- #1
PlayingMonk
- 12
- 0
Hi, I'm an undergraduate math major who needs some advice. I've been going to a local community college for the past 4 years and am just now getting enough credits for my associates. Now, I'm looking to transfer but I'm not really sure what I should do. You see, my GPA is laughably low (2.6 something) but I do want to get into the best transfer school I can. What I'm ultimately hoping to do is become a college professor somewhere and get a PhD from the best school I can get into.
OK, so let me explain some things. See, when I first started college in 2007 I didn't really know what I wanted to do for a career or anything. I was pretty bad at math in high school and never would have considered it seriously back then. I decided to major in Computer Systems Tech. because I was interested in learning some programming but I didn't have enough math to be able to do Computer Science. A couple years in when I started getting classes training specifically in how to do IT type stuff I knew I had to get out. I have no interest in doing that for my entire life and I know people online that work in that field who had been saying around that time to get out while you can and that its horrendously unfulfilling. During this semester I was taking College Algebra for literally the 5th time (yes, not good on my transcript) and I realized that I had gotten really good at it and that it is a lot of fun and decided to switch to get into math. Since then I've taken up to Calculus III and Discreet Math and I've realized that I can actually get A's in these classes and am more sure now then I've ever been that this is what I should be pursuing.
There are two colleges that I applied to: SUNY Anonymous and SUNY Buffalo. I already got accepted into SUNY Buffalo but am afraid I may have to decline now since it looks like I will be unable to afford it (I can still only get $7500 this year since I don't turn 24 until next year). Anonymous costs about the same but since its closer I won't have to live on campus and without the room and board costs I would be able to do it. However, I haven't been accepted yet and am unsure if this is the best school for a math major who is interested in pursuing a PhD in math later on. I've been looking on websites for the grad school programs at schools like Carnegie Mellon recently just out of curiosity and I've realized that a lot of classes require you to have undergrad prerequisites and I realize that if I go to a school that doesn't offer these prerequisite courses I may be shooting myself in the foot later.
So what should I do? Should I go to SUNY Anonymous if I get accepted? Should I stay in my community college for another year? (I can still take D.E. and Linear there and I can take some physics courses too) and then after another year try to get back into Buffalo? (Since I'll have more money coming as an independent and there are other loans I can apply for next year that I didn't know about until after their deadlines this year.)
I have a friend in the Community College who's also a math major who says that where you go as an undergrad doesn't matter and that the basic undergrad curriculum would be the same no matter where you go. What do you guys think? Am I worrying too much? Is a math degree just a math degree or are there colleges that offer course electives that others don't that would be more beneficial in the end? I also want to be able to take as many electives as I can and at Buffalo I can go for a BS and take like 7 electives (which I love) or at Anonymous they only offer a BA and could only take 3 electives. It should also be noted that Buffalo has undergrad. research opportunities that Anonymous simply doesn't have.
Also, what are my prospects for grad school? I know that when I transfer my GPA will reset but any grad school I apply at will want to see transcripts from all colleges I've attended. I'm worried that my poor overall performance at the community college will greatly hinder me. Do I have any chance at all at getting into a top tier grad school? What if I do insanely well on the GRE tests? Or are those bridges completely burned down? And do you believe that top tier grad schools necessarily offer a better education than lower tier schools, or is it mostly reputation? Do grad schools see spending 4 or 5 years at a community college as a negative? Am I being too dramatic? Am I asking too many questions? Let me know what you think! :)
OK, so let me explain some things. See, when I first started college in 2007 I didn't really know what I wanted to do for a career or anything. I was pretty bad at math in high school and never would have considered it seriously back then. I decided to major in Computer Systems Tech. because I was interested in learning some programming but I didn't have enough math to be able to do Computer Science. A couple years in when I started getting classes training specifically in how to do IT type stuff I knew I had to get out. I have no interest in doing that for my entire life and I know people online that work in that field who had been saying around that time to get out while you can and that its horrendously unfulfilling. During this semester I was taking College Algebra for literally the 5th time (yes, not good on my transcript) and I realized that I had gotten really good at it and that it is a lot of fun and decided to switch to get into math. Since then I've taken up to Calculus III and Discreet Math and I've realized that I can actually get A's in these classes and am more sure now then I've ever been that this is what I should be pursuing.
There are two colleges that I applied to: SUNY Anonymous and SUNY Buffalo. I already got accepted into SUNY Buffalo but am afraid I may have to decline now since it looks like I will be unable to afford it (I can still only get $7500 this year since I don't turn 24 until next year). Anonymous costs about the same but since its closer I won't have to live on campus and without the room and board costs I would be able to do it. However, I haven't been accepted yet and am unsure if this is the best school for a math major who is interested in pursuing a PhD in math later on. I've been looking on websites for the grad school programs at schools like Carnegie Mellon recently just out of curiosity and I've realized that a lot of classes require you to have undergrad prerequisites and I realize that if I go to a school that doesn't offer these prerequisite courses I may be shooting myself in the foot later.
So what should I do? Should I go to SUNY Anonymous if I get accepted? Should I stay in my community college for another year? (I can still take D.E. and Linear there and I can take some physics courses too) and then after another year try to get back into Buffalo? (Since I'll have more money coming as an independent and there are other loans I can apply for next year that I didn't know about until after their deadlines this year.)
I have a friend in the Community College who's also a math major who says that where you go as an undergrad doesn't matter and that the basic undergrad curriculum would be the same no matter where you go. What do you guys think? Am I worrying too much? Is a math degree just a math degree or are there colleges that offer course electives that others don't that would be more beneficial in the end? I also want to be able to take as many electives as I can and at Buffalo I can go for a BS and take like 7 electives (which I love) or at Anonymous they only offer a BA and could only take 3 electives. It should also be noted that Buffalo has undergrad. research opportunities that Anonymous simply doesn't have.
Also, what are my prospects for grad school? I know that when I transfer my GPA will reset but any grad school I apply at will want to see transcripts from all colleges I've attended. I'm worried that my poor overall performance at the community college will greatly hinder me. Do I have any chance at all at getting into a top tier grad school? What if I do insanely well on the GRE tests? Or are those bridges completely burned down? And do you believe that top tier grad schools necessarily offer a better education than lower tier schools, or is it mostly reputation? Do grad schools see spending 4 or 5 years at a community college as a negative? Am I being too dramatic? Am I asking too many questions? Let me know what you think! :)