- #1
kilimanjaro
- 3
- 0
Well, let me start with a bit of background info. My transcript is an absolute mess, I have dropped out twice (one withdrawal, and one semester of all F's). So basically I am finishing a 4 year degree in 5. Since my whole dropout phase I have been at 3 schools total, a community college, a local state university, and now I back at my original school, a well respected (top 15) school finishing up a pure math degree.
My GPA here is pretty poor, due to 16 hours of F's (all one semester). In terms of core coursework, things aren't so bad but still a bit spotty.
A: Analysis 1, Algebra 1, Probability, Topology, Linear Algebra, Vector Calc
B: Algebra 2, Knot Theory, Number Theory, Diff Eq
C: Complex Analysis
This semester I am probably going to get an A in Analysis 2 (measure & integration, hilbert spaces), A or B in an "applied linear algebra" class (mainly spectral theorem and applications to problems of physics) and a C in a numerical methods class.
I'm really lazy when it comes to some classes, if it doesn't interest me I have a bad habit of just not doing the work. That's a pretty gaping character flaw of mine. However, when I am interested in something I'm pretty dedicated to it, I think I would find phd level mathematics rewarding and would even be pretty good at it (relatively speaking... not a superstar but able to do good work).
Next semester I'm going to take the undergrad PDE and Diff Geometry courses, and I'll probably get A's in both of those.
I missed the GRE deadline so I'm going to apply next fall, but I expect I should have a pretty good score. So with the above mentioned grades, and 3 mediocre reference letters ("he was a top student in my class but I don't know much about the guy"), what sort of school should I be shooting for? I hope to be able to continue some independent studies this summer (if I manage to land a job somewhere around here) with a professor on topics in analysis & geometry, so it's possible that I could get at least one interesting letter.
If anyone read this far, I'd appreciate some advice. I'm probably going to go talk with a professor about this same issue to see what he has to say.
Thanks
My GPA here is pretty poor, due to 16 hours of F's (all one semester). In terms of core coursework, things aren't so bad but still a bit spotty.
A: Analysis 1, Algebra 1, Probability, Topology, Linear Algebra, Vector Calc
B: Algebra 2, Knot Theory, Number Theory, Diff Eq
C: Complex Analysis
This semester I am probably going to get an A in Analysis 2 (measure & integration, hilbert spaces), A or B in an "applied linear algebra" class (mainly spectral theorem and applications to problems of physics) and a C in a numerical methods class.
I'm really lazy when it comes to some classes, if it doesn't interest me I have a bad habit of just not doing the work. That's a pretty gaping character flaw of mine. However, when I am interested in something I'm pretty dedicated to it, I think I would find phd level mathematics rewarding and would even be pretty good at it (relatively speaking... not a superstar but able to do good work).
Next semester I'm going to take the undergrad PDE and Diff Geometry courses, and I'll probably get A's in both of those.
I missed the GRE deadline so I'm going to apply next fall, but I expect I should have a pretty good score. So with the above mentioned grades, and 3 mediocre reference letters ("he was a top student in my class but I don't know much about the guy"), what sort of school should I be shooting for? I hope to be able to continue some independent studies this summer (if I manage to land a job somewhere around here) with a professor on topics in analysis & geometry, so it's possible that I could get at least one interesting letter.
If anyone read this far, I'd appreciate some advice. I'm probably going to go talk with a professor about this same issue to see what he has to say.
Thanks