<p>Hey guys,</p>
<p>I'm interested in applicable mathematics and computer science with finance. I'm trying to decide between a few colleges and I was wondering if I could have some opinions on the above stated areas of study at uchicago compared to Cornell and LSE. </p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>There is no finance at the University of Chicago, so if that's what you want to study, this is not the place to do it.</p>
<p>Unless you're a grad student.</p>
<p>Chicago's math is one of the best but I'd guess their courses are more theory oriented. If you are pretty preprofessional, Chicago may not be the best place for you in terms of course selection and atmosphere. That said, it's still heavily recruited by top firms. You should have looked at Northwestern up north since their MMSS and finance certificate programs are exactly the kind of programs you look for.</p>
<p>I heard that Chicago has a new Mathematics with Computer Science program. Does that happen to tie in to theoretical computer science more than the actual comp sci major?</p>
<p>I plan on attending graduate school in an area related (even in the slightest way) to finance/mathematical economics(game theory) - financial engineering, statistics, etc. I believe that a strong theoretical aproach on the undergraduate level would prepare me well for a future undertaking of such applied subjects on the MSc and PhD levels. What do you think about my view?</p>
<p>U. of Chicago probably has the best undergrad environment in the country to study theoretical math. </p>
<p>It doesn't matter what people think about your view--don't try to be too applied so early because people tell you are supposed to be. You can always get more applied later.</p>
<p>Our computer science is very theoretical, just like our math.</p>
<p>We also do have finance institutes, including a financial engineering institute, but they are geared toward grad students in coursework. However, if you want to assist in research there, you would be welcome.</p>
<p>Would attending UChicago and working towards a math major and researching at the grad school give one an edge when applying to UChicago's math grad school?</p>
<p>I don't know. Often non-professional grad schools (math + science) don't take people from their own undergrads. They encourage them to go elsewhere. But math grad school is pretty meritocratic, and having a top 10 grad school in math means that your professor's recs will be valued highly.</p>
<p>sorry to barge in...but...
I'm trying to major in math, and I don't know whether I should major in pure or applied (I'm planning to enter a Biomathematics program in graduate school). Is it true what collegealum314 said...that you can always get more applied later?
Thanks</p>
<p>I would actually take MIT, University of Cambridge, Princeton over these unless you somehow were rejected by all of these schools, how would that be possible? </p>
<p>i guess the only way for that to happen would be if your a poser who happens to take BC calc in some rich private school in Northern virginia and happens to run an applied mathematics club. </p>
<p>qql (you don't know me)</p>
<p>"Is it true what collegealum314 said...that you can always get more applied later?"</p>
<p>You probably are looking for someone else to comment, but I thought I would elaborate a bit on my comment. First of all, I have known a few people who were in math grad school (at MIT) who switched into mathematical biology. One of these guys had no experience in biology. Eric Lander (Prof. at MIT and one of the pioneers of the genome project) was a pure mathematician before he switched into biology.</p>
<p>Aside from examples, it can be a tremendous advantage to major in a field slightly more theoretical than the field you end up working in. Many times big discoveries are made by simply applying well-known tenets of the more theoretical field. Look at Linus Pauling (Nobel Laureate who came up with the Nature of the Chemical Bond.") He basically applied physics to chemistry. It is one way to be on the cutting edge.</p>
<p>Don't force yourself to do it, though, because having a theoretical background only helps you if you did well in it. Eventually you will need to learn the fundamentals of biostatistics, so there is an advantage to learning it as an undergrad. The bottom line is that you should do whatever interests you the most as an undergrad. Also, unless your parents work in a technical field, try to minimize their influence on the path you take. One thing I've found is that parents have no idea that different fields really are not separate and distinct so they can't fathom how a physics major could go to grad school in electrical engineering or something like that.</p>
<p>^ thanks! :)</p>