Profile eval for CS major masters applicant

[not_an_engineer]

Hi everyone,

I majored in CS, have been working 4 years in the software industry, and now applying to pure math masters programs (masters because I'm underqualified for PhD, though that is my eventual goal).
Would love to hear if anyone else made a similar switch! Also welcome general evaluations.

Undergrad Institution: Top 3 research university
Major(s): Computer Science, focus in Theory
GPA: 3.46
Type of Student: Domestic Hispanic female

GRE Revised General Test:
Q: 166 (91%)
V: 166 (97%)
W: 4.5 (82%)
GRE Subject Test in Mathematics:
Awaiting score from 9/17/16, planning to retake in October as well. Hoping for ~60%ile

Program Applying: Pure Math (Masters programs only!)

Research Experience: Contributor to publication on a software pilot study
Pertinent Activities or Jobs: 4 years working at top software company
Any Miscellaneous Points that Might Help: Math or math-related courses: calculus, linear algebra, differential equations, combinatorics, cryptography (number and group theory), set theory & complexity theory, first-order logic, algorithms.

Planning to apply to a wide range:
U British Columbia - MA Pure Math
U Michigan Ann Arbor - MS Pure Math
UC San Diego - MS Pure Math
U Washington - MS Pure Math
U Colorado Boulder - MA Pure Math
UC Santa Cruz - MA Pure Math

[pat2211]

all of the schools in your list ( except UBC) does not offer financial aid/ tuition waiver for master students. If you don't need financial aid, you can choose schools like NYU, they have the best program in analysis and PDEs ( both pure and applied stuffs ) and the admission to their master program is pretty easy as long as you have enough money. But if your eventual goal is a PhD then you might want to think about choosing a lower ranked school. You will need a really good LOR for the PhD program later and if you get a master in schools like washington, it is hard to have a good LOR. You can consider lower ranked schools such as Miami ( a small school but they have Konsevitch, a field medalist ). In lower ranked schools, the students are usually not too good and it is easier to have good LORs.

[not_an_engineer]

all of the schools in your list ( except UBC) does not offer financial aid/ tuition waiver for master students. If you don't need financial aid, you can choose schools like NYU, they have the best program in analysis and PDEs ( both pure and applied stuffs ) and the admission to their master program is pretty easy as long as you have enough money. But if your eventual goal is a PhD then you might want to think about choosing a lower ranked school. You will need a really good LOR for the PhD program later and if you get a master in schools like washington, it is hard to have a good LOR. You can consider lower ranked schools such as Miami ( a small school but they have Konsevitch, a field medalist ). In lower ranked schools, the students are usually not too good and it is easier to have good LORs.

Thanks, this is really useful. Do you know of any good options of lower ranked schools on the west coast? I'm considering adding Washington State, University of New Mexico (basically chosen by looking at US News rankings... do you know of a better way to research?)

I know I will have to get a killer LOR for my PhD applications... I guess I was hoping that as a master's student, I will be in a better position to stand out with professors compared to undergraduate/younger students. Any advice for doing so, wherever I do end up?

Thanks again for the advice!