Comparing USC & Georgetown Math Graduate Programs

[guevara47]

I have a question for those that are familiar with math graduate programs or career opportunities with advanced math degrees. I applied and was accepted to University of Southern California’s MS Applied Mathematics program, and Georgetown University’s MS Mathematics and Statistics program. Georgetown’s graduate program is relatively new, it only started in the fall of ’06.

Basically I would like to know which school is a better choice in terms of career opportunities and/or applying for other graduate programs. I have no intention or interest in pursuing a PhD in Applied Mathematics. I will probably try to go to business school to get my MBA, some type of economics graduate degree, or maybe even pursue a mathematical finance degree. As an undergraduate I doubled majored in economics and political science.

-Thanks

 

[zhentil]

USC currently has a pretty well-known math finance guy, so if you're interested in that, it might be worth pursuing. Generally, I am very wary of new programs, if only because employers/grad schools don't know their worth. Either way, I would try to get some exposure to what you think you'll do later on; for instance, if you take classes that would be applicable to economics, it would seem natural to apply to a grad program in economics later on. On the other hand, it is not a natural to path to go econ to math to MBA, so be prepared to explain it. Both grad schools and employers want to see that you have foresight.

 

[zhentil]

I took a look at Georgetown's program, and suffice it to say, I would be VERY wary about a math program that offers a statistical consulting practicum but no Real Analysis course.