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What does it take to make a good grad school application? | 4 comments (4 topical, 0 hidden)
[new] Why do you want to go to grad school? (none / 0) (#2)
by Anonymous Hero on Sun Dec 26, 2004 at 02:23:56 PM PDT

Here's the real harsh question that I think any faculty member will ask themselves seeing your grades: Why does someone who either doesn't want to put in the time or doesn't have the ability to get A's in math want to go to graduate school? I think you need to answer this question preferably via one of your letters of recommendation from a faculty member. Are you really good at proofs but dislike exams with time pressure? Have you been overwhelmed with family or work study responsibilities? Have your grades been improving through the years? You need to impress three faculty members and get them to write something really special about you as a graduate student. Remember, the first year of graduate school is preperation for intense exams. Beyond that, mathematics is really about study for its own sake and writing proofs. You need to convince them you can get past those exams (which usually do not have time pressure). You need to convince them than you can and want to do research mathematics. And, if you have more talent/interest in one field of math than another apply to a program that specializes in that area and emphasize the point. If you come across as a B student who wants to continue being a B student in grad school. That really doesn't cut it. Generally top students as undergrads descend to B students in grad school and need to struggle to build themselves up. The key is to convince them that you may have been a B undergrad but your skills are in a direction which indicate that it is undergrad style education that has hurt you.



  • REUs by Anonymous Hero, 12/26/2004 14:49:31 PDT (none / 0)

What does it take to make a good grad school application? | 4 comments (4 topical, 0 hidden)
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