How is my List? Math Major

College Search & Selection
1

Here are some search criteria I used.

Short background: Come from small Rural high school in IL, 1/77 in class, First generation college student.
Race: White (Middle-east)
More detailed accomplishments can be found in my other threads.
Stats: 4 GPA UW (school doesn’t weigh)
34 ACT E34M36R32S34
Math 2:770
Physics:710
All schools on this list are expected to be affordable.

Considered, but low priority: Size of class (preferably smaller), Rah-Rah level (preferably less) Substance free housing/ Reasonable drug safety ( My mother wants this, but I’m convinced I can handle myself to stay substance free)

Reasonable importance: Location(close to home is preferred, midwest IL), Strong college town, Size of city/town (avoid large cities, rural is fine but a small town to medium city is preferred), size of undergrad enrollment (in the 1,000-2,000 range is okay, prefer in the area of 2000-3000)

Very important: weather (4 seasons, prefer to lean to the colder side, Is it silly to have this here?) Strong class( I prefer peers who are just as smart or smarter than I, I learn the most this way, I would not be satisfied In a school where I was WAY above average.) Strong research opportunities in mathematics, Academics must be the university’s first priority, Undergraduate focus

Must have: Strong Mathematics Dept./program, Music groups/opportunities(concert band and orchestra, (I guess it doesn’t have to be DIRECTLY related to the college, but I could not go without playing in a music group), Coed ( I simply would not go to a single gender school)

*There is a lot of other information available on my other threads.

Reach: MIT, Princeton(Highest reach), University of Chicago.
Match: Carleton(High match) Grinnel(medium match) Macalester(low match)
Safety: UIUC

All comments are helpful.
How is the list?
What should be added?
What should be removed?
Is it too reach heavy?
Are there any universities that seem to fit me that would fall into the match category?

2

How advanced will you be in math when you enter college?

Cost constraints?

It seems like your criterion of having smarter peers rules out any safeties as being desirable. What will you do if you get shut out of everything else?

3

@ucbalumnus AP Calc BC will be the highest level math course taken (online)
base calc is the highest level course offered at my school. I wanted to take calc 2 at my local 4 year school, didn’t work out.

4

I’d add University of Rochester, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, and Ivy League schools such as Cornell, Harvard, Yale and Pennsylvania that have honors math programs for freshmen. Do you need financial aid? If so that’d affect your choices.

5

@frontpage I will seek financial aid; I won’t “need” it, but It would really be tough without. I definetely had the university of Rochester in my sights sooner, but I dislike the area. I definitely considered ann-arbor, but merit aid is tough and I’m not getting any need based aid as an out of state student. I’m interested to see Ivy suggestions. I think many would say my list is reachy enough. Don’t get me wrong; I want to reach. I just don’t want to get 6 rejection letters in the mail.

6

@ManaManaWegi The University of Waterloo and Toronto in Canada are great schools for math. They have entrance scholarships for strong students and have very challenging “honors” intro courses for students. Also, you might want to consider Ohio State, Minnesota and Rutgers, which are strong safeties for math. They are not prestigious, but if you do particularly well there, you can get into places like UCLA, Yale or Cornell for grad school. If UIUC is in state for you, then it would be a better deal though. You might also qualify for scholarships. NYU is also strong for math.

Also, you could look at strong LACs such as Amherst, Williams that meet all need. Brandeis in MA is also really good for math.

7

I’d consider adding Williams (super strong math, hits all your preferences on the nose except proximity to midwest) as a reach. Good list though–best of luck to you @ManaManaWegi !

8

@ManaManaWegi If you really want to be at a school where you’re above average, I’d suggest applying to all the Ivies and Rice, Caltech (which all have good math programs). You are in the running for all of them. Statistically that would greatly increase your chances of getting into an elite school where you will indeed be average and will learn the most.

9

I’m confused.

10

@marvin100

I meant where you’d be average (and NOT well above average). I miswrote.

11

@frontpage I really don’t think I could make an authentic pitch to that many different super reach schools.

12

@ManaManaWegi I’d still suggest more than 2 super elite schools (maybe you can apply to 5-6, one of them early action/decision, and the rest regular decision?), to raise your chance of getting into any super elite school. Based on what you’ve described (valedictorian, 34 ACT, small academic school, math). I think a super elite school would be a good fit for you. LACs really don’t have ultra high level math classes, and even the best liberal arts schools are less rigorous than Penn, Princeton, or MIT.

If you really believe in the liberal arts philosophy, a liberal arts school like Chicago or Williams would be great for you. But Chicago is really stronger for math. If you want a math oriented place, Caltech, Princeton, or MIT would be a stronger fit.

How strong do you think you are? Are you really good at Math? As in AIME qualifying? Did you do math Olympiads and excel in them? Then Princeton Harvard, Chicago or MIT would be a good fit. If you’re not, then Williams or the other Ivies would be great for you.

13

I second Williams and look at St. Olaf which is very strong in math and music. Surprised it isn’t on your list along with Carleton and Macalester.

14

Have you actually researched math at the top LACs? Williams has even done well in the Putnam. There’s also [url=http://www.ams.org/notices/201405/rnoti-p518.pdf]this[/url] (pdf warning). And [url=http://www.maa.org/programs/maa-awards/teaching-awards/haimo-award-distinguished-teaching/list-of-recipients]this[/url] (four HAIMO winners since 2001, six overall, two in the last five years!).

15

I’m sure math at the top LACs is plenty rigorous. Probably more than rigorous enough for the OP. But for the very strongest Math students (IMO winners, other top math students) Harvard, MIT or a top tier research university provide more rigor and preparation for a top-5 Math grad school.

In this thread (link: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1414683-prestige-versus-cost-p7.html) It is mentioned that LACs are less rigorous than their research counterparts of the same selectivity in order to maintain accessibility. This is good for many excellent students who like and are good at math are just not quite at the same level as those taking the upper level courses at Harvard or Princeton.

As for teaching awards, it’s not surprising professors at Williams win them often. LACs are known for better teaching than R1 universities.

16

Well, if we’re using CC as “evidence” now, [here’s some](Math at Williams - #2 by tboyle - Williams College - College Confidential Forums) for ya. The link you sent was mainly discussing Bryn Mawr, and the only references to Williams are about PhD production.

17

University of Michigan fits most of your criteria

18

^ How is Michigan with OOS merit aid? UIUC is also strong in math, and she would be in-state.

19

Michigan doesn’t give merit aid, just need based

20

@marvin100

Williams is a top school; it’s really good.

As for Putnam winners: they’re here: http://kskedlaya.org/putnam-archive/putnam2015results.html; I don’t see Williams. I don’t see most of the Ivies either.

Winning Putnam is correlated with skills that you likely entered college with more than any difference between college. My school, which is in the top 50, had a top 10 Putnam winner one year. Harvey Mudd, Rochester, Indiana, and University of Richmond, NC-Chapel Hill are represented (not traditional top math schools other than Harvey Mudd). In that sense, universities do not create mathematical talent but nurture it.