Seeking some advice
Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 7:09 pm
Good evening everyone,
I stumbled across this website just yesterday, and, having read a few posts, I'm really happy with the information and statistics provided. I'm feel like many of my questions have been answered. I do have a few questions more specific to my situation, however,and would be grateful for any help or advice that anyone might have.
I took my GRE last year and got decent scores on it. My math score was 74%, verbal was 67%, and my writing was 80%. I was really happy with that, and I felt that that would get me into some graduate math program.
I was going to begin studying for the math GRE last year, but was pretty busy, and it wasn't until now that I've really sat down with it. I don't feel particularly confident at the moment, and would like aa month or so to study and prepare myself before I take it. I hope to get at least 50%.
My dream school is UW Madison. I also want to try some other schools, and really reach in some situations. I do want to apply to UPenn (my favorite Ivy school at the moment), some other schools in the Wisconsin area (my home state and where all my family is), Pitt and some other Pittsburgh area schools (the city I currently live in).
I would like to get my Ph.D. My goal is to become a college math professor, write my own textbooks, and satiate my curiosity and love for math.
My questions are as follows:
1. I notice some people were putting research or publications down in their profile. I've not done anything like that, and a obviously, that would make an application more effective. Is there an opportunity for me to do research? I graduated 5 years ago and am a full time secondary ed teacher. Maybe a summer opportunity?
2. I went to a small private school for undergrad. It has no prestige, and frankly, it's known to be an easy school. I fear that this will hurt me (and my professors, who will write my letters of recommendation, won't be well-know either, so that won't help). Would you recommend that I seek a master's degree at a university first, before I try to apply to a bigger, more prestigious school?
3. Is there a link to the schools' rankings? I read through one from time magazine or something like that (I just googled it) but that didn't seem very official.
4. What advice would you have for me once I got accepted? How can I succeed at graduate level math?
5. Any advice for success on the Math GRE? I have the Princeton Review study book, and have been reading my way through it. I also have been working on problems on the practice exam provided from ETS. Anything else to help me out?
Again, thanks for your help. I appreciate your time and honesty.
Joe
I stumbled across this website just yesterday, and, having read a few posts, I'm really happy with the information and statistics provided. I'm feel like many of my questions have been answered. I do have a few questions more specific to my situation, however,and would be grateful for any help or advice that anyone might have.
I took my GRE last year and got decent scores on it. My math score was 74%, verbal was 67%, and my writing was 80%. I was really happy with that, and I felt that that would get me into some graduate math program.
I was going to begin studying for the math GRE last year, but was pretty busy, and it wasn't until now that I've really sat down with it. I don't feel particularly confident at the moment, and would like aa month or so to study and prepare myself before I take it. I hope to get at least 50%.
My dream school is UW Madison. I also want to try some other schools, and really reach in some situations. I do want to apply to UPenn (my favorite Ivy school at the moment), some other schools in the Wisconsin area (my home state and where all my family is), Pitt and some other Pittsburgh area schools (the city I currently live in).
I would like to get my Ph.D. My goal is to become a college math professor, write my own textbooks, and satiate my curiosity and love for math.
My questions are as follows:
1. I notice some people were putting research or publications down in their profile. I've not done anything like that, and a obviously, that would make an application more effective. Is there an opportunity for me to do research? I graduated 5 years ago and am a full time secondary ed teacher. Maybe a summer opportunity?
2. I went to a small private school for undergrad. It has no prestige, and frankly, it's known to be an easy school. I fear that this will hurt me (and my professors, who will write my letters of recommendation, won't be well-know either, so that won't help). Would you recommend that I seek a master's degree at a university first, before I try to apply to a bigger, more prestigious school?
3. Is there a link to the schools' rankings? I read through one from time magazine or something like that (I just googled it) but that didn't seem very official.
4. What advice would you have for me once I got accepted? How can I succeed at graduate level math?
5. Any advice for success on the Math GRE? I have the Princeton Review study book, and have been reading my way through it. I also have been working on problems on the practice exam provided from ETS. Anything else to help me out?
Again, thanks for your help. I appreciate your time and honesty.
Joe