Recent content by desti

It's been a while since I studied physics. I did a few basic courses in physics as a freshman, but I never studied any physics since, but instead majored in math and ended up doing a math PhD. Nowadays, I work on self-driving cars at a large tech company, where my work is mostly in computer...

OK, so I am heading for a Ph.D. program in math. I have recently been thinking about the process of doing research. As an undergrad you're mostly given toy problems where the solution is not too far away and the right plan of attack can usually be seen in just a few minutes or seconds by just...

Hi, I am starting in a Ph.D. program in math next fall and the prerequisites for the first-year graduate course sequences included basics of Fourier analysis. The only thing I know about it is that you calculate a projection of a function on a certain infinite dimensional subspace, so I do...

Another good thing about mnemosyne is that you can type in LaTeX; just put <latex></latex> around the text.

I think you're missing the point. My point was that a 2.4 GPA from a normal US school pretty much means you didn't understand anything and no one is going to accept you for a Ph.D. position anywhere. However, from my school it's an over the average GPA and qualifies you for a Ph.D. It's just...

Well, it's the best in the country and I am not talking US, but the world i.e. even the Ivies aren't all in the top 50...

Well, I happen to have an undergrad from a country that has no class ranks, no percentiles, no honor societies, no "special names" (i.e. summa cum laude etc) attached to your degree or anything else that sounds nice to have in a resume. You only get a numerical number. Now when you apply to a US...

I've noticed that the most important thing is to just review material, but often you forget to review which is the biggest problem. However, when I've forgot something, usually just seeing a definition or statement of a theorem regarding the subject is enough to reremember it. I began using...

I think it should be noted that a "low" GPA when comparing to US grades might not be that bad. For example getting a 70/100 i.e. a first at say the London School of Economics is difficult and it corresponds exactly to a 2.8 GPA when converted to a US scale. A first is actually given to about 10%...

Hi, I was wondering what would be the best approach to geometry (euclidean, affine, projective) assuming you have a graduate background in linear algebra and abstract algebra? The high school curriculum in my country was pretty shallow in these subjects, none of it was covered in my...

I think we're talking about different things here. Retaking the general GRE might not make much of a difference, but the subject tests are a completely different matter due to recycling of test questions.

I would assume that getting a lower score might be possible if you have studied like crazy for the GRE and get a score you're not happy with and retake the exam. Finding the energy to study for it for a second time might prove difficult or you might underestimate the effort it takes to prepare...

You might read this too before giving your soul to the devil... http://www.dklevine.com/papers/imbookfinalall.pdf

Having taken the GRE math subject test in October and retaking it 3 weeks later in November after having been very sick on the first try, I have just one tip for everyone: take it many times and remember all the questions. I actually had 3 identical questions from the first try and it saved me...

It depends on your preparation. It took me about 3 months to do every exercise in the book just after having finished my 3 year bachelors. After all, the exercises are the beef of the book. The text itself is pretty trivial. There are a few exercises which take more time to do, some required...