these vital research experiences…ds participated in 2, one after sophomore yr and one after Jr) He took grad level physics courses. And he increased his on-campus research hrs (he spent at least 18 hrs a week in research.) By the time he applied to grad school he had a very strong CV.
He attempted to encourage a younger math major to take the same sort of approach, not graduate early and make himself a stronger grad school applicant. This student had the required math courses to graduate, but he was really lacking in research and additional coursework.
Think about it in terms of competitive college applications. Younger age is definitely not a bonus. Students who graduate early are directly compared to the accomplishments of students who had 4 yrs to develop their ECs, transcript, LOR, etc. Take that same sort of thought process and shift gears and that is what you need in terms of grad school applications. Replace ECs with focused research experience. Replace APs with the strong upper-level coursework that grad schools want to see. Have excellent math GRE scores.
Back to the 2 examples above…ds was accepted to the programs he wanted and the other student was not accepted to a single one that he hoped for. Ds’s outcomes would have been similar if he had opted to graduate early. It was what he accomplished during those last 2 yrs that made him competitive for grad school admissions.
Here’s a piece of information you may need to help you: many colleges (undergrad) will not accept all of your credits completed as part of dual enrollment. Some will not accept any credits that count toward your high school degree. You would still be able to test out of classes but you would apply as a freshman and credits counted toward your major can sometimes be exempt from gettting credit. Every school is different, and we’ve had to do a lot of groundwork for each school individually to find out their policies. Honestly, it has been a surprise to learn this and I wish we had been more prepared. If you have a few dream schools in mind, reach out to the admissions officers now to find out how that particular school views dual enrollment and your situation in general.
The students that I know who are currently doing math PhDs applied with substantial research experience. I know 2 who came from non-top tier LACs who are now at top-tier PhD programs- b/c of their research experience.
btw, I agree with @Twoin18- consider applying to Cambridge. You will be with your people!