<p>Hi,
I will be a senior math major at a top 25 school this fall. I switched majors from psychology to math fall of junior year. I've only recently realized that I may like to go to grad school for math. I don't have much experience with math besides coursework, so I think I'm going to pursue a masters before applying to schools for a phd. By the time applications are due(the end of this semester) I will have taken Abstract Algebra, Number Theory, Complex Variables, Analysis 1, Linear Algebra(upper division, proof oriented). Note, I'm only getting around to analysis this fall. My math gpa should be ~3.8, what kind of gre should I go for? I'm obviously not expecting Princeton - would I have a shot at places like UIUC, Stony Brook? I'll be applying to places farther down the list also: Indiana, UVA, etc. Where else should I look? THanks!</p>
<p>A few thoughts:</p>
<p>Will you have taken any graduate courses by the time you graduate? When I visited Stony Brook, they explicitly told us that they only picked students who had taken at least one graduate course. That may change with different people on the AdCom, but that’s a good way to prove yourself if you’re not capable of having done research by the time you apply.</p>
<p>There are a lot of people who go to math grad school without having done research as undergrads. I doubt many of them make it to Princeton and Berkeley and those other top schools, but there are plenty of great schools out there that will accept several students who don’t have previous research experience. I can’t help you narrow down things better - you should talk with some of your professors. They’ll likely have good advice.</p>
<p>Math grad schools require graduate courses?! What about people who go to colleges without graduate math programs? Is taking upper-level undergrad classes like functional analysis good enough?</p>
<p>If your school doesn’t have a grad program, the grad programs that you apply to can’t expect that you’ve tried your hand at one or two grad-level classes. What they will expect is to see that you have done well in the upper division courses in the major field.</p>
<p>Hey everyone,
Thanks for all the responses, I have a few more questions if you guys don’t mind.
Would it be wise for me to apply directly to phd programs, or stick with masters? It sounds like many schools don’t take many masters students. If I do very well on the GRE, how much would that help my application? I have been going over the material and I think I have a decent shot at an 80+ %-ile. I know that that won’t matter much at the top places. But do you think that a 80+ score would be a significant plus for schools in the 20-40 range? Lastly, are there any safeties for people in my situation? There are a bunch of horror stories around here about people with great profiles who get rejected from ALL math grad admissions. Can I consider a place like UC-Boulder or UGeorgia ‘safe’?
Thanks for all the responses, you guys are so helpful!</p>
<p>Bump… anyone?</p>
<p>You need to sit down with your math professors, and talk to them about what it takes to make a career in the field. What exactly is it that makes you want to pursue graduate studies in math? Do you want to teach? If so, where? Do you want pure theoretical research? If so, where? What about a job with a government agency or a private employer? What skills to you want to be using? </p>
<p>Grad school can be a very long, painful slog. You have to be well motivated (either by a pure love of the subject or by a very clear career goal that you have in sight) or you are going to burn out. Define your goal(s). Seek the advice of people in the field who you respect. Then make your plan.</p>
<p>Wishing you all the best.</p>