Profile Evaluation

[Exactimum]

I would appreciate any feedback on chances of admission to the programs I am applying to, or any other feedback on the programs or my profile. Thanks.

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Undergrad Institution: NJIT (small public tech school #103 for math)
Major(s): Computational Mathematics and Computer Science
Minor(s):
GPA: 4.00
Type of Student: Domestic, White, Male

GRE Revised General Test:
Q: 168 (95%)
V: 163 (92%)
W: 4.5 (80%)
GRE Subject Test in Mathematics:
M: 780 (76%)

Program Applying: Ph.D. Applied Math (or computational if offered)

Research Experience: Year long computational math REU at my school. One national conference presentation, no publications.
Awards/Honors/Recognitions: Lots of scholarships from the math department at my school. Couple awards for academic performance.
Pertinent Activities or Jobs: 2 semesters grading theoretical CS courses. 1 year Internship in computational finance.
Any Miscellaneous Points that Might Help: 2 grad classes in math modeling and financial simulations.

Applying to Where:
UCSD - Admitted 2/25 - Declined 4/7
Georgia Tech - Admitted 1/23 - $2,100/month - Declined 3/16
UCLA - Admitted 1/20 - $24,000/year + $3,500/summer - ATTENDING!
RPI - Admitted 1/13 - $21,500/year - Declined 4/4
Purdue - Admitted 1/1 - $16,834/year - Declined 3/16
Berkeley - Waitlisted 2/27 - Withdrew 4/10
Michigan - Waitlisted 3/18 - Withdrew 4/9
NYU - Withdrew 4/10 - Rejected 4/21
Minnesota - Withdrew 4/10 - Rejected 4/23
Maryland - Withdrew 4/10
Brown - Rejected 1/28
Washington - Rejected 1/28
Cornell - Rejected 2/16
Princeton - Rejected 2/16
MIT - Rejected 2/25
Duke - Rejected 3/16
CalTech - Rejected 3/31

[Exactimum]

From 2016 Applicant Profiles and Admissions Results:

All the top schools in your list, including Maryland, UCLA, Duke, Minnesota and Washington, would be quite a crapshot. I think you have a relatively good chance at Purdue, a 50/50 at UCSD, and the rest might require a miracle. It's all due to your Math GRE, as well as your zero-publication record. Congrats on your recent admit at RPI!

[Exactimum]

I think my Math GRE score is not too bad for top Applied Math programs, as I expect it would be for Pure Math programs.

As for lack of publications, this is probably the weakest part of my application. My only research experience came before I decided to apply to graduate school, so I did not push to get anything published.

[ghjk]

I think my Math GRE score is not too bad for top Applied Math programs, as I expect it would be for Pure Math programs.

As for lack of publications, this is probably the weakest part of my application. My only research experience came before I decided to apply to graduate school, so I did not push to get anything published.

Thanks for being polite to me (unlike other people who seem not to be able to stand-still to hear the FACT). Now, let me make it straight: it's not that your Math GRE score is bad in general, but it is definitely in the bottom half of the caliber pool of students applying to the TOP programs that you chose. You might get in some of those top places, but that's definitely not because of your Math GRE, but because you have something else that is so OUTSTANDING (like a killer recommendation from a well-known professor in your field). Otherwise, and take this with a grain of salt, your chances are very slim at TOP schools like MIT, NYU, Caltech, Princeton, Brown (keep in mind NYU is #1 in applied math, as they have Peter Lax and Marco Avellaneda, along with Peter Kohn). Honestly, your best bet might turn out to be Cornell and probably, Duke? The reason is because the remaining schools, excluding those I mentioned above, focus strongly on the Math GRE scores (especially UCLA, Michigan, and UCSD), and although your score is nothing to be shy of, it's just not excellent (that's the fact you have to accept). The REU experience might be one of a few factors (the other are LORs and SOP) that would help save your chance at some places like UMN, UCSD and/or Washington. If you can't standout from either of these factors, you still can get in, but need a LOT OF luck!

[shittyriemann]

For a domestic student your GRE is fine, even for top applied math programs. It won't make anybody's eyes light up but it won't keep you out and furthermore it validates your high GPA. Having no publications is also ok. It'll all hinge on your letters of rec and if you match well with what professors are looking for in terms of research so nobody here can accurately gauge your chances.

[ghjk]

For a domestic student your GRE is fine, even for top applied math programs. It won't make anybody's eyes light up but it won't keep you out and furthermore it validates your high GPA. Having no publications is also ok. It'll all hinge on your letters of rec and if you match well with what professors are looking for in terms of research so nobody here can accurately gauge your chances.

I buy your thought here, though I still believe some schools on the list above particularly care about the Math GRE scores quite seriously.But yeah, if LOR is spectacular, he's gonna be fine at most of them. Are you also applying this year? If that's the case, mind you posting your profile?

[Exactimum]

I was just admitted to UCLA.

My interests are in scientific computing and numerical methods if that helps to gauge my chances of admission. I didn't list anything more specific than these in my applications or contact any professors about the possibility of working with them.

[ghjk]

I was just admitted to UCLA.

My interests are in scientific computing and numerical methods if that helps to gauge my chances of admission. I didn't list anything more specific than these in my applications or contact any professors about the possibility of working with them.

Congratulations man! Your letters must have been so awesome!! Otherwise, I would be wrong:(

[Exactimum]

Just admitted to GaTech with $2,100 per month TA duties.

[ghjk]

Just admitted to GaTech with $2,100 per month TA duties.

Awesome! How about RPI's financial package? Also, any news from MIT/Princeton/NYU/Caltech/Maryland/UCSD yet?

[Ivanjam]

Just admitted to GaTech with $2,100 per month TA duties.

Congrats! You are doing great so far! So much for the "crapshot" predictions.

[ghjk]

Just admitted to GaTech with $2,100 per month TA duties.

Congrats! You are doing great so far! So much for the "crapshot" predictions.

Lol:)) You're really trying to mock me right:D He hasn't heard back from ALL the "crapshots" though, or maybe he just didn't post the negative results:) I didn't predict his chance on GTech or RPI, and I was wrong (really??) for his outcome on UCLA:)

[Exactimum]

Just admitted to GaTech with $2,100 per month TA duties.

Awesome! How about RPI's financial package? Also, any news from MIT/Princeton/NYU/Caltech/Maryland/UCSD yet?

No news on RPI's financial package yet. They said in an email that I should expect a letter in the post with details, but I'm still waiting for that.

Haven't heard back from any reach schools other than UCLA yet, but from what I can tell none but UCLA have released their decisions for applied math. Judging from gradcafe, it looks like I should expect to hear back early in February for most of those schools.

[ghjk]

Just admitted to GaTech with $2,100 per month TA duties.

Awesome! How about RPI's financial package? Also, any news from MIT/Princeton/NYU/Caltech/Maryland/UCSD yet?

No news on RPI's financial package yet. They said in an email that I should expect a letter in the post with details, but I'm still waiting for that.

Haven't heard back from any reach schools other than UCLA yet, but from what I can tell none but UCLA have released their decisions for applied math. Judging from gradcafe, it looks like I should expect to hear back early in February for most of those schools.

Thank you for your reply. Hope you would get a good result, although my reputation in this forum seems to be put on the line with your results now:p

[Exactimum]

Thank you for your reply. Hope you would get a good result, although my reputation in this forum seems to be put on the line with your results now:p

Have no fear, I will be rolling in rejections before you know it

[Brick]

Just admitted to GaTech with $2,100 per month TA duties.

Awesome! How about RPI's financial package? Also, any news from MIT/Princeton/NYU/Caltech/Maryland/UCSD yet?

No news on RPI's financial package yet. They said in an email that I should expect a letter in the post with details, but I'm still waiting for that.

Haven't heard back from any reach schools other than UCLA yet, but from what I can tell none but UCLA have released their decisions for applied math. Judging from gradcafe, it looks like I should expect to hear back early in February for most of those schools.

As someone who attends RPI, I believe RPI's strategy is to accept everyone really early to make an impression on anyone planning to attend there, but then decide who gets funded in late Feb-March, after many people have already accepted offers to reachier schools.

Congrats on the acceptances, Exactimum.

[Exactimum]

Thanks for the info Brick (:

Profile updated with acceptance to Purdue, and rejections from Washington and Brown