Waiting for REU Results: Is It Bad Etiquette to Reach Out?

[JohnDuck]

So I applied for a number of REU sites earlier this year. So far I've only heard back from one (and they didn't accept me). As the end of the academic year approaches, I need to start considering where I'll live and how I'll employ myself during the summer, but I've been putting off those decisions until I received some notification from the REU sites. Would it be bad etiquette to contact the respective directors? Have any other undergrads here not yet received any information regarding REU sites they've applied to? I'm thinking the silence doesn't bode well for my chances.

 

[Vid]

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=220784

 

[Sulphagne]

Silence usually means the sites are still considering some positions (as in, they're slowly going down their preference list while people accept or reject their offer until all positions are filled). Either you're somewhere on that list and they might get to you soon or you're not and they're just waiting to be done before they let everyone know that they aren't in. You are very rightful in contacting your REUs and asking about your status. Just explain your situation where you need to make decision, but these are dependent on their own decision so that information would be helpful to you. Also, double check with the REUs websites; sometimes they say something like if they don't contact you by X then they are unfortunately unable to offer you a position.

I'm also sorry to report that I, personally, have heard back from every REU I've applied to (got into the two I wanted most so it was a hard choice). So you might not be in such good standing in REU admissions. But, there's no reason to stress: just ask them and they'll tell you where you stand.

 

[sutupidmath]

I don't want to interfere in JohnDuck's original question, but in order not to start another thread with the exact same question if it is all right i will ask a question here, it might be helpful for the op in some sense, if not, than let someone delete this.

I am also planning to apply for REU in Math next summer, so it means i will still be only a sphomore, but by that time i am planning to have on my background these courses, Calc I,II,III, Linear Algebra, Intro to Abstract Algebra, Stat I,II, Differential Equations, and maybe also sth in set theory. So, will i have a chance to get accepted or do i need to have more upper division courses in order to get a chance to be considered for such a position?

I appologize once more to the op.

 

[dsb5092]

I applied to the Physics REU at Penn State University Park and was rejected already

WAiting to hear from Utah State for some sort of engineering REU, i emailed them and they kindly told me id have to wait till the 19th of April

Good luck

 

[force_air_1]

Are there any to which internationals can apply?

 

[sutupidmath]

Are there any to which internationals can apply?

I would be interested on the answer to this as well.

 

[siddharth]

Are there any to which internationals can apply?

I would be interested on the answer to this as well.

Almost none, cause the REU's are funded by the NSF, and are usually for US citizens only. AFAIK, Caltech's SURF program and the Harvard REU in materials engineering are the only ones open for international students, though it's very competitive.

 

[Vid]

I don't want to interfere in JohnDuck's original question, but in order not to start another thread with the exact same question if it is all right i will ask a question here, it might be helpful for the op in some sense, if not, than let someone delete this.

I am also planning to apply for REU in Math next summer, so it means i will still be only a sphomore, but by that time i am planning to have on my background these courses, Calc I,II,III, Linear Algebra, Intro to Abstract Algebra, Stat I,II, Differential Equations, and maybe also sth in set theory. So, will i have a chance to get accepted or do i need to have more upper division courses in order to get a chance to be considered for such a position?

I appologize once more to the op.

I applied to 6 math REU's this year as a freshman. I've been rejected from two (Cornell and UT@Knoxville), and I'm still waiting on the other 4. I took Calc 1-3 in high school as well as a basic class in Topology and Modern Algebra. The lower division college classes I've taken are: Linear Algebra, Discrete Math, a bridge course that was essentially a mixture of a lot of linear algebra, basic real and complex analysis to arrive at the modern formulation of Fourier series, Calc 3, a lab class that teaches using mathematica alongside calc 3. My upper division classes are: Adv. Calc. I, more Linear Algebra, Theory of ODEs. (currently in these 3) I only mention this for comparison to your situation.

Most of the websites for the REUs say students should have a semester of adv calc, linear algebra, and/or experience writing proofs.

You're background in stats will help if you apply to some of the more applied REUs. There are usually several mathematical biology or chemistry related REU's every year. There are two like that at Texas A&M this year. One on using Algebraic Geometry to model protein folding, and the other uses diff. eq. and stats to model problems in ecology and physiology.

 

[sutupidmath]

I applied to 6 math REU's this year as a freshman. I've been rejected from two (Cornell and UT@Knoxville), and I'm still waiting on the other 4. I took Calc 1-3 in high school as well as a basic class in Topology and Modern Algebra. The lower division college classes I've taken are: Linear Algebra, Discrete Math, a bridge course that was essentially a mixture of a lot of linear algebra, basic real and complex analysis to arrive at the modern formulation of Fourier series, Calc 3, a lab class that teaches using mathematica alongside calc 3. My upper division classes are: Adv. Calc. I, more Linear Algebra, Theory of ODEs. (currently in these 3) I only mention this for comparison to your situation.

Most of the websites for the REUs say students should have a semester of adv calc, linear algebra, and/or experience writing proofs.

You're background in stats will help if you apply to some of the more applied REUs. There are usually several mathematical biology or chemistry related REU's every year. There are two like that at Texas A&M this year. One on using Algebraic Geometry to model protein folding, and the other uses diff. eq. and stats to model problems in ecology and physiology.

Well, the courses that i mentioned are the ones that i will plan to officialy take by that time, because right now i think i have a pretty stiff background in Mathematical Analysis I and Analysis II. In other words i know how to prove a great deal of theorems from the limit of sequences to functions their continuity, uniform continuity, derivatives blah/blah/blah, then integrals, definite integrals etc.
I also have a solid background in El. ODE, in set theory, relations, logic etc. I have no background on Complex Analysis at all though. But if that would be a crucial factor, i could try to learn one or two things in there on my own by the time i will be applying.

 

[Vid]

Do you have credit for an analysis class? Even if you understand it very well, it might be hard to convince an REU of that without credit or some Professor backing you up.

 

[sutupidmath]

Do you have credit for an analysis class? Even if you understand it very well, it might be hard to convince an REU of that without credit or some Professor backing you up.

Well, i don't have credit for that, since i haven't yet taken officially those classes. But i think i could get one of my prof. back me up on it.

 

[Vid]

I just got this e-mail from BYU:

Dear applicant to the 2008 Summer Mathematics REU,



There has been a delay in making a decision about the participants for our REU this summer. We applied for renewed funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) in September 2007 and expected to hear from NSF by February 2008 if we would receive funding for the 2008 BYU Summer Mathematics REU. This is the approximate timeframe that has occurred in previous years. However, for some reasons, there have been delays at NSF, and we have not heard either that we will receive funding or that we will not receive funding. We have contacted NSF, but they cannot provide us with specific dates by which we will hear an answer from them. I know of at least one other university’s 2008 summer mathematics REU program that is in the similar situation.



We would still like to run the 2008 BYU Summer REU. If we hear a positive response from NSF before the first week of May, we will email you asking if you are still interested. If there are still enough interested applicants, then we will run the REU and make a decision based upon those participants who are still interested. If we do not hear from NSF by the first week of May, we will make a decision not to run the 2008 BYU Summer Mathematics REU.



I wanted to let you all know the reason for the delay, especially since many of you need to make plans for this summer. I apologize for this inconvenience. Thank you for your patience.

 

[JohnDuck]

So the only site I haven't heard from now is http://www.csuchico.edu/math/REUT.shtml. Has anybody else heard anything from them?

 

[dsb5092]

I just got my acceptance from Utah State for coding and communications theory!

 

[mgiddy911]

I emailed WSU (Washington Sate University, Pullman WA) this week. They said they are still making decisions this week and should be done by the end of the week.