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CamPart III Tripos Mathematics

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2023 10:43 pm
by xbq22
Cambridge Part III Progrsm

I’m in the midst of getting decisions back from PhD programs and it’s not exactly going the way I hoped. I suspect that my undergrad institution+ lack of research is really hurting me at the top places. Now I know that this is not the end all be all, but still it would be nice to go to a t20 California school for my PhD program, both from a research perspective, and a future prospects perspective.

That being said, it seems I should be accepted to the Cambridge part three masters program in pure math. This is a program I was very excited about, in particular bc people Cambridge perform a lot of research that i am very interested and this program is from what I understand essentially a prerequisite for the PhD program. However, can I also view this program as a potential second chance? Would this program look good to phd programs in the states and improved my prospects in another round of admissions? I do not really know how the program is viewed in America, and can’t find any threads discussing this specific question on the internet, so I thought I’d ask.

Re: CamPart III Tripos Mathematics

Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2023 12:36 am
by Scholar
My (limited) understanding is that the part iii is recognized as one of (if not the most) intense and rigorous masters programs in the world. This is true in and out of the US, so it is likely that if you do well in the part iii, your chances of admission change. This is especially true if you do original research during the next year.

That said, there is no guaranteed ticket to a PhD program, not even the part iii.

Re: CamPart III Tripos Mathematics

Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2023 12:53 am
by lfyigp
Part 3 is prestigious in both Europe and the US (Speaking as someone who has degrees in both places). If you have browsed through a lot of professors' cv from top schools, actually quite a few of them did part 3 at Cam. I personally know one who went to MIT later, and one who went to Princeton. So it is definitely a big plus if you do well there.

However, that is if you DO WELL there. Part 3 is famous for being difficult. It may not be too difficult to get a distinction degree, but to be considered good among your peers is another story. The guy who went to MIT was No.1 of his year before he went to Cam, and top 5ish at part 3.

In summary, I think Part 3 >>>> other masters programs in the UK, including Oxford or Imperial(which are definitely good schools, but I insist that part 3 is on its own level), and masters programs in the US (because it's not really a thing here). If you have a satisfied PhD offer, you should go directly into it. Otherwise Part 3 is a solid choice

Re: CamPart III Tripos Mathematics

Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2023 12:43 pm
by gzero
By the way, I am currently doing the Part III and can answer any questions.

Re: CamPart III Tripos Mathematics

Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2023 12:59 pm
by eamath
One other consideration. The next PhD cycle at least in USA is submitting Dec 2023 range. At that point you can include that you are in the Tripos program if you go that route, but you may not have any grades to report yet? My understanding, which could be wrong, is that you won't receive grades until final exams at end of program (not per semester like in USA)? Something to check on if you may go this route. Good luck!

Re: CamPart III Tripos Mathematics

Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2023 1:12 pm
by gzero
eamath wrote:
Fri Feb 10, 2023 12:59 pm
One other consideration. The next PhD cycle at least in USA is submitting Dec 2023 range. At that point you can include that you are in the Tripos program if you go that route, but you may not have any grades to report yet? My understanding, which could be wrong, is that you won't receive grades until final exams at end of program (not per semester like in USA)? Something to check on if you may go this route. Good luck!
This is correct, the only thing Cambridge-related you will have, if you're still doing Part III when you're applying, is the name on your application. If you apply the next year you will have the grades and possibly a reference(s) depending on what contacts you make. That said the name alone seemed to attract interest during my PhD interviews in the UK, not sure the effect in the US.

Re: CamPart III Tripos Mathematics

Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2023 1:38 pm
by xbq22
gzero wrote:
Fri Feb 10, 2023 12:43 pm
By the way, I am currently doing the Part III and can answer any questions.
How do you like it?

Re: CamPart III Tripos Mathematics

Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2023 3:34 pm
by gzero
xbq22 wrote:
Fri Feb 10, 2023 1:38 pm
gzero wrote:
Fri Feb 10, 2023 12:43 pm
By the way, I am currently doing the Part III and can answer any questions.
How do you like it?
It's good. If you are in algebraic topology or algebraic geometry, you will be in excellent company and have over a dozen essay titles to choose from. Analysis is a bit less well-represented, there are no analytic number theorists in the department and there's a bias towards PDEs: there are only 2-3 people doing functional analysis and no-one really active in harmonic analysis. The essay is a great opportunity, I've managed to get a PhD offer with my essay setter, and there are some exciting ones available: one of them this year is to digest and present (at least part of) Wiles' proof of Fermat's Last Theorem.

Re: CamPart III Tripos Mathematics

Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2023 9:36 pm
by LetMeIn2401
You should keep in mind that there is simply no time to get letters of rec (or grades) for Part III courses (exams are only end of year anyways). So if you do particularly (keep in mind that even a distinction is difficulty) you will probably only benefit after the tripos is over. I am not sure about the availability of research. Cambridge has research available during the summer after the tripos so that might be useful.

I don't think the Part III essay is going to be that useful (except for getting a letter of rec). Most of the time its exposition.

Re: CamPart III Tripos Mathematics

Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2023 5:06 am
by xbq22
LetMeIn2401 wrote:
Fri Feb 10, 2023 9:36 pm
You should keep in mind that there is simply no time to get letters of rec (or grades) for Part III courses (exams are only end of year anyways). So if you do particularly (keep in mind that even a distinction is difficulty) you will probably only benefit after the tripos is over. I am not sure about the availability of research. Cambridge has research available during the summer after the tripos so that might be useful.

I don't think the Part III essay is going to be that useful (except for getting a letter of rec). Most of the time its exposition.
I’m hoping I can debacle a research project for the summer before pt III starts. If not, I’ll probably end up somewhere in the states