Can I get into a good mathematics graduate program?

In summary: I think you should look for is what the schools you are looking at are doing in your area of interest. In particular, you might want to look up the faculty and see what some of their recent papers are about, and after that you could look up the faculty at a few other schools and see what *their* recent papers are about, especially the ones you think are somewhat easier to get into.
  • #1
matrixtopful
2
0
Hi,
I just finished my second year of mathematics undergraduate program from a well known institution in India(Indian Statistical Institute).Next year I will be applying for mathematics graduate programs in US.
My overall percentage is 90 which translates to 3.6 in GPA and my average in mathematics courses is 93 which is 3.7 in GPA. I have not done any research till now.But I will be attending a summer research program this year.
I am interested in topology.So I will be considering schools like Stony Brook,Cornell,Texas A&M,Columbia etc.
What do you think of my chances?(Of course provided I get good recommendations)
How well should I do in subject gre?
Thanks in advance!
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
I have heard for international students, it is more crucial to do very well on the subject GRE, although some schools don't care as much about it. For an international student, speaking as someone who hasn't been on a committee but had fairly direct contact with them before, I'd say you should aim to get above the 80th percentile, and as an international, probably in the 90s if possible.

If any of this is a concern, note that many places in the UK, Canada, etc, obviously won't require this test.

A 3.7+ GPA is definitely important in mathematics. Perhaps your institute is harsher than some places in the US, so I don't think this will be a problem.

My main questions: how do you fare against your peers applying from your school? Do you have substantial rapport with some professors at your university, enough that they really want your application to succeed? And perhaps very crucially: has your school sent people of comparable qualification to schools like the ones you named? Also, have you done substantial coursework related to your interests (remember, a good number of students will come in with a master's degree level of work at a school like Columbia).

I would say that if you stand out in terms of the initiative you took among your peers to make substantial progress preparing for research level stuff, have good letters, and do about as well as I stated in the subject GRE, if you apply to a lot of schools in that range you stated, and you've taken a few courses in differential/algebraic topology and a few related areas, you'll probably get into at least one. Lacking any single one of these makes it substantially more likely you should be considering the somewhat less competitive ones on your list.
 
  • #3
Thanks for your reply!
I would like to mention few things to help you understand my situation.

1)My rank is quite good in my batch(top 3 and there is a IMO medalist in our batch) and the marks I got is considered very good in our institution.But unfortunately I am not quite good at creating rapport with professors.But I will try my best from now onwards.Regarding recco letters do you think it is important to take a letter from a prof with huge research experience or a very good recco from someone with mediocre research experience can serve equally well?

2)Our institute has regularly sent 1-2 students every year to top us universities including princeton,harvard,chicago etc. But most of them were IMO medalists,so I don't know if that was the reason behind their selection.

3)Our bachelor program is 3 years.So we do not have the scope to take the same number of courses as us students even though courses offered are quite
rigorous.In my fifth semester I will take differential geometry and topology and in sixth semester I am planning to take differential geometry-II/differential topology and algebraic geometry.Unfortunately I won't have the scope to do a more specialized course in topology in my undergraduate program.In summer I will attend a summer research program which will also send transcript to universities. There I will be able to do more advanced topics such as morse theory.So that is one possible way for me to make up for the loss.

Do you think the given background is sufficient for the universities I mentioned(even Assuming I do extremely well in subject gre)?Also can you please suggest some less competitive universities with good faculty in my area of interest(topology,geometry,dynamics)?

Thank you for your patience!
 
  • #4
Hi,

I'm not from India, but I've heard that ISI sends a lot of students to American universities. There's a webpage where they include the placement of their recent students and I noticed that there were quite a few at NYU's Courant Institute. They have a research group on dynamical systems, if I'm not mistaken.

Try to contact these ISI alumni and ask them for their take on this. They will have first-hand experience in moving (by that I mean applying for PhDs from there, not necessarily adapting to the culture) from ISI/India to the States. Try to contact the people from CMI as well. A large number of their math alumni end up in the USA.

You should also look into Canadian universities as well, for they are less competitive than their USA counterparts and also offer funding. If you can't get into a PhD program directly, you can apply to an MSc and still receive funding for that. If you perform well and can find an advisor, you can skip the 2nd year of the MSc and move straight to the PhD.

Note that I can't offer any more information than the above, for I haven't started college yet and my knowledge doesn't go beyond that.
 
  • #5
I think with that summer research program and those classes, plus a good GPA and test scores, judging by the fact that a few very talented mathematics students with top notch awards like IMO medals regularly make the very most competitive schools like Harvard/MIT/etc, I'd say it is pretty likely you will get accepted to one of the schools on your list, assuming it is a reasonably large list of schools similar to the ones you mention.

You could throw in a few on the very competitive end if you like, and throw in a few other very strong schools that are somewhat less insanely competitive to get admission to (you'll probably make just as good a decision with this as I think I can give you advice on, to be honest), and then maybe some safeties. Right now, you seem to have a sane idea of what schools to apply to.

Topology, geometry, dynamics - there are definitely plenty of schools out there that could probably be enjoyable experiences for you.
 
  • #6
if students with better records than yours get into HaRVARD, THEN you will still have a lot of other schools to aspire to. Are there any students with records similar to yours, or to what you can reasonably expect, that have obtained admission to good schools? if so, why not you?
 

1. What are the most important factors for getting into a good mathematics graduate program?

The most important factors for getting into a good mathematics graduate program are a strong academic background, research experience, letters of recommendation, a strong personal statement, and a good GRE score.

2. How important are grades for admission to a mathematics graduate program?

Grades are an important factor for admission to a mathematics graduate program, but they are not the only factor. Admissions committees also consider the difficulty of courses, trend in grades, and performance in mathematics courses specifically.

3. Is research experience necessary for admission to a mathematics graduate program?

While research experience is not always a requirement for admission, it can greatly strengthen your application and demonstrate your potential for success in a graduate program. It can also give you a better understanding of the field and help you identify your research interests.

4. What makes a strong personal statement for a mathematics graduate program?

A strong personal statement for a mathematics graduate program should showcase your passion for mathematics, explain your research interests, and highlight any relevant experiences or skills. It should also demonstrate your ability to think critically and communicate effectively.

5. How important are letters of recommendation for admission to a mathematics graduate program?

Letters of recommendation are very important for admission to a mathematics graduate program. They provide insight into your academic abilities, research potential, and personal qualities from the perspectives of people who have worked closely with you. It is important to choose recommenders who can speak to these aspects of your candidacy.

Similar threads

Replies
6
Views
870
  • STEM Academic Advising
Replies
16
Views
2K
  • STEM Academic Advising
Replies
12
Views
406
  • STEM Academic Advising
2
Replies
50
Views
4K
Replies
8
Views
1K
Replies
115
Views
6K
  • STEM Academic Advising
2
Replies
63
Views
4K
  • STEM Academic Advising
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • STEM Academic Advising
Replies
9
Views
774
Replies
1
Views
1K
Back
Top