Apply to More Places? + Other Advice

[FutureMS]

My profile before questions:

Undergrad Institution: UCLA
Major(s): Applied Mathematics (almost Economics and Statistics majors )
Minor(s): None
GPA: 3.66 CGPA / 3.13 Pure Math GPA / 3.81 Stats GPA / 3.82 Econ GPA
Type of Student: Gay DM

Math Classes: Multi Var Calc I (B-), Multi Var Calc II (B+), Intro LA (B+), Intro DE (A-), LA I (B-), RA I (B+), RA II (C; illness affected it, along with courseload and bad priorities ), Systems of DEs (A-), ODEs (C+), Applied Complex Analysis (B), Mathematical Modeling (B+), Varied Mathematics (A+), Discrete Structures (P; illness affected it)

Stats Classes: Intro Stats (A), Intro R Programming (A-), Probability Theory (A+), Intro Math Stats (B), Intro Regression (A-), Design of Experiment (A-), Statistical Machine Learning (A+), Statistical Research (A+), Statistical Programming (A), Optimization and Computation Statistics (A)

Math Classes after Undergrad: (Harvard Extension, to show I at least have a foundation in the basics): RA/LA I (A), Computational Math for Data Science (A, small overlap with RA II)

GRE Revised General Test:
Q: 167 (93%)
V: 162 (90%)
W: 5 (93%)
GRE Subject Test in Mathematics: N/A, will take if I don't get in this cycle

TOEFL Score: N/A

Program Applying: Statistics MS (Terminal, only want programs between 1-2 years in length)

Research Experience: None, except Lit Review class (Statistical Research)
Awards/Honors/Recognitions: College Honors on Diploma (essentially took a bunch of outside of major honors courses and did well), Phi Beta Kappa
Pertinent Activities or Jobs: Some tutoring in undergrad, worked as statistical assistant in public policy postgrad for 6 months
Any Miscellaneous Points that Might Help: Had a severe, debilitating oral infection numerous times in undergrad = led to a quarter where I Passed/No Passed some lower div math classes and econ classes, a quarter where I withdrew, and contributed to some poor grades at end of undergrad
Letters: 1 from Stats Lecturer (good-great), 1 from Senior Stats Lecturer (good-great), 1 from Graduate Vice Chair (good-great, took the Lit Review class with and was his best student lol). Cultivated relationships with each and didn't just visit them asking for a letter lol.

Applying to Where:
Stanford
UWashington
UChicago
UCLA
Texas A&M (maybe)



So, got some info from grad cafe. Limited responses says I'd be maybe ok for my choices accept for Stanford, but main problem is Math GPA (obviously ). Maybe the subject test would help a few poor grades if I wait another cycle. But I have no idea.

Questions:
1. Apply to more schools outside T10?
2. Any ideas where to find an RA II (mainly metric space topology and functional analysis) online? This is a particularly bad part of a weak math GPA and it's impossible for me to find a department in my area that I can take it at that is flexible

Thanks for looking, and even more thanks for responding

[hido]

> 1. Apply to more schools outside T10?

I'd say that's generally a good idea. Applying to a few more schools will cost you like a few hundred bucks, but *if* you don't get into any schools, you'll have to wait for a whole year before you can apply again.

[FutureMS]

Thanks for your advice! I don't have a problem working for another year if I don't get in this time, but if there is not much more I can do to improve my chances, why wait?

[hido]

Oh okay. Well, if you don't mind working for another year, maybe there's no need to apply to more schools. 1 year can be pretty long though, some MS programs only take a year!

> if there is not much more I can do to improve my chances, why wait?

There are things that you can do to improve your chances. If your work has any projects related to statistics, getting involved there might get you another recommendation letter. Also, there are a lot of schools (both online and onsite) that offer upper division/graduate math/statistics classes at relatively affordable prices. You don't have to finish a degree or anything, but if you pass one or two classes with good grades, that'll help you demonstrate that you are dedicated and not rusty, and that might also get you another recommendation letter.

(I've worked for a couple of years in industry after graduation, and I've been taking graduate math classes for one academic year, and I believe that that has strengthened my applications)