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REU Acceptee Profiles

Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2018 8:29 pm
by goqkpa22
I am planning to apply to REUs in mathematics and applied mathematics for this summer. I go to a top 15 school in math, and I see that many programs seek to accept people that go to schools without many research opportunities, so that does not apply to me. However, I am still having trouble finding research that I am qualified to do at my own school, so I am in a kind of awkward spot.

I was wondering what kinds of profiles people who have gotten into REUs have, especially those from schools with more math opportunities. Feel free to share your profile for the sake of others if you came from another type of school though!

Re: REU Acceptee Profiles

Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2018 8:45 pm
by djysyed
You can find my profile on the 2019 Applicant Profiles thread if you want more information. My school is a top 40 school and has numerous research opportunities so I was at quite a disadvantage. However, one of my teammates was from a top 5 school and a few other people at the REU were from top 20 schools.

Re: REU Acceptee Profiles

Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2018 9:25 pm
by bbqchips
So I didn’t come from a top school, but maybe this will help others.

I was a junior and only got accepted to Brown’s Summer@ICERM REU in geometry and topology.
I applied to 9 programs, and I know that I got waitlisted and accepted very late to the Brown REU.

School: small liberal arts school; unknown

Coursework when I applied:
Calculus sequence
Diff Eq
Discrete Structures
Linear Algebra
Real analysis
Complex analysis
Topology
Abstract algebra

One very good recommendation and one average recommendation.

Math GPA: 3:98

Re: REU Acceptee Profiles

Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2018 11:00 pm
by occamsshampoo
I went to a large school with a lot of research opportunities and had previous research experience when I did my REU. I also had a shite GPA. The thing that made the difference for me was that I was able to write a unique and memorable letter (the REU was in musical acoustics and I played one of the instruments we were going to study quite well) and had an excellent letter of recommendation. It's a bit of a crapshoot, just make sure you apply to a ton of them. Everyone who wants to go to grad school is having the same plan as you.